
Justin is a London based dad of three. As well as being a content creator, he's also interested in all things tech, law, software engineering, and photography related, and likes to cycle in his free time.

Through his content, Justin aims to show the true reality of personal parenting alongside fun activity recommendations to do as a family. He focuses a lot on sustainability as his family tries to live in an environmentally conscious way.

Follow him [on Instagram](https://instagram.com/alldadstalk).


Justin


> Towbar bike rack dream right here!

![thule-bike-rack-005.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611949416/thule_bike_rack_cover_9572156d95.jpg)

If you follow me on Instagram, you know what a huge fan of anything Thule I am. Last year I have been kindly given a [Thule EasyFold XT 3](https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/towbar-bike-racks/thule-easyfold-xt-3-_-934300) for a review and I’ve been using it ever since. I had an old bike rack on my previous car which can only be described in two words: not Thule!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944772/B8_B847_D2_71_A8_49_DD_9458_11_DDA_654_ABA_1_1825273b71.jpg)

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944778/BD_3969_DE_E3_AF_4802_810_F_8_F9728764_C13_6f6a9450be.jpg)

This fully foldable, compact, and easy-to-use [towbar-mounted bike rack](https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack) for all types of bikes is absolutely brilliant! When I say all types of bikes, I really mean it! Check the photos below, find the 50 year old chopper and you’d know that’s mine 🙂 Bulky, heavy and a bit rusty (shhh) but it fits like a dream in the bike rack. So does Aly’s gigantic bike which comes with a huge basket – apparently her ‘I can’t live without’ insta prop!

![thule-bike-rack-010.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944550/18_DD_199_C_A172_4638_B54_A_AFC_345773317_5bdd61ae7d.jpg)

Here are some of my features of the Thule bike rack:

-   Fully foldable for convenient mounting, handling and storage – the way in which it folds is a big plus for when it’s off the car and into STORAGE!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944935/E844_E80_B_00_D4_4_EBB_B28_B_DA_418_B71_BB_4_D_16db290e55.jpg)

-   High load capacity enabling transport of e-bikes and heavy mountain bikes – Yes!!! Just check our bikes 😀

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944791/D9_FED_79_A_C565_45_A9_B5_DB_8_ACD_61_B0_E11_E_edf07b1c77.jpg)

-   Easy mounting of bikes through detachable bike arms with lockable Thule AcuTight torque limiter knobs that click when optimal torque is reached – another feature which I love!!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944646/57_FDF_1_F6_F8_E7_42_FE_872_C_9_E9023_AE_11_EC_a267efff62.jpg)

-   Smooth mounting and adjustment of the bike rack before closing the tightening handle, thanks to the towbar coupling’s initial stability

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944530/6_C59_FC_88_4646_417_D_85_BA_7_D884_ECDA_79_D_6de234fb93.jpg)

-   Ergonomic transport of the bike rack thanks to the integrated transport wheels and carrying handle – Aly can carry it by herself with absolutely no problem!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944662/808_AF_19_C_B011_4891_A91_A_82_BE_2_ED_5488_F_b1cb546269.jpg)

-   Pre-assembled, no tools required – the GENIUS part!!!

![thule-bike-rack-007.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944517/0_AA_71_EF_6_B9_F3_4726_A5_A6_8_AB_40_C8_CF_1_EC_06838feee4.jpg)

-   Lock your bikes to the bike rack and your bike rack to the towbar (locks included) – yes, they are included and it gives me more piece of mind.

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944662/808_AF_19_C_B011_4891_A91_A_82_BE_2_ED_5488_F_b1cb546269.jpg)

![thule-bike-rack-014.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944667/3737_D8_D9_AA_0_A_4367_AB_3_A_67442_D39_B512_98a3c815ba.jpg)

![thule-bike-rack-016.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944521/3_BF_5218_E_CFEE_4_B8_B_864_A_89694_E66_DF_0_D_31f6f62283.jpg)

You can find below a few photos from my first experience with the bike rack on our Tesla Model X.

You can find all tech behind the product on Thule website, but here are a few more details below that may interest you.


If you follow me on Instagram, you know what a huge fan of anything Thule I am...

Thule did it again - THE dream bike rack for families


> Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. (Steve Jobs)

One such product was the iPhone. It put the “smart” back into SmartPhone and created an ecosystem which was undreamed-of at the time. And, it’s only been a little more than 10 years since.

I am lucky to ride such a revolutionary product to work – a [**Micro Merlin**](https://www.micro-scooters.co.uk/micro-merlin-adult-electric-scooter.html) adult electric scooter – and have been on electric scooters for over 4 years now. Like thousands of other dads, I work in the City. I’ve commuted using the tube or bus for years until I said to myself - insert Joey’s voice from the milk carton ad in Friends here 😀 - “there’s gotta be a better way”.

![Scooting into the future photo 001](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944538/8_A9_C2_DAF_E77_D_4143_9638_5870_C56_CAC_12_87db6ada01.jpg)

Riding a bike is and has always been an option and for good reasons thousands of Londoners are and have been doing it for years. However, getting sweaty into work or showering and changing clothing as I arrived (not an option in most of my jobs) put me off biking for my work commute. I do ride my bike(s) regularly outside of my work commute and I stand behind all efforts to make biking safer and more accessible to everyone within London and elsewhere.

![Scooting into the future photo 002](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944670/7315_DE_3_F_4_C15_414_F_865_D_7_AD_13917008_D_1acc450d59.jpg)

Driving springs to mind immediately. Cars have been around for 133 years so all generations since have been born into a culture constructed more or less around car transportation. Yet, cars get stuck in traffic and pollute our breathing air and have recently been into scandals for faking their emissions. I’ve read recently that a great deal of people in London are living with illegal air pollution – about 2 million – according to the most recent data. Posters all over my kid’s school are asking parents to step in and petition the Mayor to take action.

![Scooting into the future photo 003](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944640/39_A80_CB_9_4_A1_F_4423_B3_DB_9081_DC_40_A812_d50045e2a2.jpg)

We’ve seen ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) @transportforlondon coming into play on 8 April and that’s slowly solving part of the problem. It seems that recorded nitrogen dioxide levels are falling and could reach legal levels within six years. That’s still 6 YEARS of our kids’ CHILDHOOD under pollution, never mind your daily commute to work, school runs or the occasional trip to the farmers’ market, it’s their little lungs we need to think more about and we can only do it if we collectively try and change our mind framework. It’s not only reducing plastic or saving water that should be high up on our agenda, but what we chose for our daily travel and including driving, too.

![Scooting into the future photo 004](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944930/DEC_6_F1_B8_A571_4058_B28_E_14_DE_168_A2071_0ad758e3f8.jpg)

So back to electric scooters then. I believe I was one of the first Londoners on an electric scooter which I imported from the US when I began using it for the daily commute (almost 5y ago) so my research is pretty solid when it comes to this path I’ve chosen. They used to be noisy, heavy and bulky, nothing like the slim, silent & light options we have today.

![Scooting into the future photo 005](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944655/609_F63_D3_3_CCB_495_B_AB_28_5_B5_CED_27_AF_02_d7e7399359.jpg)

I am now riding a Merlin scooter awesomely put together by @microscooter_official – that’s their insta handle – they have an amazing team of dedicated people to make the world a better, greener place. They are makers of fine scooters for both the kids and us dads – you should watch Lucas in action. I’ve included below a few photos of Lucas who is now 5 and he has been on a scooter since before he turned 2. He is now rocking a [**Microscooter Maxi**](https://www.micro-scooters.co.uk/browse-maxi-micro-scooters?gclid=Cj0KCQjw0brtBRDOARIsANMDykaJ3QNyxc2d-O8jeIRKC_Bmjv111yKwXdcMJjArdqQy7Jcki_MbRyMaAvLbEALw_wcB).

![Scooting into the future photo 006](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944542/8_F671_CB_3_7_C96_4075_ABD_6_97_FA_8_FC_4_DA_97_538ee398ee.jpg)

We, as a family are trying to be more and more conscious about the choices we make and it all started before I chose to drive electric. It was at a time when research was revealing the utter dominance of the “single-occupant automobile” (Alan Pisarski) in our daily commuting. To you and me that’s “most of us drive alone in a 4/5/6/7/8 seater to work”. That’s not efficiently using resources and sad ☹️.

![Scooting into the future photo 007](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944783/C7_D2956_F_1643_450_F_BCA_7_2_F74652_E2_E58_e7ab719fce.jpg)

Long story short, even if you’re driving electric, parking is scarce and prohibitively expensive in the City – unless you happen to work in the Westminster City Council area – kudos to WCC for being so ahead of their time with their parking policy which encourages commuters to go electric (in case you didn’t know: you pay £0.81 per first 10 minutes and stay for the max duration of that bay). To compare, parking outside my office in Moorgate cost £4.80/hr and I have to move the car every 2 hours – that’s expensive even for high earners and affects my work productivity also.

![Scooting into the future photo 008](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944521/3_AC_00_DF_9_68_F6_483_D_9979_A98_E3_AAD_46_B3_e0ee7b27fd.jpg)

## In the pipeline

Last but never least, they are now working on a brilliant electric car and my other half is determined to get hers in 2020 when it arrives in London. It comes with a scooter 😉.

More about it [**here**](https://microlino-car.com/en/microlino).


Like thousands of other dads, I work in the City. I’ve commuted using the tube...

Scooting into the future - with the Micro Merlin


If you’re still shopping for your kid’s Christmas gift, here’s a review that might help you decide easier, without having to undergo endless trips to the overcrowded Disney shops and way too busy malls.

It was rather easy for us to decide on a gift for our toddler as he had continuously been asking for a pair of pedals to attach to his little balance bike. As if that’s the right solution to start peddling! But transitioning a toddler to a pedal bike can be a bit challenging, therefore for the past couple of months I went through an entire process of researching and testing the best available options. We went to a few bike shops and tried on several bikes, but I’ve also spent a few good hours each week in the online shopping world reading thousands of reviews and hoping to find the one that clicks. And then I found it: one bike they said it grows with your child.

![littlebig bikes](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944526/5_C3_C19_CF_6273_452_D_AA_33_4_F9_E8_B493_F64_baa2efba65.jpg)

As intrigued as I was, I started checking out feedback from people who already purchased one. But despite of being a young company, lots of happy parents’ praising words pushed me to make contact.

![littlebig bikes](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944645/55_ACCCA_8_1_EC_0_4_DD_9_807_B_10_CEE_584_F954_165ad05aa1.jpg)

Simon Evans of Irish company LittleBig Bikes is an engineer and cycling enthusiast who developed a great concept of a balance bike designed to grow with your child after spending time working in a bike shop. Here he observed how parents always came back getting a new bike each time for different ages.

![littlebig bikes](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944654/451_BE_870_D534_4_EFF_ACDE_094943_AEFFFA_c2ead81eb6.jpg)

My other half Aly [@allmumstalk](http://allmumstalk.com/product-reviews/ride-with-them/) already wrote a reviewing piece on the same bike (we are that thrilled about it!) and mentioned that our toddler’s first balance bike was a good start, yet the lack of inflatable wheels made the ride uncomfortable once he was really confident in gaining speed. The LittleBig new bike came with proper air tyres and that’s only one of the main reasons I wish I knew about from the beginning. It also took me less than 20 minutes to put it together while I have to say it’s rather easy to change it from balance mode to pedals.

![littlebig bikes](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944645/55_ACCCA_8_1_EC_0_4_DD_9_807_B_10_CEE_584_F954_165ad05aa1.jpg)

The bikes are designed & hand assembled in Ireland and they come with a sleek design and a great price attached if you consider the approximate 5 years investment. Therefore, that’s my number one choice for a Christmas present if you haven’t covered the bike chapter yet. It’s one way to make the tiny humans’ confidence grow while they become more independent and eventually, in my case, better riders than their own dad…

![littlebig bikes](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944516/0_AE_19_A70_D246_49_FE_B0_A1_11229011513_D_11d3225074.jpg)

Next pit stop: Christmas tree shopping!

![littlebig bikes](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944645/52_D42_C00_6059_42_D4_955_E_1_FC_10_C65_F783_d29e1116bf.jpg)


If you’re still shopping for your kid’s Christmas gift, here’s a review...

Gear

Thule did it again - THE dream bike rack for families

Scooting into the future - with the Micro Merlin

It’s beginning to look a lot like... LittleBig Bikes