Cool insouciance

[Iris]

Spotted in Bloomsbury this evening. My phone was in my bag otherwise I'd have got a photo.

Man on generic carbon road bike with clipless pedals, wearing full lycra and helmet co-branded with the bike.

Girl of seven or eight in school uniform (no headgear) getting a backie, using dad's pockets as handholds and resting her forehead on his back for support. She signalled for him in an obviously practised routine. No footrests, and her legs splayed wide enough to let him pedal through them. She appeared to be sharing the saddle with him - although there might have been some sort of extension.

[Rutabaga]

I once saw a child being carried in a child seat on a Brompton, in front of the man who I assume was her dad. I don't know how the seat attached to the bike. She was doing the hand signals for him too, by sticking her arm out underneath his arm. It was probably a bit of a handling nightmare to ride though.

[Joan]

I've seen similar, little girl in a posh private school uniform, hat and all, standing on the rack of a Brompton, hands around daddy's waist. It did not seem safe.

[Rutabaga]

Multiple passengers on bikes in the Netherlands never look safe, but they do look astoundingly cool and never seem to come to grief.