ZZ Top, or: destination and time have to match perfectly. "Of course, I ride different tours with my kids than I do with my buddies," says Holger Meyer, former World Cup pro and father of two. When choosing a tour, parents have to learn to scale back their own wishes from time to time. Because there is a fine line between "yawn" and "ouch". So keep your eyes open when choosing your destination(s)! In the beginning, a two-hour trip to the city forest is enough to make everyone happy.

But with skill and experience, the demands on the family tour also increase: Dad wants quality time with the rascals, mom wants a cappuccino and a deck chair in between, the kids want fun, excitement and single trails. And chocolate! Speaking of which: kids are usually much livelier than the grown-ups, but their little battery drains much faster than their parents'. So: cruise at a leisurely pace so that everyone can chat easily and please don't sprint to the top of the pass. They'll drain your mini energy store in no time. If your energy and mood are low, clever moms can conjure up some chocolate or Haribo from the rucksack.

A Sherpa unpacks: What to take on tour

Backpack keyword: What else needs to go in the bag apart from sweet concentrate? Most importantly: rain gear. Even if exemplary parents check the weather forecast carefully before the big tour, a short shower can spoil the best tour. As I said, more than enough power bars, apples and salamettis. Fresh tap water is best in the drinking bottles. Add soft protectors for your back and knees, tools, a pump and two spare inner tubes and you're ready to go. Important: don't forget your first aid kit.

Dad usually takes on the role of navigator. That's fine, as long as he doesn't forget the batteries for the GPS again. Or the cell phone with the tour app runs out of juice. Analog natives always have the good old map with them. And all too exemplary fathers shoulder the big bike backpack and thus keep their kids' backs free.

The most important ingredients for the perfect family bike tour

To ensure that the tour together ends in boundless pleasure and not in abysmal frustration, it must be one thing above all: exciting. Nothing is more annoying than endlessly long forest road climbs. And with a bike that is far too heavy. Imagine your bike weighs half your body weight. If you invest in a high-quality children's bike, you will win on every tour. More and more bike spots have lifts that whisk man and machine up to the summit. Kids love this and it's easy on the body's own batteries. They drain faster on the descent than some parents think anyway.

The topic of downhill: children need excitement without excessive demands. So easy single trails instead of gravel highways. Right of way for parents: The easiest way for kids to learn is by imitating. If mom or dad ride ahead (assuming they have good riding technique), then the little ones simply copy them - without the grown-ups having to explain much. Learning by doing is always good. But of course children are also allowed to ride ahead. This teaches them to estimate speed, find the ideal line and become the boss of their trail.

Off to a biking vacation: the top 5 family-friendly bike spots

Two mountain railroads, a family-friendly bike park and endless flow trails, plus uncomplicated camping and good, affordable food - that's Livigno, Italy. The duty-free high valley between Ortler and Bernina is one of the top spots (not only) for bike families. Sölden, Austria, is in no way inferior. The newly established "Bike Republic" attracts visitors with signposted flow trails, perfect lift infrastructure, a village pump track and rustic Tyrolean-style refreshment huts.

The purest children's paradise is Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis in Austria, high above the Inn Valley. The bike park scores points with young and old alike with practice trails, alpine flow trails and a mega pump track - and with typical Tyrolean hospitality. Switzerland has always been bike country. The Arosa/Lenzerheide bike area offers endless possibilities on high alpine trails that are also suitable for ambitious teenagers. The magnificent mountain scenery and Swiss flair are included for free.

In the mood for a week of biking, chilling and feasting? Then the Massa Vecchia bike station in the small Tuscan town of Massa Marittima is just the place for you. Everything here revolves around biking. It starts with the in-house pump track and ends with daring enduro tours with a four-wheel drive shuttle service. The Italian paradise for bike families.

Holger Meyer and Karen Eller in a short interview

Which of your family bike tours would you describe as particularly special and why?
Our crossing of the Dolomites is one of the more beautiful experiences because we spent a few days in the mountains and stayed overnight in mountain huts. It's a very special moment to watch the sunset with your children without having to hurry to get back down to the valley.

How old were your children on your first multi-day family bike trip?
They were eight and twelve years old on our first longer bike trip, so we knew that they could manage most of the challenges themselves. As a parent, you can support them and carry the extra equipment they need in your backpack. Before this one, we had only done day trips.

Is there anything that you always have with you on bike tours with your kids?
Gummy bears and a tow rope are essential. Something for towing should always be with you. It can be a pipe or rope, anything helps. And never forget the sweets!

Did everything always go smoothly on your family bike trips?
No, there were several situations that turned a trip into a nightmare. The worst is when the kids are hungry and you've forgotten the food or when there's no mountain hut in sight, they just stop pedaling and say: "That's it!" And what do you do then? In the end, you have to be diplomatic and persuade them to keep going. As a mom or dad, you're constantly switching back and forth between coach, friend, psychologist and teacher. All in one person. And yet it's still fun.

There are also steeper or longer climbs on bike tours. How do you motivate your children then?
Find the right route, avoid steep and boring climbs as much as possible. Take breaks, allow more time than you would otherwise need and find mountain huts with lots of pasta dishes. And, of course, tow them if necessary.