Toddler On Back Of Bike

[MikeEcho]

I just got a Topeak bike seat for my toddler. He's still has a little trepidation about it (and so do I). I have short legs and I find it hard to mount the bike with my toddler on the back. Does anyone have any tricks out there? Also: separate question -- I really didn't research the whole "bike seat vs. trailer" debate: I just went ahead and bought a bike seat. Just wondering if most people out there use bike seats or trailers or is it about 50-50. Thanks... Mike in Philadelphia....

[DieselDan]

You should use a step through frame, a girl's bike. I run a rental operation and will not mount a child carrier on the bike of a traditional diamond frame, a boy's bike.

[masiman]

I think I roughly see more trailers than carriers when I am on the road. Although I think I have seen more bikes with carriers than trailers. My guess is that the carrier riders do not ride as often as trailer riders.

[Hambone]

I just got a Topeak bike seat for my toddler. He's still has a little trepidation about it (and so do I). I have short legs and I find it hard to mount the bike with my toddler on the back. Does anyone have any tricks out there? Also: separate question -- I really didn't research the whole "bike seat vs. trailer" debate: I just went ahead and bought a bike seat. Just wondering if most people out there use bike seats or trailers or is it about 50-50. Thanks... Mike in Philadelphia....I'm tall with short legs. (6'1" but 29" inseam) I hold the bike by the seat and step over inside my arm.

[cranky old dude]

Please excuse my frankness on this subject, I'm very opinionated about this subject. I do not believe children are safe on the back of a bike strapped into those little baby seats. If the bike goes down, the pilot can put his/her feet down and basicly walk thru the crash. What can the poor child do to protect themself if the bike goes down. They're strapped onto the back of the bike and are dropping approx. four feet to the pavement. Owwwww. Seriously consider getting a two wheeled trailer. Then, if the bike crashes...the child won't.

[Aldone]

Please excuse my frankness on this subject, I'm very opinionated about this subject. I do not believe children are safe on the back of a bike strapped into those little baby seats. If the bike goes down, the pilot can put his/her feet down and basicly walk thru the crash. What can the poor child do to protect themself if the bike goes down. They're strapped onto the back of the bike and are dropping approx. four feet to the pavement. Owwwww. Seriously consider getting a two wheeled trailer. Then, if the bike crashes...the child won't.

I choose a baby seat (in fact 2, one on my bike and one on my wife's) for safety reasons.

The bike + trailer is a very long vehicle and more dangerous on the road with cars, the baby is very low and inhale all the car fumes, the trailer is larger than the bike and impossible to use on some narrow bike lanes.

The seat on the bike that I use with my son is very low so I can put both feet easilly on the ground and I use special care to prevent falling and the baby always wear an helmet

In fact I fall only when trying stupid stuff like skids on my fixed gear (without the baby of course!)

[cranky old dude]

I choose a baby seat (in fact 2, one on my bike and one on my wife's) for safety reasons.

The bike + trailer is a very long vehicle and more dangerous on the road with cars, the baby is very low and inhale all the car fumes, the trailer is larger than the bike and impossible to use on some narrow bike lanes.

The seat on the bike that I use with my son is very low so I can put both feet easilly on the ground and I use special care to prevent falling and the baby always wear an helmet

In fact I fall only when trying stupid stuff like skids on my fixed gear (without the baby of course!)

All excellent points though some may not be applicable in the States. For example, we generally have reletively wider roads and bike lanes so navigating a trailer is not a problem. The low seat for easy feet on the ground is great advice.

We all need to adapt the "Best Practices" as seen by others to fit our own circumstances based on our families and riding environment.

Best of luck and good riding....!

[cooker]

Infant bike seats make me really nervous. A fall may be extremely rare, but it's very hard to imagine it being benign. I guess I'm another cranky old dude :)

[Portis]

Your post helps to illustrate the reason trailers are safer and preferred. It doesn't mean that you will ever have trouble, but there are greater risks of injury with your set up. The trailer is much safer because it sits inches off of the ground and has a wide wheel base. They are almost impossible to tip over. You really have to work at it to tip one over. And even if you could manage to do that, the child should be securely fastened and safe from harm.

[BikeWise1]

I don't even sell "child seats" in my shop. Children quickly get bored back there with nothing to do, and having them back there means you can't carry much more with any degree of safety. But the biggest issue is safety. A bike towing a trailer with a flag is a curiosity to motorists and I find I am given a very wide berth. With a child seat, a bike tipping over means the child's head is falling from nearly 4 feet. Even helmeted, at the very least you will end with a child who wants nothing to do with the bike ever again.