[Jazzy88]

I'm trying to decide. Can you guys give me some advantages/disadvantages of both methods?

Thanks!

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[pletcgm]

I'm trying to decide. Can you guys give me some advantages/disadvantages of both methods?

Thanks!

I don't have any children, but I would think that it would be better to have a trailer. That way, if you crash, your child does not go over with you. I would think balancing would be easier also.

[djbowen1]

trailer,trailer,trailer...

[PaulH]

The trailer is a much better way. It is lower, better balanced, and provides extra space for diaper bad, toys, etc.

Paul

[Zardoz]

I hope I don't offend you, but my advice is a babysitter. I'd be scared some punk going too fast would crash into me. Also, when I ride past a parent with a trailer, I always think, "That kid must be bored as hell back there. Can't they find a little more involved way to spend time with their kids?" I might be totally off because I don't have kids and haven't used a trailer, but that's just my honest opinion. Something always strikes me the wrong way about it. Again, no offense intended to those of you use trailers. Just a little different opinion...

[KrisA]

Also, when I ride past a parent with a trailer, I always think, "That kid must be bored as hell back there. Can't they find a little more involved way to spend time with their kids?"

You mean like driving them around in a car? ;) Personally my 5 month old loves his trailer... he falls asleep almost instantly in there! Lots of the riders in my club have a blast pulling their kids around, and their kids love it too.

[geoduck]

Personally, I love the Burley trailer. The one I have is over 10 years old, and is still bomber. My son is 20 months old, and absolutely loves it. It makes me proud, too, that he enthusiastically wears his helmet when we ride.

We've been doing this only a couple of months, and while I commuted through San Francisco to college for many years, I still am not ready to take the trailer through traffic. We spin our miles out on paved bike paths and well-graded fire roads.

As far as safety, there seems to be two main schools of thought. Trailers are safer because of a sophisticated harness (in the newer Burleys, anyway) keeps the kid secure, and the aluminum frame really acts as a roll cage in the event of a crash. Also, because of the way the trailer attaches to the rear triangle of the bike, the pilot bike can go down and the trailer won't flip.

The only downside to a trailer that I see is the low visibility to traffic. Cyclists have a hard enough time being seen in our auto-centric society, and motorists are definately not looking for a low trailer behind the bike. Those orange flags help, though.

A bike seat may be safer in traffic because it avoids the visibility issue. Also, the kid is up higher, and s/he may like that. However, the main safety issue is that if the pilot bike goes down, the kid goes down, and hard. Also, trailers carry way more stuff (diapers, games, snacks), and are more versatile overall (like for grocery shopping). And the kid can easily fall asleep in a safe position.

I recommend a Burley head and shoulders over all others. They're pricey, but still made in Oregon, and they last and last. Use it for your family, and then pass it on!

[caloso]

What age did you start pulling your kids in the trailer? My twins are 4 months old and I'm waiting until they hit 6 months, at the recommendation of our pediatrician.

Also, has anyone got a Chariot (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47591416&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1&color=&img=/big/chips/696012_8035.jpg&view=large)? I saw one at REI and really liked it, particularly since it converts so neatly to a jogger.

[DieselDan]

Cycling with an INFANT? Use a babysitter. Children should not be in a seat or trailer until he/she can hold his/her head up with their own neck muscles. Check local laws too, in Georgia a child under the age of 1 year cannot be on a bike or an attachment to a bike.

[madpogue]

The LBSes here, although they still sell them, call the rear-wheel-top kid seats "baby killers". That's way too high a place to haul a kid on a bike.

About spending time with kids on a bike, all the kids I know who started out being pulled around in their parents' trailers, then on trail-a-bikes, then on their own bikes, have loved the experience. They've gotten an early exposure to the value of bicycling that is priceless.

All that said, it depends on the kid's age. I dunno about what a reasonable minimum age is, but the word "infant" has me guessing s/he's too young.

[outashape]

My kids are in their 20's now, but when they were little they were in the infant seats. It was difficult to stop and dismount as the weight in the back made the front bike wheel lift off the ground slightly. I never had an accident or fell on the bicycle. I did not wear clipless shoes and only cycled around the neighborhood. Another bad feature was that the kids always fell asleep and their neck/head would lean dangerously left or right. Always had to wake the kids up. Most people did not wear helmets and we did not have burly trailers back then. The kids loved being on the bike and as they got older they had their own bicycles with training wheels. I don't know anything about burleys, but I am sure they are better. I have seen a lot of them and have NEVER heard kids crying while riding in them.

[Zardoz]

You mean like driving them around in a car? ;) Personally my 5 month old loves his trailer... he falls asleep almost instantly in there! Lots of the riders in my club have a blast pulling their kids around, and their kids love it too.

Well, I have been known to drag a child from the hitch of my Jeep. :p

[Nightshade]

I'm trying to decide. Can you guys give me some advantages/disadvantages of both methods?

Thanks!

"The LBSes here, although they still sell them, call the rear-wheel-top kid seats "baby killers". That's way
TOO HIGH (!!) a place to haul a kid on a bike."

The geometry of placing a child on the back of a bike in a
baby set is ALL WRONG for safety. Kids need to be kept low
to the ground to minimize any impact forces. I built a bike
trailer years ago for my kids and am now using it for my
grandson's I believe that strongly in this issue.

[ajay677]

Use a trailer. Just look at the height a child's head would be if seated in a child seat. Now visualize the lengthy arc that the child's head would follow until impact with the ground, if you crashed. That alone should be enough to convince you a trailer is the way to go. Also, a child must be able to support their own head before riding with you, in a trailer or in a seat.

[geoduck]

What age did you start pulling your kids in the trailer? My twins are 4 months old and I'm waiting until they hit 6 months, at the recommendation of our pediatrician.

Also, has anyone got a Chariot (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47591416&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1&color=&img=/big/chips/696012_8035.jpg&view=large)? I saw one at REI and really liked it, particularly since it converts so neatly to a jogger.

As others have stated here, kids need to be able to support their heads for extended periods of time before they ride in a trailer, bike seat, or backpack. Also, our pediatrician noted that spinal development can be affected by getting kids into these 'bouncey' activities too young; the vertical compression on the spine experienced during hiking or biking can be damaging.

Considering these issues, I would recommend against putting even a 6-month-old into a trailer, bike seat, etc. It's just not worth the potential risk. Being an outdoors-type guy, it was tough for me to wait, too. My son was ~10 months before I put him in the backpack, and he was 17 months before he got into the Burley. In hindsight, I think he could have ridden in there at around 12-14 months, but I just got the Burley a little while ago. :D


Yes, I've looked at the Chariot at REI...a very tight package indeed. However, they are a relative newcomer to the market, and Burley has been around for many many years. Their stuff is quite nice, but even more expen$ive than Burley IIR. I'm sure I would be happy with one of their trailers, esp. if I was into all the attachments they have (I'm not).

[KrisA]

What age did you start pulling your kids in the trailer? My twins are 4 months old and I'm waiting until they hit 6 months, at the recommendation of our pediatrician.

Also, has anyone got a Chariot (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47591416&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1&color=&img=/big/chips/696012_8035.jpg&view=large)? I saw one at REI and really liked it, particularly since it converts so neatly to a jogger.

I started with my son at 4 months, strictly bike path kind of stuff. I see no difference between recreational cycling and pushing the thing in jogger mode, yet Chariot says 6 months for jogging 1 year for cycling. Perhaps their standards are based on speed, either way I judge the risk and have decided that rec cycling is far less dangerous than driving in the car (nearly t-boned the other day).

Regarding the Chariot, we have a Cougar 1 and love it! The design is great, constuction fantastic, suspension actually works... and it's cool looking! I use ours for both jogging and cycling and it works great for both, in fact some days we'll cycle over the in-laws (on the bike path) and then convert it to jogger mode to go for a walk.

[Jazzy88]

All that said, it depends on the kid's age. I dunno about what a reasonable minimum age is, but the word "infant" has me guessing s/he's too young.

She'll be one year old next week which is the milestone we've been waiting for before even thinking about this.

I guess I'm leaning towards a trailer especially after reading all the helpful responses here. I see alot of them on eBay, is there anything wrong with buying one used? Anything to look out for?

[caloso]

I started with my son at 4 months, strictly bike path kind of stuff. I see no difference between recreational cycling and pushing the thing in jogger mode, yet Chariot says 6 months for jogging 1 year for cycling. Perhaps their standards are based on speed, either way I judge the risk and have decided that rec cycling is far less dangerous than driving in the car (nearly t-boned the other day).

Regarding the Chariot, we have a Cougar 1 and love it! The design is great, constuction fantastic, suspension actually works... and it's cool looking! I use ours for both jogging and cycling and it works great for both, in fact some days we'll cycle over the in-laws (on the bike path) and then convert it to jogger mode to go for a walk.

Helpful comments, especially from Geoduck and KrisA.

KrisA: That's exactly why I was attracted to the Chariot. I'm glad to see that you use it that way. I see that your hometown gets a bit more snow than mine. Do you use the ski attachment too?

[steveknight]

As others have stated here, kids need to be able to support their heads for extended periods of time before they ride in a trailer, bike seat, or backpack. Also, our pediatrician noted that spinal development can be affected by getting kids into these 'bouncey' activities too young; the vertical compression on the spine experienced during hiking or biking can be damaging.


humm I guess all of the indian and other people who carry their kids from the day they are born have defective kids? we tend to get a bit wimpy when it comes to our kids. I guess that happens when we are so pampered. kids are durable or they never would survive.

[Steele-Bike]

My daughter will be turning one this weekend and at that point she will be going out on her maiden voyage in the trailer. We are getting her a helmet for her first birthday and I will be getting another excuse to ride the bike.

[geoduck]

humm I guess all of the indian and other people who carry their kids from the day they are born have defective kids? we tend to get a bit wimpy when it comes to our kids. I guess that happens when we are so pampered. kids are durable or they never would survive.

Point well-taken. It's true that we, as a society, often seem more intersted in holding ourselves back than taking on new challenges and living life fully. However, as a parent, I cannot justify engaging my child in an activity that may be harmful, especially if I can mitigate the risk by waiting for three short months. To me it's a question of priorities, more than anything, and most parents' priorities lie with their kids' well-being?

Just curious...are you a parent?

[KrisA]

KrisA: That's exactly why I was attracted to the Chariot. I'm glad to see that you use it that way. I see that your hometown gets a bit more snow than mine. Do you use the ski attachment too?

Truth be told I've never really taken to xc skiing, I stick to ice-biking! :D For some reason I imagine the Chariot with skis would be tough to tow while xc skiing. Perhaps I'll give it a try though this coming winter.

Aside: sorry if this sounds condescending, but I get a kick out of people who don't put their kids in the trailer until the DAY they turn 1, if they're fine at 1 they likely would have been at 11 months as well.

[geoduck]

My daughter will be turning one this weekend and at that point she will be going out on her maiden voyage in the trailer. We are getting her a helmet for her first birthday and I will be getting another excuse to ride the bike.

Word. This is really what it's all about, anyway :D

Props on the helmet action, too. My son wore his from day 1 in the trailer, and now he knows that no helmet=no bike ride, and he wears it every time with minimal fuss.

[chuckfox]

My daughters, now 7 and 10, both went from Burley trailer to trailer bike to their own singles or the back of our tandem. They are both avid cyclists for their age and I think it's due to it being fun for them at an early age.

Just something that might be helpful for the little ones, the trailers may have improved a bit since we had ours, but the trailer seats did "hammock" under the weight of the passenger. In other words when they were smaller they had to work to sit up because the fabric seatback flexed so much. I remember placing rolled up towels and things like that in the trailer with them to try to support them better. You may want to keep an eye on this when choosing a trailer.

[PaulH]

We bought an InStep Turbo Elite. This is a much less expensive trailer than the Burley, and probably requires much more energy to haul around. On the other hand, it has endured 100 mile weeks and winter snows. This summer, I have been using it every day to take my 5 year old to day camp on the way to work. She loves riding in it.

Paul

[Brillig]

I used to carry my little fella in a seat but have switched to a trailer due to some of the horror stories I've read. The seats are probably not as bad as they are made out to be, especially the newer ones. There are sidewalls completely up and down on either side of the child and the kid is strapped in pretty well. But it still has to be worse than a trailer in the case of an accident.

I just ordered a "Kid Karriage" from Nashbar for $99. By far the best price I've found. Remains to be seen if there is a good reason why it's so cheap, :)

[dirtbikedude]

As for what age we started to put our daughter in it, she was 3 months old (she is developing fast). As most people said, the child needs to be able to hold their head up on their own.

Also, has anyone got a Chariot? I saw one at REI and really liked it, particularly since it converts so neatly to a jogger.

We use a Chariot Cougar 1. It is very sturdy, susspension works and is adjustable to the childs weight and it works with bikes that have disc brakes and rear suspension. Also, because of the way it attaches to the bike you can lay the bike down if you need to with out affecting the trailer.
We use it to pull our daughter on fireroads, double track and at the beach on the path. We also have all the attachment and use all of them (eccept for the ski attachment). What sold us on the Chariot is its low rollover rate and the quality. We were able to test one out a year or so before our daughter arrived.

Here is a pic of our set up we added the fender on the carrage;


:beer:

[steveknight]

Point well-taken. It's true that we, as a society, often seem more intersted in holding ourselves back than taking on new challenges and living life fully. However, as a parent, I cannot justify engaging my child in an activity that may be harmful, especially if I can mitigate the risk by waiting for three short months. To me it's a question of priorities, more than anything, and most parents' priorities lie with their kids' well-being?

Just curious...are you a parent?
well if you drive a car with your child then what can I say? that is a far riskier activity. use a car seat in the trailer then. your far less likly to get hit with that trailer then in a car.
yes I am a parent and I did not treat my little gil as a little helpless monster (G) but she turned into one (G) a little bit of pain and she thinks she is dying.

[DieselDan]

I just consulted my in house baby expert (my wife, the nurse) and an infant cannot move on his/her own. Once the child starts to crawl you call him/her a TODDLER!

PLEASE, NEVER CALL A CHILD AN "IT".

[Desk Rider]

I'm pulling a trailer after having used a seat for my son until June this year. The seat was okay as long as Vincent's weight was below 10 Kgs. I noticed that when he twisted around in the seat balance was becoming a problem for me. I think that the trailer is pretty good insurance against falling over.

Besides, Vincent loves his trailer and even if no ride is planned for the day he insists on clambering into it, just to play or nap a little.

[Brillig]

well if you drive a car with your child then what can I say? that is a far riskier activity. use a car seat in the trailer then. your far less likly to get hit with that trailer then in a car.


Yes, you're far less likely to get hit by a car when on your bike then when in your car, but you're far more likely to be involved in some sort of "accident" on a bicycle than in a car. Generally those accidents, no matter how slight they seem, end in a bike falling over.

[ajay677]

I'm trying to decide. Can you guys give me some advantages/disadvantages of both methods?

Thanks!

As I wrote in an earlier post, go with the trailer. The trailer I've had good luck with is the WIKE. Take a look:

http://www.wicycle.com/faqs.htm

[steveknight]

Yes, you're far less likely to get hit by a car when on your bike then when in your car, but you're far more likely to be involved in some sort of "accident" on a bicycle than in a car. Generally those accidents, no matter how slight they seem, end in a bike falling over.

where do youy come up with that? I only ride as a passenger in a car and I have been in more accidents then while riding my bike. most of those where for doing stupid things I would not do while carring a child.

[caloso]

Thanks for the pic, Dirtbikedude.

This has been a great discussion.

[Portis]

I hope I don't offend you, but my advice is a babysitter. I'd be scared some punk going too fast would crash into me. Also, when I ride past a parent with a trailer, I always think, "That kid must be bored as hell back there. Can't they find a little more involved way to spend time with their kids?" I might be totally off because I don't have kids and haven't used a trailer, but that's just my honest opinion. Something always strikes me the wrong way about it. Again, no offense intended to those of you use trailers. Just a little different opinion...

No offense taken but not having a kid, you really don't have any perspective to offer advice. For one, an infant shouldn't be in a bike trailer nor a bike seat. They should probably be at home as noted. Once a kid reaches the age of two or so, then you can go for the trailer.

This comment about "the kid must be bored", is hillarious. You have to consider what the kids would be doing if they were not out in the trailer getting fresh air and having ALL of their senses stimulated. They most likely would be sitting at home watching Barney or something else on TV. This is where most kids are raised, in front of the TV.

I know my kids are not always thrilled when they are in the bike trailer but I also know that life is not all about being "thrilled" all of the time. There is something natural about the kids being in a bike trailer. You know that far more kids have experienced this sort of thing since the beginning of time in this the world, than have been raised by Barney. ;)

[zonatandem]

Trailer preferable to kid seat on bike. Safety as mentioned. And when you ride solo without the kid, it's much easier to detach a trailer than a kid's bikeseat.
Burley trailer may cost a bit more than some others, but the quality /durability/towability makes up for it.
When child grows up, you can sell the Burley trailer; when is the last time you saw a used child's bikeseat advertised on e-bay?
Quality lasts!

[Paul L.]

I had a friend that was riding with someone who was towing a burley and had an accident. the bike and burley went rolling dowin into a ditch (by rolling I don't mean in a forward direction, rather sideways so as to use the roll bar in the burley). When they got to the burley the kid was laughing and wanted to do it again.

I tow a trailer with two 2 year olds and a trailer bike to boot and the kids love it. when we go into the garage and the trailer is out the boys climb in and get real excited. We usually ride to parks within 5 to 10 miles away, let them play for a bit and then return. This seems to work out great. I highly recommend the trailers. Incidentally my 2 year olds start to get a little tired of the bicycling thing between 30 and 60 minutes so the park helps to extend our ride by breaking it up for them.

[geoduck]

I had a friend that was riding with someone who was towing a burley and had an accident. the bike and burley went rolling dowin into a ditch (by rolling I don't mean in a forward direction, rather sideways so as to use the roll bar in the burley). When they got to the burley the kid was laughing and wanted to do it again.

I tow a trailer with two 2 year olds and a trailer bike to boot and the kids love it. when we go into the garage and the trailer is out the boys climb in and get real excited. We usually ride to parks within 5 to 10 miles away, let them play for a bit and then return. This seems to work out great. I highly recommend the trailers. Incidentally my 2 year olds start to get a little tired of the bicycling thing between 30 and 60 minutes so the park helps to extend our ride by breaking it up for them.

Completely off-topic...

Paul, who wrote the poem in your sig? Magnifique!

[Squeaky]

I am writing in defense of the baby carrier (car-seat sort of thing). We used one with our son, who is now 13. We put him in it, with a helmet, when he was about a year old. He loved it because he could see what was happening. We never took our son on long, fast, or bumpy rides. We all liked it, and felt that our son was very safe. We also preferred a baby backpack to a stroller - same sort of idea.

[Oxymoron]

Hmm,
I probably shouldn't do what we did when I was a kid and tie a Little Red Wagon to the back of my banana seat and pull people around. So safe... and before helmets were common too.

I once saw a guy riding a bike with a kid in a backpack child carrier.

When I can find a scanner I will scan some photos I found in a biking book from 1972. They show different child carrier styles of the time. One looks like a wicker basket attached to the back rack to hold your infant. Mmm hmm! Another is just a bare wooden seat on the back of the bike - no arm, leg or head protection. Just like the one I rode in as a kid. Good thing my parents never actually went anywhere on their bikes. They also had a funny one with the kid riding backwards in front of the handlebars.

The people in the photos are wearing pants and jackets or dresses with nice shoes. The part on touring where they show how to pack your requisite suit and tie without wrinkling them is a hoot - but that's another thread...

[caloso]

Hmm,
I probably shouldn't do what we did when I was a kid and tie a Little Red Wagon to the back of my banana seat and pull people around. So safe... and before helmets were common too.

I once saw a guy riding a bike with a kid in a backpack child carrier.

...

Holy crap. You just reminded me that about a year ago I saw a guy on the American River Bike Trail, on a road bike decked out in the complete USPS team kit, and wearing a very small infant on his back. He was going pretty slow, but still!

[Misha]

A trailer is safer from a physics standpoint, but the idea of my son getting a blast of carbon monoxide in the face every time a car drives by gives me the screamin' heebie-jeebies. Any opinions?

[Michel Gagnon]

The only time one gets a blast of CO is when cars and cyclists are stopped or driving/riding at the same speed. So just like you shouldn't stop with your nose right behind the exhaust of a school bus, you shouldn't stop with your son's nose just beside the exhaust of a car. Apart from that, you are OK and he is OK.

[TONY M]

Trailers sound better to me, two children + much more room to store a picknic or shopping.

[Michel Gagnon]

Tony,

I think you express the main advantage I see with the trailer. I have used both;

I normally carry my essentials in a single rear pannier and add a second one when I have the children for sweaters, raingear, small lunch, etc.

With the bike seat, I had to install the panniers on the front rack and transfer stuff between panniers to make them of about the same weight. I also had limited extra carrying capacity for sand toys or groceries and I sometimes had to tie plastic bags behind the baby seat. With the trailer, I could not only keep the rear panniers (and add the front ones if necessary), but I could also carry some stuff in the trailer. IOW, preparing the bike + trailer, or even the bike + trailercycle + child trailer combo was much quicker than preparing the bike + child seat.

Handling was not a real issue for me because I ride a sturdy touring bike and am used to loaded touring.

I now don't use any of these for children, but the bike trailer is used once or twice a month for cargo; sometimes really heavy cargo.