Recreational & Family - When can I take my new daughter on the bike?

I have an 8-week old daughter.
What is the wisdom from the group in terms of when I can put her on my bike safely?
Also... what is the best seat to use?

Thanks,

Gavin

it's a fireball of a question. but i'd definitely recommend against using a rear child seat for an 8-week old. search through the forum archives; those that introduce their children to bicycles prior to 12-months-old almost always use trailers. there are good reasons for this, most of which are fairly obvious/apparent. some have had varying success with mounting a car seat into a trailer (also search the forums and Google for this), depending on the car seat and the trailer.

as for conventional wisdom (and the fireball portion of your question), some will applaud your choice, and some will vent all manner of disapproval. there are numerous websites weighing the pros and cons of both sides of the argument, and worth reading so you can make an informed decision.

I would say wait at least until she can sit up on her own and hold her head strong and steady with a helmet on. Don't rush it. My daughter was about 10-11 months old when we started taking her out on her Bobike Mini Seat.

it's a fireball of a question. but i'd definitely recommend against using a rear child seat for an 8-week old. search through the forum archives; those that introduce their children to bicycles prior to 12-months-old almost always use trailers. there are good reasons for this, most of which are fairly obvious/apparent. some have had varying success with mounting a car seat into a trailer (also search the forums and Google for this), depending on the car seat and the trailer.

as for conventional wisdom (and the fireball portion of your question), some will applaud your choice, and some will vent all manner of disapproval. there are numerous websites weighing the pros and cons of both sides of the argument, and worth reading so you can make an informed decision.

Best answer you'll likely find.

Unless you are in the state of Georgia, then it is law she needs to be 12 months old.

Unless you are in the state of Georgia, then it is law she needs to be 12 months old.

Sort of:

40-6-292.

(a) A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto and shall allow no person to ride upon the handlebars.
(b) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
(c) No person shall transport a child under the age of one year as a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, roadway, bicycle path, or sidewalk; provided, however, that a child under the age of one year may be transported on a bicycle trailer or in an infant sling so long as such child is seated in the bicycle trailer or carried in an infant sling according to the bicycle trailer's or infant sling's manufacturer's instructions, and the bicycle trailer is properly affixed to the bicycle according to the bicycle trailer's manufacturer's instructions or the infant sling is properly worn by the rider of the bicycle according to the infant sling's manufacturer's instructions and such child transported in a bicycle trailer or infant sling is wearing a bicycle helmet as required under paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Code Section 40-6-296.

I see the has been amended since 2001.

Wait until she has good strong neck at a minimum. As for recommendations, I liked the Co-Pilot Taxi model. It's not the cheapest, but it's nicely padded and easy to use.

Agreed with the others here - being able to sit up and hold up her own head is definitely a minimum. If she fell in the trailer over a bump now, she would definitely not be able to right herself again, which could be dangerous.