Originally Posted by
Tim199
Agreed the trailer allows you to keep your current bike and a trailer has more uses than just for kids. On the safety angle, an experienced cyclist can probably prevent most falls with a kid in the child seat, but it only takes one and that one can have very serious consequences. That's a pretty far distance to fall and the child is strapped into the seat that is pulling them down. The helmet isn't really going to help. The trouble with a trailer though is they recommend not pulling a child in a trailer at bike speeds until 1yr to avoid neck strain. They sell infant attachments, but they're not willing to take the liability of recommending them for biking. I don't know if the Topeak type seats are enough like car seats to avoid the neck control issue.
I'm most familiar with the Burley and Chariot type folding trailers, but the Wyke is an option to consider. They all fold up pretty small and could be carried upstairs if you really had to (~35lbs/16kg). Plus sides to buying a high end trailer are the kid has many comfort options. Rain shield, sun shield, ventilation, padding, seats that don't slump to the middle (if/when you have another), and the resale value is very strong. The higher but not highest end Chariots regularly sell used for only $150-200 less than new and stay there. The Chariot also has stroller wheels you can bring with you so you can zip to errands and walk right into the store with the kids still sleeping. I was not so lucky to have mine sleep through even stopping, but I hear it happens.
Downsides of the trailer are you need somewhere to store it, it's extra weight to pull, and can catch the wind enough to make it even harder to pull.
My husband and I talked about it last night and came to the conclusion that since we're each going to have two bikes no matter what, we're not really faced with an either/or situation... we'll get a trailer to share between us for longer trips/day care drop offs (likely to be pulled on our respective touring bikes), and I'll get a step through/mixte style with a bike seat for shorter trips. And he gets to keep his custom build Independant Fabrications single speed to feel young, regardless of the fact that he hasn't ridden it in a year.
We do have a storage shed, which is a kind of a luxury for the District but was one of the features of our home that really sold us on it (that and proximity to a safe route to work). And thanks for the trailer recs. I saw some Chariots on Craigslist lately but they did sell quickly, so I'll be on the look out for when the time comes. We should have enough room for a fleet of bikes and a Mr. Turtle pool to boot. So luckily storage isn't really an issue for us (now or down the line), my point was a more general one about picking the option that suits your environment, trip, lifestyle. I'm still just bike shopping at the moment, since the commuting with kids part is still a long way off...
Oddly, one of my earliest memories is falling while strapped into the child seat on the back of my mom's bike... not even in motion! I think she walked away for a minute (to get the mail or something) so it was just a kickstand fail in the driveway. This was back when it was okay to drink & smoke while pregnant and certainly no one (including me) was wearing a helmet. I remember being scared, but unharmed, and probably not long after that I got my first banana seat with training wheels. I might have just been too big and squirmy. I've seen a few bikes with double kick stands that probably offer more stability than standard.