what are your thoughts on bike riding with a toddler?

[etwahl]

just curious if you do it, want to do it, or don't think it's a good idea. and also, do you think the trailer is better or sitting on the back of your bike?

the guy at our bike shop said they're both safe (trailer being more expensive) but if you take a tumble on your bike, the trailer doesn't tip over, so that's nice...although a toddler may sit in the bike longer.

anyway, just wondering what you all think about it?! it's getting summery here and i am thinking about summer fun :)

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[parkersmama]

Good question! I was a big bike rider before my pregnancy with Amy Grace. My OB forced me to give it up during my pregnancy (grrrr!) and I still haven't taken it back up. :( I've been thinking about it a lot lately now that AG is approaching her first b'day in May. They say that it isn't safe for them to travel by bike until they are at least 1yo (not a problem for you since L is about to turn 1!).

Here are my thoughts and experiences:
1. Seat on the bike: this can make it harder for you to ride since the bike wobbles as the child shifts their weight. Also, it can be harder to get on and off your bike since you have to be very careful to hold it upright (I normally tilt mine some when mounting or dismounting). I have a problem with worrying about a crash since the baby would also hit the ground. I've had a pretty bad wreck before by myself and wouldn't want my baby involved in that (road rash hurts!). When I road some with Wesley in a bike seat (rental bike), he was probably 2yo and still had trouble with the helmet. The seat comes up high behind their head (good for safety, I'd think) but the helmet makes their head stick out so that they can't sit quite upright. He was miserable and cried every time we stopped riding. He was only happy when I was moving. All in all, a bike seat would not be my choice.

2. Bike trailer: The biggest downside that I see is that this option is *much* heavier! This is especially important if you go up and down a lot of hills. I think this option is safer if you make sure to belt the baby in (safety harness) and she wears a helmet. It's great because the trailer is stabilized so that it doesn't tilt when you tilt the bike. Also, there are pockets, etc., for diapers, water bottle, and so on. These also have netting to keep bugs out (a problem in the south where bugs are *pent-ti-ful* in the summer!) and a rain cover to keep out wind and moisture if you ride during the winter any. Another plus is that 2 kids can be pulled in one trailer (not a concern for you currently) and a lot of the trailers can also be used as a jogging-type stroller (albeit not as good as a regular jogger if you do that a lot).

Despite the weight problem, I will probably eventually end up with a trailer because it just seems safer and like a more enjoyable ride for the kids. HTH!

[Momof3Labs]

We have a bike trailer. The seat on the bike just didn't seem as safe or as convenient for all the reasons Denise mentioned. We took Colin on a few short trips last summer and he had a lot of fun in the trailer!

[COElizabeth]

KathyO posted some interesting information on the seat v. trailer question a while ago:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=14&topic_id=13697&mesg_id=13697&listing_type=search

I personally would still use a trailer v. a seat because I am just not that good a rider, but I would definitely get a flag!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[khakismom]

I personally would prefer my child in a trailer. It just *seems* safer to me. However, my father added a bike seat to his bike so he could ride around with Kathleen on the back. She LOVES it! Whenever she visits them in Florida, she runs right to the bike and asks to get on. It's her favorite thing to do there. I was very nervous about it in the beginning, but she is, apparently VERY comfortable on her seat, so much so that last time, she feel asleep on the seat with her head resting on my dad's back! :)

[heidi_timms]

Maureen, that's too cute:)
~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[jd11365]

Just got a trailer this week and Kayla LOVES it! It's not bad here in Florida where it's flat...the highest mountain is Space Mountain at Disney for heaven's sake! ;)

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[AngelaS]

We have a Burley bike trailer and I think it's much safer to use than a bike seat. :D That said, you CAN flip a trailer. My former boss flipped their child TWICE! So, always put on a helmet and buckle them into the trailer. :D (Basically in order to flip it, you have to make one of the wheels fall off a substantial curb or edge of the bike trail or something....)

[KathyO]

Elizabeth has saved me a bunch of typing!

I have really loved the Copilot Limo, and wouldn't consider any other model if I were doing it again. DD adored it and I felt she was well-protected in it. I have also liked that the child and I were one "package", and that I could hear what she was saying back there, so I knew how she was doing. However, it has (as folks have pointed out) the shortfall that kids outgrow it faster than they outgrow the trailer, which leaves you contemplating a trailer anyway. (As I now am.) And although having DD shift her weight around in the bike seat hasn't caused me any problems, you can't stand up and "pump" your way up a hill when you have a passenger in back, because that does tilt the bike frame sharply from side to side, which is awkward with the extra weight. But if you've got a good selection of gears, it's not a problem going up hills seated.

My friend has a single Chariot Cheetah trailer and loves it. Because it's a single, she maintains a very "streamlined" setup, and feels more comfortable maneuvering with it. I love the Chariot trailers in general (www.chariotcarriers.com), and am looking forward to a Chariot Cougar Double as soon as DS is ready to join his sister in it on our bike outings.

Hope that helps some! Boy, it felt good to get back on the bike again!!

Cheers,

KathyO