Are you talking about training or just cruising the neighborhood? Never done actual training with a kid in tow. I'd rather just ride the trainer.
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Re: Kids bike trailer or seat? [EnderWiggan]
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Re: Kids bike trailer or seat? [SBRinSD]
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SBRinSD wrote:
I have had both. I am now left with the yepp rear mounted seat. This is set up is fine for back and forth to school / daycare, but I wouldn't log any serious miles on it. Like others have said it changes center of gravity especially as your kid gets older and approaches the weight limit. IMO trailers are best for first 4 or 5 years, but start them out early so they get used to entertaining themselves. The bonus is the trailers often double as a running stroller. Running with your kid allows for way more conversation and bonding time than riding. That said, I loved when my boy would yell at me to go faster on the bike as I was grinding up a hill.
Either way you will have hours of enjoyment. Be prepared to cut some days short or to stop at a park or for a snack or, or, or.... just be flexible...
YMMV
As far as the back and forth to school / daycare transportation.....trailer all of the way. A trailer allows you to carry stuff. Diaper bags, clothes, toys, and what ever you want. A trailer also does a great job of containing things as well. The little one(s) will find it harder to throw thing out of a trailer (with the cover on of course) than it is to simply drop something from a seat.
Re: Kids bike trailer or seat? [EnderWiggan]
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I'm a fairly skilled rider. Have won national XC MTB rounds in masters and ride double diamond courses. Still nowhere near the skills of my friends. But suffice to say I'm pretty confident on a bike and still bought a trailer. I don't say this to brag but to quantify the position I'm commenting from. I think I would be unlikely to crash on the rides we do. But we must prepare for the unexpected. The risk of injury to a toddler from the height of a seat is too high in my opinion.
Interestingly my friends who are far better riders, ridden multiple XCO world champs and downhill UCI world series still use trailers.
You also have the space to carry the inevitable amount of add ons such as lunch, wet weather gear, books etc. I also found you can carry the plastic covers to seal it up if it is too cold or becomes wet or too hot and you need to take them off. I used it to take my child to day care and grocery shopping also.
Interestingly my friends who are far better riders, ridden multiple XCO world champs and downhill UCI world series still use trailers.
You also have the space to carry the inevitable amount of add ons such as lunch, wet weather gear, books etc. I also found you can carry the plastic covers to seal it up if it is too cold or becomes wet or too hot and you need to take them off. I used it to take my child to day care and grocery shopping also.
Re: Kids bike trailer or seat? [Rocketman]
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Thanks all, it's for general cruising.
Still trying to find a daycare in the area (on 30+ wait lists). He's only 8 months old at the moment but I'm off for 3 months so fingers crossed it warms up in Canada and we can use the trailer to hit up local parks, no traffic riding, only safe paved trails behind the house, which lead to parks. Lucky to have access to these trails which traverse all of Toronto.
Still trying to find a daycare in the area (on 30+ wait lists). He's only 8 months old at the moment but I'm off for 3 months so fingers crossed it warms up in Canada and we can use the trailer to hit up local parks, no traffic riding, only safe paved trails behind the house, which lead to parks. Lucky to have access to these trails which traverse all of Toronto.
Just to throw out another option - we ended up liking the WeeHoo more than the trailer - more flexibility so the kid can ride even when they are much older and also provides them a more stable chair for napping/resting than a normal trail-a-bike. I've taken mine on-road and off-road and the kids love it. https://rideweehoo.com
My kids ended up getting too big so they started hitting their head on the roof of the trailer but still weren't quite strong enough to bike longer distances on their own bikes. Might be different now but I still have and still use the weehoo.
Cheers,
Josh
My kids ended up getting too big so they started hitting their head on the roof of the trailer but still weren't quite strong enough to bike longer distances on their own bikes. Might be different now but I still have and still use the weehoo.
Cheers,
Josh