So how long did you wait until you took the little one for his/her first ride in the bike trailer?
I’ve heard of people putting their child in the car seat and then into the trailer pretty early on - thoughts or opinions on how safe that is and how long to wait? A search only brought up one or two posts specifically.
A team mate is giving us a used Burley, so the product choice is decided and will check it out for any problems prior to using it. And we’re not going on any roads with traffic and only staying on the more lightly traveled portions of the bike trail when the time is right.
It was when our little one could easily support the weight of her own head. Didn’t want the old noggin flopping around in the trailer. I can’t remember how long exactly but I think it was 6 months or more.
You have to wait until the child can support its own head. Otehrwise you risk some serious injury. Of course you can duct tape their head place, but short of that, about 6-8 months.
I understand and have read about the head support issue, which seems to be somewhere between 6 and 12 months and of course the articles say to ask your doctor first. I’m pretty sure they mean just putting the child in the trailer. What I’ve heard and read is people putting the child in a car seat and then in the baby trailer, so that keeps the head from bobbing like it would in the car. Is that really safe or better to wait and not use the car seat?
I was out to lunch after a ride with our girls’ team and one of the lady’s husbands came up on his bike towing a trailer with their baby and then their 3 year old on his own bike. The baby was only 8 weeks old, and in the car seat inside the trailer. It was about the cutest little bike family I had seen!
Edited to add they were only coming a few blocks from their house to the restaurant, but it appeared to be a somewhat regular thing already for their family. I also did not see the setup up close - just through the restaurant window when they pulled up.
I guess I am overly-protective, no wait I am overly-protective, but I would not tow a kid that small behind a bike on a publiic street. There are just too many bad things that can happen to a fragile, tiny body like that. Limber neck, soft skull… stuff like that.
I appreciate the opinions - just looking for information and would not want to risk doing something stupid. Most likely we’ll wait until next spring, which would be about 9 months or so.
Don’t put the baby seat into the burley, it’s not being used in it’s intended use…and may not protect the baby adequately.
From a sports med perspective, DO NOT PUT YOUR CHILD INTO a bike trailer until they are at least 12 months old. It is simply not worth the risk. For anyone to even contemplate this shows some serious issues with priorities. USE the trailer as intended and designed AFTER they are 12 months old. Until then it’s babysitters or trainers…
Do you put your child in a wagon? Those things are death traps. Easy to flip over, tough to “pull” down a hill. It really is all about your comfort zone.
I think that you can do a lot worse for your kid than taking them outside for a slow spin. If you’re training 50 miles at 20+ mph, then no, don’t do it until they are older and can tell you if they are thirsty or uncomfortable. If you are doing it for the child to have fun cruising, why not at 8 months in a car seat? Just like all other decisions with kids, use common sense. Some parents will look at your like you are careless and an awful parent but their kids probably spend most hours indoors with the TV on. I would smile at you and think that’s awesome. My daughter loves to ride with me and loved the jogger when she was younger but is a little bored with it now.
I have pictures of my mom riding her 3 speed Schwinn with me (about 1 yo) in a metal platform seat (no seat belt) on the top tube and my older sister in a toddler seat over the rear tire. The kind that did not protect your shoelaces from the spokes. We survived.
We are still waiting at 7mos. Our researching found that a child shouldn’t ride until a year. Don’t forget they not only have to support their head, but a helmet.
A disappointment for this summer, but why rush it? You can use a jogger by 6mos.
You aren’t supposed to put kids in a forward facing car seat until they are 1 year and 20 pounds. Seems like the same rule should apply to bike trailers. IMO, maybe a little earlier on the jogger, but not much. Personally, I did not run with our oldest in the jogger until he was around 18 months. I started running with the youngest in the jogger right around one year.
I dont have kids, but my brother was taking the “future triathlete” on rides probably as soon as he developed the strength to support his own head. He is a year old and absolutely loves it now.
both my kids were in a baby jogger as soon as I was allowed to run—4 weeks and up til they were about 5 or 6 years old. I didn’t run on rough surfaces and was gentle over curbs. they are 15 and 8 years old now and both honor students…
People will tell to to wait at least 6 months or even one year. We took our son for the first time when he was 2-months old. In his baby seat strapped in the trailer. Went on a smooth road closed to cars at an easy 10 mph pace. Baby trailers run much smoother than your average stroller. I would have never taken him on an open road, hills or gone fast (not even when older).
Use your head and try not to listen to much to what other say.
Statistically speaking, by far (and by a lot) the most dangerous thing you can do with an infant is driving your car. And yet, nobody will ever tell you to wait until he/she is old enough or able to support her neck.
I met a family doing a cross country bike ride recently. Their two kids were riding with them - ages 12 and 14. They grew up on bikes.
Anyway, the wife was telling me that the husband was such an obsessive biker (would fit in perfectly on ST, now that I think about it) that he brought the first kid home from the hospital in a bike trailer. The mother-in-law heard about this and made sure she was present at the hospital for the 2nd kid to encourage the doctors and nurses to forbid this from happening a second time.