When can I get my little 'un on a bike?

macs

I've got a little boy who's coming up for 6 months and I am starting this think about getting him out on the bike.

I realise that at the moment he's still a little on the young side but i'm just thinking ahead more than anything.

He has been able to hold his head up well for a while now. I'm not taking him out without a helmet so i realise he needs to be able to hold his head up well with a helmet first. I'm probably going to get one of those front child seats so he's between my arms and can see forwards where we're going.

I'd like to be able to take him out this side of winter if at all possible.

Are there any guidelines on this sort of thing? And when have you guys started to take your kids out on the bike?

Underscore

I believe that the general consensus is to wait until they are 12 months old. I've only used Hamax Kiss bike seats (if that makes any difference) and I've taken them out a little before - say between 9 and 12 months - but fortunately didn't have cause to find out whether that was wise or not...

When you're ready to start, I found that MET helmets go a little smaller than a lot - though I've heard that Raleigh do too...

HTH,

_

bompington

Bompetta was 6 months when we first took her out (off road too!), it helps to have a bike seat that reclines a bit so the head rests back on it a bit. I quite fancied one of the forward seats but decided that a rear one would be better as she got bigger & didn't want to buy a new one, so far (now 2 1/4) she's always been very happy with it

sskelly

I started taking my boys out when they were around 6-9 months. I had a Rhode Gear Limo rear child seat and was very impressed with the quality and all round protection it offered.

Everytime they went in it though they fell asleep!!

mrushton

You might be surprised how much they hate it. Our daughter doesn't seem happy on the back of a bike (child seat) and being behind someone last week with a child in seat made me realise the kid can only see a large arse and back. Everything is whizzing by so they get bored/distressed/fall asleep because there is nothing to really see. Similarly I met someone slogging up a hill recently, his son on the back of the bike and the boy was just fed up. Prob. good for a couple of miles but they get more imo from a walk.

Daz555

I'd go for a trailer over a seat every time.

baudman

Daz555 wrote:

I'd go for a trailer over a seat every time.

+1, although primarily for rear-mounted seats. For little ones, I found a trailer easier/better for a whole host of reasons. (Ultrashort-trips from about 9m, but really didn't start until 12m).

I'm a big rap for mid or front mounted seats, and the Yepp seems to be the pick of the bunch atm.