Kiddies seat/ trailer

dinyull

Not really sure road is the correct place, but I'm going for it...

Have a 9 month old and I'm just starting to think about what age I can start trying to give him the bug. He's fairly big (tall) for his age, already in 12-18 month clothes - he's something like 98th percentile!

Thinking either a trailer or kiddie seat to tackle the country park waggonways on our doorstep.

Is he old enough now or should I be waiting a little longer?

All advice/ pointers appreciated.

slowbike

now

Ok - no right answer and a lot of it will depend on your perception of risk.

We bought a cheap trailer - double seater, mounted the car seat in it (just some straps) and put our lad in there, from a really young age, before he could hold his head up. We kept to cyclepaths and quieter roads - even then, my wife rode shotgun to force a bit more space. We never really went that far, 1) it's heavy 2) quiet roads/paths are difficult to link up 3) any length of time of being rattled around - despite suspension - we decided wasn't good for him.
The only issue we had really was grit being lifted up from my back wheel finding it's way through the mesh and ending up as road dust on his face. Well - that and an ignorant driver driving at me on a single track road - I think they heard me in the next county!

TBH, the trailer didn't last long as once he could hold his head up we bought a Hamax seat and popped him in there - away from the dirt etc etc and far more comfortable - he'd quite happily fall asleep in there. We've still got that seat (although it's just about to go on FB marketplace) - used it up to the beginning of this year (LO was just over 2 1/2) then ditched in favour of a Follow-me taglong.
Issues with the seats are carrying capacity & stability - once you've got the seat on, you can't put a bag on the rack - and with the seat on it's tricky to mount/dismount with the extra weight onboard - especially if you stop going up a hill with a fast asleep child on the back! I think if we were to carry on with the seat, we'd need to either get a front rack (would help with the weight over the back wheel) or a cargo trailer - we got away with it as mostly we rode as a family.

StillGoing

Dinyull wrote:

Not really sure road is the correct place, but I'm going for it...

Have a 9 month old and I'm just starting to think about what age I can start trying to give him the bug. He's fairly big (tall) for his age, already in 12-18 month clothes - he's something like 98th percentile!

Thinking either a trailer or kiddie seat to tackle the country park waggonways on our doorstep.

Is he old enough now or should I be waiting a little longer?

All advice/ pointers appreciated.

I wouldn't use a trailer. For one, how do you know if the child is suddenly choking and needs your quick intervention? How boring for them too just sat looking at your backside and nobody to talk to. There's also the issue of them being the first impact from a rear shunt.

Child seat wise, get a WeeRide. It sits the child on the cross bar and between your arms. You can talk to them, they can see what you can see, they have the added protection of your arms in a fall and if they suddenly need intervention, you're close enough to be aware of it and can do something about it.

http://www.weerideuk.co.uk/Weeride_Deluxe_ltd.asp

https://youtu.be/izAH2r-AM9Q

norvernrob

Another vote for the Weeride. I’ve had one on my CX bike since my daughter could sit upright, she’s 3 this year and still fits in it - just about! This is not long after I’d first got it. She loves it and being able to see everything is much better than being sat in a rear mounted seat.

wolfsbane2k

Thirding a weeride ( we went deluxe version). My kids are 99% percentile, and we managed in it for a year.
Appearance of Kid #2 complicated matters in terms of loading and riding, so only just catching up now, but have got my eye on a e-bakfiets (Babboe big/curve) with a followme tandem on the rear, hopefully will give me enough options...

dinyull

Cheers, looks like a weeride it is.

Whats the difference between Kangaroo and Deluxe?

slowbike

philthy3 wrote:

I wouldn't use a trailer. For one, how do you know if the child is suddenly choking and needs your quick intervention?

Mr cautious! Fair enough, but kids don't tend to start choking unless they've got something to choke on...

philthy3 wrote:

How boring for them too just sat looking at your backside and nobody to talk to.

yup - although they can see what's going on around - tbh, at 9 months they're easily entertained, we put some clipped on soft toys in the trailer for him.

philthy3 wrote:

There's also the issue of them being the first impact from a rear shunt.

In a Car seat - with the bar up - or on a wee ride - it's a concern, but I don't think there's much chance of being shunted.

philthy3 wrote:

Child seat wise, get a WeeRide. It sits the child on the cross bar and between your arms. You can talk to them, they can see what you can see, they have the added protection of your arms in a fall and if they suddenly need intervention, you're close enough to be aware of it and can do something about it.

http://www.weerideuk.co.uk/Weeride_Deluxe_ltd.asp

https://youtu.be/izAH2r-AM9Q

Ah yes - we did consider a we-ride, but it didn't look like it would fit our bikes very well, Master Slowbike was also in the 97% sizewise. But yes - I've heard they're good - completely forgot about it.

wolfsbane2k

Dinyull wrote:

Cheers, looks like a weeride it is.

Whats the difference between Kangaroo and Deluxe?

Padding & colour. The Deluxe has a thicker padding on the seat and headrest, and the shoulder straps had some padding as well.

The "safefront" versions have a footstrap over the basic kangaroo versions, something you might want to look out for, or at least it allows you to determine the difference between units, as not all shops know what they are actually selling, and the boxes aren't the clearest.

tangled_metal

From 9 months to at least 2 years a Burley D-lite trailer. Seriously good buy. I can't recommend it enough. If you can get to Lancaster area you can buy mine for £100 or whatever fair offer you want to make

The child loved the trailer. We had a hamax siesta child seat but when talking he always asked to go in the trailer. He had books, toys and it was very comfortable for him to sleep in. I even took it off road in the lakes.

A bit older he chose the siesta child seat. Then just before we got a followme-tandem he asked to go into the trailer again (that's at 3 and a half to 4 years old).

You'll get all the comments about rear end shunts, overturning in accidents, not getting enough room, etc. Truth is drivers know a trailer is likely to n have a child in and tend to give its more room. We've never overturned, even going off road trails with it. Rear end shunt? What happens if you get a rear end shunt on your bike with a seat on your crossbar? It's your child going to come off better or worse?

Seriously trailers are probably the most safe option if you are riding on the road with a young child. There's a cycling journalist who tested it out with his children (oldest was probably at the extreme age limit). He turned it upside down and shook it. The kids thought it was good fun being upside down, strapped securely in the trailer seat. Having said that if you're the sort of parent who's likely to test the roll cage like capabilities of a good trailer then tbh I doubt your child would be safe sat on a bike seat.

As you can tell I'm a bit fan of good child trailers. I have one in very good nick I'll sell too.

Summary (for me) - good trailer, rear child seat when older, then followme-tandem and a good bike. That's my order of use. Except that whilst rear seat is used I'd still use trailer for really wet rides.

StillGoing

Slowbike wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

I wouldn't use a trailer. For one, how do you know if the child is suddenly choking and needs your quick intervention?

Mr cautious! Fair enough, but kids don't tend to start choking unless they've got something to choke on...

philthy3 wrote:

How boring for them too just sat looking at your backside and nobody to talk to.

yup - although they can see what's going on around - tbh, at 9 months they're easily entertained, we put some clipped on soft toys in the trailer for him.

philthy3 wrote:

There's also the issue of them being the first impact from a rear shunt.

In a Car seat - with the bar up - or on a wee ride - it's a concern, but I don't think there's much chance of being shunted.

philthy3 wrote:

Child seat wise, get a WeeRide. It sits the child on the cross bar and between your arms. You can talk to them, they can see what you can see, they have the added protection of your arms in a fall and if they suddenly need intervention, you're close enough to be aware of it and can do something about it.

http://www.weerideuk.co.uk/Weeride_Deluxe_ltd.asp

https://youtu.be/izAH2r-AM9Q

Ah yes - we did consider a we-ride, but it didn't look like it would fit our bikes very well, Master Slowbike was also in the 97% sizewise. But yes - I've heard they're good - completely forgot about it.

A young child can get into difficulty any time and without putting something in their mouths. As pointed out, with the WeeRide, you can actually talk to them and point out things that you see, thus more engagement with the child. Again, the added protection of your arms around them in the event of a fall and your body in a rear shunt. Although they specify for mountain and hybrid bikes, it will fit a road bike, just won't be covered in the event something fails.

We had my youngest in one from 18 months, simply because I hadn't heard of them beforehand and up until she could ride a pedal bike solo at 30 months. We then got her on a follow me tandem like the one in the link, which although expensive, has been worth every penny. Doesn't mark the frames, bend or twist like other cheaper versions. It took her Frog 43 and now her Frog 52 without problem.

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/fol ... 90QAvD_BwE

slowbike

totally agree with the followme - I used ours at the weekend and again this morning - I try and get Master SB to ride solo (he can do it) but sometimes he's just tired and wants a tow. Tried a trailgator tag-along - my Sister had one spare - it "worked" in that you could tow a bike with a person on board - but it tended to lean one way and yes - it marks the bike. Didn't work well with a rack on either - at least with the followme you can have a child seat or rack & bags on the back of your bike as well as the towed unit.

tangled_metal

The tandem also switches from 700 to 26" without much fuss. Just need the right skewers in both bikes or be prepared to switch skewers over which isn't that much of an issue.