[Pokey_Racer]

Hi,

This seems like a good place to ask... Anyone try or have any success with riding with a little baby? My daughter is 7 months old and I was wondering if there was any sort of safe way to get her on a bike yet. All the carriers and trailers I've seen are for kids a little older.

Anyway, I wouldn't expect to do anything other than pavement and maybe some extremely tame trails with her. Any recommendations?

Thanks.

 

[Dr.Preroll]

My wife and I had our daughter in a Chariot CX1 at 7 weeks. We rode a lot of old rail grade trails....They recommend waiting until one year, but we called BS and that it's only a case of lawyers, lawsuits and liability. If you look at Europe, they have kids in trailers from day one. We didn't use a helmet until she was 1 1/2. By 2 1/2 she was on a trail-a-bike and now at 3 1/4 she's riding off road no training wheels on walking only paths....I bred a trail poacher But to each their own, you gotta feel comfy and solid with the decisions you make as a parent right?

 

[perttime]

... If you look at Europe ...

Some people have done pretty big bike tours with kids under one year. Using a safety cradle (like in cars) is probably a good idea.

I found a link to a German bike trailer-specific cradle:
http://www.weber-products.de/zubeh/baby_main.htm

 

[Pokey_Racer]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling a lot had to do with lawyers (as is often the case), but wanted to see what you all thought about it.

An off roader at 3? Wow. And I'll go check that link now.

Thanks again!

 

[znomit]

It was difficult but I waited until she was 12 months before putting her in the weeride. Heads are big and necks are weak.

 

[tribebabe]

My wife and I had our daughter in a Chariot CX1 at 7 weeks. We rode a lot of old rail grade trails....They recommend waiting until one year, but we called BS and that it's only a case of lawyers, lawsuits and liability. If you look at Europe, they have kids in trailers from day one. We didn't use a helmet until she was 1 1/2. By 2 1/2 she was on a trail-a-bike and now at 3 1/4 she's riding off road no training wheels on walking only paths....I bred a trail poacher But to each their own, you gotta feel comfy and solid with the decisions you make as a parent right?

How did you have her in the Chariot? Baby seat? Sling? Or did you modify it for a car seat? I'm due in May and have been looking at the Chariot.

 

[fos'l]

Three kids on "child seats" or whatever the units are called that connect at the seat clamp and frame. Started them at about eight months when they could sit up comfortably. Rode all my normal socal trails, and each child seemed to love the experience. Great rear traction and lots of fun for the "pilot".

 

[Dr.Preroll]

How did you have her in the Chariot? Baby seat? Sling? Or did you modify it for a car seat? I'm due in May and have been looking at the Chariot.

There's a baby bunting type a attachment you can get for a Chariot. I think they call it the sling. It supports the baby's neck...Keep in mind we rode rail grades around Victoria, like the Galloping Goose, not singletrack Gnarl. The Chariot is super safe. My wife and I were taking a short cut through a cemetery and I went wide around a massive mud puddle and hit a 6 inch high head stone ( James O'Sullivan was his name...) and she flipped. Pure panic ensued, but she didn't even wake up...they are great trailers and I would recommend one to anyone. My only advise would be to spring for the Deluxe CX1..If you run you'll appreciate the drum brake, and get all the attachments as well. We used it as a trailer, stroller, and jogger...we justified the expense, by buying just it, and not any other strollers...It's served us VERY well and we'll be using it with our second when Becky pops it out later this week!!

 

[eric1115]

My three month old (at the time of this picture) did great... I'm certain we could have gone earlier if we wanted. It's a Burley D'Lite, and I strapped his car seat in with the lap belt. Pretty dang secure.

Eric

 

[chumbox]

They recommend waiting until one year, but we called BS and that it's only a case of lawyers, lawsuits and liability.

Now I'm all for getting kids riding as early as possible but it's got nothing to do with lawyers. It's about medicine and science. All the papers to date clearly note that on average childrens vertebrae, espeically in the neck area are not formed enough to cope with the stresses of swaying movement, part of why you don't shake babies. They can barely hold their large skulls up sitting around without all the forces applied from turning, twisting and bouncing on a bike seat. This is why car seats tend to 'cradle' the neck area securely for travel... most bike seats do not.

Sure there are exceptions and I'm certainly all for kids taking risks and getting hurt, it's part of being a kid, but be aware in some cases it can cause long term damage for the sake of 'us' getting out to ride with them 3 months earlier. Legally you wouldn't even have a case, science is completely against you.:thumbsup:

On a side note, thats awesome your kid is offroad at 3!

 

[Dr.Preroll]

Now I'm all for getting kids riding as early as possible but it's got nothing to do with lawyers. It's about medicine and science. All the papers to date clearly note that on average childrens vertebrae, espeically in the neck area are not formed enough to cope with the stresses of swaying movement, part of why you don't shake babies. They can barely hold their large skulls up sitting around without all the forces applied from turning, twisting and bouncing on a bike seat. This is why car seats tend to 'cradle' the neck area securely for travel... most bike seats do not.

Sure there are exceptions and I'm certainly all for kids taking risks and getting hurt, it's part of being a kid, but be aware in some cases it can cause long term damage for the sake of 'us' getting out to ride with them 3 months earlier. Legally you wouldn't even have a case, science is completely against you.:thumbsup:

On a side note, thats awesome your kid is offroad at 3!

Indeed, that's why we rode rail grade....Smooth enough you could longboard on it. No gnarl, just pancake flat railgrade ( Galloping Goose...) I'd never comprimise my kids safety, I love my kid + my wife would kick my ass if I did Thanks for the compliment on Iyla...we rode part of the Comox Valley's BC Bike Race course this past monday on the Trail-a-Bike...You can really rip some fun singletrack with that thing!!

 

[texacajun]

I always tried to think of it in terms of the amount of rattling around they'd get strapped into the "legal" method of restraint in a car on a washboard gravel road or pothole riddled section of freeway. My trailer on a paved path or slowly on our neighborhood hike & bike wasn't near that.

I've never exactly been able to wrap my head around the logic of a huge helmet on a 1 year old. The whole point is to be cautious of the amount of stress you put on their weak neck muscles and they tell you to basically DOUBLE the load with that huge helmet.:skep: I felt much safer going at lower speeds with them strapped into the trailer w/a 5 point harness and no helmet. They can literally hang upside down and their head never comes anywhere near hitting the sides if they're strapped in correctly. When they were older and speeds and surfaces changed on went the helmet.

 

[chumbox]

Indeed, that's why we rode rail grade....Smooth enough you could longboard on it. No gnarl, just pancake flat railgrade ( Galloping Goose...) I'd never comprimise my kids safety, I love my kid + my wife would kick my ass if I did Thanks for the compliment on Iyla...we rode part of the Comox Valley's BC Bike Race course this past monday on the Trail-a-Bike...You can really rip some fun singletrack with that thing!!

My daughter has just hit 2 and is about to exit the seat and head towards a trail-a-bike soon... it's gonna be awesome. She likes the offroad stuff. Funny really, when they are 1 you have to protect their neck... when they are 2 they can't get enough of riding off gutters and rocks. Go figure.

 

[texacajun]

And if you're lucky it keeps on going. My 5.5 y.o. went on her first true mtb ride on a 20" Hotrock from Santa new years week. Ride one was on some swoopy smooth roller stuff, but we had a minor barend encounter w/a tree. Scared us both. Next day I dialed it back and decided we'd go on a fast and twisty flat trail and I got chewed out because there were no hills to go fast down. :thumbsup:

 

[murd]

We went the same route with our little monster. Burley trailer and car seat. She is 7 months now. Our doc just said no way to an upright seat due to bouncing around with a helmet on. The bouncing around was not the big issue. It was the bouncing with the weight of a helmet that was the problem. My wife is very antsy to get her cruising but I'll leave the decision making up to my pediatrician. No helmets for a few more months.

 

[nelgwoltrap]

I just took my three month old for her first ride in the chariot. She finally is big enough for the baby sling. Both of us had a great time riding and the trailer felt very stable. If it stays warm tomorrow then I plan on taking her out to one of the paved rail trails.

 

[autoduel]

My son started in a trailer at 9 months. He had no problem jumping up and down on a bouncer at that age. He started offroad in a trailer at 18 months. Now he's riding shotgun up front(similar to the loct setup), holding on to the bars himself at 2-1/2.

 

[ask]

I've been taking my son out since he was about 1 in the Chariot CX1. He is 2.5 years old now and we ride tons of fireroad trails in Los Gatos, Almaden Quicksilver, etc. He loves it. He sleeps on the uphills and then he yells "go faster" on the downhills. It is a killer workout for me and he loves to see horses / dogs on the trails. My wife put a few toys in there for him to play with so he can play music and sing while we roll. It is a great time.

 

[sunnyracegirl]

I've had my daughter in the Burley trailer since she was 5 weeks old.

By the time she was 8 months old, she was asking to go for rides, crawling to the back of the garage and pulling up on the trailer.

Jane is now 15 months old. We took our first off-road ride a couple weeks ago.

Chariot is a bit more compact, I think, but I've been very pleased with the Burley.

 

[mfc1972]

I am not going to tell anybody what to do in regards to your own childs safety, but I will encourage you to read the info in the following link.

http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm

My wife and I decided the we would wait until our daughters turned one before riding with them. It definately was hard to give up as much riding as we did, but having children is all about sacrifice right?