Bike Rides

Yes, 7.5 months is too young if my memory serves me correct. Most of the seats and even the trailers which I have used both and find the trailer MUCH safer, say that they should be at least 12 months and wear a helmet.

L.

http://APerfectMoment.MyArbonne.com

You might consider one of those pull behind type car carts to put the baby in. I think they are safer, and it also shields the baby from the sun and bugs. It is probably more expensive than a regular "seat" for your bike, but it might be worth it if you use it a lot! You may be able to get one secondhand that is cheaper. Have fun!
J.

most of the bike holders suggest baby be 18months...a helmet on a small baby would probably be too much strain on baby's neck...I put my kids in that carriage that attaches to the bike but they are rolling on the ground at 14 months...earlier than recomended...with a helmet and they were seatbelted in...I think 7 months is really too young!

You might want to check your state laws. First of all, they don't really make bike helmets to fit children's heads that are younger than 12 months. One of the reasons for this is no matter where your child is riding, bike seat, trailer, sidecar, etc. the weight of the helmet and your child's head is too much for the neck until after the child is 12 months. Believe it or not, this could cause shaken baby syndrome, especially if your child rides in a trailer. If you want, get a trailer that you can fit in and have someone ride you around. You'll feel how bouncy it is in the back and then imagine that with a baby that weighs over 100lbs less than you. I would suggest waiting a while before you try putting your baby in a bike seat or trailer... I was very anxious too until I read that. Now I figured I can wait until next summer.

Hi I live in Belgium, and whilst we don't cycle as much as our Dutch neighbours do, you do see parents cycling with their babies EVERYwhere, at least in the city where I live.

It is possible to find really small helmets, but you may have to look hard, and may be more successful in a small bike shop than in a big store.

7.5 months is very young. They have to be able to support their weight, as well as that of the helmet. Having said that, there are options for you to look into (not sure how pricey nor how available where you are.

Some options are:
- a reclining seat for the back of your back
- A. attachment which allows you to safely carry A. infant car seat on your bike
- a bike trailer and the accessory required to be able to carry a very young baby (from 4 wks, I think) - this will vary according to brand

Some ideas to look at:
Avenir Snooze Deluxe (from 6 months)
Hamax Sleepy (from 9 months)
Rhode Gear Co-Pilot
Baby-Mee
Babybike
http://fietsenmetkinderen.info/index.php?option=com_conte...

Happy cycling!!

A.

Um, does your husband live with you in NYC? maybe he needs glasses, or is not looking around, or your neighborhood is not one where people do this alot, but yes people do this alot, still these days. ive seen as young as two, but not one year old, but i dont bike with my son. i was biked around a ton as a child growing up here and i loved it. advise is to visit a bike shop and ask them, buy a good helmet for him, and start on very quite streets, or parks. have fun!

@

My son is only 6 months old, but my husband and I are avid bikers so we've been talking to our friends about how to bring baby along on bike rides.

Some of our biking friends have put the infant car seat into the trailer. We don't have a trailer yet so I don't know if the trailers have straps to attach the seat or if our friends just nestled the seat in the trailer.

We are going to go to Cape Cod for a weeks vacation this summer and rent a trailer to see how well it works for us.
Maybe local bike shops (especially if there is one near a well used bike path) would have rental trailer you could try before making that investment?

Hi C.,

Your pediatrician should be able to tell you when it is safe to put your child on a bike or your local bike store can tell you for sure the safest age to start your baby on a bike seat. I think it a one year, my husband takes my youngest on the back of his bike. Depending where you live you don't see too many people riding in the streets anymore, but if you have a park with a walking trail that is a good/safe place. We do see other parents there with kids on the back of the bike or in one of those pull along attachments you see. YOur bike store will also fit the proper seat and helmet to your child. Have fun!

I believe it is 1 year old but also possibly as soon as they can totally sit on their own. Go to a bike store and have him fitted properly.

My husband and I both have child seats on the back of our bikes. We have one seat that is more for an infant ( it's a little more reclined), and another more for a toddler. 7.5 months is a little young, but as long as you can find a helmet and a safe place to ride, I say go for it! I find parks are the best places. They usually have trails surrounded by grassy areas that can really cushion a fall (god forbid!). Stay away from riding in neighborhoods. There are a lot of crazy drivers that zoom through residential areas like there's no one around. Visit your local bike shop, they will fit your baby for a helmet. They are a little more money, but much better quality than the ones you find at target. A good helmet will probably cost you anywhere between $25-40 dollars. Just make sure you take your child back to the bike shop every now and again to get the helmet ajusted. Unless, your comfortable doing it yourself. Happy biking!

PS Don't forget the sunblock!

Yes the seats on the back of bikes are "out" due t othe saftey issues as the bike trailers are much sturdier and safer. Not to say that we didn't survive the fun bike rides on the backs of our parents bikes 35 years ago!:-)

I had a bike trailer for my kids (picked it up at a yard sale for over half price) and they sat in it for five years but they are required to have a bike helmet and be able to sit up-- I also think it was a year old.The manual stated an age and believe my ped also gave her imput.

Good luck-

Hi C.,

Yes, people absolutely still ride with their kids on the back of bikes (though we always stick to bike paths and not main roads). Seats for the back of your bike are made for babies 12 months and older. Even a minor fall or accident would be serious for a baby younger than that since their necks and abdomens are still very vulnerable to injury. So, unfortunately, you will have to wait, but when the time comes, it is a lot of fun!

Hi C.:

My son is 13 months-old. We have both the seat for the back of my bike and the bike trailer for the back of my husband's bike. He is much too small for the bike seat on my bike (his helmet just gets caught on the back of the seat) so I definitely can't recommend it for a smaller baby than him. And the trailer has an age minimum of a year. So it looks like you have a few more months to go before you can safely ride around with your baby. Sorry!

It's not safe. If you go down, they go down with you and have no instincts to protect themselves. The carts that go behind your bike are safer but he needs to be old enough to sit up on his own safely and fit a helmet on. IF you fall, it still stays upright. We have one that I'll soon be able to get rid of since my youngest is now learning to ride a bike of his own. He has been in it since he was a year old and is now four. He enjoyed being towed along wherever we went (sometimes falling asleep)and it was also handy for storage for water bottles and snacks. It's well worth the investment.

I would recommend a bike trailer over any sort of attached bike seat. I never felt like the bike seats were all that safe because the child is still open to the elements, etc. The trailer is a bit more protected. And remember to always put a helmet on your baby!