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Does anyone know whether it is considered safer to carry a one year old in a bike seat or a trailer? I've found a lot of anecdotal evidence, but nothing concrete.
Posts: 159 | Registered: Jun 2006
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We had a bike seat, used it occasionally, but found it to be cumbersome and inconvenient, and sometimes difficult to maintain balance. Plus my daughter would kick the backs of my legs when I rode, which drove me nuts. After a few months we bought a trailer and like it much better. Plus, now that we have two, the trailer was the only way to go.
As far as safety, the only thing I remember reading is that, because the seat sits higher its more of a risk. However, I never felt unsafe with my daughter strapped into the bike seat. Nor have I ever felt unsafe riding with the kids in the trailer.
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I'd reccommend a trailer which will be suitable as she gets older as well. I don't know if there is a booster seat or car seat you could add in for a smaller kid, but my vote would generally be for a trailer, unless you are dealing with an infant. (As an infant they strapped me to my father's chest in a baby carrier and rode with me that way, then they moved me to his back) then to a carrier and then to a trailer.
The new trailers have nice low centers of gravities. Often the kids face forward instead of backwards. The old ones 2 decades ago were much heavier and had a much higher center of gravity, and if you crashed your bicycle they could flip you over. (It happened to me... I was dragged upside-down after the trailer flipped, and had scratches on my helmet as a result. I would definitely make sure the child is wearing an infant helmet either way.
useful link. They do mention that most trailers don't have "roll bars" so if they flip they should be wearing helmets. I do think facing forward is much better overall than facing backward though.
Posts: 11265 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I seem to recall the packaging for my trailer saying that it wasn't for use with children under 2. Wasn't an issue for me cause mine were 6 and 9, but that sticks in my mind somehow.
Mine did have seatbelts of a sort - that kind of webbed material you sometimes see as totebag handles sewn to the nylon fabric of the trailer's shell. It did definitely recommend helmets for kids as well.
I never felt comfortable with a kid in a bike seat. It changed my center of gravity too much and I always felt unstable. I never had that problem with the trailer.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Chanie, I did some more checking, and This site from the National Traffic Safety Administration looked to be most promising, but I haven't had time to thoroughly peruse it and see if what you are seeking is there.
I am disappointed that the two links on that page to Traffic Safety Facts are erroneous URL's.
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I've used both and can say that both have their pros and cons.
The trailer is generally safer (lower center of gravity, roll bars in most cases) but I found them pretty heavy and mine had a poorly designed hitch that chewed up the paint on my bike. Most trailers will carry 2 kids. I haven't seen a seat yet that will do that!
I just installed a seat on my wife's bike and tried it out yesterday and found that MY balance was difficult to maintain due to my daughters moving/waiving/kicking. I didn't notice any added weight (even though there was about 30 pounds more)
Trailers are more cumbersom and expensive but can (usually) be easily removed from the bike if not needed. Seats are (generally) cheaper but not easily removed from the bike (in some cases, the seat can be removed quickly, but the underlying support structure is left in place). If you leave a seat on the bike, it usually becomes "invisible" as you ride around, not something you can do with a trailer. It will always remind you it's there.
I could go either way (assuming I got a trailer w/ a better hitch)
Posts: 692 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Ah yes I forgot about the trashed paint job... No matter how well I tightened that bracket, it ALWAYS pulled itself just loose enough to slide back on the fork. I did eventually line it with felt and that prevented further noticeable damage.
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Oops! I missed that part of the first post.
I agree with Tom, a 1 y.o. is too young to be toting around on a bike. My daughter just turned 2 and loves going for a ride... for about 15 minutes. Then she wants off.
They need to be better developed physically to withstand the bumps they will encounter (the bumps you can anticipate and compensate for, but which they cannot).
If you want to get out with your 1 y.o., put him/her in a stroller and go for a walk!
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Rear-facing infant seats are also safer than forward-facing, when used properly and within correct weight and height guidelines. It's advisable to keep infants rear-facing in the car as long as possible, for that reason.
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Do you have any references that biking is not safe for a 16 month old? Right now, she loves riding in the trailer (actually, she often goes to sleep).
Posts: 159 | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Do you have any references that biking is not safe for a 16 month old?
Common sense. You're much more likely to fall at a higher speed and from a greater distance -- and onto a harder surface -- while riding a bike. Trailers offer some protection, but they're unwieldy. Bike seats actually make the bike much more dangerous to ride, and won't protect your kid much if your bike slides into something when you go down.
I wouldn't think about biking with a kid until he or she was about 24 months.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I don't think I'd ever use the seat.... but then I'd be worried that a trailer would crack my carbon seatpost.
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
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quote:Do you have any references that biking is not safe for a 16 month old?
Common sense. You're much more likely to fall at a higher speed and from a greater distance -- and onto a harder surface -- while riding a bike. Trailers offer some protection, but they're unwieldy. Bike seats actually make the bike much more dangerous to ride, and won't protect your kid much if your bike slides into something when you go down.
I wouldn't think about biking with a kid until he or she was about 24 months.
Just because you think its common sense doesn't mean it true. In the netherlands and in the part of Germany where I am living it is routine for parents to cycle with children of all ages and there is no evidence of any harm. In fact, there are fewer serious injured children on bicycles than in cars. I have commonly seen people riding with infants who are only a few months old.
Typically the recommendations are that babies under three to four months should be caried in a trailer that is fitted with a safety seat like the one you might use in a car. Most bike trailers are able to accomodate such seats. Once children have a strong enough neck to hold their head up wearing a helmet (typically 2 months after they are first able to hold their head up on their own), it is safe for them to ride in a seat. Children under 6 to 9 months are generally carried in a bike seat that is mounted on the front of the bicycle. These seats are often equipped with a faring to protect the baby from rain, dirt and bugs. Older babies are most often carried in a seat mounted over the back wheel. These seats generally aren't designed to carry more than 30 lbs so older toddlers generally ride in a trailer or on a third wheel where they can peddle. Children who are heavier and more active can easily throw a bicycle of balance if they are in a seat but children around here are virtually born on bicycles and by the time they are large enough to cause problems they've already developed good bicycle habits. Its actually common to see kids who are only 3 or 4 years old riding their own bicycles along side their parents. There is even a hitch you can buy that allows you to pull a child's bike behind yours if the child gets too tired to peddle on their own.
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One thing they don't mention about seats is the added difficulty of getting on and off the bike (especially if you ride alot and act out of habit).
If you're used to swinging your leg over the rear of the bike to get off, you are likely to smite your offspring a hefty kick unless you wierdly double jointed...
I speak from unfortunate experience Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
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The link won't do you much good if you can't read Germany. In the study they tested front and read mount child seats and trailers in several different types of crashes designed to emmulate common bicycle crashes (such as hitting an open car door). The conclusion is that trailers are safer in every circumstance which is not surprising given the geometry.
While not unreasonable to be concerned about rolling a bike trailer, its not something which is at all likely to happen. In my 30 years of riding a bicycle on roads and trails as a teenager and adult, I have never been in an accident that would have caused a trailer to roll. Of course, I'm assuming your not planning to do technical off road riding with a baby on board.
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quote:Originally posted by anti_maven: One thing they don't mention about seats is the added difficulty of getting on and off the bike (especially if you ride alot and act out of habit).
If you're used to swinging your leg over the rear of the bike to get off, you are likely to smite your offspring a hefty kick unless you wierdly double jointed...
I speak from unfortunate experience
Anti-Maven has it right. Although I haven't riden much with a child on board, I've done alot of touring with heavy baggage on my rack and it can be difficult to get on and off a diamond frame bike with out hitting your foot on the load. If you are going to get rear child seat, consider gettin a women's frame rather than a classic diamond frame.
I've also read that one of the most serious safety concerns with a child seat is getting the child in and out of the seat. Unless you will be riding with someone else who will be helping with the child, it can be very tricky to get the child on and off the bike and support the bike at the same time. A center stand might be a good idea if you decide to go this route.
[ July 12, 2007, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
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The safety of cycling with children in the Netherlands and Westphalia (the part of germany where I live) is not truly comparable with cycling in many parts of the US. Because of the prevalence of cyclist, strong motorist education programs and the serious penalties for hitting a cyclist or pedestrian, collisions between motor vehicles and bicycles are far less common here. In fact, American cyclist are 30 times more likely to be injured (per mile traveled) than Dutch cyclists.
If you are riding a bicycle in the US with or without a child, your biggest safety concern shouldn't be about helmets and trailers but rather negligent drivers. If you want to keep yourself and your child safe on a bicycle the most important thing is traffic safety. Be sure to follow all traffic laws. Assume that cars won't see you. If a road isn't side enough for cars to pass safely, take the whole lane (this is perfectly legal). Don't assume that separate bicycle paths are safer than road ways. Studies have shown that there are actually more automobile-bicycle crashes when there are separated cycle paths. In fact they are 12 times more likely. This is because most crashes occur at intersections and motorists are even less likely to see and yield right of way to a cyclist that is using a separate bike path than one that is sharing the lane.
Safe cycling on US roads requires extreme vigilence. You have to assume that drivers will not see you. Even if they do, they will not yield right of way. If they can not pass you safely, they will pass you dangerously. Occasionally, someone will find it amusing to actually attack you with or from their car. There are exceptional drivers who will treat you with respect but there are so many who won't.
The good news is that nearly all drivers are much more likely to see a bike pulling a child trailer and most motorist are willing give you more passing room if you have a child on board. For some reason even the western rednecks who delight in running road racers off the road seem tend to treat cyclist towing a child trailer with care. One study found that British motorists gave signicantly more passing room to women cyclist than men cyclist. The same study found that motorist were twice as likely to pass dangerously close if the cyclist was wearing a helmet. There some strange psychology going on here. Evidently if drivers see you as vulnerable or in need of protection, they will give you more space.
[ July 12, 2007, 08:48 AM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
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Farmgirl, For the past five years I've been working during the summers at the University in Münster Germany. I've spent enough time here now to feel like I live here even though it is only part of the year.
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