When is the right age?

[Bill]

Hello everyone,
I have been asked time after time and not been able to give a proper answer! When is the right age to start use a baby carrier attached to a bicycle? This question I asked like at what age can an infant be safe to ride in one? Hopefully I can get a few professional points of view as well?

[KC-Steve]

(02-24-2011, 02:01 PM)Bill Wrote:  . . . Hopefully I can get a few professional points of view as well?

I'm no pro. And now that I'm thinking about it, is there such a thing as an infant bicycle carriage professional?

Either way, from my own experience many years ago when helmets and seat belts were unheard of, my wife and I hauled around my son at around 2 to 2 and a half y/o without a problem. It was one of those seats that was over the back tire of my wife's bike. I followed to watch for falling babies.

Steve

[JohnV]

My daughter started putting my grandson into a child carrier right around the age of 2. Before that, he was in a child trailer hooked to the bike's seat post and rear dropouts.

[Bill]

Guess my wording wasnt very good. I meant for one of these http://www.instep.net/Product/Bicycle_Trailers/

[GeorgeET]

Ye tis as I understood a carrier not a seat.

I see a lot of them on the beach bike path. Seems everyone so far said 2-3 is a good time.

As per seats I have seen some new ones with the seat on the handlebars. You can see the baby but is it safe? I think the carriers are a lot safer if they have strap in arrangements.

[KC-Steve]

My first thought was what difference does it make which seat or trailer when the REAL question is at what age do you start having your child in one of those.

But then looking at Bill's link, and knowing how 2 year old children are, I can easily visualize them trying to get out from inside that covering so they can get a better look. I think my son was a good quiet rider in a seat configuration because he was in awe of seeing the world go by. 360-degrees Ya know?

(seems like a bouncing babies emoticon would work here if available)

Steve

[JohnV]

Bill, that type of child trailer is what my daughter used when my grandson was around 1 or so and until he was old enough for the bike child seat. She used it with all three of my grandsons, so it really got a workout.

[RobAR]

What I've always heard and always reply to customers who ask is "When the child is old enough to have neck muscles strong enough to control their head motion".
Think about it. Your neck acts as a 'shock absorber' of sorts for your head. It's automatic for us and we don't even think about it. Pay attention, on your next ride, to what you do as you intentionally hit a small bump. You'll be surprised how you don't get your brains rattled.

[Bill]

Very awesome and interesting information. Appreciate all the input. The question was umm a lot for my own use, but to help answer a couple people for this spring too. Sorry I did not show what I was talking about.

[Bill]

Just wanted to update that everyone was pretty correct after I did some talking to manufacture reps. on bicycle seats and trailers. The idea of having the right carrier is mostly on the infants part. No less then a 1 year old!