And what age?! I'm weighing the pros and cons of both. I read that the baby should at least be a year old?
With a bike seat, I like knowing she's close to me, I can hear her, she won't overheat like she could in a trailer, it seems less bumpy.
But with a trailer, I could fit both girls in there and they're closer to the ground in case of a crash.
Any advice? Or preferred brands?
pineapple / 12053 posts
With 2, I'd do the trailer. We have a seat for R because we didn't have the space for a trailer. Got it when she was 11/12 months.
coffee bean / 49 posts
We waited until 1 year to make sure our son had the neck strength to support a helmet. We started with a Burley d'lite trailer. There were two seats in there, but would be cramped for older kids. There is a mesh screen or a zip up cover so you can get airflow. It was nice, but bumpy. If you are just going for casual rides then it could be perfect. It also had storage, which was convenient.
DH likes to mountain bike a lot so we now have a Weehoo trailer which DS and DH both love.
eggplant / 11287 posts
We have the Yepp Mini. I couldn't be more in love with it. It's good for smaller toddlers and babies (I think up to 30 or 35 lbs). But the baby is really close to you and being up front gives them a great view!
http://www.amazon.com/Yepp-Mini-Bicycle-Child-Seat/dp/B00782XN2U
pomelo / 5093 posts
I ride extensively with my burly d'lite. It's awesome for two children. I started riding with my daughter when she was 7 months old. For my next baby, I'm going to buy a german made insert that will support the baby laying down, starting at 2 or 3 months.
coconut / 8430 posts
@HLK208: yes my LO wears a helmet in the trailer. My LO wasn't a big fan of the helmet at first because it was heavy.
pineapple / 12566 posts
I prefer the bike seat, having a trailer freaks me our since we ride in the city. The seat we have is a Hamax, which is what everyone here seems to have.
coconut / 8279 posts
@HLK208: my brother works with bicycles professionally, speaks at conferences and tradeshows, and he says trailers are much safer for kids.
I love the idea of the bike seat, especially for commuting in the city, but we only use our bikes (and the trailer) for recreation, bike trails, etc.
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
We have a trailer for ours! Since I won't be able to ride this spring, I hope DH can take E out on it
pomelo / 5093 posts
@HLK208: Absolutely. My daughter started at 7 month with hers. With my new baby, I'll be using an insert that's like a car seat, and she'll be too small for a helmet at first. I'll probably stick to neighborhood streets until she fits into one.
Everyone has an opinion about which is safer. Having used both, it's clear to me that both trailers and seats have safety issues, just like any means of transport. A trailer is behind you and easier for a car to hit, but a seat is attached to you, and suffers if YOU get hit. If you have two kids, a trailer is really your only option, unless you want to buy a longtail bike like an xtracycle.
pineapple / 12234 posts
@sarac: we would mostly take the girls on family bike rides so we could do a bike seat on my husbands bike and my own.
I think I'm leaning toward a trailer though and it seems more cost effective.
coffee bean / 49 posts
@HLK208 Yes we had LO wear a helmet in the trailer. We wanted to set up good habits for bike riding. I have to say though, that getting the helmet to fit well and stay in place in the trailer was one of the most difficult parts. LO didn't mind wearing it, but it would get jostled during the ride by the seat in the trailer.
nectarine / 2134 posts
I'd like DH to get a seat or trailer for our DH who is almost 9 months old. We need to do some research into which one will be right for us. This is good information to have -- thanks for sharing!
pomegranate / 3375 posts
We just got a trailer. We went back and forth, but eventually chose it because it doesn't flip if we do, and if we have more than 1 kid, one of us could take both.
I liked the idea of a seat, but the trailer makes more sense. Our LO (14 months) LOVES it.
We bought the Burley Bee. It was about $300.00. If you're an REI member, they have 20% off coupons right now!!
pomelo / 5093 posts
After experiencing both, I can also say that a seat just feels very, very different than riding a bike on your own, balance wise. I'm very short, and the midtail bike that I rode had a very high deck, but for me, it was a disaster. Absolutely awful in terms of my own comfort, and really difficult to ride safely. I got rid of that bike after a few months.
Bottom line - if you're short, I'd think twice about a seat. A trailer is more effort to pull, but you totally remove the balance issue that you get with a rear seat.
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
We have a seat, and I love it. We live in the suburbs where there is plenty of constant traffic, so I don't feel comfortable with the trailer. If there's a car coming too close or a tight spot, I can just pull up onto the curb/sidewalk.
Also, I'm only 5'4ish and I use a rear bike seat without any issues... I don't feel off balance or uncomfortable in any way.
cantaloupe / 6869 posts
@HLK208: What'd you end up choosing? What do you think? I'm debating this myself since I'd like to get either a bike seat or trailer for DH for Father's Day.
pineapple / 12234 posts
@MrsKoala: we went with a trailer! I feel safer since it's low to the ground. We'll only do paved bike trails anyway since there are tons around here.
That's a nice Father's Day gift! It's such a fun summer activity.
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