Any cyclists here? What age did you start riding with your little ones? Did you use the cart or the bike seat on the back?
We'll be going on vacation soon to a place where bike trails are a big attraction. Our little one will be 8 months old (she's sort of sitting up now at 6 months, I'm guessing she'll be a good sitter by then?). Will she be old enough, or should we skip renting bikes until she's in the toddler stage?
honeydew / 7444 posts
8 months may be on the young side but it depends on how big she is and as long as she can fit into a helmet. Most helmets are designed for 1+. We started a bit late, around 16 months. I had her in the Wee Ride Kangaroo seat which is front-mounted. I know some bees have the rear-mounted seat but i love the interaction the front-mounted one brings.
I used a lot of tips from this bike blogger:
http://simplybikeblog.com/?page_id=8058
cantaloupe / 6017 posts
I'm not a big cyclist by any means, but for what its worth I wouldn't bike with a kid before age 1, and I wouldn't use anything but a trailer.
I may be overly cautious, but bike accidents terrify me.
honeydew / 7444 posts
I forgot that another option like what @silva mentioned is the trailer. There are lots of people who actually retrofit their trailers so they can put the bucket seats in their trailer/cargo bike http://www.girlsandbicycles.ca/2012/07/biking-with-baby.html
@Silva: I understand people's apprehension towards riding bikes with babies, but there are definitely less accidents than you would think (and more accidents with babies in cars, though i recognize the sample size is probably a lot greater). Sorry for the rambling, this is just the bike advocate in me. 
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
I thought I had read somewhere that a general rule of thumb is 1+? I don't remember. We started with LO when he was about 15 months, I was glad he turned one before the spring/summer so we could take him.
pomelo / 5720 posts
I have also heard not until 1. We just took LO (19 mos) on vacation and rented a bike with a seat in the back. He fell asleep within 10 minutes and we ended up returning it for a pull behind trailer because I was not at all comfortable with the idea of him bouncing around asleep on the back. We bought a bike seat for our bikes but I am rethinking that we will probably need a trailer instead.
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
We'll be using a trailer and she hits a year old next week. I wouldn't do it too early...their heads can't support the helmets.
cantaloupe / 6017 posts
@Freckles: I know, you are totally right. Its a complete paranoia of mine. Are the trailers safer than the seats? That's what I recall hearing....some places won't sell the seats anymore? Maybe I made that up though
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@Silva: I have never heard a safety comparison between the two but I prefer the seat because of how much easier it is to bike with, and the interaction.
cantaloupe / 6017 posts
@Mrs. Pen: found this, I guess the AAP just has safety recommendations for a rear seat, and says a trailer is preferable. I"m not sure where I saw the comparison between a trailer.
honeydew / 7444 posts
@Silva: Yes, it is because it's lower to the ground so there won't be as much impact. However, when i commuted with LO i didn't feel comfortable having a trailer on the road (probably some of my paranoia too. haha). I don't think i heard of places not selling seats anymore though!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@Freckles: That was actually my concern too - having the trailer separate from the bike made it *seem* more likely to get hit. But I think for accidents involving just the bike it's safer because I think the attachment piece might be able to rotate in order to stay upright if the bike is on it's side? Not sure but I think so.
pomegranate / 3503 posts
We've only biked with a trailer. According to our trailer guidelines, the child had to be 1. A younger child won't have enough neck strength to prevent getting injured.
grape / 77 posts
Thanks for the replies! Looks like we'll wait on the bike rentals until next year's vacation 
pineapple / 12053 posts
we waited until 11.5 months and after watching her, i wouldn't do it earlier than that age myself. she was always pretty strong, but even then, her head was bouncing around.
coconut / 8430 posts
We did a 10 min ride around our neighborhood in a trailer when our LO was 11 months. She hated it. We'll be trying again this spring/summer now that she is a little older.
pineapple / 12566 posts
We rode with LO a few times at 10 months before the weather for cold, but he had excellent head control, fit in a helmet and was in a seat on the front of my bike. Depending on where you live, a trailer may or may not be ok. We live in a city and like @Freckles: said, I wasn't comfortable with a trailer. Maybe if you live in a more suburban area or ride mostly in parks it would be better.
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