https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:30:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534976 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 15:14:39 +0000 lamariniere 1534976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534866 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 14:39:17 +0000 sunny 1534866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534852 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 14:34:46 +0000 birdofafeather 1534852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534828 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 14:29:37 +0000 kpc324 1534828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the replies! Looks like we'll wait on the bike rentals until next year's vacation :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534550 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:57:12 +0000 BoogieBea 1534550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534539 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:54:50 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1534539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534512 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:48:17 +0000 Freckles 1534512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534478 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:39:14 +0000 Silva 1534478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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.</p> <p><a href="http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/pages/Baby-On-Board-Keeping-Safe-On-A-Bike.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/pages/Baby-On-Board-Keeping-Safe-On-A-Bike.aspx</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534466 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:35:25 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1534466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534459 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:33:08 +0000 Silva 1534459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534458 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:33:04 +0000 blackbird 1534458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534450 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:32:00 +0000 bushelandapeck 1534450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534435 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:27:47 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1534435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534432 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:26:35 +0000 Freckles 1534432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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 <a href="http://www.girlsandbicycles.ca/2012/07/biking-with-baby.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.girlsandbicycles.ca/2012/07/biking-with-baby.html</a></p> <p>@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. :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534375 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:17:17 +0000 Silva 1534375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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.<br /> I may be overly cautious, but bike accidents terrify me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534357 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:13:50 +0000 Freckles 1534357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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.</p> <p>I used a lot of tips from this bike blogger:<br /> <a href="http://simplybikeblog.com/?page_id=8058" rel="nofollow">http://simplybikeblog.com/?page_id=8058</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-start-biking-with-baby#post-1534268 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 11:45:18 +0000 kpc324 1534268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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?</p> <p>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? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-get-a-balance-bike#post-1492119 Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:19:37 +0000 brownie 1492119@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>18 months and by two he was a pro. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-get-a-balance-bike#post-1492088 Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:09:36 +0000 luckypenny 1492088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlek: how did he do? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-get-a-balance-bike#post-1491978 Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:41:37 +0000 littlek 1491978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@luckypenny: We got LO a balance bike when he was 18 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-to-get-a-balance-bike#post-1491967 Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:36:19 +0000 luckypenny 1491967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When did you introduce your toddler to a balance bike? DH has started riding his bike to work and DD is SOOO interested and keeps asking me for a bicycle. She is turning two next month and I thought it could make a good birthday present. But, she is a little cautious so who knows how she would do with one. Maybe a seat attachment for DH's bike is the better solution. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-384902 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 19:01:08 +0000 tysonja 384902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've heard of some people who just use a regular bike but take off the pedals. I don't have any first hand experience with that, though! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-384866 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:45:37 +0000 sarac 384866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: My baby isn't all that short, she's just skinny, so she's just overall shrimpy. The strider is totally built for kids starting at around 18 months, it ought to be perfect. It's also fairly cheap but very well made. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-384732 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:47:20 +0000 Boogs 384732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the recommendations! My LO is 36" and 18 months old so it sounds like the strider would work for him. Ad we already have a helmet, it's come it handy already when he plays on his scooter. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-384244 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:18:27 +0000 T-Mom 384244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: Sadly, your DD is the same height as my 14 mo old DS, so I guess makes him a mini-shrimp (him being a boy). :-(<br /> But I fully expect him to try and steal the Strider bike from DD. I will probably have to buy her an seat extender though since she is 4. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-384229 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:11:43 +0000 sarac 384229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, we bought the strider bike for our girl for her first birthday. Clearly, we were excited. They can use them as soon as they're walking well and 30 inches. At 14 months she's a 29 inch shrimp who isn't even close to walking, so it was a little silly, honestly. It's a great bike, and it's great for when they're walking well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-383231 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 10:44:10 +0000 mrstilly 383231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm planning to get DS a Strider bike as well. He'll be 2 at the end of March and it's going on his birthday list. I love to bike, as does DH, so this would be great. I think DS will really like it too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-382994 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 08:24:43 +0000 T-Mom 382994@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am planning to buy a strider St-3 pre-bike soon for<br /> DD. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004Q2YM5C" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004Q2YM5C</a><br /> Since even small toddlers can ride it, i plan to pass down to DS. My mom broke her finger helping my brother ride a bike from training wheels, and I'm not interested in repeating history! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-382986 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 08:11:46 +0000 brownie 382986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They are supposed to be really good for learning to balance a bike before pedaling. They are very expensive. We bought my son (16 mOnths). At 10 in bike from Kmart do half the price. It had a low front bar so he can still use it. Right now he just walks the bike but eventually he will be big enough to sit in the seat and coast. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/balance-bikes#post-382950 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:01:40 +0000 creativemomma15 382950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our nephew got one when he was 2 and he started riding a real bike without training wheels right before he turned 3. My SIL loved it and swears by them! </p>