Further to recent threads here’s my dilemma – I have two boys, 15 months and 8 weeks, the eldest is ready for some bike action but I’m not sure what option to go for:

1) Child seat, rear or top tube mounted?
2) Trailer, probably a double so we’re ready for littl’un.

I’m tempted to go child seat as I think it would be a more fun experience for him, but then would probably have to buy a trailer later when the younger one is ready to come out. I’d rather avoid the expense of both. If that’s the case then a top tube mounted one would give him more visibility, but restrict my movement.

I was initially going to just get a double trailer so we’re all set for both when the time comes, but the eldest is at the “I don’t want to be strapped into anything” stage and it might seem a bit too similar to his pushchair. I don’t want him to not enjoy himself.

Or will they both just go to sleep so I’m worrying needlessly and should just get what fits best?

Oh, I should add that this will be mostly for trundles round the woods, parks, etc. I’d expect traffic free tarmac/fireroad to be the norm.

Advice appreciated!

Trailers are good for riding with I’d say. Only disadvantage really is if you have lots of gates or steps around – trailers are a bummer then.

We got a Chariot one with suspension on the cheap, and we considered it smooth enough when ridden with extreme care for a small baby, using the hammock thing you can get.

Our kid wasn’t keen on being strapped into stuff but she loves the trailer. You can give her books, toys and food if you like, keeps her entertained, and she has now grown to love it. She even grabs her helmet and goes and sits in it sometimes, hoping I’ll take her out 🙂 Never heard of a kid who didn’t enjoy it.

Sometimes kids don’t like pushchairs because they get taken around places with lots of stimulation (ie town centre/shopping centre) and they are forced to sit there whilst their parents ignore them and mull over whatever purchases they are making. Not like that in a bike trailer.

Although along those lines we do have to stop periodically and let Meg have a run around, but that’s only fair.

None of ours enjoyed the bike seat, staring at dad’s crack for half an hour of jiggling and jolting. All happy in trailer though. There are some good toptube seats now though, I’d look at them.

Thanks both. I can’t see the fun in the rear mounted seat either, poor little beggars must get bored senseless.

molgrips – that’s encouraging. I’m leaning back towards a trailer especially if the baby can go in a hammock – mum can come along then too. I think they rent them over at Alice Holt near me so I’ll give one a whirl.

Not wanting to start an argument, but yours wear a helmet in the trailer? Do they have a recess in the head support for the helmet? Must get uncomfortable otherwise. I’m all for helmets on kids, but from one of the other threads was under the impression that the trailers provide pretty good protection on their own?

Agree with Molgrips mine loves the trailer. I commute 45 minutes each way twice a week and he looks forward to it.

Ours have always worn helmets. We have a Croozer which doesn’t have a recess. Schweiz Junior looked a little uncomfortable when he was less than 2 years old (head proppped forward by the helmet) although he never complained. Since he was approx 2 years old the seating position lools very natural and comfortable

If you get a croozer trailer, a)they are brilliant, b)you can put the baby in it in just a few months with the special baby seat (I think they recommend 20 weeks for biking )

For our very poor sleeping, very wriggly / crawling / energetic 8.5 month old, the trailer is a complete sleep machine, and even when she does wake up, she is pretty chilled out.

Chariots (these are way way the best imo) have three options – you start off in a hammock thing up til 6mo ish, then progress to a supportive insert for the seat to a year or so, then you just sit them in the seat. The baby insert for the seat is a bit of a weird one because the European version is different to the US one. It takes up both seats in a double and doesn’t have a head support. The US one has a removable head support you can remove as they get stronger, and once it’s not needed you can fit a helmet. In the hammock there’s no room for a helmet.

However it’s largely academic since they don’t really make helmets for very small kids anyway. Meg is a big toddler and was an absoultely huge sub 1-year old, and we still didn’t find a helmet that would fit her until what, 14mo ish. It took until then or later til I was confident riding around over bumps at speed. Although ironically the suspension design means that the faster I hit stuff the smoother it ended up being. I’m talking about stony bits in surfaced bike trails btw, not rock gardens, for the worriers on here 🙂

Oh and don’t tow a trailer with a FS, it’ll bend the back of the frame and knacker the pivots apparently.

Best helmet we found was the Abus Smiley.

Oh yeah and the Chariot people don’t recommend cycling with baby until 1 year old, but we suspect this is a litigation thing since it’s illegal in some US states anyway. With a baby in the hammock you are fine unless you a) get hit with a car or b) roll it. a) wasn’t possible since we never went on a road (still haven’t to speak of) and b), well.. just don’t be an idiot!

Excellent, thanks again all. Trailer it is I think, from another thread vinnyeh might be selling a Cougar 2. I’ll try to track him down, otherwise will post something in the wanteds.

Oh, and I’d use the HT for towing. I guess it depends on the attachment point (QR skewer?), but I have a maxle on my FS so might be awkward. Not to mention I’ll look a total pr!ck riding an Orange 5 round somewhere like Alice Holt, trailer or no 🙂

Cougar2 is what we have. They only issue is they are flippin expensive. I only have one because we got one muled from the US, I’d suggest second hand if you can find one. Or just grin and bear it. One of those things that are very expensive but everyone tells you how it’s worth it.

They do have a QR attachment, but you can also get a chainstay clamp. No use for a 5 though! I thought long and hard about how to attach it to the Maxle on my Patriot so that we could ride up to the top of Cwmcarn on fire-roads, then I could session the freeride section. However it can’t be done without making somekind of a adapter and even then it’s iffy. However that’s before I heard about the load bending swingarms and stuff.

Iv’e got both..a rear seat and a trailer, they just go to sleep in either. Still it get’s them out of the house!.

got both for different reasons and neither are perfect for all conditions. We had a crozer2 so I could tow both Harry and Lilly. We used to put Lilly in her Maxi cosy car seat and strap that in for extra head support when she was very young and not able to sit up.

We did some big rides to deserted beaches in morrocco – definately stong enough cope with a little rough stuff. Another bonus was that you can strap body boards, picnics and enough stuff for a whole day out. Plus you get super fit dragging them about…

Oh and don’t tow a trailer with a FS, it’ll bend the back of the frame and knacker the pivots apparently.

BS. A QR mount trailer puts no load at all through the frame of the towing bike.

Ours have always worn helmets. We have a Croozer which doesn’t have a recess. Schweiz Junior looked a little uncomfortable when he was less than 2 years old (head proppped forward by the helmet) although he never complained

The funny head angle didn’t bother you because he didn’t complain? What exactly do you think the helmet is going to protect him from, given the roll cage on the trailer and the 5 point harness? I really don’t get the point of putting something on your kid with some vague safety benefit when there’s a quite obvious disadvantage to it staring you in the face.

Another advantage of the trailer was I could tow them behind the Bullit – which looked a bit mad.

The bike seat combo on the Bullit was super boingy – but needs must. That also looked daft.

The funny head angle didn’t bother you because he didn’t complain? What exactly do you think the helmet is going to protect him from, given the roll cage on the trailer and the 5 point harness? I really don’t get the point of putting something on your kid with some vague safety benefit when there’s a quite obvious disadvantage to it staring you in the face.

From your posts, it seems you are a father so you probably already know that babys are different to adults – they can happily sleep in positions that look very uncomfortable to you and me.

Secondly, 1 year old kids will let you know very vocally if they are uncomfortable. The exception to this is temperature which they are unable to judge reliably.

Lastly, whilst I am very pleased with my Croozer trailer, the “roll cage” is little more than cosmetic. Particularly the front of the trailer is necessarily unprotected (to allow loading) and there are various scenarios for which I judge by child could benefit from head protection. Each to their own I suppose….

Lastly, whilst I am very pleased with my Croozer trailer, the “roll cage” is little more than cosmetic.

So not the alu tubing they advertise, and it collapses if the trailer rolls over? They should get done under the trades descriptions act.

Particularly the front of the trailer is necessarily unprotected (to allow loading)

I find the 5 point harness does a fine job of stopping them flying out of that gap on my Cougar – presumably your Croozer doesn’t have anything similar to hold your kids in?

there are various scenarios for which I judge by child could benefit from head protection

Apart from that cosmetic alu tubing frame collapsing or them going flying through the big gap in the front due to inadequate harness? You’ll have to explain these scenarios to me, as my imagination is sadly lacking.

Trailer then you can fart in peace.

Local bike shop chap had a burley trailer for his 2 girls. He rolled it by clipping a kerb, they thought it was the funniest thing. Straps worked a treat, roll cage didn’t collapse. Don’t know if they were wearing lids though.

Straps worked a treat, roll cage didn’t collapse

There you go – buy a Burley, not a Croozer with its inadequate straps and cosmetic roll cage.

Oh yeah, and watch out riding tow-alongs in the wet. Saw a poor little girl being towed along by Dad who was completely oblivious to the girl’s shouts of “I’m all muddy Daddy” as the spray from his back wheel soaked her.
Cruel but funny…actually, no it wasn’t.

Seatpost mounted seat is the way to go.

http://www.hamax.no/default.aspx?ItemID=1148&_Bicycle_Child_Seat

No reclining nonsense just well strapped in. You cant do good singletrack in a trailer. Just dont tell Mum!

I think your 15 month will be on his own bike by the time your youngest is ready to go on the seat.

Oh and don’t tow a trailer with a FS, it’ll bend the back of the frame and knacker the pivots apparently.

My old Enduro suffered no harm. Only used it a few times though, too much hard work. Used a ht mtb also, but mostly towed with a road bike.
I much preffered the trailer to a child seat. In fact it did our 5 mile nursery run for a couple of years, in all weathers. Most days the two of them would fall asleep on the way home, all snuggled up in blankets. Only had it roll once, with just the eldest in. Five point harness ket him in place.
For what I paid we certainly had our moneys worth out of it. 🙂
Important to get an alloy framed one, with 20″ wheels if possible. Ours weighs 8.9kg, only recently retired it as they want to ride their own bikes now. Sad really, used to love the commute, stopping off in the park, occasional picnic tea if the Wife was in late. Make the most of it.

Saw a poor little girl being towed along by Dad who was completely oblivious to the girl’s shouts of “I’m all muddy Daddy” as the spray from his back wheel soaked her.

That’s a really good point – presumably any trailer etc will mean lots of spray off the back wheel. I know they have covers, but it’d be nice to have a bit of wind in the hair.

we have a croozer 2 – its great!
we have a hamax kiddies seat – it’s great!

for singletrack stuff or where theres gates we use the seat and she wears a helmet

for owt else we use the trailer and they don’t wear a helmet. there are only a couple of instances where i could concieve of the roll bar failing and i don’t want to think about them. we also have a baby hammock which is great.

the nice thing about the trailer is riding to the park with the 3y/o and baby and the 3y/o jumps out runs around the park and woods and you can unhitch the trailer, clip the stroller wheel in and you’re fully mobile! also works at the shops where the “boot” is big enough for a weeks shop!

BS. A QR mount trailer puts no load at all through the frame of the towing bike.

It does, of course. But yes I was somewhat sceptical of the frame twisting thing until someone on here reported they knackered a FS frame by towing a trailer. The force pulling the trailer is to one side of the bike, so there’s a bending moment. Not much, but surprisingly it’s enough outside the design envelope of the frame and cause troubles with either bending or wear on pivots *APPARENTLY ACCORDING TO REPORTS*.

Take your pick.

Re helmet wearing – I could see a scenario where the trailer say slips down a slope into trees or rocks, or tree stumps or something. Intrusions into the fabric sides of the trailer coupled with head being thrown about could easily result in impact. Especially if you have two kids in there – they are quite close to the sides.

All as robob says. I got both second hand and they each have plus points although ultimately the trailer gets used more. Harder to lock up to railings in town than a bike with a seat on the back though. I don’t see the benefit of a helmet as my chariot has an ali tube roll cage and no alcove for the helmet to fit in. I also managed to roll our trailer with my 2 year old in it when a wheel went in a pot hole round an off camber bend (bad dad), 5 point harness worked very well and roll cage kept my boy well clear of any injury. He wasn’t bothered about at all. Two children and single seat trailer and rear child seat = a good work out on the hills.

A kid could definitely hit his head on the floor if he/she was in the side seating position rather than the middle, rollcage or no, in our Chariot Cougar. There’s no specially designed alcove for a helmet, but the back of the seat in the head area is flexible mesh so it provides a nice pocket for her head even with a helmet on.

On the bending the frame argumment, I have been towing both kids for the last four years, often behing my Patriot (its a damn good way of improving fitness) and have not seen anything on the bearing pivots. However it has **** two axles on the hub, which is a Hope bulb.

Thanks for all the replies folks. Rather than get one or the other from new I’m going to see if I can get both second hand. That way I can get the eldest out ASAP on a bike seat, then in a month or two when the youngest is stronger get them both in a trailer.

If anyone has one/both for sale I’m about to put up a wanted thread.