[Closed] Cycling with a newborn....

Probably frowned upon, but we secured his car seat down into a trailer for gentle, very smooth 6mph country road rides only at first. This was from about 6 months plus (was winter before that anyway).

It wasn't until he was a year he would go straight in, and he's now 18months old and happier to go on slightly bumpier trails.

Friend of mine wears a chest strap, but not on the bike, one or the other of you would have to be pretty uncomfortable for it to work, with either you sat near upright or little one hanging at quite an angle(guess you'd be uncomfortable with the weight hanging there too).

We had a seat that fitted inside a trailer that allowed newborns to lie flat. Used it with my daughter and had no problems with it. I'll see if I can find a link to it. Not sure why its frowned upon. Riding traffic free smooth cycle track isn't going to affect a newborn IMO.

I think we still have the seat if you are interested in it. I'll check after work.

Hopster, sorry I was referring more to the fact that the car seat was lashed in place using string and straps 🙂 If it's a specific design for a trailer it would be better and easier.

They are tougher than you think those new-borns!

The papous idea is fine until their legs get a bit longer than they skelp off your thighs and it's uncomfy for both of you. They need to be facing you rather than facing out unless you have a true sit-up-and-beg riding position otherwise they will be looking at the ground moving (very fast for them) underneath them.

I did this round the streets in the village I live - didn't go offroad and she seemed to quite enjoy it - fell asleep a few times almost as I rolled out the drive - a half hour pedal round the village and all was good. I don't think it would work offroad (actually I don't think it would work on anything other than tarred road/paths - slightesy bit of moisture and it's going to be sprayed all over them).

We have a Burley Solo now - not been used since about November due to the bad weather/cold but she loves it and it's now getting ready to be hitched up for a pedal this weekend. She sleeps in it, reads and plays with some toys in it. She can see things and she can talk to us - so I think she quite likes it...isn't always keen to go in it at first but once in she is sorted.

I looked at seats on the bike but the rear ones I felt exposed the child too much and the ones in the front I figured would foul my legs when pedalling and as they got older it could become more of an issue with gears and brakes and dangling legs (potentially). So the trailer won it for me, she is only now just heavy enough to get the elastomer suspension to work - she's 20 months now.

Hoping to get to Austria in the summer and the bikes and trailer will be with us - last time we were there there were miles and miles of cycleways so we hope to go exploring for a few days on the bikes.

Minimum age for a lot of these things is 9 or 12 months because young babies still have a soft spot on their skull so you don't want to be bumping them about in a seat attached to the back, or in many trailers.

If you can get a car seat, or a trailer specific designed seat in your trailer then that should be fine though

Leave him at home and go out on your own. Only a suggestion. 🙂

Leave him with me and go out on your own. Only a suggestion..

Very good of you Rusty!

Actually - bex wants to get back on the tandem, and I figure baby would be better off with us, than at home alone!!

Hopster - I've a load lugging trailer, so if you could find details about that seat (or even sell it..?) that would be great,

DrP

I'd personally leave it abit longer. I was thinking 6months old for my lad.

To even consider strapping the baby to you (at any age) while cycling is insane even if you are not off roading.
Do you really need a few possible scenarios spelling out?

What age is the skull fully knitted together?

Patience young Luke..

"I figure baby would be better off with us, than at home alone!!"

it's not as if he's going to muck about with the chip pan - what could possibly go wrong ?

Chariot do a proper baby seat, [url= http://www.chariot.de/en/chariot/vom-ersten-tag-an/ ]baby bivy[/url]

I used one of these with my old chariot cougar when my son was around 3 months old.
Before that I just took him out in a [url= http://www.johnlewis.com/230644533/Product.aspx?source=14798 ]baby carrier[/url] for long walks with the dog.

What age is the skull fully knitted together?

The fontanel (get me!) can close from anything from 9 months to 2 years.

I think the problem babies have is their little neck muscles can't support their giant heads fully until around 6 months. So all the juddering and side to side movement while riding a bike means their fat heads needs to be fully supported. That's why if using a car seat it needs to be rear facing so when you brake hard in a car the head doesn't come forward, wouldn't know if it would be a problem at bicycle speeds.

weber baby seat ina trailer, just got one in the post, can be taken from newborn ,we are just about to start with our at 3months, blurb on interenet say son ly for chariiot or cougar, blurb with it explanis how ot fit it in a number of trailers. meets some german child sea safety standards aswell

Pop him in a camelbak M.U.L.E

Put him next to your iPhone, because I'm sure you keep that where it won't get broken.

Do you really need a few possible scenarios spelling out?

Go on then, make a list - I guarantee you'll never stop....! Point being, I am aware there are inherrant risks in everything, but I can weigh those up and make a decision! It's not like I'm going to take him down a black run is it!

And in all honesty, I imagine there's as much 'juddering' as you walk with a baby in a baby-carrier as there would be cycling!

Still unclear it seems - those baby seats you've inked to [b]may[/b] be alright - I'll have a look....

DrP

My sister took her kids in a papoose from about 6 -8 wks old IIRC - it had head support. But then she is dutch were this is considered normal. Handlebar mounted seat once they go too big for the papoose, rear mounted seat after that

And in all honesty, I imagine there's as much 'juddering' as you walk with a baby in a baby-carrier as there would be cycling!

Only if you walk like herman munster, unless the trails and roads in your area are much better surfaced than they are round here.

It's not like I'm going to take him down a black run is it!

I don't know. If you decide the risk is acceptable to take your baby on a bike in a sling, you are daft enough to attempt anything.

 

Andy - this is normal in other countries to take a baby in a sling - how else do you get around?

Look out - the sky may fall on their heads - all of them!
[img] [/img]

Just because other countries deem it as 'normal' does not mean it is safe/sensible or acceptable behaviour.

We've got a Croozer Kid for 2. Our 4 month old is quite happy in it and we have the sling for up to 10kg kiddies too. We went out with her for the first time at the weekend (without the sling) and she was very happy apart from the very bumpy bits of trail and the sun did shine in her little eyes on the way home.

andy - you miss the point - it is not dangerous. There is no epidemic of deaths. Acceptable is a social construct not an absolute.

And andyxxx, just because you deem it unsafe doesn't mean it is unsafe...

andy - you miss the point - it is not dangerous. There is no epidemic of deaths

I do not miss the point. Of course it is dangerous, even though an accident probably won't result in death.

I hope most people would agree.

Look out - the sky may fall on their heads - all of them!

In some countries this is acceptable and doesn't create much in the way of hazard:
[img] [/img]

But in other countries people have found more sane ways of doing it!

so andy, don't take a baby in a car, you may have an accident. Or in a pushchair, you may have an accident. Or put them in one of those door bouncy things, they may have an accident. Honestly the way people pamper kids these days is plain stupid. we're expecting our first next month and i'll be getting them out on bikes as soon as i can. If that means in a sling then so be it, i'd never do anyhting to put it at risk, and cycling on a dedicated off road cycle path is not putting anyone at risk

What makes you say it is dangerous? As Dick Barton says............

Like it coffeeking.

so andy, don't take a baby in a car, you may have an accident. Or in a pushchair, you may have an accident. Or put them in one of those door bouncy things, they may have an accident. Honestly the way people pamper kids these days is plain stupid. we're expecting our first next month and i'll be getting them out on bikes as soon as i can. If that means in a sling then so be it, i'd never do anyhting to put it at risk, and cycling on a dedicated off road cycle path is not putting anyone at risk

In a car there are approved car seats for babies and toddlers to reduce the chance of injury or death in an accident - some idiots choose not to use them.

'Those door bouncy things' are hardly a sensible comparison.

I think using a dedicated cycle path while your baby is in a sling is very thoughtful - do you think its head is less likely to get squashed/knocked sensless on there? - but if you do have an accident, as you say, at least you're not putting anyone else at risk.

What makes you say it is dangerous? As Dick Barton says............

Are you winding me up?
Do you really not see what the consequences could be coming off your bike and landing on a baby?

 

The point is andy how likely is that? That there will be an accident severe enough to harm the child given that the adult will be able to protect it to some extent.? An experienced cyclist riding on granny paths offroad? Millions to one - the baby has a greater chance of being injured in a car on the road orr in a baby buggy.

Rational risk assessment means some consideration needs to be to the likelihood of injury as well as the severity.

I am surprised you can ever get out of your house with an attitude like that.

I have an 8 week old and want to get her out with the bike asap but there is no way I would ever consider taking her in a sling/carrier.

Check them out, why do you think they all have warnings stating not for use while riding bikes