Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Parenting › Family Safety › Infant in a Bike Trailer?
New Posts  All Forums:
 

Infant in a Bike Trailer? - Page 2

post #21 of 43
6/15/09 at 2:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lexbeach View Post
That is purely hypothetical (it's never been reported), and doesn't really make sense to me if you think about the amount of force involved in shaken baby syndrome. It would be hard--maybe even impossible--to replicate that in a bicycle trailer even on an incredibly bumpy road. In other countries, it is common for people to bike with their babies, and if "shaken bike baby syndrome" was a real thing, I'm sure there would be warnings against it. Also, a 12-month-old is not immune to the real shaken baby syndrome, so if the bike version was real, why would it then be OK for people to start biking with their 12-month-olds?

Lex
I believe the idea is putting a helmet on a child who doesn't have the neck strength to support a helmet and the head shakes violently back and forth from the extra weight on it is the hypothesis here but since no one really makes helmet small enough for little babies...

That said, I would put my baby in a trailer in a baby sling because they aren't really secured well in case of a trailer roll over (like if it was swiped by a car) they could slam into the road . They aren't strapped to a seat like a bigger kido is...I would think using a car seat negates that risk if it is actually strapped in...
Sponsored Links
post #22 of 43
6/15/09 at 11:03am
I've been struggling with this same issue. As other posters have noted, virtually all of the recommendations are to wait for one year. However, this seems to be more based on fear of liability than on science. I have yet to see a single shred of actual evidence supporting this position, but nobody wants anything to do with a lawsuit involving a baby.

Regarding the "shaken baby syndrome" fear: again, I haven't seen any evidence supporting this theory (nor, in fairness, countering it). However, if it were truly a problem I would think it would apply equally to jogging with a baby, and nobody recommends against that (or at least the recommended ages are much younger). Most well designed helmets are exceptionally light, and as the range of motion we're considering here is quite limited, it's hard to imagine the helmet making a great deal of difference.

Babies vary widely in their development. In my case, my 7.5 month old is very strong for his age. He could hold up his own head at 2 weeks, was sitting unsupported at 4 months, crawling at 5 months, and is now nearly walking. I have no concerns at all about his safety in a good bike trailer (or at least none that don't equally apply to my three-year-old). Many babies at this age are still quite floppy and just learning to sit. If that were my situation I might think twice. I think in the absence of any actual research on the matter it is up to each parent to make a judgement call.

My biggest problem is finding a small enough helmet. They exist, but are very hard to find, especially here in Canada. And while I'm not sure the helmet really adds a great deal in terms of safety (given a secure 5-point harness and a roll cage), it would be hard to explain to my 3-year-old why her brother doesn't need to wear one.
post #23 of 43
6/15/09 at 11:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grumpybear View Post
I think the concern more about having children under a year in these things would be shaken baby syndrome.
But plenty of other things shake way more than a bike (Jumperoos come to mind) and they don't say not to use those before one. So if a baby is old enough, has enough head control, etc for things like that why not a bike?
post #24 of 43
6/16/09 at 12:59am
This has some good information to read:

http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm
post #25 of 43
6/16/09 at 11:38pm
Here's how we did it when DS was about three months old:
The car seat was hooked in there super tight. I felt like it was quite safe.
post #26 of 43
8/13/09 at 10:39pm

some data

There's some data on the whole "shaking" thing here at Baby TestBed.

specific results:

Some Cycling Results
Running with BOB
More Abuse for Chuckette
Smooth Pavement Cycling
post #27 of 43
8/13/09 at 10:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by babytestbed View Post
Thank you so much for doing this! I have been noticing lately with our newborn that he does get quite "jostled" when I'm walking on smooth pavement and he's in the sling. It's nothing that I worry about, but I was guessing that it's probably MORE jostling than riding in a bike would be. And no one is telling you not to walk with your baby in a sling for fear of "shaken baby syndrome." I was contemplating making a comparison video (i.e. on of him in the sling and one of him in the car seat in the bike), but your methods are even better!

Lex
post #28 of 43
8/13/09 at 11:10pm
I have a bike trailer that the recommended minimum age is 12 months. It seats two children. My oldest was fantastic in it - he was 2 when we got it. My youngest HATED it when I tried her at 1 year old. The bike shop said the reason for the age is not that they only need to support their head, but their head with a helmet on it. This was obviously difficult for her to do even though she had a lightweight baby helmet.

We stopped using it with her last summer, tried again this summer and she loves it much, much better. It doesn't seem as awkward for her to ride in anymore.
post #29 of 43
8/15/09 at 10:36pm
Children are supposed to be at least one year before riding in a bike trailer. They aren't even supposed to make bike helmets for infants. Has to do with neck strength.
post #30 of 43
8/16/09 at 1:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leigh09 View Post
I have a bike trailer that the recommended minimum age is 12 months. It seats two children. My oldest was fantastic in it - he was 2 when we got it. My youngest HATED it when I tried her at 1 year old. The bike shop said the reason for the age is not that they only need to support their head, but their head with a helmet on it. This was obviously difficult for her to do even though she had a lightweight baby helmet.

We stopped using it with her last summer, tried again this summer and she loves it much, much better. It doesn't seem as awkward for her to ride in anymore.
If they are in a trailer, why do they need a helmet? I use a bike seat, and also a trailer from time to time - the trailer is enclosed. It would be like wearing a helmet while in your car to me.
post #31 of 43
8/16/09 at 2:08am
A bike trailer is not nearly as sturdy as a car, for one. It's pretty much just tubes and cloth. A car has to meet much stricter standards and is made of metal with lots of shock absorbant material. Huge difference. Also, bikes and trailers are much less visible to drivers than cars, so unless you plan on never crossing a road or riding only on bike paths, you will be on the road with huge hulking hunks of metal all around you (cars, trucks, etc.).
post #32 of 43
8/16/09 at 2:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pookietooth View Post
A bike trailer is not nearly as sturdy as a car, for one. It's pretty much just tubes and cloth. A car has to meet much stricter standards and is made of metal with lots of shock absorbant material. Huge difference. Also, bikes and trailers are much less visible to drivers than cars, so unless you plan on never crossing a road or riding only on bike paths, you will be on the road with huge hulking hunks of metal all around you (cars, trucks, etc.).
But if those huge hunks of metal drive over you, a helmet is not going to help. I figure there are people who use bikes as their primary mode of transport - even with infants. In the trailer they will be as safe as can be expected, even sans helmet. I would guess that even without a helmet, a baby is safer in a bike trailer than in a car properly secured in a carseat (statistically speaking).
post #33 of 43
8/16/09 at 2:17pm
YES your child needs a helmet in a bike trailer if in cycling mode. The "roll cage" that some have described is NOT necessarily a roll cage. In some trailers, it's merely a frame holding the fabric that may not actually contain the child's head. My friend just bought a Schwinn trailer, the frame holds the fabric up but is useless for protecting the child as it sits behind the child's head and if the trailer tipped over, the child's head would smack the pavement. Additionally, even in a 5 point harness a child's head could hit the frame in a rollover.

The 5 point harness is NOT the same as the 5 point harness in a car seat. Think more like stroller 5 point harness. A harness adjuster could slip or slide in a rollover and loosen just enough to allow the child to move enough to hit their head on something.

Also, in the manuals I've read (Burley, Chariot and Trek), the manufacturer's instructions specify to wear a helmet in cycling mode.

Sure the helmet might not help in some high speed crash where a vehicle hits the trailer or drives over it, but a helmet is likely to help in other bike trailer accidents which are parents flipping the trailer when going over a curb or other rough terrain, a collision with a pedestrian, etc.

As for age, the trailer manufacturers say at least a year when attached to a bicycle (can be younger in stroller mode with infant accessories). If a person is going to use a helmet on their child, it's not likely you'll find one that fits an infant. Helmets start to fit at sometime over a year of age. I was actually surprised at how much jostling goes on in a bike trailer, even in one with suspension. And the extra weight of a helmet on those already large heads is quite a bit of load on those little necks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vbactivist View Post
Does your child wear a helmet in the car?
Children should be in car seats in a vehicle which are often designed such that child's head will hit the sides of the car seat (often with EPS foam) instead of impacting the hard metal of the vehicle. Vehicles now have side air bags to protect heads from hitting metal and glass. Might not be a helmet, but vehicles are being designed to protect heads in ways they were not before as heads hitting hard objects is cause of serious injury and/or death. Vehicles are also designed specifically to protect the passenger compartment as best as they can and have the least intrusion into the passenger compartment. Vehicles just aren't the same as trailers.
post #34 of 43
8/16/09 at 4:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vbactivist View Post
But if those huge hunks of metal drive over you, a helmet is not going to help. I figure there are people who use bikes as their primary mode of transport - even with infants. In the trailer they will be as safe as can be expected, even sans helmet. I would guess that even without a helmet, a baby is safer in a bike trailer than in a car properly secured in a carseat (statistically speaking).

I would be surprised if I were rong about this. I guess I am willing to take that risk, because the benefits of cycling out wiegh it. Good luck to everyone. Cycling with babies is fun - way more fun than driving!
post #35 of 43
8/16/09 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vbactivist View Post
I would be surprised if I were rong about this. I guess I am willing to take that risk, because the benefits of cycling out wiegh it. Good luck to everyone. Cycling with babies is fun - way more fun than driving!
And you may be right, but I didn't read any posts here that said a car was safer than a trailer? The OP asked if taking an infant in a bike trailer was safe, there was no mention of using the trailer instead of using a vehicle. She said for entertainment and for errands. I'm guessing that means she's not going very far, which means the bike trailer could be used in stroller mode and she could go on a walk for entertainment or walk for the errands and still have the benefit of exercise and fun. And baby is still safer than in a vehicle but also safer than in the trailer without a helmet at biking speeds (and I don't think putting a helmet on a infant is wise due to fit, the extra weight, and the fact that helmets aren't designed to worn by infants).

I think the topic you brought up (dangers of vehicle travel vs bike trailer travel without helmet for an infant) could be a great discussion and give people lots to think about. I just didn't see the OP going there with her questions and situation.
post #36 of 43
8/16/09 at 7:24pm
https://www.shopatron.com/product/pa....47855.0.0.0.0

Chariot makes a 'baby supporter' for 3-18months.
post #37 of 43
8/16/09 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hesperia View Post
https://www.shopatron.com/product/pa....47855.0.0.0.0

Chariot makes a 'baby supporter' for 3-18months.
This is not intended for use with the cycling kit under 12 months of age. Chariot instructions clearly say that with the cycling kit (so using the trailer attached to a bike) a child must be at least 1 year old. This supporter could be used in stroller mode before a year of age and maybe in other sport modes too, depending if they have an age minimum (jogging and skiing).
post #38 of 43
8/21/09 at 12:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lexbeach View Post
I wouldn't use a trailer for a five-month-old without putting the baby in an infant car seat.

I do think it's wise to read all of the anti-biking-with-infants information that there is out there before making your own informed choice.

I started biking with ds3 when he was 8 months old, using the iBert seat on the front of my bike. It worked very well for us. My sister is now using the same seat with her 7-month-old. I am considering starting to bike with our fourth baby starting when he's about 3 months old (following the lead of what's recommended in the Netherlands, where biking with babies and children is the norm). If I decide to ride with him when he's that young, he will be in an infant car seat installed in the front of my dutch cargo bike.

Lex
I also using iBert child bike seat. I and my daughter can maintain a steady conversation about what lies ahead without losing sight of the road. My daughter absolutely loves it and gets very excited when she sees me getting ready to take them for a ride.

Perhaps you would like to visit my blog next time: ibert child bike seat reviews
post #39 of 43
8/21/09 at 8:21am
about that helmet....

Before I got the trailer, I purchased a helmet for my LO because I thought it necessary. After riding, observing the design of the trailer and reviewing the purpose of the helmet, I changed my mind. FYI, I started riding with him at 8 months.

The trailer is low to the ground, has a wide footprint with large pneumatic tires, and is extremely sturdy. It will not tip unless something wildly drastic (I ride my bike off a cliff) happens. The hitch between my bike and the trailer is designed such that even if I go down to the ground, the trailer does not budge. My child is secured (yes, it is very secure) with a five-point harness. The aluminum frame of the trailer will also protect my child if, for some reason, it rolls AND the 5-point harness fails.

A bicycle helmet is designed to protect the skull in case of a fall from a bicycle. My child is not on a bicycle and therefore cannot fall from it. Would he be inherently 'safer' by wearing a helmet while in a trailer? I suppose so but again, he isn't going to fall out of the trailer. The helmet is moot. I have considered, however, putting a helmet on him as he totters around the house. He falls constantly (just now mastering that walking thing).

I suppose some might put a helmet on their trailered child in the event they are struck be a car. If that happens, I do not believe the helmet would provide anything other than a minute amount of protection. Bike helmets are not designed as car crash helmets. If we are hit by a car, we have huge issues beyond what a mere helmet can cover.

The best reason I can think of for putting a helmet on your trailered child is to instill bicycling safety at the earliest age. Kudos to all you parents who do this (and I know all of you are modeling safe bicycling habits by wearing your own helmet). Would I prefer my child to wear a helmet, even while in the trailer? Sure. And if I could bubble-wrap him that would be even better. But the truth is, I cycle every day. I admit, it is MY need that I am fulfilling and I'm sure there are some who would argue that I am putting my child at risk in order to meet my own selfish needs. Yes. I am. But I genuinely believe that I have made my child as safe as he needs to be while in the trailer.

When he transitions out of the trailer (years down the road) and onto a tag-a-long, onto the tandem, or his own bike, rest assured that he will be wearing a helmet each and every time. We are quite strict about this actually. No helmet secured properly = no ride. No discussion.
post #40 of 43
7/4/11 at 2:01pm

so I really want to take my two kids (3.5 yrs and 10.5 months) to the foruth of July festival three miles away. I have no car and the bus is on holiday schedule so it doesn't go there and back after 5 pm. I have a bike trailer that I have used for just my dd before baby brother. He is 21 or 22 lbs and has great neck control. There is no other way to take them out today but at the same time we don't NEED to go out you know? He is bigger and has better mobility than his sister did when she was one, she wasn't 20 lbs until 1 year 3 months... I'm going to try to put the car seat in the trailer but then I don't think there would be room to buckle big sister in...

Any suggestions?

Thanks

New Posts  All Forums:
 
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Family Safety
Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Parenting › Family Safety › Infant in a Bike Trailer?