8 months too young to go biking with?

[sosurreal09]

how old does DD have to be before i can ride my bike with her? what do you reccomend i put her in? i was thinking that seat that goes on the handle bars and faces forward...forget the name. what do you all think?

[candelaria80]

[Peony]

They need to be at least one before they can wear a helmet and a helmet is a must on a bike. Babies are far too top heavy with their large heads and short necks to be able to safely wear a helmet. My DS is 1 and I am skipping biking yet again this summer because he isn't isn't there yet to be able to wear a helmet for that length of time.

[lifeguard]

Although I agree with peony on some points, like most things, I disagree with setting an age on it. I didn't have a bike last summer but ds (then 8-10 months) would have been delighted & been very capable of wearing a helmet for the short rides we do (never more than 15 minutes).

If you look over at the safety forum there have been a few threads on the different types of seats &/or trailers.

[LilaQ]

My husband runs a couple of bike shops and he warns people against the bike carriers that go on the front bar. I think the ones on the back are okay but he always recommends the trailers as the safest. We bought one that is a jog stroller/bike trailer combo so it works as a stroller when it's not attached to a bike. Our 9 month old loves it.

If you do get a carrier that attaches to the bike, make sure to put a helmet on your LO!!

[hollytheteacher]

We got a trailer and started putting ds in it at 9 months. We actually were able to install his bucket seat into it with seat belt thing in the trailer. HE LOVED it and looked so peaceful.

We were really careful about only going on straight, smooth rides on the bike path (never had to worry about traffic other than the block it took to get to the bike path).

[sosurreal09]

TY guys

[alegna]

All the safety stuff I've ever read says at least 1 year.

-Angela

[basje]

Personally I think once they are able to sit unassisted if you are going to have them in a baby seat on your bike. I lived in Holland for two years and this was standard. I believe it's safe, and reasonable although I think that most people will tell you an age that they they see in the culture around them. Here in the US, I've not seen younger than a year.

[sunnygir1]

I will probably wait until ds is walking--all that falling down will help strengthen his neck! He was born in September, so I'm hoping that he'll be ready to get some biking in before snowfall.

Dd was born in February, and the summer after she was one (after she was walking) I took her in a bike trailer with a helmet. She had a big head, and I was a little worried about all the bobbing around even at that age. Even on a smooth road, it is kind of bouncy on a bike.

I can't bring myself to consider using a seat on the bike; all I can think is that if we fall it will not protect the baby at all. So, I got a trailer; I know they aren't economically feasible for everyone, but if I didnt' have one, I don't think I'd ride with my baby or toddler.

[seafox]

we put a seat on the back of our bike (the standard grey one you see everywhere) got DS a helmet and started biking w/ him at around 10.5 months old? He'd been walking since 9 months, and has fine head control, etc.

we've gone on a few 20mi rides where he's napped for part of it; or just a 20min ride to get into town, that's about his patience level for it!