Biking with toddler in the Ergo? - Page 2

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 


Because I was wondering if biking with an Ergo WAS a good alternative. I didn't realize this was so clear-cut that I should've already known it was a bad idea.

I was thinking it would be nice because DS needs to be physically touching me to be consistently happy. I don't think a bike seat or a trailer would keep him content consistently enough to bother, at this point.

I guess we'll just wait 'til he can reach the pedals himself before we try biking.

You might be surprised, my kids- even those who usually have to be touching me- LOVE riding in the bike trailer.   They also love the seat on the bike.  If yours really has to feel like he is close, something like the ibert (front mounted) might be a good idea.  

Now, that said, on a slow cruiser bike ride away from traffic, I would consider wearing a toddler.  I would prefer other options, but if that was what I had and I wanted to try to make it work, I am not so terrified of injury at low speeds and relatively low heights that I think there would be significant mechanism of injury to endanger the child's life if he was wearing a helmet. 

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by prescottchels 

I can't imagine how a content baby would throw off your balance in a back carry...Thinking back to riding my bike to college w/a 30lb backpack and that never threw off my balance, why would a baby? If baby is thrashing around you're obviously gonna stop to tend to it, right?

A content BABY might not throw off balance, but a 2 year old very well could.  Just moving their hands, shifting how they hold their head, etc.  Just b/c they are content doesn't mean they won't move.  A 30lb backpack is a stationary object that can be secured so that it doesn't move - a toddler has a mind of his/her own and will move their hands and heads and feet, which can throw a bike off balance. 

Even if I were a confident rider (I'm not) I wouldnt do it, nor would I ever let anyone else, b/c I don't want my child to be the cushion should they fall. 

[swede]

Originally Posted by Asiago 

A good rule of thumb is 'if you wouldn't do something while pregnant, don't do it with baby in a carrier or sling.'

That said, if you buy a trailor or seat, I found this site to be helpful on safety: http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm 

Last year I purchased a bike seat. However after researching safety issues a bit have decided to wait until my 18 month old is sturdier. He must be able to withstand a fall (even with a helmet) and his neck and spine to withstand the jarring of road surfaces.

This is funny to me because I've biked throughout all my pregnancies, as do many other people I know - right here in the good old Us of a.

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by MamitaM 

I agree! I'm sorry but why one Earth would you think it's safe?

I'm really surprised by some of the reactions to this. If I didn't visit MDC, I would already be out there biking with the Ergo, but I vaguely remembered someone mentioning something about it a while back so I figured I'd double-check. It surprises me that it's NOT safe, and that it is assumed I should just KNOW that. I don't ride at high speeds. I ride slowly, relaxed, on low-traffic roads. I don't have a tall bike, I do not understand the "it's a long fall" point because it's just as long as if I were wearing him while walking in short heels or something!! I've been riding a bike since I was basically DS's age. He loves being in the Ergo and it does not throw my balance off at all. He is basically part of me, nearly like if I were still pregnant, when he's in the Ergo. So that's why I thought it might be safe. I can respect that I am wrong about that, but I am confused about why it's so obvious, and some are reacting like I said, "Is it OK to let DS stick knives in the outlets?"

Originally Posted by insidevoice 

You might be surprised, my kids- even those who usually have to be touching me- LOVE riding in the bike trailer.   They also love the seat on the bike.  If yours really has to feel like he is close, something like the ibert (front mounted) might be a good idea.  

He has sensory issues, that's why he has to be touching me (not just close/seeing me). He might be OK in a trailer or seat for a short time but it's very very likely he wouldn't be able to handle more than a few minutes. If I had money to spare, I'd give it a try & cut my losses if it didn't work out, but since I don't, I guess we'll just wait.

Originally Posted by rcr 

There has been some research on this from the transportation research board (part of the national academies), I believe. It is most definitely not safe. I will try to find some links when I am not typing from my phone.

Thank you, would love to see those links if you do find them!!

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

 

Originally Posted by insidevoice 

You might be surprised, my kids- even those who usually have to be touching me- LOVE riding in the bike trailer.   They also love the seat on the bike.  If yours really has to feel like he is close, something like the ibert (front mounted) might be a good idea.  

He has sensory issues, that's why he has to be touching me (not just close/seeing me). He might be OK in a trailer or seat for a short time but it's very very likely he wouldn't be able to handle more than a few minutes. If I had money to spare, I'd give it a try & cut my losses if it didn't work out, but since I don't, I guess we'll just wait.

I wonder if you might be able to try one at a bike shop to see if it would work.  Or maybe a thrift shop/garage sale/craigslist.  I was shocked that my  guy likes it so much, it's one of the few ways he feels safe and happy.  Additionally it's great for his core muscles as they are very weak.  We deal with sensory issues here as well, so I understand the concern.  I just want to say it really might be something that makes him really happy. My guy complained for about two minutes initially then absolutely fell in love with it and will now try to drag me to the bike all the time.  It's a surefire meltdown cure here as well, which for a kid who has some special needs means the world. 

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

Originally Posted by MamitaM 

I agree! I'm sorry but why one Earth would you think it's safe?

I'm really surprised by some of the reactions to this. If I didn't visit MDC, I would already be out there biking with the Ergo, but I vaguely remembered someone mentioning something about it a while back so I figured I'd double-check. It surprises me that it's NOT safe, and that it is assumed I should just KNOW that. I don't ride at high speeds. I ride slowly, relaxed, on low-traffic roads. I don't have a tall bike, I do not understand the "it's a long fall" point because it's just as long as if I were wearing him while walking in short heels or something!! I've been riding a bike since I was basically DS's age. He loves being in the Ergo and it does not throw my balance off at all. He is basically part of me, nearly like if I were still pregnant, when he's in the Ergo. So that's why I thought it might be safe. I can respect that I am wrong about that, but I am confused about why it's so obvious, and some are reacting like I said, "Is it OK to let DS stick knives in the outlets?"
 

The difference between walking in heels (which I've done while babywearing) and biking, is that you will be moving faster, even if you're biking slowly.  You won't be able to catch yourself in the same way as if you fell while walking, and if you get hit by a car, or hit something in the road and fall over the handlebars, its possible you could land on your baby - while moving at a high rate of speed and you would land with alot of force (much more force than if you fell while walking or running even).  Now, I know this can also happen while we're walking and babywearing, if someone got hit by a car, but the chances of getting hit as a pedestrian (I know I'm SUPER careful when I cross streets and stuff as a pedestrian and I have DS with me) I believe are lower.

Same goes for balance - when you're walking your balance is much different.  Walking you use your own 2 feet to balance, but on a bike its more complicated b/c you're balancing on a seat, that has 2 wheels - neither of which are able to adjust when something above them move unexpectedly.  I remember being on a bike when I was 7 or 8 in the park, and I waved to someone - it COMEPLETELY threw the bike off balance!  I was so surprised by how it affected the balance of the bike - now if someone had been riding on my back, and I couldn't control their movements and THEY had waved, we surely would have fallen.

[mommy212]

This is up to you... It is not technically safe though, no. I have seen others doing this though. Use your own judgement

[SilverFish]

i would consider it at low speeds in a low traffic area. by that i mean a dedicated bike path or trail or quiet recreational area, not a neighbourhood street. and by low speeds i really mean low speeds (like 5 year old with training wheels slow). but in an area like that i'd consider a lot of things to be fine that would be downright dangerous on a regular street with mixed traffic, like riding on handlebars, riding without a helmet, etc. 

in general though, unless i really had no choice, i would never ever consider transporting a child by bike without a trailer or bike seat. biking is pretty unsafe at the best of times, for adults wearing helmets, more so for kids, and even more so for kids strapped to adults.

anyway, if you happen to have an area like that around you, and want to see if it would work, you could probably try it out, but for any kind of regular bike usage, i'd definitely try to get my hands on a bike seat or second hand trailer.

[accountclosed2]

You could try a Weeride. We loved ours. The seat is in front of you, between your seat and the handle bars, and I found I ended up touching DD that way. I liked having her in front of me, and when she fell asleep, she fell forward onto a cushioned support. It was great!

i would never bike with DD in an Ergo. It frequently occurred that I'd get off the bus with DD fast asleep in the mei tai. But I always opted to walk leading the bike home, or woke her up. Not much traffic, and only 30 km/hour speed limit. But I've had falls on my bike in the past (I grew up biking, everyone does in the area, we biked to, to the bus, to after school activities, to grandma's), on safe stretches of the road. All you need is something uneven in the road, or something on the road, or a bit of rain. Easy. And while I never got very injured, imagined what would happen if I and the bike fell on DD?

[simplehome]

It has been shown that degree of damage in a crash is more a factor of how far above the ground your head is when you fall than how fast you are going. I wouldn't do this primarily because the baby would be up so high---think about even just dropping them from that height, much less at any sort of speed.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by simplehome 

It has been shown that degree of damage in a crash is more a factor of how far above the ground your head is when you fall than how fast you are going. I wouldn't do this primarily because the baby would be up so high---think about even just dropping them from that height, much less at any sort of speed.

This is true, and it would also depend on how you fell.  Falling due to a car v. bike crash will cause the rider to fall harder and with more force than the rider just hitting uneven ground and falling. 

Too many variables for me.

[swede]

I am pretty sure your risk is lower biking with a baby in an ergo than it is driving with a baby in a carseat.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by swede 

I am pretty sure your risk is lower biking with a baby in an ergo than it is driving with a baby in a carseat.

It wouldn't be at all - a properly restrained child is pretty unlikely to suffer life threatening injuries in a car accident (unless its a really horrific crash, and most car accidents are fender benders).  In an Ergo, a child wouldn't be able to wear a helmet, so their risk of traumatic head injury would skyrocket - and it wouldn't take a horrific bike crash for it to happen to a small child falling from that high up.

[swede]

Originally Posted by Super~Single~Mama 

It wouldn't be at all - a properly restrained child is pretty unlikely to suffer life threatening injuries in a car accident (unless its a really horrific crash, and most car accidents are fender benders).  In an Ergo, a child wouldn't be able to wear a helmet, so their risk of traumatic head injury would skyrocket - and it wouldn't take a horrific bike crash for it to happen to a small child falling from that high up.

CArs are more dangerous.  Just like flying without a seat belt is safer than driving with one.   OP - I think it was a reasonable question, and if you feel confident, go ahead and do it :)

[TheGirls]

No way would I bike with a child in a carrier on my back.  I also highly doubt that it would be safer than riding  in a car, especially since we're talking about biking on roads WITH the cars.   And instead of riding in a properly installed safety seat with a steel frame around him, the child will be way up in the air, balanced on two wheels that could get caught on something and cause a fall.

I am a confident cyclist.  I ride with my DD all over the place, but she wears a helmet and rides in a trailer.   I have been riding my whole life, and I'm very steady on a bike, but you can ALWAYS fall off.  All it takes is a crack in the road that you don't see, or even that you do see but can't avoid because of traffic, a pile of sand, a puddle of oil...  Or a thrashing toddler.   My DD has nearly caused me to lose my balance on my own two feet before when she shifts around or decides to reach back and grab a tree branch, and I have a taller carrier than the Ergo.

If you fall from a bike with a child strapped to you, there is a good chance you will fall on the child.  Plus I can't imagine a bike helmet working with an Ergo. 

Yes, people in other countries do this, but it doesn't make it safe.  Kids without carseats are very common all around the world, but I still won't let mine ride without one.  I really don't tend towards the overprotective, but this seems like a very bad idea.

[elevena true]

i have only read the first page of responses to this, but it seems a little charged. i thought i would put my two cents (and sense) in.

       i have ridden kids on bicycles in many different fashions. as we were car free for many years, and still aim to use a car as little as we can, it is pretty much the only other way to go. in our time, we have had many different set-ups. with a tiny little baby (starting at one month old) and a 3 year old, i rode a tricycle with my baby "moby"-ed to me, while my oldest was strapped into her pillow filled basket seat. we have used front seats, back seats, bike trailers, and an ergo (all on a two wheeler) as well. i would have to say that in my years of every day bike riding, the ergo is way safer then a back seat, which throws your balance way off. my personal favorite is riding with my little one in a front seat, which is much more centered as far as weight distribution goes. i remember strapping my 3 year old in an ergo while h e a v i l y pregnant with my (soon to be) middle kiddo.

       how one rides really depends on what their personal comfort levels are. if i had a choice between an ergo or a back seat, i would say ergo every time. as another poster suggested, if my kiddo on my back was flailing around, i would stop to tend to that kiddo. if i had a choice between an ergo and a front seat, depending on the age of the kiddo, i would most likely choose the front seat. i have had many instances, even, of my kiddo falling asleep in the front seat, and was easily slipped right onto my back to be tied in the ergo once we got to our destination. while i have used bike trailers as well, they really don't even rate on my scale of practicality---while i know some people are all about them, they have always seemed dangerously unsafe to me (yes, in my experience of riding with them), not only are you super detached from whatever your child is experiencing on the ride, but even with flags, lights, and reflectors, they can be super blind spots when riding with traffic. i also think they are heavy and encumbersome.

    just my opinion, based on my experience, which in this arena is pretty hefty. OP, i suggest you do what feels safest for your body and your kiddo. that factor is going to change for everyone on here. i have had a few times where i lost balance----only with the back seat. that's how awesome that fishtailing sensation is. if i were to have ever fallen with my little one on my back, i am pretty confident that i could land as a cushion to said kiddo. much softer then the impact of a plastic seat. 

[CherryBombMama]

wow i couldnt finish reading all the "not safe" replies lol

i do this all the time with my ds. he wears a helmet, lets me know when he wants out, we go cruising around our neighborhood. 

there are two ways to think of this, IMO: 1) you could follow all the safety rules (you did, after all, post in the safety forum) and in this case riding in the ergo would obviously be a no. or 2) you could take the To each, her own approach and do what you feel is best for you. 

for me, riding w/ my ds in the ergo is totally fine. 

[prone_to_wander]

I don't have a bike here, but I would totally do it if I had a bike.

[luv my 2 sweeties]

Originally Posted by TheGirls 

I am a confident cyclist.  I ride with my DD all over the place, but she wears a helmet and rides in a trailer.   I have been riding my whole life, and I'm very steady on a bike, but you can ALWAYS fall off.  All it takes is a crack in the road that you don't see, or even that you do see but can't avoid because of traffic, a pile of sand, a puddle of oil...  Or a thrashing toddler.   My DD has nearly caused me to lose my balance on my own two feet before when she shifts around or decides to reach back and grab a tree branch, and I have a taller carrier than the Ergo.

This.  I know the OP already said she would wait, but I think it's false confidence for anyone to think they won't fall as an experienced rider on a trail.  I was an experienced rider when I went over the front of the handlebars.  Same thing happened to a friend of mine just recently -- also a very experienced rider.  As TheGirls said, all it takes is a crack or a pebble, etc.  At very slow speed you might not go all the way over and land on your face (as happened to both me and my friend), but you will at least land in a tangle with the bike.  Loosing your balance and going sideways is a little easier to control/catch yourself, but if you get stopped suddenly from the front, there is very little you can do.  It's not a big enough reason not to bike, but it's a good reason not to carry a child on your body if you don't absolutely have to.

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by luv my 2 sweeties 

This.  I know the OP already said she would wait, but I think it's false confidence for anyone to think they won't fall as an experienced rider on a trail.  I was an experienced rider when I went over the front of the handlebars.  Same thing happened to a friend of mine just recently -- also a very experienced rider.  As TheGirls said, all it takes is a crack or a pebble, etc.  At very slow speed you might not go all the way over and land on your face (as happened to both me and my friend), but you will at least land in a tangle with the bike.  Loosing your balance and going sideways is a little easier to control/catch yourself, but if you get stopped suddenly from the front, there is very little you can do.  It's not a big enough reason not to bike, but it's a good reason not to carry a child on your body if you don't absolutely have to.

Well for me, I'm not just a confident rider but also a cautious rider. I have no desire to go fast. I'd rather walk my bike down hills or in dangerous areas, than deal with the slight possibility of falling. I just don't take risks with it, because I don't get any enjoyment out of it. I prefer to bike in quiet areas at slow speeds. In all the years I've been riding, I only fell once, and that was during a time when I was suicidal & completely (purposely) careless. Obviously I could still fall but I just don't think it's all that likely with the way I ride.

I will still hold off on biking with the Ergo, because I really don't want to take unnecessary risks. I just didn't consider this to be as big a risk as everyone hear thinks it is.