Kid Bike Trailers-Advice

[HoddyToddy]

Hi all!
If you have a trailer for your rugrats:
Which one do you use? Like/dislike about it?
Do you just tool around town? Do long rides?
What age was your child when you started? Did s/he like it right away?
Mtn. bike? Road? Hybrid?
How well does the child's helmet fit in the trailer seat? My hubby, who is arguing POINTLESSLY with me about our whether we should have a helmet for our 1 yr. old (HELLO! YES) thinks that a helmet would be cumbersome and push his head forward...and that the trailer itself would protect him. Plus he HATES having anything on his head. It is NOT an option as far as I am concerned. But I told him I would ask y'all...I think (hope) that once he (baby) realizes what putting the helmet on means (Ride! Ride!) he'll get over it and get used to the helmet...
We really want to be a "bike family"!
Thanks,
Jenny

[mtbdarby]

Hi Jenny,
Good questions! My little guy didn't want the helmet on either (he's 3) but learned really quickly that no helmet means no ride! They do associate it with going for a ride and will look forward to it. They will adjust to having it on their heads but I find he gets really antsy after an hour in it. Make sure to take along snacks, sippy cups or even some small toys you can attach to the trailer. Plan for areas where you can stop and they can get out and stretch their legs and burn some energy.

I use a hybrid bike with the trailer because that's the one I have my kickstand on. I looked for a lighter trailer and bought a used kids caboose that weighs in at 20 pounds. It has a rain flap and I would have prefered one that had the shaded windows. Ebay has a TON of auctions on trailers so you may want to check them out. Burley is the top of the line, and I've found the Schwin and In Step ones to be the lower end and heavy - 30 pound range.

He fought me tooth and nail the first time we rode. You would have thought I was killing the kid! I rode on the sidewalk a couple of houses down and back and he calmed down. I needed to get an animal figurine that he could "take for a ride" and we were off! He's my little cheerleader - faster mom, you can do it, etc. It's pretty funny.

I think most of them have the roll bars, just make sure they do. A roll bar will NOT protect them without a helmet. I don't see how he can make a good arguement on not wearing a helmet. One "small" accident that slams a baby's head into the pavement and no more baby. Definitely not worth it to any parent. Tell him to tone the screaming out Have fun and enjoy the freedom. I have found pulling the trailer to be a great leg workout on the hills.

[mom2twins]

Helmets are a must! we are picking up our long over due Burley this weekend and I can't wait. My girls are older, almost 3, but I already have them trained to associate helmets with bike rides. They aren't allowed to even sit on their trikes without their helmets on and they always see DH and I straping on ours before we go out for rides. Whenever they see the older kids ride around with bare heads they always ask me where their helmets are.

As for where we plan to go with the trailer, right now the plan is to do one weekend ride together with the trailer on Dh's mountain bike. We will hit the closest rails to trails. I'm tentative about taking the trailer on the street with cars but then I might be overly cautious. I don't even run with the jogging stroller on the road.

[singletrackmind]

Hi all!
If you have a trailer for your rugrats:
Which one do you use? They don't make mine anymore-a Joyrider.
Like/dislike about it?-It's pretty good, roomy enough for a pillow (for naps) but I haven't tried/looked at any others.
Do you just tool around town? Yes, on trails because drivers around here are severely distracted.
Do long rides? Our longest so far was 67 miles
What age was your child when you started? About 6 months
Did s/he like it right away? No, we started with short rides to acclimate-now he LOVES it.
Mtn. bike? Road? Hybrid? Mtn and Road. Mtn's easier (gearing), Road is more comfortable for the long hauls.
How well does the child's helmet fit in the trailer seat? Not as well as I'd wish but not so much of a problem that it bothers him.
My hubby, who is arguing POINTLESSLY with me about our whether we should have a helmet for our 1 yr. old (HELLO! YES) thinks that a helmet would be cumbersome and push his head forward...and that the trailer itself would protect him. We've tipped twice. The seatbelts do help save his body but his head only to a certain degree. There is no way in h-e-double hockey sticks that I would risk my perfect little boy's noggin. Brain injuries can not only damage mental and phyiscal ability but it can also change a personality. A brain injury can also lead to early dementia, which did happen to my mom, who was diagnosed with dementia in her early 50's, traced back to a bike accident she had as a teen being the most likely cause.
Plus he HATES having anything on his head. It is NOT an option as far as I am concerned. But I told him I would ask y'all...I think (hope) that once he (baby) realizes what putting the helmet on means (Ride! Ride!) he'll get over it and get used to the helmet... See my avatar? This was his first time wearing a helmet. I have 10 more pics before this one in which he is one unhappy camper. Now he's happy to wear his helmet (bikeridebikeridebikeride!!!) and will even let me know when other people aren't.
We really want to be a "bike family"! YAY!!!
Thanks,
Jenny

Quick tips-make sure you keep correct air pressure in both the bike and the trailer's tires. It makes a HUGE difference!
Have a pillow to one side for him to slump over onto in case he takes a nap.
Drinks, snacks, toys-all good.
Learn to fix your own flats. I've only had one on the trailer so far but it's nice to be prepared. Better than walking home carting something with a flat tire!

[HoddyToddy]

Thanks, all!
I am sooo looking forward to it!
I told hubby this AM that Jack will NEVER be without a helmet, and if I ever find out that Hubby took him out without one, he (hubby, of course) will be sleeping elsewhere!
I did a looksee at Burley's user manual (we're getting the Solo) and apparently it has a "helmet pocket" so no excuse there.
And Jack *will* get used to it, I'm sure!
I want to take it on a couple of centuries in Sept. and do the shorter distance.
Plus, I figure when I ride without it, I'll be smokin' fast after riding pulling a 22 lb. kid in a 16 lb. trailer!
Happy Riding!
Jenny

[Surlygirl]

Hi Hoddytoddy,
Okay, its been awhile since my youngest is now 8, but this was our experience with the Burly D'lite for two. Usually we only put one kid at a time in, and brought snacks, sippy cup etc, toys, like mtbdarby said. Always put a helmet on them. Yes I think it was a design flaw and I don't know if they have fixed it but the helmet does push their heads forward a bit. We also put rolled up towels under their butts since they seemed to slide down even with the harness pretty snug. Most of the time my kids fell asleep on rides. Keep the screen down in front since stuff flying off your tires could fly in their face without it. Watch the Temp inside. Okay when you are moving but stopped they can get hot inside if its closed up. We pulled them with road bikes and mtbs. The trail should be fairly wide and hard packed or paved or they are a bear to pull. Have fun and before you know it they are on their own bikes leaving you in the dust.