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How old...? - and other questions

845 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  jonz 
#1 ·
How old before a child can ride safely in a chariot? I know all children are different, but I'm looking for a general rules of thumb or milestones I should look for before attempting to sit my in.

My rides with my kid will be on paved paths, roads or at most, hard packed bridal paths. What am I looking for in a chariot? Are the expensive brands that much better then the less expensive to justify the few months I will get out of it? I don't want to skimp on safety.

This is for later down the road - but tag-along bikes, are they 29er friendly?
 
#2 ·
Are you talking the trailers? If so here what our pediatrician and our research told us. You keep car seat rearward facing because of the lack of neck strength and even in a trailer the child should wear a helmet so that's added weight on the neck. Yes I know the forces are much higher in a car, but we were advised to wait until 2 years old just like the car seats.

I'm sure there are ton of differing opinions, to us it just wasn't worth the risk.
 
#3 ·
Answer 1a: There are now bike trailers made so you can put car seats in. Try one of those if you want to get in early. Otherwise - wait a year (2 I think is excessive, I had both of my kids in our Burley by 1-ish with no ill effects). You'll need to find a small helmet and will probably want to toss a couple towels/cushions to help the kid stay propped up (especially if they fall asleep).

Answer 1b: Not all trailers are made the same. Go with a reputable brand (Burley, Chariot). Resale value stays pretty high for those, and you'll probably use it more than a few months. My 4-year-old has ridden in ours for 3 years.

Answer 2: Yes, tag-alongs work fine with 29ers. I have a REI brand tagalong ($35 at an REI attic sale!) I use behind my Monocog 29er.

Question to a question you didn't ask: Have you thought about seats like the Yepp mini that go on the front? Might be worth checking out - great for younger kids.
 
#4 ·
My safety/attention has waned with each of my 3 kids...for the youngest, I think he was in the trailer right before 1 yo. I'm pretty cheap, but I think it's worth buying things that will last--I went used Burley (sun rotted on me; paid $150, sold for $50) and a used chariot. Each was much, MUCH better than the cheap in-step I initially bought. I'd recommend going burley or chariot too.
 
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