Baby Bike Trailer Age – What Is the Recommended Age for Baby Biking?
You are preparing for your first baby, but since you don’t have a car, you are left with one option – biking. As a concerned parent, you must ask yourself certain questions. For instance, you would want to know how safe it would be riding with your newly born baby; what is the correct baby bike trailer age? What does the law say regarding the same and so on and so on?
Maybe you are worried about the vibration effects on the development of your baby’s brain. Well, this may not necessarily be due to accidents but the possibility of repeated soft strains to the brain attributing to bumps associated with the poor conditions of the road. As such, there is quite little information regarding child bike safety. Only a research for child transporting systems for cars has been conducted and their application and efficiency stated.
Legal requirements for baby biking
Bicycles are quite different and all the regulations for baby transportation at certain speeds, along heavy traffic, in motor vehicles with advanced shock absorbers are not applicable here. There is actually no clear legal information about the same as well. The most disturbing issue here is that you will need to cover the infant with a helmet regardless of their size, but then there is no place on the market where you can find helmets for infants. Worse still, it could be dangerous having the helmet on their heads to start with.
A medical perspective on the implications of baby biking
According to Dr. Tord Alden of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, putting a helmet on the infant’s head when seated in the infant seat shoves the head forward, loosening the neck and dislocating the spine; thus, exposing the baby to cervical trauma and extreme cases, airway blockade. Hence, it requires concerted efforts from the medical science arena to actually come up with the most appropriate baby bike trailer age.
The bike trailer age limit: When to start and stop baby biking
The age limit for bike trailers varies with the brand. Some brands are safe to use at 9 months while for other brands you must wait until`12 months, as- an Allen Sports bike trailer is best for babies who are between 1 to 5 years old. You can use a trailer up to 18 months depending on the weight of your child. 12 to 18 months is a comfortable range for most babies but for heavier babies, you may need to stop earlier.
As you think about the age limit, think about the comfort and safety measures of the bike trailer. Some trailers are unsafe to use on some terrains because of the design. If you use a bike trailer to bike with a baby, choose a well-known brand like- Burley Bee bike trailer, or Instep bike trailer that are safe to use. Other trailers come with a weight limit that your baby might exceed even before turning 18 months.
Other considerations to make before baby biking
At first, choose a standard and appropriate bike trailer for your baby. If your child is within the allowed baby bike trailer age in your area or state, the road position is your next consideration. You need every other road user to know that you are towing a bike trailer with a young child. Leave some distance between the wheel of the trailer and the edge of the road. Consider the position of other cars on the road as well. Cycle at least one metre away from car doors to leave enough room to maneuver.
The timing of the ride is also important. You can observe all the traffic rules but the baby will not enjoy the ride on a busy hour. Schedule the cycling adventures on off-peak hours or weekends when the roads are less busy. It is easy to keep your baby safe on such hours and make quick turns in case of an incident on the road.
Consider the maximum weight allowed for the bike trailer and its tipping point. Try the trailer on different terrains and sections of the road such as corners. You can carry any luggage with the maximum weight on the trailer and see how the trailer behaves with your bike. You do not want to test its stability with your child.
Conclusion
The baby bike trailer age limit varies depending on the design of the trailer. Some trailers can handle older kids but most start at 9 months and stop at 18 months. After the second birthday, you need to start training the child to cycle alone. The risk of toppling when carrying a heavy child on a bike trailer is very high. Follow the manufacturer’s guide on the age limit.
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