bicycle seat or a trailer?

Question

I want to buy a bike seat or trailer but I cant decide which one to choose.
My son is a year old and i have a 3 and 5 year old.
Since i only really need to take my baby with me on bike rides which is the best to choose?
A bike seat is cheaper but are trailers safer and which is heaviest im not an experienced cyclist and i lie in the lakes which are very hilly....any ideas or cheap trailers?

Answer 1

If you're not an experienced cyclist, get a trailer. A baby seat will make your bike top heavy and more difficult to handle putting your child in danger. A trailer is heavier for sure. Check for used trailers on Craig's list, in the paper and garage sales. Many are very lightly used then sold off as you might guess. If it's very hilly it may not be practical for you at all. If you can ride the hills yourself without much trouble give it a try.

Answer 2

The trailer is probably more useful in the long run. I like child seats because they make the child more a part of the ride. You get used to the extra weight pretty quickly and the bike handles nearly as well as before. The only problem is it's no good if you want to carry more children or cargo, plus the child outgrows the seat pretty quickly. I have a trailer now and it works pretty well. I can make quick trips to the store with my daughter in tow and she is protected from wind, rain, etc. I don't feel that the trailer is quite as safe in the seat. It is heavy and it affects the handling of the bike more. You have to go much slower, especially in corners. It's pretty stable due to its low center of gravity, but I took a turn too fast once and the trailer toppled over. My daughter wasn't hurt at all. The side bars on the trailer protected her well, so she had only one small scratch on her hand. It really scared her (and me) so now I ride much slower. I feel that in the event of a crash, I could protect her better if she was on the bike with me. On the other hand, the trailer stays upright even if the bike falls over. Each has its pluses and minuses, but I would still go with the trailer. It really does add a lot of everyday utility to your bicycle, with or without a kid in it. Drivers can see the trailer a lot better in traffic, and most give me some extra room because of it.

Answer 3

I'm personally not fond of either of the two options personally. Child seats make the bike very top heavy and a little awkward. Trailers put the child close to the ground and create a wider stance to the bike. If you are riding on roadways or busy streets, I'd avoid them. if not, then you're fine.

The defining factor is weight. A child seat should only carry up to 30 pounds. A trailer is generally rated for much more capacity.

Answer 4

Back in the dear, dead days of my youth, I used to haul my daughter around in a bike seat. She never liked it too much because all she could see was my back and off to the sides.

You don't really notice the weight of the child in the seat when you are riding. Because of the way the seat is mounted, the child's weight is somewhat lower than your own so it doesn't affect balance very much.

We always found getting our daughter in the seat was a two person job, though. One would stabilize the bike and one would get the her in the seat and belted in. When the bike is stationary, any movement the child makes will throw the bike off balance.

A trailer is heavier than a back seat, but it is totally convenient and can be used regardless of weather. Plus, you can haul a couple of kids or a bigger child around in a trailer. My sister hauls her kids around in a trailer and they love it. Her kids last about 1 hour in the trailer before getting fidgety. A racing buddy also has a trailer. He gives his two kids a bag of popcorn at nap time and takes them for a ride. If they stay awake he can get in a 1 hour ride. If they fall asleep he can get in a 2 hour ride.

Craigslist always seems to have lots of trailers for sale in our area. Otherwise, check out your local bike shop and see what they have available.

Hope this helps you out.

Answer 5

I prefer the seat. I want my kid close and not hanging out behind me to get run over.


The bad thing about the seat is you have to be careful about the balance, starting and stopping. With the baby at such a high center of gravity, when you get off of the bike and dont pay enough attention the bike will tip.

Just my 2 cents..

Answer 6

Two good answers so far...

My wife is in your exact situation.

I'm not very crazy about either because it does change the handling of the bike significantly. If you aren't entirely comfortable on a bike, that's not an ideal situation for safety.

Of the two, we are leaning toward a trailer. We are fortunate enough to have a friend who had one for us to try. If you have that luxury, I would try that.

To be honest and not to discourage you, but...

Our kids seem to like our jogging stroller better. Yes, that doesn't help your cycling problem but they do seem much safer, and generally more useful.

Food for thought...