Bicycle Trailer - XP Dec 10

JenGarden

DH and I bought a bicycle trailer (one of these) for DD this weekend.  The general recommendations are that children under one year should not be allowed to bike - does anyone know why?  What markers/skills should I look for to determine readiness?

I would assume that it's like anything else, and that readiness varies from child to child.  Nothing magical will happen on the day she turns 1 yo to make her "ready", just like nothing magical happens at 4 or 6 mo to make a kid "ready" to eat solids.  The only information I can find about why they cannot bike until a year is that "Children are just learning to sit unsupported at about 9 months of age. Until this age, infants have not developed sufficient bone mass and muscle tone to enable them to sit unsupported with their backs straight."  DD was sitting unsupported by 5.5 months and sitting well unsupported by 6 months. Does anyone know additional information?  I don't want to take her if she's not ready, but I also don't want to delay unnecessarily.

kdello

Same as the post below about jogging with a baby. They said their heads are just too bobbly.
How will you get a helmet on a kid under 1? I haven't found any small enough to even come near fitting at that age.

I brought my kid in the bike trailer for very short rides around the house when she was under 1, though.

basil2

I don't know the answer to the question, but suspect it may have more to do with the potential for accidents than the readiness of the child.  I'm guessing it's like the need to have them in a rear facing car seat- they may be able to sit up, but their necks aren't strong enough to withstand a major impact.

carlab44

You're right. Nothing magical happens when they turn 1 year old. However in general prior to 1 year in age the majority of infants do not have the neck/back muscles to support the extra weight of the helmet. You can check with your pediatrician, but to me it wouldn't be worth the risk.