XP: bike trailer vs seat, recs please

Re: XP: bike trailer vs seat, recs please

• Arcadia1114 member

  July 2011

  My sister bought me a bike seat that didn't fit on my bike. I bought the one step bike trailer. We've been using it for a few months. Liam loves riding in it. He wears a helmet while riding. We've been happy with the trailer. I really feel him on hills but it's usually not too bad.

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• lil_rhody member

  July 2011

  We have a Burley bike trailer. From what people had told me and what I could find on the Amazon reviews, it seemed the way to go for the smoothest ride. DS loves it and usually falls asleep in it. I haven't tried a bike seat, but they seem a little more dangerous to me, while the trailers seem more stable.

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• 2-Step member

  July 2011

  From my research the rear bike seat is the way to go when they are still fairly small because the trailer is less structured for their body and more likely to bounce them around. Some people prefer the front seats so they can see the child, but after researching this and talking to people at bike shops I determined that the front seats are not as safe in the event of a crash because the rider would be likely to go over the handlebars into the back of the child's head with quite a bit of force.

  We have a rear bike seat, but now that DS is almost 35 pounds we are considering a trailer for next summer, plus we'll have two by then. The downside the to rear seat is that as they get bigger they shift their weight and it does have an effect on the rider and it can get tipsy when you stand to pedal. However, I can still easily ride with him back there at 5 months pregnant.

  I have also read that trailers are more likely to get hit because cars see the bike go by and don't realize the trailer is behind them, especially with high cars like trucks and SUVs. However, if you are riding on trails etc then this isn't an issue.

  We got our rear seat on craigslist for $25 to be sure we all liked riding before investing in something expensive. The trailers are much more expensive and I would suggest investing in high quality trailer like Burley because I have seen the cheaper ones have issues with the structure after a few years. You can find them used at Play It Again Sports or on Craigslist. I am hoping to get one next summer that doubles as a double jogger so I can do both. Have fun, DS LOVES riding with us!
  

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• Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha member

  July 2011

  Our condo is on the second floor and we don't have a garage or shed to store a trailer in, so the easiest for us was getting seat. DD is 21 months (34" and 28.5 lbs) and she really likes riding in her seat. I feel she gets to see more in there than if she was in a trailer.

  The one downside to a seat (in my opinion) is that it requires a little more balance from you. With a trailer, the extra weight is closer to the ground which helps a lot with stability.

  

  

  Farewell, nesticle, you will be missed

  

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• TMDMJAOCT07 member

  July 2011

  We have a Chariot trailer. DD is almost 17 months, 20 lbs and about 31" tall.  She LOVES it. Were talking, if she sees her bike helmet on the shelf she is all about going on a bike ride, instantly. 

  DH and I both have the hook up on our bike so that we can each pull her, and its awesome. I notice the extra weight on hills but otherwise I don't even really know shes there (from a weight stand point). She smiles and laughs the whole time. Every time we hit a bump she says "woah, go" and claps. 

  Personally, I think a trailer is the way to go. They are super safe, some come with shocks, they all come with flags and reflectors for riding on the road.  Ours is narrow enough that it fits well in a bike lane on the side of the road.  They are designed to keep the child safe if fall and they roll.  Plus, they have a waist seat belt and a harnest over them.  And, dd wears a helmet as well, for added safety.

  We live in the suburbs of Chicago, and ride on paths and the road.  And, I have never once thought she was unsafe, or getting bounced around too much.

  

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• julygal

  July 2011

  I don't have advice on a specific model, as we never pulled the trigger and went through with a purchase.  When I did my research I found the automatic response was trailers are safer because if you fall the trailer is designed to stay upright and not tip too.  Upon digging deeper, I found that you really had to consider where you would be biking though, as that initial advice is not always true.  It is great advice if you are going on park trails, sidewalks, etc.  However, in our town most our biking would be done on designated bike paths that are on "city" streets.  We cannot bike on sidewalks due to low tree branches and the large number of pedestrians in our beach town. The paths are narrow and the trailers are often the same width of the path, which makes them susceptible to being side swiped by cars.  I also find the cars don't notice the trailer, and I have seen some near misses at intersections of the car waiting for the bike to go through then almost turning on top of the trailer.  I found that in our situation a bike seat would really be the better and safer option.  So again, whether you go with a seat or trailer, I think really will depend where you plan on biking.

  

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