I picked up a used schwinn. Its got lighweight aluminum frame and gets the job done, and I don't worry about tearing/scratching it on singletracks. Only complaint is that with the nicer, more expensive trailers, you get a much better harness that actually holds the child in place in stead of a series of 1" webbing. When he falls asleep, last thing you want is his head sideways when you hit a rock drop or curb.
We have a Chariot as well as a Stinky like Kid A has to pull it. We bought the single seater thinking only one kid is all we need then we had a second... We went with the Chariot because of; 1) Had the lowest chance of roll-over in all the studies we read. 2) Suspension. It is/was the only trailer with suspension and we planned on hitting the trails with it. 3) 5 point harness 4) Got a decent deal, 400$ for the two seater with all the accessories/harnesses 5) Because of the way it attaches to the bike you can lay the bike down to change a flat or what ever with out having to unhook the trailer. 6) Was easily modified to accommodate the 12mm rear axles on my bikes. As far as when the kid will be ready for it, depends on the kid. Why people recommend waiting so long is the strength of the skeletal muscles for the most part. You do not want to stick a kid in there who has a "rubber neck" so to speak. They need to be able to hold their head up especially when you hit a bump and if you will be using a helmet on the kid then they need to be strong enough to do so. You do not want them to snap their neck or have their head bounce so much as to cause a concussion or worse. We got lucky, both our kids developed strength early on and we were able to let them ride in the trailer at 4mo of age. Our two year old still like me to haul him around in the trailer and hit small drops and bumps(jumps) and he loooooves the steeps and speed.
This thing looks cool: http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/sidecarrier.php no singletrack though.
:lol:Actually that's what I did. I got those long stuffed alligators from Ikea and strapped the on either side to serve as a headrest when he slumps over. Also check hoow the seat works with a helmet. Some trailer seats end up pushing the kid's head forward when wearing a helmet.
Even if you don't have your trailer yet, if you can your kid to start wearing a helmet now (just around the house for a few minutes a day and such) try and do so. This will get the process going of her getting used to having to have it on for the rides. Kinda of a acclimation (spl ?) process.
Chariot, the limo of all trailers. I've been looking into those (thinking ahead, wife isn't prego yet) and those things rock - except for the price. I've been keeping an eye out for one on the cheap, but you don't see them too often.
They're good for groceries or hauling other stuff too. I agree, if you see one for a good price, pick it up now.
Go for the trailer Go for the TRAILER! When my son was young I couldn't wait to get back on my bike. I put the kid seat on the back of my bike, from the time he was 6 months to 18 months. The problem was my balance was off, the baby helmet was really heavy and the baby seat back was too high and would push his head forward. He would fall asleep immediately with his head (and the heavy helmet) resting on my bum. It could not have been very comfortable for him and in hindsight, not very safe. If I had it to do over again I would get the trailer.
My daughter loves riding in the trailer, granted riding in the trailer always includes a trip to the park at Top of the World (and climbing Matthis pulling it is rough). We got a Burly on Craigslist for $100 in great shape. I wish we could have gotten the Chariot, they seem awesome.
Even tough the kid can keep her head up for a little while, keep in mind that you may be riding for longer than she ever has kept her head up. Also, the kid will likely fall asleep at some point, so the neck needs to be pretty strong to be jolted around while sleeping. My kid had a hard time with the helmet. He didn't like it cried a lot. Also, the helmet pushes the head forward in a position that makes the neck even weaker. I strongly urge you to consider waiting until the kid is older.
This is exactly why we used her car seat in the trailer.We also used to ride on paved paths until she was older, able to wear a helmet and able to enjoy an off road ride.
I've been toying with the idea of getting a BOB trailer or similar to do some MTB camping, but I NEVER thought of hauling groceries with it. You just gave me one more reason to buy one and one more way to stick it to the gas companies (I already ride to school). Thanks! :bang:
Ask your pediatrician if he thinks she is old enough. Ours told us that yes wait at least until they can hold up their head, but really warned us against it until he was one. He said there is a slight chance of brain damage still because the connection between the spinal cord and the brain is still not fully developed, or something of that nature. I would ask... I
It's a lot of money but if you plan on having a bunch of kids it might not be too bad of an investment. The Singletrailer uses a suspension to keep your child comfortable when riding offroad trails. Great care is taken in the construction of the trailer to maximize safety. Your child will remain safe and dry if it rains. Even if your bike has no fenders, your child is protected from spray by the black plastic barrier in front. The side windows are thick plastic. There are reflective strips down each side and across the back. In good weather, just use the mesh screen to protect your child from those big nasty bugs while riding. The sun shade is removable. You can roll up the shade and store it in an inside pocket. When you don't need the mesh screen, just tuck it away behind the seat. If there's a chance of rain, pull down and secure the plastic window. Your child will remain dry. The suspension can be adjusted for both weight and ride height. Adjust the pressure in the shock to compensate for your child's weight and the terrain, and adjust the position of the shock on the suspension arm to change the ride height of the trailer. Singletrailer: $ 2,400.00 http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tout-terrain.asp
I Had my son in this same trailor starting at 11 mos. Yes, it was hard getting a helmet that fit. I bought a giro helmet that has the dial in the back to get a good fit. I also would place a towel behind his back to push him forward. if you don't, at that age the back of the helmet hits the seat and forces the helmet down over his face. We started out very slow and now we are up to 6 - 8 miles and 35 mph. He is three now and he loves it still. I always ended up at park in the begining to keep him interested. Good luck
This is my solution... Ibert... I fount it to be the best biking experience for my daughter. I'm also an authorized dealer, so if you around LA, you're welcome to stop by. :beer:
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. We went to REI yesterday. They had Chariot and Burly. The Chariot Cougar was about $300. It looked better than the Burly, and the Burly was $200 more. I bought a helmet for her today. She fought it a bit, so we'll get to working on acclimating her to it. I'm pretty sure we'll get the Chariot Cougar. I have one concern though and maybe you guys have dealt with this: The bike hitch thing has a flat piece that is supposed to hook on the rear QR. My SS has a sort of cup around the QR that actually makes it difficult to put the QR where I want it. There's no way I can put the hitch piece on there without some MacGuyvering. I think I can space it out so that the flat piece sits on a bushing. However, I don't know if the QR will be long enough. Do they make QRs that are longer? The hub is 135mm.
