I love to ride with my children on a cycling trip. It is a great opportunity to spend family time together, it still gives me a chance to exercise or commute, and it is often a very practical choice as opposed to hiring a babysitter.
After a parent has come to this decision the next big question is whether to use a bike trailer or bike seat for the child.
Which Is Better, a Bike Trailer or Bike Seat?
When it comes to cycling your child safely and also comfortably, there are options. Deciding between the two is a personal issue. Some mums say that bike seats are safer than trailers while other mums think otherwise. Some will not even think twice before going for bike trailers.
Between the two, which one is actually safer and more comfortable? Well, that decision rests on you. It is a personal choice. You are the one who needs to feel safe, confident and comfortable.
Let me to share my thoughts, which I hope will help to put spotlight on both the bike seats and also bike trailer, giving you the advantages and also the disadvantages to help you make your own personal choice.
Toddler Bike Seats
Advantages
- Generally esteemed the most secure choice for use in traffic-filled cities and enormous urban communities as they don’t expand the length or width of your bike. They keep your children safe and away from the road.
- With bike seats, you are considerably more mindful of what your kid is doing in a seat and are effortlessly in a position to converse with him.
Disadvantages
- Just one child can be transported in a seat. This means that it is not so ideal if you have more than one toddler or a set of twins.
- In the event that there is an accident, if there is a fall, the kid will tumble from a significant height
- It is not always easy for car drivers to take note of bikes as they would notice a trailer. You may wish to consider putting resources into a high-vis cover for your toddler’s bike seat to make your toddler significantly more obvious
Toddler Bike Trailers
Advantages
- Unlike a bike seat, trailers can comfortably transport two children concurrently.
- If you fall over, your bike trailer tends to stay upright, the risk of having your child injured is significantly low.
- They protect your toddler against the weather and it’s less demanding to keep them warm in the winter
- Many trailers can be changed over into strollers also. It becomes easier for you to cycle to the supermarkets, unfasten the trailer and push your toddler around in it.
Disadvantages
- It is less comfortable to keep watch on your child or speak with them when they are in a trailer. This makes a few parents uncomfortable.
- Trailers occupy significantly more space: with trailers, your bike becomes longer and wider. This means you will not have the capacity to nip through congested driving conditions or little spaces with one connected.
- Doing a U-turn is staggeringly difficult when a trailer is connected
Why Bike Trailers Are Generally Safer?
Safety is probably the most important subject for most parents. In the event that a child falls out of the trailer it is much less likely that they will be hurt as opposed to falling out of a bike seat. This is because the child doesn’t have nearly as far to fall in a bike trailer.
Bike trailers also offer a more protective casing compared to bike seats. The durable fabric surrounding most bike trailers provides some extra security if the trailer happens to roll over. Some trailers even have a special hitching arm that will keep the trailer itself upright even if the bike falls.
In some ways a bike trailer is easier to maneuver, or at least easier to handle than a bike seat. It adds extra weight to the back which provides more stability than a bike seat. Bike seats may also pose a challenge to the rider when trying to mount and dismount the bicycle; a lot of this also depends on rider experience.
On the other hand, bike trailers shouldn’t be used if the rider is driving on the shoulder of a road because the trailer may stick out into the road to some degree. They also make it harder to slow down and stop, particularly on wet surfaces. In addition, for extra comfort of your child, you can use baby snugler.
Bike trailers are also prone to toppling over if a turn is taken too sharply, and the rider will have to get used to making cautious wide turns.
Other Advantages of a Bike Trailer
The American Academy of Pediatrics supports the use of bike trailers over bike seats for the safety reasons listed above. Bike trailers also have the advantage when it comes to comfort, and the child will likely be able to fall asleep with greater ease. Bike trailers bounce and jolt less and have more space than bike seats.
With a bike trailer a parent can take both of their children, or a child and the child’s friend. Once the family reaches the destination they can simply disengage the trailer from the bike and it becomes a stroller pram.
This is an important factor in convenience and it is another big advantage over a bike seat. Although bike trailers do tend to cost quite a bit more than bike seats, they are the better option, especially when considering safety.
Conclusion
There are advantages and disadvantages for both the trailer and the seat; I cannot particularly say that any of the options is perfect. In the event that you are comfortable about riding with your kid close behind, it appears the most reasonable option for cycling in the city would be toddler seat with the option of the high vis cover and a proper helmet on your kid’s head.
If, however you are cycling in the countryside or down calm paths, the trailer is likely to be best option. Be that as it may, ensure your child is wearing a helmet – they have a fragile head and are to a great degree delicate. A helmet is not negotiable.