How To Actually Cycling With A Baby

To be honest, I am not a mum, thus I don’t need to worry about those baby issues. For example, as a cycling enthusiast, I don’t need to bother to figure out how to enjoy cycling with my baby. However, for those female cyclists who have been a mum of at least one child, cycling with their babies to enjoy the beautiful scenery and fresh air outdoors must be one of the most wonderful things for them. But usually, few cycling mother really dare to carry their babies with while cycling. Because unlike the cars which are usually equipped with safe and professional baby carrying devices that have been regulated and tested, in the past, bikes are not available to a baby. Indeed, carrying a baby without any protective devices is quite dangerous, it is hard to say what unexpected incidents will happen when riding bikes on the road. However, with the wide spread of carrying a baby while cycling, cycling with a baby actually can be done safely. Today, I am going to tell you how to cycling with a baby safely. Here we go.

Different perspectives
cycling with a babyWhen it comes to cycling with a baby, different people, of course, have their own various points of views, therefore, what they do on this issue is also completely different. General speaking, the discussion and relevant online research are relatively scarce on this issue in the United States. Maybe it seems a little bit strange. Because there seems nearly all the topics will be fully discussed in America, a so-called free country. But believe it or not, cycling with a baby is not that common compared to the rest of the world. Americans tend to not carry their babies with while cycling until their babies reach at least one year old while in the UK, Brits are more likely to cycle with a baby at nine months old. On the contrary, in the Netherlands, Dutch often hold the idea that cycling with a baby is pretty safe and it is perfectly natural to cycle with a newborn.

In general, it is typically recommended by the cycling shop and organisation that you are not allowed to cycling with a baby until he is nine years old and is able to sit up. The BSHI has once advised that it would be better if you don’t put a child in a helmet until he is one year old.

What do you feel
It nearly occurs to everyone’s mind that the first priority for carrying a baby with while cycling is the baby’s safety. There is no doubt that the safety of baby should be always put on the top priority and is the most important thing among others. However, in addition to considering the safety of your baby, why not ask yourself a simple question? That is do you feel safe? It matters a lot on this cycling with baby issue. Because only when you believe that you are a good enough parent and your baby is old to enough to get you feel safe with her on board. After getting all the necessary preparations done, like safe carrying baby devices, helmets and so on, if you are still not confident that you could cycle with your baby safely, then it is still not the time for you to do that, you don’t need to rush to. But if you are desperate to cycle with your baby and feel it will be quite safe to do so, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t.

Officials’ recommendations
Many cycling parents are pretty confused on this issue and have no idea on cycling with a babywhat should they do. Listen to what the professional say, you may have a more clear idea on it. Chris Juden, the senior technical officer at the CTC, who was also on the committee responsible for the European Standard on bicycle child seats (EN14344), sums up cycling with a baby like this:

“It’s not so much a question of age, but of physical development. Infants in their different ages vary a lot. When they are able to sit up unaided (as in sitting in the middle of the carpet, playing with toys etc) is largely decided by what age they are in, which is when they are ready to ride in the usual sort of a bicycle child seat. Usually, this is about nine months. And the length of your cycling with a baby between stops, should not exceed the length of time they are content to do that.”

Options for you
There are three types of baby carrier options for you, rear-mount seats, front-mount seats, and trailers. All of them have their pros and cons on cycling with a baby, you could make your selection according to your practical condition.

♦♦ Rear Mount

Rar-mounted seats are the most widely used bike seats for cycling with a baby. They fit over the back wheel and are usually equipped with high back and raised sides, leg guards, and a harness.

♠ Pros: Babies are well supported if they want to sleep and you can use the seat to carry shopping items when you don’t have your baby on board.

♠ Cons: Carrying extra weight on the back of the bike at this height can make your bike top heavy and you can’t see what your baby is doing or what happened to him.

cycling with a baby

♦♦ Front-Mount

Your baby sits in front of you. You place your arms around the seat to steer. When you use this kind of carrying babies device, your arms have to go around the seat and your vision of the road needs to be clear.

♠ Pros: Closer contact with your child and your child is always visible to you and it is more fun for the baby.

♠ Cons: It will affect the bike’s manoeuvrability for putting the extra weight on the handlebars. And although it is popular in mainland Europe, front-mount seats are actually hard to find.

♦♦ Trailers

Trailers behind your bike are often attached to your bike via the rear axle and skewer. They are better as your child grows older as there is less support for a baby.

♠ Pros: Lower to the ground, safer in a falling accident and it is easier to handle, more manoeuvrable as it doesn’t affect the steering or leaning of the bike. More importantly, lots of cargo space when carrying or not carrying a baby.

♠ Cons: Difficult to see for motorists. Wider, can hook on objects, stick out into traffic and heavier, harder to stop.

Tips For Cycling With a Baby
cycling with a baby♠ It’s not recommended taking a baby for a cycling who can’t support his or her own head – or until the time he or she can wear a cycling helmet. Your baby should also be able to sit well on his own. General speaking, wearing a cycle helmet for your baby could reduce the risk of head and brain injury, therefore, you and your child should always wear a helmet when on a bike.

♠ Check with the bike retailer that your bike is suitable for use with a particular type of child seat or trailer as not all bike designs are suitable for baby seats.

♠ Make sure your seat has foot rests to prevent your child’s feet from becoming caught in the spokes of the wheel.

cycling with a baby

To recap

Here our today’s topic is approaching its end. Cycling with a baby is not an easy thing, but for every parent cyclist, it must be the most fantastic thing. I really hope that what I have said above could actually help you on how to cycling with a baby. If you have any better ideas, welcome to leave your messages to me. For any further information, please read on our website:http://www.cycling4you.com/