Take Your Child Bicycling with a Trailer Bike
After bicycling with your children in a trailer, you may be wondering if your baby is now able to move on to her own trailer bike. The answer to that question is – maybe. Most children are able to ride safely on a trailer bike from about age 3 or 4, but it will depend on your child.
A trailer bike (tag-along, trail-a-bike) can make bicycling with children a delight for everyone involved. A one-wheeled machine that hooks on to your bike, a trailer bike is perfect for small kids who are big enough to reach the pedals. If she can ride it, she will love helping you pedal and being part of a team.
There are advantages and disadvantages of the trailer bike to consider:
Advantages:
She is working right alongside you rather than being dead weight. As a team, you will climb hills together and will rejoice when you reach the top.
On the trailer bike, the pedals are independent of yours, which means she can pedal when she wants and rest when she wants.
Disadvantages:
You will have to plan for rain or other inclement weather more carefully. In the trailer, it is easy to protect the child but is much more difficult on the trailer bike.
She may fall asleep. Due to the gentle hum of the road and the swaying of the bike, your child may fall asleep at the wheel. When you feel your bike jerking – stop!
If you have the single gear variety of trailer bike, she won’t be able to pedal going up hills. Just like you, she needs gears – but does she know how to use them?
Bicycling with your children will be a wonderful experience for both of you!
Looking for info on bicycling with children, then visit www.familyonbikes.org to find the best advice on taking children bicycling.
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