Bike Riding with Wee Ones

The bike the hooks up to your bike for the 3 year old is great I lets them pedal but they dont have to. I got one for my little girl when she was 3 1/2 and she still loves it.

J.,
My husband and I used the trailer type, as I was worried about the mounted seat that if I went down my daughter would go down as well. the trailer worked well until she turned three when she decided that she hated to be in it. It took a while to get used to riding while it was attached.Hope this helps
Amanda

We used the chariot style and really liked it. It is safe for the children. We really didn't feel safe with the bike mounted seats. Anyway - they are on Craigs list quite a bit. There is an area in the back where you can store your packed lunch, diaper bag, picnic blanket etc. Comes in handy!

J.. I am a Grandmother now. But when my boys were little I had a bike seat. They really loved riding behind me. We would ride for hours. Some times they fell asleep. My oldest son now 31 years old, has the cart behind his bike and his two children, ages 6 and 7 love riding in the cart and have done so for years. So I don't think it matters what type you choose, just that you take the time and enjoy the ride together.

Have fun, Grandma Cheryl

Our family has the Chariot Cougar II bike trailer. We absolutely love it. We researched online and in local bicycling stores. We borrowed a Burley trailer and an Instep trailer and tested them. This really allowed us to narrow down what was important to us and what we wanted. We wanted a trailer that was easy to use, had a smooth ride, safe, durable, and roomy enough for growing kids. When we purchased our trailer our girls were 10 months and 3 years. Kids are supposed to be 1 year before taking them bicycling, so there are no trailers that recline. But, the Chariot trailers have many cool accessories. The Chariots have the EZ hitch system, which makes hooking the trailer up a breeze. The hitch system also allows for the bicycle to be laid down without tipping or straining the trailer. My husbands bike does not have a kick stand, mine does but tips easily. The Chariot Cougar has a suspension system, which makes for a smooth ride for the kids. Our youngest screamed in the other trailers whenever we went over bumps or had rough patches of road. We love the suspension system. Our oldest daughter has always been tall for her age. Many trailers say they are rated for 2 kids but can only seat 1 comfortably. The Chariot is the roomiest trailer we found. The Chariot Cougar has conversion kits that allow you to use it has a stroller, jogger, trailer, hike with it, and even cross country ski with it. We use it to stroll, jog, and bike with. It also has a nice size storage compartment in the rear. We purchased the trailer with the strolling and cycling kits, an extra hitch and the infant sling for about $450. This is very expensive, but worth every penny. I shopped around online to find the best deal. Our girls are now 4 years old and 19 months. They both still fit comfortably and both enjoy riding in it. There are different Chariot trailers, accesories, and options. Their website is www.chariotcarriers.com. I feel Chariots are high quality and would consider buying one used. I would definetly suggest going to stores and playing with the trailers, take the kids and put them in the trailer, see how they fit and if they look comfortable. See if you can borrow someones trailer and take it for a test drive. Don't be afraid to thoroughly check out trailers new or used and ask lots of questions. If purchasing a used trailer make sure it is not too old and hasn't been stored outside for extended periods of time. The elements, especially the sun(sun rot), can affect the safety of the trailer and seat belts.
We still use our trailer often. But when our oldest daughter turned 3 1/2 my sister in law gave us a Giant trail-a-bike. This is a bike that attaches to the rear of your bike and has a rear wheel and peddles. She absolutely loves it. Being able to reach the peddles is important for safety, comfort and confidence. And we have a Bell Cocoon child bike seat for our 19 month old. I think it was about $60 bucks at Sports Authority. She likes it for the most part, but she is short. It has adjustable foot rests, which is great. But, she is not tall enough for her helmet to clear the back of the seat, which seems a bit uncomfortable for her. She prefers to ride in the trailer. The bike seat will not fit on the back of my bike. I have a trek. We did not know this until we bought it and tried to attach it. It has a rack that attaches to the bike and then the seat attaches to the rack, so you don't have to have the seat attached at all times and don't have a major re-install everytime you want to use it. But, if you have 2 bikes and the seat fits on both it will not be easy to switch back and forth. Our trail-a-bike and bike seat will not fit on the same bike at the same time. So, if we want to use the trail-a-bike and the bike seat my husband and I have to ride together. This is not a huge problem, because we ride together 99% of the time, but only use them for short local rides. I prefer and recommend the Chariot trailer. I feel it is the most safe and comfortable for the kids. It is great for longer rides and has great storage. I hope this helps! :)

I have used the bike trailer(double seater) for 2 of my children ages 2 and 4 for 2 years(often with both in at the same time) on paved bike trails or packed dirt. I liked not having to balance them while riding. They could also snooze if the trip was long as well as be protected from the weather if necessary. I used the kind that could be converted for use when walking. I loved it.