Following on from 2 year olds in buggies threads, what about 2 year olds on bike seats?

[Digggers]

I cycle most places, have a bike seat on my bike for 2.5 yr old DS and a basket on the front and we get around quickly and easily.

Do the folk who think that 2.5 year olds shouldn't be in buggies also think that I shouldn't be putting him in the bike seat?

I would never dream of putting my child in a bike seat of any kind.

But that's because I have shit balance.

Other than that, YANBU.

no I don't think they do. I don't think it's any different to having them in a car seat. Small children can often walk at a decent pace but cannot ride a bike.

YANBU, and I also don't have a problem with toddlers on pushchair.

I haven't seen the original thread, but I'm surprised people think 2 year olds shouldn't be in buggies, unless they're talking about a 100 foot stroll to the postbox, or being wheeled from the house to the car parked in the drive etc.

I would class bike seats in much the same way as a car seat. A child can't drive so goes in a seat, and at 2 years old they are far too young to cycle on the road, even if they have mastered the balance bike, so a bike seat is sensible!! Also if you are taking out a bike, you are likely to be travelling a substantial distance, and a 2-year-old's little legs just wouldn't cope.

I went in my bike seat on my mum's bike until I was at least 4.5. She used to take me to school in it!!

Bike seat absolutely fine (assuming suitable for age/weight of your child, you are confident cyclist etc).

Here the infants and juniors are a mile apart (including steep hill). It is very common for parents to cycle between the 2, many of them with younger children in bike seats. In fact there's quite a few 3 and 4 year olds, never mind 2 year olds taken on bike seats too. (5 seems to be the cut off for making your child do the cycle ride themselves).

My friend has a sort of trailer thing on the front of her bike which her three children (between the ages of 2 and 7) sit in. My mum saw her cycling along once and said "Oh how lovely, look, she has a box full of children!"

Well my nearly 4-yr-old still gets squeezed into my bike seat because it's a good way for me to get some exercise!

DS is just 3. He goes in a bike seat when I/DH need to cycle somewhere with him - shops are in next village, a couple of miles away, he couldn't balance bike that far.

He also goes in a buggy if we are on a day out. Flame me now, but he loves his afternoon nap and at 37wks pg I can't carry him if he gets tired/stubborn.

You can get bike seats for 9 year olds www.hollandbikes.com/child-seat-bikes-gmg-junior-code-jun668394.htm

I used to get the children-shouldn't-go-in-a-buggy thing from other mums who (a) had cars or (b) never had to get anywhere quickly. I couldn't drive then so did everything by bus or on foot with buggy/sling. (Oh god, just realising there might be people waiting to tell me I was wrong to take the bus when I have functioning legs...) I think being in a bike seat is totally different from being in a car and is completely ok. I used to cycle half-an-hour to nursery 3 times a week until son was almost 4. He loved it - fresh air, wind in his hair, etc - and he chatted about what he could see. Part of the route was a cycle path by the river. I miss it still. I loved the exercise and I got stronger and happier. Win win win.

Oh, I missed the original thread. Of course it's fine for a 2.5 year old to be in a bike seat.

I don't drive, can't ride a bike and while there are buses locally they don't go from my home to the local high st, library etc. So I pretty much walk everywhere. I'm just encouraging DD1 (who is 3.2) to walk rather than going in the pushchair. But it really annoys me when other mums think that she should be walking distances that they would usually drive for. (For instance a mile and a half to swimming and then back again after having a busy morning).

Yanbu. Can't find original thread but I put my 3 year 9 month old in a stroller wen we go to Paultons park. Buggy useful for carrying days belongings and they are free under a metre and he's close (prob over now) and I can still get him in free. Bad mummy tho to be fair he's not going on any bigger rides at mo as I'm heavily pregnant

Bikerunski, have u joined Oct antenatal thread? Come join us I'm due 22 Oct x

Used to cycle with DS2 when he was almost 5 from school to nursery, purely because it was quick, even though he could cycle himself by that stage (but too slowly to get to nursery on time).

Also, had two bike seats - one on back, one on front when DSs were 4 and 2. When I see people doing that now, it looks so dangerous, but it never felt it at the time.

DD2 is 4.5 and still on her bike seat. Next year she'll probably be on a tag-along but that depends on DD1 (8) cycling well enough to keep up.

But then I don't have an issue with 2,3, or even 4 year olds in buggies (and said so on that thread) .

OK Anwen, see you over there. I am due 25th. getting fed up now!

Whats the bid deal with a 2 and a half year old in a buggy anyway? Must have missed that. I used my buggy at Disney Paris for my DS whos nealry 4, at home he walks. I miss the buggy though because you could get places quicker without stopping to look at every bug on the ground!

big even.