At what age did you take your dcs on a bicycle ?

[MamaChris]

I am SO missing cycling. And while I realise I won't want to ride some of my scarier routes, would love to take ds out on a bike trip. To get to anywhere quiet to cycle I would need to use/cross some fairly big roads (London), so don't feel comfortable with a trailer, and like the idea of a seat where I can see him. I figure as a minimum he'd need to be able to sit up by himself to feel comfortable in a child seat, but after that, how do I decide when it's safe to take him on a bike? When did you first take your dcs on a bike and what kind of seat did you use?

We took ds at about 6 mo on one of those seats that go on the back of the bike. He loved it. He used to wave his arms and scream with delight when we were going downhill fast.

He hated the helmet though

DH is the one with the bike but he has taken dd out from about 10months she loves it always has keeps bothering me to get a bike too

It is rercommended that they aren't used until 1 year, which is when their necks are sufficiently developed.

I first took mine out just after his 1st birthday, his is one of those seats that go on the front and it's great, he loves it. The helmet is another story...

I started taking DD out on one of those seats that hooks onto the handlebars when she was 10mo. We progressed to a large seat on the back when she was around 20mo, but you can use them sooner.

In some states in the USA it is against the law to put a child under the age of 1 in any kind of childseat/trailer because of the risk of neck/head injuries.

round about the 8 month mark, but not regularly until 10 months when dp used the bike to get the kids to the childminder - dd2 on the bike seat on the back, dd1 on a seat on the crossbar.

our seat says that it is safe to use as soon as the child can seat up or from about 6 months

6 months. There is this great seat you can get from Holland - a bobike - which makes you feel much more secure when they're teeny. DD has always loved it although didn't like the helmet at first.

"The primary determinant of when an infant can join his or her parents on bike rides is the strength of the the child's neck. Because of the jostling and the additional weight of a helmet (8-10 oz.), this is a few months after a baby can first hold their head up. Note: Some jurisdictions have laws requiring passengers on bicycles to be at least one year old.

Usually by age 12 months parents can start checking with the child's physician to see if they have the neck development to safely go for a bike ride. Most toddlers' neck and shoulder muscles can tolerate the weight of a helmet and absorb shock from bumps in the road at 1 years old."

bobike

thanks - bobike looks great. but I guess I'll have to wait a while before I take ds out in it - he's only 4 months yet!

DD was 7months when she first went on the bike. She was a strong girl then (lazy beast now), she had been sitting unaided since 3months, cruising at 6m so was very physically strong. She loved it! It took a while to find a helmet that fitted her though.

I took mine from 6-7 months but only on gentle routes, not too bumpy. We did bumpier faster rides from 10 months or so. (mine all had quite good head control and sat up young).

we used fairly standard cheapish bike seats, sill using the same ones 8 years on. They didn't recline, but my children didn't seem to mind. I had a front seat one (Dutch style) as well.

Apparently it's not just head control - there are also issues about whether babies get an equivalent effect to mild "shaken baby syndrome" causing cerebral irritation even when routes aren't that bumpy if they go on bikes or in trailers at under a year. There's certainly concern about it in the US, although they tend to be more cautious than the UK.We left it until a year.

Diplodocus - that mean you can't push them over cobbles in a buggy too?

You could try the babybike
I took DS on my bike in a bobike mini (front) from about 11 months. I was really surprised by how bouncy it was for him even then, and he'd been sitting solidly for 6 months. Speed bumps are terrible, and they do get quite shaken about. I'd been of the 'well you can go over cobbles what's the fuss' school of thought, but seeing DS bumping around, and remembering just how harsh bumps are on the back of a tandem when you aren't expecting them, made me think again.

I think it;'s the fact that usually longer distances / times are involved with cycling - this is recreational cycling they were talking bout rather than 10 min sprint to nursery. Was also surprise about how bounced about DD was in a trailer (good quality one). Obviously I push my kids over cobbles.

Started properly about 8 months. Hadn't even thought about shaken baby syndrome - will take bumps even more slowly on the way home today! We have a Co-pilot with a bar.