Safe and comfy: How to transport kids on bikes
30.4.2018
Translation: Eva Francis
A shopping trip or a weekend away? Only with your little ones. You like cycling? Try transporting your kids by bike. Depending your child's age, this required either a trailer, a seat or a tow bar. Read on to find out which is the best option for your child at any age.
Please note: The following age information is to be understood as guide value. Some children grow faster than others. Therefore, size, motor skills and the general stage of development are independent of age.
3+ months
At the age of about three months, you can transport your child in a trailer. At this point, children don't have strong neck muscles yet, so it's important that the child's head gets a lot of support, for example with the help of a neck cushion. The muscles in the back and shoulders need time to develop, too. What's recommended, especially for very young children, is to use a baby seat in the trailer.
9+ months
At about nine months, when your baby can sit and stand on its own, you can transport it in a child seat. Some models are mounted on the bicycle frame, others on the seat post. Make sure that the seat is equipped with a childproof belt and is comfortable and shock-absorbing.
18+ months
For children from about 18 months, balance bikes are ideal as preparation for cycling. These bikes are great to practise balance, estimate speeds and distances and work on coordination and reaction. When's the right time to buy a balance bike? This depends not only on age, but also on a child's height and motor skills.
For a height of at least 85 cm: The LikeaBike «Piccolo» is available with saddle heights starting at 27 centimetres from the ground, making it especially suitable for small children.
The flexible solution: The seat height of the «Kokua Jumper» can be adjusted between 34 and 47 centimetres, so your child can use this balance bike for longer than other models. Equipped with rear suspension frame, fork and suspension swingarm, the child's back is also protected on bumpy paths.
3+ years
Planning a more challenging tour? Simply connect your child's bike to yours via a tandem coupling. This allows your child to pedal on its own and be pulled by you if he or she gets tired.
3.5+ years
Once your child can ride a balance bike, keep balance, cycle around bends and stop whenever necessary, your daughter or son is ready to get a real bike. Make sure the first bike has the right size frame (not too big) and an adjustable saddle and handle bar, so the bike can «grow» as your child grows. Your child should be able to touch the floor with both feet when sitting on the saddle – after a while, with more practice, touching the ground with tiptoes is good enough. Don’t forget: Having a bike doesn’t mean being allowed to use it in traffic. Kids start to learn how to cycle on the roads when they are old enough for school and get used to it in the course of their school years.
7+ years
As soon as your child feels safe and is accident-free on a child's bike, you can consider getting a mountain bike. If you do so, make sure the frame size fits your child and the bike isn't too heavy.
Check out all our children’s bikes
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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