Be Confident to Ride a Bike with a Toddler

People all over New Zealand and the world choose to take their babies and toddlers on bikes from a young age.  So it is definitely something that can be achieved.  Adding weight to a bike will change the experience.  When that weight is a child you need to be happy with the responsibility you are taking on.  There are definitely things you can do to make your riding successful.  To follow is advice and tips that will give you the confidence to ride a bike with a child or baby. We want to help you feel comfortable and safe from the first time you ride.

The key is enjoyment.  You must be able to enjoy time on your bike to share that with someone else.  You will know you are ready to try riding with your child when you feel relaxed and safe riding on your own.  Once you have this feeling you will have the desire and belief that you can add a passenger to your journeys.  When you feel comfortable with your bike in this way go for a test ride somewhere you would want to take your child, to familiarise yourself with the trail, or choose to go somewhere you ride often. Inviting friends or family to join you will widen the joy.

Any time you spend exercising off the bike or riding on your own will only improve the riding you do with your child.  If you feel fit and strong, the handling of your bike will be easier and you will want to ride more.

Always try to ride in a new environment on your own first, thinking about how you would manage with your toddler and what their experience would be.

To ride with your child you will have a front, mid or rear kids bike seat attached to your bike, be towing a kids bike trailer or towing a child riding their own bike. It is important to understand how the bike seat, trailer or tow you are using works so you are comfortable with it. This will help you feel confident in your ability to use it and solve any problems that come up.  Knowing how it attaches/detaches, how to check it is safe and understanding how the harness works.  Also make a judgment on how long they can comfortably sit in it/on it.  Think about their experience and what they can see or hear.

Having a seat or trailer attached to your bike will feel different to begin with.  Everyone will notice this change, from experienced riders to beginners. With practise you will get better. Practise riding with the seat or trailer without your child first before you ride together.

The bike seat or trailer that you choose to use for riding will be a familiar thing to your child if it is harnessed.  They will have spent time harnessed into a car seat and buggy or stroller.  If you have been using a Multi Use Trailer as a stroller the transition to biking will be very easy.  Unharnessed seats will be different so suit well balanced, confident kids or are a better choice as a second seat for older kids after they become used to the feel of a bike.

The helmet will be a different story!  Introduce a helmet to your child as early as possible.  When it arrives in your house be excited to have it there.  Leave it out for your child to see, touch, interact with… and hopefully try on.  Show them your bike helmet, show them what you do with your bike helmet.  If your child refuses to try a helmet on or gets upset when it is on their head, they are simply not ready.  Wait a few days then try again, don’t push it and don’t make it a negative thing.  It is law in NZ for them to wear a helmet when they are a passenger on a bike so if they won’t wear it you can not ride. The biggest determining factor for getting a baby on a bike is having a helmet that fits well and they can safely wear. For more on this topic see When Can I Ride a Bike with my Baby?

Where are you going? Can you leave from your house or will you want to drive somewhere first?  How do you feel about where you are planning to ride, is it easy?  Are you comfortable with the traffic and the terrain?  For your first few rides we recommend easy, wide, smooth off road trails, try to keep it as simple as possible.  Be clear about the intention – a short ride for fun/recreation, use your bike to go pick something up, visit a friend, family or cafe.  Always know the route you are going to take or the roads/trails you are going to use and how long it will take you (the first few rides are not the time to get lost).

Length of ride & time of day. Make it short, stop regularly and talk lots with your child.  Repeated short, fun experiences are the best way to start.  What time of day is best for your passenger?  Are they alert, feed and up for an adventure?

Weather & safety.  For your initial rides aim for clear skies and warm weather.  If the day looks a bit dodgy consider changing your plans.  What will keep your child safe in their seat or trailer – their helmet, how warm they are, how visible you both are to traffic and trail users, what tools you might need along the way. 

• The adult bike
• The attachments of kids seat or trailer
• Any wear & tear on helmets & harness

• Control your speed, be prepared to stop, scan the environment and know the road or route you are taking
• Communicate and talk while you ride
• Your child will be sitting on the bike, trailer or tow while you do the work so it is vitally important to make sure they are kept comfortable while you ride.  Think about the weather and how this will effect their comfort and don’t ride for too long, take lots of breaks.
• Riding your bike with the added weight of a toddler will feel different to begin with.  Everyone will notice this change, from experienced riders to beginners.  With practise you will get better. The more regularly you make the effort to go out riding the easier it will get (the process, the feeling of your bike, your fitness). Understand the changes to your riding that different bike seats can have. Read the stories that relate to the seat or trailer you have or are considering.

There are lots of options for riding with a 1 year old, have a look at what we think are the best… Riding With a 1 Year Old

There are lots of options for riding with a 2-4 year old, have a look at what we think are the best… Riding With a 2-4 Year Old