Riding with Kids in Traffic
goRide your Family Riding Specialists – supporting you to become confident and enjoy riding as a family.
Get the right solutions & support to ride with kids in traffic… attached to, or towed by your bike….SMILE when you ride.
Welcome to goRide’s Riding with Kids in Traffic page. This is where we help you to be confident riding in traffic with kids;
- on a bike seat or a bike trailer
- being towed while riding their own bike
- riding their own bike
To ride on the road with kids, a space that you share with vehicles that are bigger and faster than you, we need to make sure everyone will be safe. How you choose to ride with your child will depend on their age and the solution you choose. However, no matter how you ride, there are some important things you can do to keep safe in traffic when riding with kids
- you will need to be alert and have confidence in your own riding ability in traffic before riding with your child
- you and your child will need to be highly visible to vehicles. See Adults be visible on the bike. or Kids/Youth be visible on the bike
- you should have practised together in a safe and relaxed environment first
There can be many factors that will influence how to ride with your child in traffic, so let us help you understand your needs and consider your options.
Riding in Traffic – Your riding needs
The solutions selected are based on what we have determined your riding needs in traffic will be.
- Riding on the road will mean you are generally riding on a smooth and sealed surface.
2. Traffic environments are busy and often unpredictable and therefore young kids should be harnessed to a seat. If they are being towed on their own bike they must be able to stay on the bike at all times.
3. Skills such as getting on and off your bike and steering need to be easy as you are likely to do a lot of starting and stopping at intersections and to do errands and activities. As well as riding around parked cars and turning frequently.
4. If you are commuting long distances in traffic then you need to put a little more consideration into your child’s comfort and if you require additional storage capability.
Riding with your child on a bike seat or towed in traffic
If riding in traffic with your child on a bike seat or towed they need to be securely strapped to the seat and well supported in sitting. A 5 point harness is recommended for the younger child though if over the age of around 4 you may be comfortable with a lap belt (as is on the junior rear seat) You need to be confident riding solo in traffic, and be comfortable with how it feels riding with your child. It is important you feel well balanced on the bike and can easily steer as you move around parked cars and other obstacles. You will need to be able to easily get on and off your bike and start and stop regularly as is common in urban spaces
Your 3 kids seats and towed options for riding with your child in traffic are
- Rear Bike Seat
- Front Kids Seat
- Kids Bike Trailer
Kids Seat for In Traffic – Best Match
Rear Seat, 1-6yrs or Junior, 4-10yrs
Our rear seats will keep your child safe in traffic with a well supported seat and secure harness. Note the Junior rear seat for the older child (4yrs plus) only comes with a lap belt. Kids in rear seats are tucked in close behind you allowing you to communicate easily.
With your seat and child positioned behind you, you have minimal interference with steering, starting and stopping and getting on and off your bike as is commonly needed in urban spaces.
Kids Seat for In Traffic – Alternative Option
Front Seat, 1-3yrs
Front seats can also be considered for in Traffic riding. They offer great sitting support and a quality secure harness. You have great interaction with your child between your arms.
With your seat and child positioned in front of you it can make starting and stopping, getting on and off your bike as well as steering a little more challenging. We recommend that you only consider a front seat if you are an upright rider, have a medium to large bike frame and/or a dropper seat for riding in traffic.
Towing In Traffic – Best Match
Kids Bike Trailer, 1-6yrs
In a bike trailer your child is securely supported in sitting with a quality harness and riding in an enclosed trailer so they are protected in their own space.
Our Multi-Use Recreation Trailer is the best match for riding in traffic, though all trailers are suitable. If you are commuting and need additional storage then our Off-Road Trailer will be a better match.
With the trailer attached behind your bike there is little interference with your biking skills such as stopping and starting. However you are longer and wider than when riding solo which is important to understand when in traffic. What we love about the multi-use trailer is your ability to bike and then easily convert it to a stroller… so you can bike and walk with your young one in urban spaces.
Assisting kids who ride their own bike. Bike to bike connection.Â
If your child is riding their own bike but it is not yet safe for them to ride in a traffic environment you can provide assistance and safety by attaching them to your bike. Creating a bike to bike connection with your child makes riding in traffic an option – you know where they are and you make all the decisions for your child. If considering a bike to bike connection for a young child you have to be confident that they will remain seated on their bike at all times.
To ride together safely you as the lead rider will need to be confident riding solo in traffic. You need to be comfortable with how it feels riding with your child being towed on their bike behind you. It is important you feel well balanced on the bike, understand you are now longer and can easily steer as you move around parked cars and other obstacles. You will need to be able to easily get on and off your bike and start and stop regularly as is common in urban spaces.
You have two bike to bike connection options for in traffic;
- Tow Frame – Follow Me Tandem
- Tow Bar – Trailgator
Bike to Bike In Traffic – Best Match
Tow Frame – Follow Me Tandem, 3-9yrs
The Tow Frame is a very secure bike to bike connection making it our first recommendation for riding with kids on their own bike in traffic. The tow frame effectively creates a tandem by lifting the front wheel of the child’s bike off the ground. This very low, stable, secure connection results in there being little disruption to both riders balance.
The stability of the Tow Frame means you can ride connected to your child as young as 3 years old. However in traffic you will need to make sure your child is able to understand they must remain seated on their bike. It is easy to connect and disconnect from your child’s bike while riding enabling you both to ride solo as well as connected.
Bike to Bike In Traffic – Alternative Option
Tow Bar – Trailgator 4 -9 years
The Tow Bar can be considered for traffic riding. It is a rigid bar that provides a bike to bike connection. It lifts the front wheel of the child’s bike allowing you to tow them. This connection does allow your child to lean and therefore can cause some disruption to your and your child’s balance.
The Tow Bar is a good budget option and if using in traffic it is best kept to a short timeframe and low traffic volumes due to the challenges with balance in a busy environment. Your child needs to understand they must remain seated on their bike while in traffic and be discouraged to lean (often they will try to look around you). It is easy to connect and disconnect from your child’s bike while riding, enabling you both to ride solo as well as connected.
Kids riding their own bike on the road with you
When you are ready you can start to ride with you child in traffic. This is a great idea as you work towards them being independent riders on the road.
Learning to ride safely in traffic can be a challenge and a hard transition for kids. Often the riding of the bike is the easy part it is learning about the traffic, the rules and the decisions to be made to support their safety that is the challenge. It is certainly something that needs to be taught and practised. Riding together on the road, with both of you on your own bike is a great learning opportunity. You can role model good riding behaviour… sticking to a line, signalling changes like turning a corner or moving lanes. You can talk them through your decisions and work with them as the make their own decisions.
How you ride with your child in traffic will depend on their age
You may prefer to understand your options for riding in traffic based on the age of your child. Use our age based support and solutions to help understand how you can safely ride with your child in traffic.
With a 1 Year Old
Understand your options and what will best match your family riding
With a 2-6 Year Old
Understand your options and what will best match your family riding
With 4 Years+Â
Understand your options for riding with kids on their own bike.
Kids 10+ Independent
How to support your child to be safe riding in traffic on their own.
It is important that you check whether any solution you choose fits on your bike. Please use our ‘Will it Fit?’ guides available on shop or product pages to help you understand if the seat is an option for you. Or please use our page for the full range of “Will it Fit” guides…
goRide is here to support you through this experience. If you are struggling with the information, or just need some things clarified or some reassurance then please get in contact. We love hearing from you and want to help.
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goRide supporting women and families to SMILE when you ride