Kids Bike Seat – Towing Kids Buying Guide

Do you want to tow them?

This towing kids buying guide shows you towing options.  So what kind of choices do you have? A trailing half bike (standard or recumbent) is like half a bike following yours.  A tow rope/bar/frame will connect your bike to their own bike so when detached they can ride independently.  A bike trailer (single or double) is an enclosed seat that you pull along behind your bike.

If you would like some more details about these choices head to Bike Seats for Kids – What are my options?  Or if you would prefer your child attached to your bike…Kids Bike Seat – On the Bike – Buying Guide

When is towing a good choice?

The main advantage with towing is that you do the work for them and make all the decisions so you can take them further or keep them safe in traffic.  As you will be towing a bike/half a bike/bike trailer via a seat post attachment or via a rear wheel hub attachment your bike needs to have a good gear range and well maintained brakes to deal with the added weight.  Please note carbon seat posts are not strong enough to use for towing.

See:  The Best Kids Bike Seats for Family Touring

Do you want them to be able to ride independently?

This question is aimed at helping you with a tow rope/bar/frame option which connects (their bike) vs trailing half bikes which can not be ridden independently.  Tow rope/bar/frames link their bike to yours so work well when you need to help them out for short periods of time – through heavy traffic, beginning of a longer ride/difficult uphill section – then you can unhook their bike and they can ride on their own.  This option makes sense if they already have a bike of their own.

Tow rope – best off road

Tow bar – best for short periods of assistance

Tow frame – most stable therefore best in traffic/on road

A trailing half bike doesn’t offer you this versatility but you may not need it…trailing half bikes are great for bike touring with younger kids or big day rides, anywhere from 2 to 9 years of age.  Your child gets a seat & can choose to assist you with pedalling or rest.

Why use a bike trailer?

Certain seats work better in certain situations. A bike trailer gives you the ability to tow toddlers, 1yr+, which means you can start using your bike for transport around town when they are young.  It has the added advantages of weather protection and good storage.  With more of a financial investment you can get a multi purpose trailer that turns into a buggy once you reach your destination.

Where are you planning on riding?

All these towing options follow your bike but be aware that a bike trailer is wide and it has a wide turning circle – which can limit the places you are able to take it.   Also some brands are better than others in terms of how closed in your child is.  If you are trying to have an experience/adventure look for good ‘windows’ so your littles can be aware of what’s going on around them.  As I mentioned above a tow rope (Tow Whee), tow bar (Trail Gator), tow frame (Follow Me) or trailing half bikes are ideal for touring or big day rides.  For trailing half bikes you can choose between a traditional bike set up (Rocket Trailing Bike) or the recumbent version (WeeHoo Turbo) which offers extra storage space and is very stable.

How many children & how old are they?

If you have more than one child and they are still quite young one option is a double bike trailer.  If you don’t mind splitting them up, one could be “On the bike” in a front or mid mounted seat and one could be “towed by the bike”.  A rear mounted kids seat that sits over the back wheel would not be an option unless you choose a bike trailer or a bike tow frame (both use rear wheel hub attachments), as you need access to the seat post to attach trailing half bikes and tow ropes/bars.

If your riding is more about weekend adventures than transporting the kids around town, you could set up two adult bikes or invest in a double trailing half bike like the WeeHoo Turbo Double (please contact us for more info on this product).

1-6 yrs Single Bike Trailer, 1-4yrs Double Bike Trailer… coming soon

2-9 yrs Trailing Half Bike – WeeHoo

4-6 years Trailing Half Bike – Rocket

4yrs to adult Tow Rope – Tow Whee

4-9yrs Tow Bar – Trail Gator

3-9yrs Tow Frame – Follow Me

For more on using a bike to transport your family go here and also our story on cargo bikes.

Make your purchase a success…

Safety

Please follow all assembly instructions so that you understand how the seat is attached and therefore know what to look for when doing a safety check – loosening bolts, wear & tear, cracking plastic, fraying seat harness. Their safety is worth 30 seconds of your time before every ride.

For more on this topic read Kids Bike Seats – Saftey & Care

…so you and your family can SMILE when you ride