If you want to take your child out while they are still in infancy - your best bet is probably a bakfiets retrofitted to fit an infant car seat (see my friend Josef's bike), or pull a similar maneuver in a bike trailer. While neither are endorsed by companies or their crafty lawyers - there is mounds of anecdotal evidence to suggest that you can safely travel with your child before they can hold their head up (the nebulous time most child - bike related gear gives you the go-ahead).
So what am I going to do? Several people have asked me for my opinions on the subject... but first I wanted to show you some of the bikes and contraptions that make this decision difficult:
For your viewing pleasure I've divided them into apperati that I'll likely acquire, and the ones that are unlikely. Unfortunately for me - the "Unlikely" category are also the most coveted. Big Time.We are probably going to start out with a Burley trailer. Why Burley? They seem to be the right combination of price, design & aesthetic. There are some other child trailers out there, but they are either super obscure, or too expensive. Burley is an old name in the bicycle industry and my friend has one of their utility trailers which performed well on our trip from Los Angeles to San Diego.
If you are looking to buy a trailer - might I recommend these guys? I like people who specialize. The Bike Trailer Shop is a great online resource for all your bike trailer needs. I've purchased several items from them, with excellent customer service. Because they are specialists, they can give you great advice for any bike-trailer related question you might have. I would also like to mention that their prices are almost always the lowest in town... and by town I mean the internets.
I haven't purchased a trailer yet... and if there are any generous bike-trailer reps out there that want me to test their product - I'm your man.
Once I do - I'll get to work rigging it so George can hit the mean streets of LA with Ashley and I. How else will he get a bitchin' summer tan come May? We're already supposed to have a good base tan and we're dreadfully behind. ; )
Stay tuned for more info on taking your baby in a bike trailer.
2 comments:
still following the saga.
I'm trying to decide whether to buy a new trailer or say our old old one is good enough. If I find a good deal on one in craigslist I might go for it.
I'm also still following the saga and interested to see how you rig this, may I ask for a detailed breakdown of the process when you figure it out. I just figured out how to stuff my six year old on the floor of the trailer with the other two's feet on her and her scooter lodged in the back when she gets tired. it's a heavy pull but quite efficient when the traffic gets dicey...I'm also coveting the Bakfiet as you can tell. best of luck!
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