The key determinant of when an infant can join his or her folks on bike excursions is the strength of the infant's neck. Because of the bumping and the extra weight of a helmet (8-10 oz.), this is a few months after a infant can first hold their head up. Note: Some jurisdictions have laws demanding passengers on bikes to be at least a year old.

Normally by age a year folks can start checking with the infant's pediatrician to ascertain if they possess the neck development to safely go for a bike ride. Many toddlers' neck and shoulder muscles are able to tolerate the weight of a helmet and take up shock from bumps in the pathway at a year old.

We acknowledge no broad study on the best method to transport a baby on a bike and there are risks linked to all of them.. Here are a few points to think about:

Backpacks

Carrying a baby on a bike in a backpack is possibly highly dangerous -- and against the law in many jurisdictions. Many of the problems are: The center of gravity is more; if you wear helmets -- as you ought to -- your helmets might bang together; the infant is quite unsafe in a fall because the distance is larger and there is a greater hazard of the infant landing below the parent in a tumble; plus the backpack allows inferior protection than a babyseat or trailer.

Child Carriers

Physics informs us that a baby, in a baby carriers, mounted on a bike, heightens the center of gravity of the bike. This alters how the bike handles and heightens instability. The bike's build geometric also takes part in stability ? larger chain stays are an element that helps. The denser the baby the bigger the impact. But, the density of a child is negligible compared to the size and strength of many adults so normally the difference in balance is not unacceptable. If you need to practice prior to putting your baby into the baby carriers, fill a rucksack with the infant's weight in books and strap it into the seat and take it for a ride.

Child carriers often work acceptably for children 1-3 years old. There is anecdotal evidence of kids of 15-20 kgs., or 33-44 lbs., being carried in infant carriers. In fact toddlers often get too tall for baby carriers before they get too heavy.

For many users the most arduous aspect of baby carriers is commonly getting the baby into and out of the seat, especially with pronominal rack mounted carriers (as opposed to front top-bar mounted carriers). One danger of bike carriers is not when the bicycle is being pedaled, but when it is halted. When the rider gets off the saddle, or dismounts, it takes more effort to maintain the bicycle's balance and keep it upright. Petiter adults normally have the most problem loading and unloading the baby. If the parent can manage this commonly they are able to ride safely with a baby seat.

Child carriers certainly have the advantage, especially in an urban area, of not adding to the size of the "foot print" of the bike, which might minimise complaints by motorists.

In the occurance of a crash, with pronominal baby carriers -- even a wonderfully designed one with heaps of safety factors -- the baby will probably suffer at least small arm and neck injuries. With poorly designed pronominal mounted bicycle carriers, there is also some hazard of the infant's foot getting caught in the spokes. In the USA, baby carriers need to comply with the ASTM 1625-00 safety standard.

A variation is "front-mounted" baby carriers. They are hugely fashionable and have been used in Asia and Europe for years. They are not as common in North America. Many people swear by these because it is effortless to mind the baby and talk to them, and move the baby in and out with larger ease. In the eventuality of a fall, in a lot of ways the baby is more protected than with a pronominal mounted baby seat, and people often say an accident is less likely since balance is better and there are fewer distractions from behind you.

Note: We have one report of the convergence of an infants'size, with his helmet becoming caught on the top lip of a pronominal seat causing the straps block his airway. The problem was caught in time so that a accident was averted. If your toddler is behind you, this highlights the requirement to mind them regularly, perhaps with a rear view mirror.