Bike Seat for Toddler

hello. I use the seat that attaches to the bike. the perk to the trailer is that you can put other items in it also (balls, small grocery items, second kid). i would recomend getting a flag for the trailer if you go that route, so others see you coming around the corner. they also make a seat that attaches to the front of the bike, so the child can see easier, its also suppose to help with balance.

I just finished watching "No Impact Man"-for the second time.Love the docu-film Anyhoo-Have you googled the thousands of available options of baby travel carriers there are?There are quite a few safe one's on the market for biking.Can't be any more dangerous than in a smoke/smog laden traffic swerving,vehicle-so-called-safe during rush hour right?Their safest in your careful eye.I like "Kangaroo's" "baby biker seat" too! : )

We have both and both have advantages and disadvantages. With the trailer the advantage is that I can put some other stuff, groceries, etc. in as well. Also, my son can look at a book or have a toy with him. The disadvantage is that it is much heavier and can be very hard to pull, especially when you live in a hilly area. Also, it is harder to navigate around potholes and much more cumbersome when you have to ride on busier streets.
The seat attached to the bike is much more compact and lighter, but you basically cannot take anything else along. You cannot take a backpack, because it would be in your baby's face. I ended up buying a bag that attaches to the front of the bike so that I had some storage for my wallet, some water and a book.
My husband had a seat that attaches to the front of the bike and our older son loved it because he saw everything.
I think all of these options were very comfortable for the kids. I had a Hamax seat that tilts back a bit and the kids usually fell asleep in that one. The trailer we have is a Leggero. Very sturdy and safe, but I am not sure if it is available here (we bought it in Europe). I don't know what the brand of the front seat was.
I would recommend you do some safety research on the different brands and models before you go out and buy anything.

I researched this last summer. From what I found the trailer that rides behind is supposed to be a safer. Most of them are designed that if the bike tips over, the trailer will stay upright. We haven't had an accident yet, but we have tested it in our driveway, the trailer stayed completely upright. Ours seats two children, we often have our 4 yo and our 1 yo in it together. It's easy to pull and does well on a lot of different terrains. You can also use ours as a double stroller too, which comes in handy occasionally. We live in Texas and it gets HOT, so I like the sun shade that is included, it breathes well. We installed a flag for visibility and both kids wear helmets for added safety (I found an adjustable one on amazon.com for the baby). The trailer can also hold some stuff in a little spot, so I can bring snacks and water or light jackets during cooler weather, which is nice. We bought ours used and for us it has been a great investment. Craiglists has them listed pretty often. If I could change anything, I wish I would have found one that folded up to make storage easier. Have fun! HTH!

I have found that the trailers worked best. My daughter could take a book or toy on the ride and I didn't have to worry about it being dropped in the street. The bike on the back of the seat is nice, but if they get squirmy, it is hard sometimes to keep balance. The trailers were a better space for them, I thought. She loved it!! She collected pine cones on one trip and could bring them home.

I have a bike seat called the iBert, and it attaches to thefront of the bike. I like itbecause I feel like I'm hugging my child the whole ride. She likes being able to see everything. Google it, it's awesome!

Get an ibert seat. it mounts on the neck tube just under the handlebars. Your toddler gets a drivers seat view, you always know what he/she is doing, the weight of the child is evenly ditributed so bike handling is a breeze, and you can look at each other and talk, its the bet thing ever. Find it online for about $60. max. used about half that. I personally never thought the trailer idea was safe and just don't like the lack of contact between you and your kid. My son LOVES his seat and often asks to go riding on Dad's bike instead of his tricycle.

Trailers are safer because they don't tip. I used one for years from the time my daughter was 1 and my son was 3 all the way until my daughter was 5 and I would bike her to PreK. It was still in such good shape that I passed it along to my brother in law who now uses it with his 1 yr old son. It's easier to carry stuff with the trailer too. For example, I use to bike my kids to the park and had plenty of room to take along a bag with snacks and drinks. Sometimes I would take them for a ride and bring along their Magna Doodles and they would draw during the ride. The trailers can get kind of expensive, so you might want to look for one used. I bought mine in the fall, at the end of the season and got it for 50% off which made it about $60 (reg $120). But, if you have to pay regular price, just know that you will get years of fun use out of it!!!!

We got an iBert seat for our son and he LOVES it. He gets to sit in front, see all the sights, and we like it because with him in front my husband and I can keep an eye on him, and somehow its placement on the bike feels more stable. And it can be attached or removed in no time. http://www.ibertinc.com/theseat/

After borrowing a friend's last year, we just purchased the Topeak Baby Sitter II for our bike. Our daughter absolutely loves it and I feel very safe with her in it. The new version also accomodates children up to 48 lbs, more than other bike seats. It is a bike seat, not a trailer. The trailer may not tip if you do, but I worry about city biking and cars just plain not seeing that trailer. If you have a good quality bike seat and a helmet that fits properly, your child will survive if your bike tips. In fact, my friend fell with this bike seat and her 1 yr old didn't even cry! We got it for $99 on Ebay and you can also get a diaper bag (the Topeak Mamasan) that clips onto the back of the seat (no backpack in baby's face). After your child is too old for bike seat, you can use the rack that comes with for groceries, bags, etc.

I ruled out the Ibert simply because I thought it would be difficult to steer, to see where I was going, or to do any kind of serious bike riding. Probably fine for riding to the park...

Happy biking!

The tent seats are definetly safe but I'm sure a little harder to pull along. With the seat attached to the bike make sure it is up to code, thats number one. Some are outdated if you go used. Make sure the harnessing is very durable and you are sure that he is set tight well riding, and as you mentioned a helmet. Make sure the helmet is very durable and as well up to code. Make sure you have sunscreen on him, even a little pair of shades as long as he doesn't throw them. lol I'm sure he will be happy riding with you and seeing the sights. Good luck mom!!

My son and I both absolutely love our iBert!!! So cool to log in to answer your question and see other iBert lovers already responded! I love love love this bike seat! We sing songs together, point to animals, and interact the whole time we're on the bike. I like that he's right up with me near my arms and face, and looking at the world, not my back. I also like that he's not way behind me in a trailer kind of alone. And there is about zero learning curve. It seems like there would be since there is extra weight on the steering wheel, but really, it's a seamless transition. Good luck and have fun!!!!