The Child Bike Trailer Store

InStep Take 2 Double Bicycle Trailer (Blue)

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$149.99

Using a bike with a child bike trailer can be a memorable experience for both driver and trailer occupant. It can provide great exercise for the driver, a pleasurable site-seeing experience for the child and does not involve putting gas in the tank.

Along with these positives, there is always a need to ensure safety for both driver and occupant. Safety considerations should be made at the purchasing stage, preparing the bike and trailer for use stage and whilst out on a trip. Here are some points to consider:-

• Look for a child bike trailer with large wheels. Larger wheels will provide a smoother ride than small ones.

• Material used to cover the child bike trailer should be light weight, waterproof and have protection from the sun. The material used should also be as bright and colorful as possible so it can be easily spotted by other drivers, particularly in dim light situations. Look for reflective tape mounted on the material and install a flag if possible.

• It is recommended that the minimum age for a child to ride in a bike trailer is approximately 12 months old and at the other end of the spectrum a child bike trailer should not carry over 100 pounds. This weight limit can be made up of one or more children plus some other items, but over 100 pounds a trailer can become unstable and can compromise the safety of the trailer components.

• A good safety idea it to place a baby monitor inside the trailer and one on the bike so that you have an early warning system that something is wrong.

• Both bike rider and trailer occupant should wear a correctly fitted yet comfortable, safety helmet and in the case of the trailer occupant, they should be harnessed into the seat. This is an area that should be scrutinized a fair bit when deciding on a child bike trailer. Often a child will fall asleep when in the trailer. Once asleep they will relax and slip downwards or side wards in the seat. The safety belt system should prevent this from happening.

• Before starting out and before placing the child in the trailer, the person driving the bike should check connections between bike and trailer, tires are correctly inflated, quick release mechanisms should be tested and the brakes checked. Once on the road, the driver should watch their speed, use hand signals, observe all traffic signs and situations. The maneuverability of a bike that is coupled with a trailer is quite a bit different than a bike on its own and does take longer to come to a stop when braking, so allowance needs to be made for this. An axle mounted trailer tends to be more maneuverable than a frame mounted trailer. The trailer is wider than the bike, so allowance needs to be made for this when passing obstacles.

When shopping for a child bike trailer, there is a huge choice in the market today. A price range from $100 to over $1000 is typical. Safety considerations should always be at the top the list. When ready to purchase, always make sure that the trailer meets the safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and you won’t go far wrong.

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