[dave]

word her indoors fancies taking junior out on the back of her wheels in one of them plastic seats etc. Apparently advice varies as to minimum age for doing this, ranging from 6-9months. Anyone got the 411 on this type of shit, experience, tips etc? Cheers ears.

[GCW]

The main issue is getting a helmet to fit, the smallest we could find only fitted after about 18 months/2 years.
Theoretically, once Dave Jnr has full sitting control you should be OK.

It's quite hard work though, especially when they get to 20kg.  The hardest thing is it makes you feel unstable at low speeds due to the high centre of gravity.  We've got the behind-the-rider seats.  I know you can get ones that fit in front of the rider but I've never tried them so can't advise.

[Percy B]

We popped ours in a front facing seat that goes over the back wheel. Helmet from James cycles which fit fine. The liitle'un has been staring at my arse as I sweat and grunt up Sheffields hills with her on the back of the bike from the age of about 8 or nine months. As ever nowadays, nobody will give you any advice that could render them liable in the event of anything ever happening anywhere to anybody, but basically if your child can hold its head up and sit up, then you are good to go as long as you're happy and the child is happy.
The only downside is how much harder it is to ride up hills with an extra 10 - 15kgs on the back of the bike.

[Mark Lloyd]

The only thing I'd add is wrap them up warm cos wind chill is a big factor and they do get bumped around a bit if you go on the trails.
Thinking of trails High Peak trail at Parsley Hay rents out bikes and trailers etc you could try before you buy ?, same deal at carsington is that nearer sheffield

[dave]

word cheers for the beta. kinda agrees with what I was thinking vis a vis being able to sit up and support his head OK, which should be no problem since he's already standing up holding onto chairs etc at 7 months. recon one fo them backwheel thins are the way forward.

[Palomides]

The over the wheel seats are good - I've used the Hamax ones that have a single big clamp on the down-tube. This means that they're easy to put on and off, and there's a bit of springy suspension when you go over bumps. Can be alarming to watch how much small heads wobble about though.

One other thing to consider is what happens when the offspring goes to sleep . A seat that either angles back, or has a reasonable backwards lean built in will prevent the head-bent-completely-forward sleeping position.

As someone else said, don't forget big coats for them. It's easy to forget that they're just sitting there getting cold while you're melting going up some hill.

Oh, and mind what you have in your back pockets. The feeling of being pickpocketed while riding a bike is rather disconcerting (not as disconcerting as having your child give you a wedgie at high speed though).

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I agree with what Pal says, we have a Hamax (Not a Hamas one, that's something completely different!) one that doesn't tip back but would recommend one that does, to start with Mini-Obi would tip forward asleep and now he's a bit heavier throws weight to one side quite a bit which makes it tricky to ride. We got the smallest helmet Decathlon does which he has now grown out of, you can borrow it if you want. Mini-Dave will grow out of it in about 5min any way. As someone else says, make sure who ever rides with the seat is pretty stable when riding, care must be taken when getting on/off, setting off/stopping as the bike is top heavy and will twist and tip easily, especially if you lift the front wheel. You can get a Hamax 'poncho' which is clever but a  bit pricey (£15). Alternatively get a cheap Dec poncho for about £2 but care must be taken not to let it catch in the wheel.

[dave]

we have a Hamax (Not a Hamas one, that's something completely different!)

yeah we're trying to steer clear of any stuff that's packed with semtex.

Will take you up on that helmet I recon, cheers.

[SA Chris]

So what's the smallest lid for a binlid? We've been handed down a bike seat which I am keen to take him out for some short rides with, but would like to get a helmet (obviously). He's 7 months now and about 18 lbs.

[Palomides]

It's going to depend on both how Mekon-headed your child is, and how many hats they wear underneath.

We used a Ked helmet for ours when they were tiny. It wasn't the cheapest, but came down lower than the really cheapo one, which tend to be just like scaled-down versions of the cheapest adult ones (you know, the ones that fit nobody).

I hate seeing people in badly-fitting helmets, of any age. Ususally, it looks like it's going to drop off the back of the head and strangle them, and is so badly positioned that in the event of any kind of impact it would do exactly FUCK ALL.

Get one that fits. Be careful though. Number one child was so delighted with her new helmet that she refused to take it off and spent all day waddling around the house in helmet & nappy & big smile.

PS small child + big helmet = floppier head when asleep in bike seat.