Bicycle Trailers
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The fact that you have a child in a stroller does not mean that you can no longer enjoy bicycling! Actually, biking with children can be a lot of fun if you are able to find the right bicycle trailer. Though most bicycle trailers are not typically considered a stroller, because it is pulled instead of pushed, they do have a lot of similarities to strollers and much of what you need to consider for strollers are applicable to bicycle trailers. If you are a bicycling enthusiast, then you need to know that there are alternative methods of carrying their children that will work when biking. A bicycle trailer is attached firmly to the bike and is pulled behind like a carriage. Most bicycle trailers provide a full canopy that often times envelopes the children inside. With a bike trailer, you can ensure a safe, enjoyable ride for your child. However, most manufacturers recommended this kind of carriage only if your child is at least 1 year old. Bicycle Trailer FeaturesWhen shopping for a bicycle trailer, there are a few sets of features that you will want to consider:
SafetyAs with any stroller, safety is always an utmost concern for your child. As with any stroller, Make sure the bicycle trailer has a seating harness for your child. An important point to remember with bicycle trailers is that they are pulled along behind the bicycle, which makes it difficult for Mom or Dad to keep a constant eye on the trailer and can take vehicle drivers by surprise as they may not expect a bicyclist to be towing children behind. Be sure that your bicycle trailer comes with a safety flag. If not equipped with one, be sure that you purchase one for it. By far, this is the best way to alert drivers of the trailer. Another important safety consideration for bicycle trailers is how well they can be seen by vehicles at dusk or on cloudy days. If you have a choice of colors for your bicycle trailer, lighter colors tend to be more readily seen and can make for a safer choice. Also, check to see if the bicycle trailer either has reflective material incorporated into it or comes with reflective tape. If neither is provided, a roll of reflective tape from your local sporting goods store is a great investment for your bicycle trailer. DurabilityAlthough it is often difficult to judge just how durable a bike trailer when shopping, durability is something that you should be considering. As with jogging strollers, bicycle trailers must be capable of withstanding fast-paced activity. Over the last several years, there have been many new lightweight materials introduced. This has helped for modern strollers and trailers to maintain reasonable quality and durability while reducing the physical weight of the product. Unfortunately, this has made it more difficult to determine the real durability of a product. Lightweight steel is often a good choice for durability, though some of the aluminum-based products do hold up very well. Though you will find many lightweight strollers incorporating various types of plastics, these will not hold up well for bicycle trailers. Comfort and ConvenienceLastly, but very importantly, there is a broad assortment of features that provide for your child's comfort and offer convenience to you. Most of these features will be similar to those associated with strollers. For more information about such features, refer to stroller features. There are, however, a couple of features worth mentioning: Large, rubber wheels tend to offer the most comfortable ride possible for your child. Larger wheels will be less susceptible to the impact of bumps in the road and the rubber will be more absorbent of the vibrations. If you're looking for an extremely smooth ride, then you may want to look at bicycle trailers that offer a suspension system in addition to large, rubber wheels. Interior storage pockets enable your children to reach their own necessities, whether it be food, drinks or toys. Having at least one interior pocket can save you many stops while bicycling. Dual-Use Bicycle TrailersAlthough most bicycle trailers cannot be pushed like a stroller, there are a few models that do actually double as a jogging style stroller. Such models typically offer a full bicycle trailer design, incorporate a handlebar for pushing the trailer/stroller, and adding a front wheel for use when strolling. If you're looking for a trailer which can also double as a jogging stroller, this can be a great option… it's certainly much less expensive than purchasing a bicycle trailer and a jogging stroller separately. If you plan to purchase a dual-use bicycle trailer, investigate to see how quickly you can adapt it from one use to the other. Look for a quick attach/detach mechanism to mount and un-mount the trailer from your bicycle. Also check to see if the front wheel remains in-place while operating it as a bicycle trailer – this can save the time and effort of wheel mounting. |
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Find a Page by Topic A Walk in the Park: Our Guide to Strollers Your Best Baby Stroller Decision Prams: Traditional Baby Prams, Modern Pram Strollers Jogging Strollers: Single Jogging Strollers, Double Jogging Strollers, Triple Jogging Strollers |
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