As a parent, you are probably looking for activities that allow you to spend time with your kids outdoors.
If your kids are too young to ride a bike, you can still ride your bike and bring your kids along.
In fact, you can essentially kill two birds with one stone by getting a great workout while also spending time with your kids outdoors.
There are two basic options that will let you bike safely with your kids.
A child bike trailer lets you ride your bicycle with your children safely trailing behind you.
It rides close to the ground on two wheels and is attached to the bicycle by a hitch.
The other option is a bike seat witch can be attached behind or in front of the rider's seat.
A bike seat can only hold one child, while a bike trailer can often hold up to two children.
Many people decide between these two options based on safety precautions.
Parents are always looking out for the safety of their young children, so this is often a factor that can make or break a product.
Both trailers and child seats can be completely safe when used properly and when the bike is ridden cautiously.
Because of the way each is constructed and attached to the bike, the safety concerns are a bit different for each of them.
In some circumstances, a child bike trailer can indeed be safer than a child seat.
If you were to get into an accident where the bike tipped over, a child up on a seat can be harmed because they will likely tip over with the bike.
If they are wearing a helmet, that will reduce the chances of serious injuries, but of course they can still be injured.
Bike trailers are often designed specifically so that when the bike tips over, the trailer does not.
The hitch is constructed in such a way that the bike does not cause the trailer to topple over.
This is worth considering if you will be loading your child onto the bike by yourself.
It is hard to keep the bike upright with your child up in the seat, but much easier if they are loaded into a trailer.
The other major concern when comparing bike trailers to bike seats is how the bike will handle differently with each.
A child in a seat can throw you off balance if they squirm around.
If they are behind you in a trailer, their movements will not affect your center of gravity.
A bike trailer will affect the way you speed up and slow down because the momentum and weight behind you will push as you slow down and pull as you speed up.
With both a child trailer and a child seat, your bike is going to handle different than if you were on it by yourself.
You will most likely get used to the change though, so just be aware of how each will affect your ability to ride safely.