Child Trailer - Safety

I am getting interested and excited about different ways of taking my little one around on the bike. One of the options is obviously the trailers that look like little Wendy tents on wheels, with a big flag sticking up. I quite like these but my other half fears that they will be instant death for the infant occupant. She is convinced that they are invisible and will be run over by a large truck or similar.

I am wondering if anyone has any information about them and their safety; preferably evidential but anecdotes are useful too. I would be particularly interested in seeing any figures for accidents involving such trailers (Oliver?).

Instant death guaranteed. Just like all other forms of road cycling.

Mums and Dads thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Will cross post.

Much like bikes you get what you pay for and safety tends to be fairly well linked with budget.

Have a look at Burley and Chariot, yes they are pricey but you should be able to recoup some of the money when you sell it.

http://www.burley.com/

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/

I am getting interested and excited about different ways of taking my little one around on the bike. One of the options is obviously the trailers that look like little Wendy tents on wheels, with a big flag sticking up. I quite like these but my other half fears that they will be instant death for the infant occupant. She is convinced that they are invisible and will be run over by a large truck or similar.

I am wondering if anyone has any information about them and their safety; preferably evidential but anecdotes are useful too. I would be particularly interested in seeing any figures for accidents involving such trailers (Oliver?).

I've tootled my kids the mile and a half to school in one of these trailers for three years without incident. The only reason I've just stopped is because they're now 6 and 8 years old and I can't wedge them in anymore, especially not in their winter coats.
That and the 12% gradient pulling 10 stone of children and trailer on singlespeed...

Go for it!

Mashers Is this the excuse you need to get a christiana bike?

If memory serves me Grafham Cycles at Grafham water have some Burley trailers in their hire fleet should you want to try before you buy, all be it quite a way from South London.

I can't see any thing on their website though.

http://www.grafhamcycling.co.uk/cyclehire.html

i pull a trailer with a ladder on it.

i have had no problems.

I love those Christiana bikes, but you need a garage to store them in. with a trailer, I could keep it locked up outside, with the bike inside.

Maybe.

..... and the trailers are light.

whereas the others tend to be so heavy that riding them is bugging.

There is a cycle hire place in Dulwich Park that has a wide range of these things- take the family with you one Saturday and try a few different varients?

I have used two trailers and not impressed. its tough, jerky and you can't see how the kids are getting on, their view is poor and often cramped. I would never use them in london

I have a weeride for the epic Son, he sits between me and the handlebars and fucking loves it! He has a trike for Christmas to help develop his sprint and hill climbing muscles now he has the taste!

Coco is strong enough now to go in the bike seat so we have been looking at trikes/cargos. spent a few weeks checking out pricings, reviews, fits etc and am heading in tomorrow to buy our christiana.

We have a ground anchor out front and that's where its going to live, comes with three locks and its pretty tough to half inch, it's also going on the insurance

Its going to be used for the next 5 years (till they are good enough on their own whips) at least 3 days a week, nursery, shopping and my work.. £300 a year... thats not a lot.. they also hold there value in the UK... do a search for a second hand one and see.