Bambini On the Move with Bike and Kids
Contents
1. 23 Atrailka IK fM xm 28 Taking extra luggage or a buggy with you on the bike nennen eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenesseeeeeeeneeeees 31 Going out together DY dle e EEN 32 BICYClO Mele smitser 35 MOUM CMI S developments menes a a EE 36 GolOPMOM aaeeea nnen 38 Sources and useful lin KS siot rre or etr oe verteren reageerden aee Br speak drent 39 Mobiel21 3 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzwQ 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids GENERAL TIPS Before going into detail about the different systems we will first give you a summary of some general tips and remarks that are relevant for all systems Safety advice e Both you and your child ren should always wear a bicycle helmet It provides extra safety You can find more information on this topic in the chapter on bicycle helmets Photo 1 Bicycle helmet e Make sure you and your child are clearly visible You can improve your visibility by using a bicycle flag wearing fluorescent jackets decorating the bicycle system with fluorescent stickers and buying the system itself in a bright colour e Adjust your style of driving The extra weight will influence the way you steer brake start and it will limit your speed Your bike might also be longer than you are used to Bear this in mind when crossing a busy road Also empathise with your passengers avoid rough and bumpy patches adjust your speed and avoid sudden steerin2. vith Bike and Kids A brochure full of information on safely cycling with your kids aged 0 to 6 Dear young parent Do you like making bicycle excursions Are you looking for advice on how to take your children with you Do you want to bring your children to school by bike Are you looking for the right solution Then be sure to read on This brochure is full of information on how you can safely cycle with your child ren aged 0 to 6 Children love being a bicycle passenger on excursions So do not hesitate to take your children with you on bicycle trips Discover all the possibilities on the market today ranging from child bike seats and children s bikes to bicycle child trailers and cargo bikes Find out what you should pay attention to when buying a bicycle and get tips on road safety Bad weather The brochure offers solutions to that problem as well This brochure is a great guide to a successful cycling experience with your little one s Mobiel21 2 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids Inhoud General DS PIC 4 Babies n bikes Is that possible s s s ii erdt erret rer Hd ck a epe DET e a oH peiie oasis 6 Achild s Bike Seat e 9 The car seat on your blKe rack ann nennen geeen antennata 14 Th bieyele child WAB eei iet rine ttr sue bent erp cette Screener ea nues oem epe diee 17 Exec C
3. http www babboe be _ Bakfiets nl cargo bikes http bakfiets nl Feetz cargo bikes http www feetz nl Taga cargo bikes http www taga nl Winther Kangaroo cargo bikes http www kangaroobike com Blog on sustainable travelling with young children http kidsopdefiets blogspot com Other materials and systems Babybike http www babybike nl Family tandem http www familietandem nl Follow Me http www followme tandem nl Steco http www steco nl Trail Gator http www trail gator com Cycling Associations Flemish Cycling Association http www fietsersbond be Dutch Cycling Association http www fietsersbond nl Kind en Gezin http www kindengezin be Shaken baby syndrome http www medicinenet com shaken baby syndrome article htm Mobiel21 39 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010
4. safety system when you fall When Liv was still very little we wrapped her up in two blankets and later we dressed her in a ski Suit to protect her from the cold We also used the rain shield that comes with the seat daily because it protected her from the wind At first cycling with my daughter took some practice As with a regular child s seat you need to find a new balance on your bike Moreover mounting and demounting the car seat with your baby in it is not that easy you cannot let go of your bike while doing it or your bike might tip over That is why installed double stands on my bike also stuck some fluorescent stickers on the seat so would be extra visible in morning traffic Liv loved her new seat She often fell asleep on my bike We used the Baby Mee for almost a year until Liv weighed more than 9 kg felt the system was becoming too heavy and unstable for me to cycle with Fortunately Liv was old enough to sit in a regular child s seat by then Riet Mobiel 21 16 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids THE BICYCLE CHILD TRAILER Cycling with a bicycle trailer is new but not unknown There are trailers for transporting your luggage your pet and for your child ren as well These bike trailers come in all shapes and sizes but what are the most important features Which bike trailer will satisfy your needs The advantage of a bicycle trailer is that w
5. 1400 euro but the model we liked the most cost a small 2000 euro In another shop we were allowed to try out two models a two and a three wheeled model another difficult choice to make Both the bikes were very good but they cost over 3000 euro There had never been that much money stored away in our garage It was a small fortune or at least we thought it was The shopkeeper tried to convince us by pointing out we would be able to resell it at a very good price It was a good argument but we still had to find a way to pay the large sum of money In addition he did not have any second hand models for sale Our search was kept simmering during the winter The snow damped our bicycle enthusiasm At the end of the winter we tested some cheaper models Unfortunately the winter had not just damped our enthusiasm it had also robbed us of our stamina To be honest we thought the bikes were extremely heavy even without the kids in it That was the second drawback did we really want to pant and sweat like that every day It s not that we had to cycle long distances but there are a lot of hills on the way to school and work When our second car broke down the first car is used daily in our company the second car was only used for commuting we thought about replacing the car by a cargo bike We started puzzling mum brings the kids to the day care centre and school in the morning and dad picks them up in the evening But with which bike The
6. 22 509 513 The shaken baby syndrome A clinical pathological and biomechanical study Duhaime AC Gennarelli TA Thibault LE Bruce DA Margulies SS Wiser R J Neurosurg 1987 Mar 66 3 409 415 Mobiel 21 8 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzwQ 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids A CHILD S BIKE SEAT A child s bike seat is probably the oldest known way of taking your child with you on your bike The seats come in different shapes and sizes they can be adjusted to your bike rack or steering wheel But which seat is most suited for your child ren What are the possibilities Photo 5 Rear mounted child bike seat e Steco Ukkie Mee Rear mounted child s bike seats are suitable for children aged 1 and above Up to 15 kg A15 or C15 or up to 22 kg A22 Centre mounted child s bike seats adjusted to the bike s steering wheel Suitable for children aged 1 to 3 Up to 15 kg Centre mounted child s bike seats adjusted in between the steering wheel and the driver Suitable for children aged 1 to 3 Up to 15 kg Replace your steering wheel with one that already has a child s saddle on it It was specifically designed to give your child extra leg space Suitable for children aged 1 and above Up to 15 kg e Steco Pin Up This system allows you to shift back the bicycle saddle so you can create extra space between the child s bike seat and yours Steco is the only brand we know that
7. bicycle child trailer that is younger than 12 months Make sure the bike trailer has good springs so your baby can enjoy a smooth ride Consider using a baby scale or a hang mat An extra head support is also recommended Photo 12 Example of springs that are adjustable to the weight of the bicycle trailer e Do you want to take extra luggage with you on the bike trailer Do you want to put this luggage in the bike trailer itself or in a bag attached to the trailer How big should this luggage space be What do you want to fit in it e How often will you need to fold your bicycle trailer How much time will you have for this How easily should it go e Which bottom should your bike trailer have synthetic or polyester A polyester bottom is a hard surface and is easy to clean It withstands rain mud and other substances very well This definitely comes in handy when you use the bike trailer often A synthetic bottom lets through Mobiel 21 18 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids a lot of water and is harder to clean If you are only planning on using the bike trailer occasionally a synthetic bottom will definitely suffice e Are you planning on using the trailer as a buggy as well How often will you transform the trailer into a buggy Where will you use the buggy function On which surface This information is important when choosing the right type of wheels e How comfortable is
8. car or in a pram Mobiel21 6 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids You should be extra careful when travelling with young babies Make sure you have good springs and adjust your style of driving Photo 3 An example of springs on a bicycle trailer e After 3 months As mentioned above once babies are 3 months their neck muscles are more or less relaxed Because of this front to back vibrations no longer affect the baby and thus the SBS is unlikely to occur However it is still a good idea to bear the aforementioned adaptations in mind good springs a car seat a baby hang mat or baby scale an adjusted style of driving and short rides Photo 4 A baby hang mat in a bicycle trailer Sources e http Awww medicinenet com shaken_baby_syndrome article htm e Medical forensic scientific articles amongst others Shaken baby syndrome Blumenthal Postgrad Med J 2002 Dec 78 926 732 735 Shaken infant syndrome developmental neuropathology progressive cortical dysplasia and epilepsy Marin Padilla M Parisi JE Armstrong DL Sargent SK Kaplan JA Acta neuropathology 2002 Apr 103 4 321 332 Neuropathology of inflicted head injury in children Patterns of brain damage Geddes JF Hackshaw AK Vowles GH Nickols CD Whitwell HL Brain 2001 124 1290 1298 Mobiel 21 7 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move
9. makes these kinds of child s bike seats If you know other brands do not hesitate to tell us about it so we can add your advice to our brochure You can find our contact information in the colophon at the back of the brochure Mobiel 21 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids The mother s bike The mothers bike guarantees a comfortable ride with two child s bike seats The bike is different from a regular city bike it has more space between the saddle and the child s saddle it has double stands it is easier to ascend the frame is stronger and there are extra spokes that strengthen the wheels These differences make it easier for parents to hop on and off their bikes and they offer more stability when securing your child in its seat Photo 6 Parent bike with a centre mounted child s bike seat When is your child ready for a child bike seat Parents are normally advised not to use a child s bike seat before their child has turned 1 In order for the child s saddle to be a safe and comfortable experience for your child the latter should have a steady sitting balance A child s sitting balance is steady once it can independently move from a crawling position into an upright sitting position Source Kind en Gezin On average children that are 9 to 10 months are capable of moving their body sideways and this allows them to start crawling from a sitting position This does not m
10. of your bike Sources e _ Steco http www steco nl Mobiel21 31 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids GOING OUT TOGETHER BY BIKE Walking next to your toddler while he she is cycling or going on a fun safe bicycle trip together there are many ways of doing this What are the possibilities In order to prepare your children for cycling there are training wheels with 2 3 or 4 wheels Walking bikes A bike without pedals As of 18 months Tricycles As of 2 years Step On a step young children can improve their balancing skills learn how to estimate speed and distances and learn how to brake Photo 23 Walking bike Belgian legislation Steps and roller skates are part of a special category of non motorised slow vehicles If you are stepping or roller skating at a footpace all pedestrian rules apply for you use the pavement use the pedestrian crossing When your speed is higher then you have to follow the rules that apply for cyclists use the bicycle track give priority to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings Cyclists younger than 9 can always use the pavement as long as their bicycle wheels diameter is not bigger than 50 cm tyres not included Bikers can cycle in pairs on the roadway When it becomes difficult to cross cars coming from the opposite direction you have to cycle behind one another Outside of residential areas you should alw
11. or behind you in a lower seat It cannot pedal or steer Photo 19 Hitching system for mounting a child s bike What should you pay attention to when buying a trail a bike The mount types There are a lot of trail a bikes out there Some can be mounted to the seatpost and others to the bike rack Which mounting system suits you best depends on whether or not you still want to use the bike rack for other purposes as well Photo 20 Trail a bike mounted to the seatpost There are two ways of hooking up a child s bike to yours The Trail Gator is a system that is mounted to your seatpost and can be folded and put aside when you are not towing your Mobiel 21 28 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids child s bike The Follow Me is mounted to the axle of your rear wheel see picture This system is also collapsible and extendable e Mounting convenience is it easy for you to leave your child s bike attached to yours or is the bike too long store when attached Do you need to convert the bike daily or just occasionally All this determines which system will suit you best e The bicycle equipment VA Trail a bikes children s bicycles and family tandems all need to be equipped with bicycle lights reflectors a chain guard that is at least half closed and mudguards A trail a bike should preferably have extra mudguards at the front as well Both the trail a bike a
12. put quality before price You can easily pay 1 500 euro for a good cargo bike There are also cargo bikes that come in a do it yourself package These packages cost about 500 euro but unfortunately they often contain cheaper parts They are not as qualitative and often need repairing Try out the cargo bike A small ride in your bike shop s street does not suffice Ask if you can make a test drive or lend the bike for a while before buying it Belgian legislation The Belgian laws for two wheeled cargo bikes are the same as for regular bikes The Belgian laws for three or four wheeled cargo bikes are e It is prohibited to cycle against traffic in a one way street e You can only cycle on a bicycle track when the bicycle is 1 m wide or less e You cannot cycle in pairs you need to cycle behind each other e The amount of passengers in the cargo box should never outnumber the amount of secured seats e Inthe dusk or at night and when visibility is less than 200 m the cyclist should use one white or yellow light at the front and one non blinding red flashing or steady light at the back e The cargo tricycles with one front wheel should have one white reflector in the front and two red reflectors at the back e Cargo tricycles with two front wheels should have two white reflectors at the front and one red reflector at the back e Four wheeled cargo bikes should have two white reflectors at the front and two red reflectors at the bac
13. 0 Fax 32 0 16 29 02 10 info mobiel21 be www mobiel21 be All rights reserved Except for specific exceptions explicitly expressed by the law no part of this publication may be reproduced translated or adapted saved in a computerized database or made public by use of print photo print microfilm or any other means without written permission from the copyright holder This brochure was published as part of the Bambini project Bambini is a project that is supported by Intelligent Energy Europe IEE Intelligent Energy Europe Intelligent Energy Europe IEE STEER Mobiel 21 The European Commission is not responsible for the information given in this brochure Mobiel21 38 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids SOURCES AND USEFUL LINKS Road safety and legislation Belgian Institute for Traffic Safety BIVV http www bivv be Interesting brochures by the BIVV Bicycle Helmet on good idea Children on a Bike Put on your Bicycle Helmet Bicycle child trailers and cargo bicycles Bicycle child trailer info http www fietskarinfo be Cargo bicycle info http www bakfietsinfo be Chariot bicycle trailers http www chariotcarriers com Croozer bicycle trailers http Awww croozerdesigns com Kidcar bicycle trailers http www kidcar com Winther Dolphin bicycle trailers http www winther bikes com Babboe cargo bikes
14. Buggy carrier Child s seat and buggy Up to 7 kg Example made by Steco Steco Buggy Mee Luggage extension piece Child s seat and saddlebag Example made by Steco Steco Pakaf Mee e A front luggage carrier A luggage carrier mounted to your steering wheel e A front luggage carrier A luggage carrier mounted to the axle of your front wheel Some bikes have a luggage system at the front of the bike This system allows you to attach saddlebags to your front wheel e Steco Universal adaptor This system can be used if a child s seat Steco Baby Mee or Steco Buggy Mee Deluxe do not fit on your bike rack A bike is not infallible and can collapse under too much weight Always bear this in mind and respect your bike rack s weight limit These are the only brands we are currently familiar with that offer these kinds of systems If you know other brands do not hesitate to tell us about it so we can add your advice to our brochure You can find our contact information in the colophon at the back of the brochure Belgian legislation There are some measurement rules you need to respect when carrying luggage on your bike e The width of your bike including the luggage cannot be more than 1 m e At the back your luggage cannot stick out more than 0 5 m This rule should also be respected when transporting something in a trailer e The total height of your bike cannot be over 2 5 m e Itis not allowed to have luggage sticking out in front
15. Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids Which bike trailer What should you pay attention to It is best not to buy a bike trailer impulsively There are many differences between the different trailers Not every bicycle child trailer is suited for your specific situation There is a checklist below you should keep in mind when purchasing your bike Photo 11 With 2 children in the bike trailer e What are you going to use the bike trailer for Will you use it daily or just occasionally Will you use it for long or short distances Are you buying it for a cycling holiday or for taking your child ren to day care or kindergarten every day e Where will you store your bike trailer Can it pass through your doorway Is it too wide to stand in your hallway Are there other places your bicycle child trailer should be able to pass through Will you leave the bike trailer at the day care centre What room do you have there e Can the bicycle trailer if necessary fit into your car trunk What are the measurements of your trunk What are the measurements of the bike trailer when it is folded away e Does your child s baby s seat fit into the trailer How big should the inside space of the trailer be How old are your children How big are they How much room do they need Do you want a child trailer for one or for two children How big is your family going to become e Are you planning on taking a baby with you on the
16. a bicycle trailer for your child ren Is there enough leg space How much space does your child need How long will the bicycle rides take Babies are only allowed to stay in a baby scale or hang mat for a maximum of 30 minutes Photo 13 Toddler s seat in a bike trailer e Not every bicycle child trailer has the same price tag How much are you willing to spend e How big is the cycling comfort How heavy is the trailer Is it still manoeuvrable e What happens when you fall Does the bike trailer have a good hitching system that keeps the bike trailer upright when your bike falls e How often will you mount and demount the bicycle child trailer If you are going to do this often at the day care centre for example look for a simple system If necessary you can even buy a second hitching piece so 2 family members can pull the bike trailer This can come in handy when for example mum drops the kids off at the day care centre and dad picks them up in the evening with another bike Belgian legislation e Your bicycle child trailer should be specifically designed for transporting passengers and every seat in the trailer should protect hands feet and back e A trailer can transport 2 children at the most e The bicycle child trailer cannot be wider than 1 m e An attached bike trailer cannot be longer than 2 5 m the length of the bike not included e The total weight of the bicycle trailer cannot be over 80 kg unless it has a separa
17. ant to use the trailer as a pram it is often too wide to fit through a shop door As long as we still have 1 child we prefer not to use the trailer as a pram Our daughter loves the bicycle trailer she feels so comfortable in it that she often falls asleep during our bicycle trips We have not regretted buying the bicycle trailer for a minute We are happy for the environment and our wallet that we did not have to buy a second car Photo 15 Toddler s chair in a bicycle trailer Leen Mobiel21 21 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids 2 children in the trailer The bicycle plays a valuable role in our family We use it for commuting and taking our two sons Mon and Gus to school day care every day We only have 1 car and we would like to keep it that way When our youngest son Gus was born a bicycle trailer seemed like the best option for transporting our 2 sons by bike safely and comfortably Before we used a child s bike seat for Mon Photo 16 2 children in the bicycle child trailer Personally think the biggest advantage of the system is not that you can take 2 children with you but that you can use it with very young children When went back to work after four months maternity leave could already take Gus with me in the bicycle trailer Gus had a special baby seat with woolskin that allowed him to travel safely He used this seat until he could s
18. ays cycle behind each other when a vehicle is approaching behind you On a bicycle track you can always cycle in pairs as long as you do not obstruct other cyclists At night or when there is less than 200 m visibility every cyclist should have 1 white or yellow light in the front and a red light at the back Flashing lights are allowed The lights can be attached to the cyclist backpack clothes The Belgian legislation for your bike and children s bikes o The wheels of a children s bike cannot have a diameter that is more than 50 cm wide tyres not included Mobiel21 32 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids o It is not compulsory for a children s bike to have reflectors as long as it is used during the daytime and the visibility is good But remember during the winter days are shorter It is better to put some reflectors on your child s bike anyhow o Achildren s bike should have at least 1 brake o Achildren s bike should have a bell e Mountain bikes or racing bikes only need reflectors when you drive them at night or when there is limited visibility However if the bike does not have a mudguard it must have a white reflector at the front and a red one at the back Photo 24 Children s bikes What is the right age to start cycling There is no rush in switching to a two wheeled bike In general children learn how to ride a bike between the age of 4 and 7 It i
19. cargo bike would be at mom s work By car then It would be a shame for mum to go home with an empty cargo bike We thought about all kinds of systems but none of them seemed to work Our third drawback The fact that we were confronted with this choice in the middle of a harsh winter with many slippery icy roads and a period in which we had to take our daughters to the doctor almost every week they took turns in getting very original diseases finally made us decide to buy a second car must admit we felt very guilty Especially because there is a family around the corner from where we live without a car and with a cargo bike They proved that it is possible but both the parents work less than 2 km from their home We do not have that luxury but we do think they are very brave It is good for the environment and it is cheaper than a car but for some reason we could not see ourselves using it as a daily means of transport instead of the car What if we bought a cargo bike to use in our spare time We could go on fun cycling trips with our family at the weekend We did not think it was a realistic idea Buying a car and a cargo bike would mean double costs Until one day a family member mentioned that there had been a cargo bike for sale in her town for some time We went there immediately and it turned out to be the model we had wanted all along Only this model was only half the initial price We did not hesitate we had spent over a year d
20. ct to use the cargo bike First decide on what you are going to use your cargo bike for Will you use it daily Will you use it for groceries or for your children How many children will use the cargo bike These questions are crucial in determining the size and cycling comfort of your bike If you are planning on taking children with you make sure your cargo bike has seatbelts Most cargo bikes are large and heavy but that does not hold true for all of them There are cargo bikes that transform into a buggy as well How comfortable should the cargo bike be Firstly the cycling comfort mainly depends on whether or not the cargo bike has a co steering device A co steering device is attached to the wheels and helps turn them while steering This system makes cycling heavy and unpleasant It is more comfortable to cycle with wheels that are steered separately Most tricycles have a co steering device Secondly the amount of gears also determines the bike s cycling comfort Most cargo bikes do not have a lot of gears but they do offer the possibility of installing them Having more gears will improve the cycling comfort Thirdly it can be difficult to start off or cycle uphill with a heavily loaded bike That is why some bikes offer the possibility of installing a small electric drive Fourthly cycling downhill with a heavily loaded bike can accelerate your speed a lot A good braking system is a must because regular brakes do not suffic
21. dress your child in a poncho to protect it from the rain Make sure the children s poncho cannot get stuck in the pokes of your bike Sources e BIVV Brochure Children on a Bike Legislation and Safety Advice http www bivv be section publications and material e Dutch Cycling Association http www fietsersbond nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 1 e Kind en Gezin e Kind en Gezin http www kindengezin be Themas Veiligheid Vervoer Fietsstoel jsp e _ Steco http www steco nl pages consumer index php page Producten amp taal nl amp cid 12 Mobiel 21 12 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids A mother s bike 11 June 2009 The day my son Ruben turns 5 months but more importantly it s my 28 birthday My husband knows like surprises so as a birthday present he took me on a trip to Maastricht a city in the Netherlands It was a fun surprise but got an even better present that day a new bike My old bike was born in the eighties so desperately needed to replace my antique model by a new one if wanted to take Ruben with me on my bike The Netherlands bicycle paradise seemed like the perfect place to find a new one thought would never be able to choose until saw the mother s bike it was love at first sight The bicycle shop had two models There was a big price difference between the two and because the advantages of the more expensive model did not exactl
22. drive Ask your bicycle shop if you can try out the Baby Mee Bike Mount the car seat on your bike and put a bag of potatoes in it for example This way you can find out if your car seat is compatible with the system and you can experience how stable your bike is Although Babybike is a web store you can always call to make a reservation so you can go and have a look at their system Mobiel21 14 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids Finally compare prices The Steco Baby Mee Bike costs about 90 euro If you do not have a car seat you will have to purchase that as well The Babybike costs about 345 euro The under frame costs 149 euro and the seat costs 194 euro forwarding charges Safety advice e Read the Safety advice on page 4 e Respect the maximum weight 25 kg e Put the car seat s handle upwards It will offer extra protection in case you fall e Fasten up your child securely e Install a saddle springs protector In all sorts of weather Babybike also sells little tents that protect your baby from the sun wind and rain The tent can be completely closed off or you can leave it half open The Steco Baby Mee system can be used with rain shields for car seats Sources e Babybike http www babybike nl e BIVV Brochure Children on a Bike Safety Advice http www bivv be section publications and material e Dutch Cycling Association http www fietsersbo
23. e Make sure your cargo bike has roller or disc brakes Both these systems are excellent for cargo bikes Disc brakes are a bit stronger but they need more maintenance than roller brakes Fifthly a steering damper is important for the cycling comfort on tri and quadricycles The damper keeps the cargo box from swerving so you can stay in control of the bike Without a steering damper the cargo box will turn sooner than you expect and will be more difficult to control Finally make sure you have the right tyres Unnecessary resistance will make the cargo bike even heavier Where will you park your cargo bike You need enough room both indoors and outdoors when parking a cargo bike If your cargo bike cannot be stored indoors you can leave it outside The cargo bike only contains weather resistant materials It is recommended however to cover up your bike with a tarpaulin anyhow Photo 18 2 children in 2 wheeled cargo bike Mobiel21 24 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids Is the exterior of the cargo bike important to you Nowadays there are a lot of different kinds of cargo bikes There are bikes with cargo boxes made of wood aluminium and boxes that look like bicycle trailers The models range from very stylish to plain and simple ones There is something for everyone How much are you willing to pay for your cargo bike Cargo bikes are pricey because manufacturers
24. e but it depends on the amount and the weight of the children you are transporting These are the only brands we are currently familiar with that offer these kinds of systems If you know other brands do not hesitate to tell us about it so we can add your advice to our brochure You can find our contact information in the colophon at the back of the brochure Which cargo bicycle What should you pay attention to Here are some points of interest you should consider before buying a cargo bike Do you want a bicycle a tricycle or a quadricycle Your choice will depend on several factors If you will be transporting a lot of weight it is better to buy a cargo tricycle With a bicycle you need to balance the entire bike yourself so it is better not to put too much weight in it The measurements of the cargo tricycle are generally larger and wider than those of a bicycle A bicycle is narrower Because you can load a tricycle more heavily than a bicycle a bicycle is lighter to cycle with and can go faster than a tricycle Furthermore a bicycle is more flexible and moves with you when taking a bend whereas most tricycles do not Finally tricycles and quadricycles are more Photo 17 With 2 kids in a cargo stable than bicycles when loading Make sure that the bicycle bike has wide stands that help maintain its balance Mobiel21 23 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids How do you expe
25. ean however that the child is ready for a child s saddle It is essential you wait until your child is also capable of making the opposite movement crawling and then sitting before taking it with you on a bike seat Otherwise your child will not have a good and steady sitting balance on the bike Some babies are ready for a child s bike seat at 9 months with other children it can take up to 12 months Mobiel21 10 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzwQ 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids What should you pay attention to when buying a child s bike seat Firstly it is very important to check if the child s bike seat meats the European requirements Approved models have an EN 14344 code engraved on the back of the chair It is also important to buy the right type of chair that is suitable for your child s weight category A15 A22 C15 Make sure the seat has adjustable three or four point seat belts at least 2 cm wide adjustable footrests with straps at least 1 5 cm wide and a high back support system that offers your child enough side support as well Do not forget to check if the seat is compatible with your bike And finally try before you buy See if you and your child feel comfortable with the seat Photo 7 Child s bike seats on the front and at the back Most people prefer a rear mounted child bike seat These chairs do not hinder steering or mounting your bike Moreover your child will be les
26. g The Baby Mee Bike is a handle with springs you can install on your bike rack The handle is compatible with almost all car seats currently available like a Maxi Cosi In the Baby Mee your baby is seated with its feet towards your back If you use special points of attachment you can even install the system in a cargo bicycle Photo 9 Steco Baby Mee e Babybike The Babybike has an under frame with springs that can be clicked on to your bike rack There is a different system for toddler chairs on wheels The system is designed for Peg Perego car seats Primo Viaggio You can install the chair in two directions The car seat can also be used in a pram Peg Perego Pliko III These are the only brands we are currently familiar with that offer these kinds of systems If you know other brands do not hesitate to tell us about it so we can add your advice to our brochure You can find our contact information in the colophon at the back of the brochure What should you pay attention to when purchasing First of all the two systems have different purchasing methods Babybikes can only be bought online You simply place your order and the Babybike will be delivered at your home Steco on the other hand is a supplier You can buy the Steco Baby Mee in a specialised bike store Secondly make sure the system can be installed on your bike rack The Steco Baby Mee is suitable for DIN ISO racks that can carry up to 25 kg Do a test
27. g or braking actions e Provide your bike with double stands i e a tripod adjusted to both sides of your bike The double stands will ensure your bicycle remains stable while you are taking your children in and out of the system Photo 2 Bicycle with double stands e Make sure your own bike is safe before mounting an extra system Do not put your saddle up too high so your feet can still touch the ground if necessary Make sure you have good brakes and adjust your speed e Regularly check if the attachment points are still secure Mobiel 21 4 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids Purchasing tip To ensure good quality products and a personal customer service purchase your equipment in a specialised bicycle shop Online purchases might be cheaper but they do not guarantee the same quality and expertise you can find in specialised shops Moreover when you buy things online you will have to assemble the equipment yourself and you will have nowhere to go when something breaks or needs replacing Visit your bicycle shop regularly to get your bike checked Especially when buying second hand equipment a bicycle shop is the better choice About branding This brochure only contains brands we are familiar with If you know other brands and are satisfied about their quality do not hesitate to tell us about it so we can add your advice to our brochure You can find our contact informat
28. hen your bike falls over the trailer will remain upright Child s bike seats or cargo bicycles do not have this advantage According to recent studies the bicycle child trailer is a safer means of transport than the child s bike seat The trailer s cage construction protects the children and makes the trailer shift away rather than tip over when you have an accident What are the possibilities Children are ready for the bicycle child trailer as soon as they can sit this is mostly at the age of 6 to 12 months If you use an extra baby seat you can also take younger babies with you on the bike e Options suitable for a baby Baby scale 3 to 9 months Baby hang mat 3 to 9 months Child s seat Extra head support e Options suitable for a toddler Atoddler s car seat Extra head support e Suitable for a toddler without extra accessories e Can be used for cycling or as a buggy for jogging long walks and sometimes with skis Photo 10 Hang mat for babies in a bicycle trailer e The maximum age is about 5 years but in fact you can use the child bike trailer until your child no longer fits in it However you must be careful not to cross the weight limit There are several bicycle child trailer brands that sell the above mentioned options You can find more information and pictures on their websites There is an overview of relevant WebPages at the back of this brochure Mobiel21 17 On the Move with Bike and
29. ike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids e A spoke and saddle springs protector will prevent your child s feet or fingers getting stuck Make sure your child cannot accidentally kick your bicycle lock e Always use the right tools when mounting and demounting the system e Your child is safely fastened in its chair and cannot open the bicycle seat belts himself The seat belts either run from shoulders to crotch from shoulders around the lower waist or from shoulders to waist and crotch e After mounting the child bike seat check if all your bike functions still work properly and if your bike is still safe e Respect your bike rack capacity i e a maximum of 25 kg e Do not use the bike seat if it is not safe e Do not add extra luggage to the child s bike seat e Itis more comfortable for your child when the bike seat has a helmet gap the plastic at the top of the seat slightly slants backwards e Buy a seat in light bright colours A light coloured chair stays cooler in the sun than a dark one In all sorts of weather It is very important to dress your child for the weather In a child s bike seat your child is not protected from wind and rain There are special windshields and rain slipcases available to protect centre mounted child s bike seats Children sitting in a rear mounted child s bike seat are better protected from the wind because you are sitting in front of them You can
30. ill not learn how to cycle independently on this kind of bike Even though your child might not learn how to keep its balance it will learn a lot about steering braking traffic e All bicycles should have reflectors do not forget to put them on your child s bike as well Photo 21 Children s bike In all sorts of weather If it is raining outside dress your child in a poncho and or waterproof trousers Sources e This information was taken from the brochure Children on a Bike by the BIVV http www bivv be section publications and material Here you can find more information on how to teach your child how to cycle buying a bike cycling in traffic together traffic rules things you should bear in mind while cycling and 10 golden cycling tips for young bikers e Dutch Cycling Association Photo 22 Children s bike and walking bike http www fietsersbond nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 1 Mobiel 21 34 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids BICYCLE HELMET A bicycle helmet is a must When you fall or have an accident you often hit your head and this can have severe consequences A child can wear a bicycle helmet as soon as the perimeter of its head is 46 cm or more and it can sit up independently Use measuring tape to measure your child s head Measure slightly above the top of your child s ears and slightly above the eyebrows Ph
31. ion in the colophon at the back of the brochure Belgian legislation According to the Belgian law it is obligatory to have a special seat on your bike when transporting a passenger by bike If you do not have an adjusted bike transporting a passenger is prohibited Mobiel 21 5 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids BABIES ON BIKES IS THAT POSSIBLE The days in which you could not cycle with your children before their first birthday are long gone Nowadays there are systems that allow you to take your baby with you on your bike much sooner Unfortunately there are still many prejudices on this matter Some say it is not safe for the baby because a bicycle jolts and shakes too much increasing the risk of the shaken baby syndrome SBS We went in search of answers and found some reassuring solutions What is the shaken baby syndrome SBS Severely shaking a baby can cause brain damage bleeding eyes bone marrow and neck wounds and can even lead to death These symptoms are what we call the shaken baby syndrome The syndrome mainly occurs in cases of child abuse when a baby is violently shaken in order to make it stop crying Lightly shaking your baby when for example waking it up does not cause SBS What are the causes Babies have very weak neck muscles and a relatively large heavy head There is also space in between the brain and the skull so the brain has room t
32. it upright independently Since then my two sons sit next to each other in the trailer comfortably and protected from wind and rain Of course the bicycle trailer slows down your speed You can feel the extra weight you are towing but it is not as heavy as you might expect Gus is almost 2 now and Mon is 3 5 hope we will be able to use the trailer for a few more years Karen Mobiel21 22 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids THE CARGO BIKE The cargo bike has been around for a long time and has recently made a comeback on the streets You can use a cargo bike for transporting your children but you can also use it to put your groceries in Your child ren is are in front of you throughout the whole trip so you can always keep an eye on them Bicycle tricycle quadricycle They are all available but which one is big enough for you Cycling with a cargo bike is harder than cycling with a bicycle child trailer The cargo bike also drives less smoothly which makes it less appropriate for babies Contrary to the bike trailer a cargo bike can tip over It is possible to take babies with you on the bike if you install special springs What are the possibilities e Bicycle tricycle or quadricycle e For 2 to 6 children e Baby scale securing system e Toddler s chair securing system e Steco Baby Mee and car seat securing system e Child s car seat e Upto 4 or 5 years of ag
33. k e The tri or quadricycles pedals should have yellow or orange reflectors Safety advice e See Safety advice on page 5 e Check if all seat belts are secured e Make sure your children do not lean out of the cargo box while cycling and teach them to keep their hands inside the box e When using a child s car seat or other seat baby or toddler scale make sure everything is securely fastened e Itis better to put your child s seat against traffic Mobiel 21 25 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids e Anextra head support for your baby is recommended In all sorts of weather Dress your children for the weather Some cargo bike models have covered cargo boxes Most cargo bikes offer a plastic cover and tarpaulin as extra accessories Under these covers children will not feel any rain or wind When the weather is very cold you can give your child an extra blanket For babies up to 9 months there are special fleece blankets that have holes in them for pulling seatbelts through so your baby is warm and safe at the same time You can also use the fleece in a child s car seat Sources e BIVV Brochure Children on a Bike Legislation and Safety Advice http www bivv be section publications and material e Dutch Cycling Association http www fietsersbond nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 1 e Babboe cargo bikes http www babboe be e Cargo bike info http www ba
34. kfietsinfo be e Bakfiets nl cargo bikes http bakfiets nl e Feetz cargo bikes http www feetz nl e Taga cargo bikes http www taga nl e Winther Kangaroo cargo bikes http www kangaroobike com Mobiel 21 26 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids A bicycle solution for our family Finding a bicycle solution for our family not that simple Last year we went to a bicycle shop to get some information on bicycle trailers Our market research had only just begun but we came out of that bicycle shop completely enchanted not by a bicycle trailer but by a cargo bike We were not really familiar with this system so we had not considered it as a solution but we immediately preferred it to a bicycle trailer With a cargo bike you can still see your children laughing and having fun in front of you and it is also easier to go grocery shopping with it To be honest we just thought the cargo bike was cooler than a bicycle trailer Unfortunately we were soon confronted with a drawback cargo bikes are expensive Buying a bike like this is not an easy decision We had just moved and done some renovations we wanted to invest in our company It was a difficult financial decision but we did not want to be put off that easily The cheapest cargo bike we found cost 750 euro but it did not have enough gears It just wasn t realistic The next price category was somewhere in between 1200 and
35. n your bike although there are simple solutions for that if you do want a rear mounted seat The disadvantage of the system is that cannot turn my steering wheel entirely because the footrests tend to collide with the steering wheel You do get used to that though practice makes perfect Unfortunately we were not ready to set out on a bicycle trip quite yet Ruben still needed a helmet Because he was so young at the time it was not easy to find a model that was small enough for him Thankfully we managed to overcome that obstacle as well and now Ruben has a cool safe helmet he can wear on the bike There is a little brother or sister on the way so there will soon be a rear mounted seat on my bike as well When drop off Ruben at the day care centre my mother s bike gets a lot of admiring glances from other mothers who might just be a little jealous of my bike Katrien Mobiel21 13 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids THE CAR SEAT ON YOUR BIKE RACK It might be a strange sight a car seat on your bike but as you can read here it works rather well Using a special rack you can install a baby car seat on the back of your bike Currently there are two well known brands that sell the system Are you ready to give it a try What are the possibilities e Steco Baby Mee Bike The Steco Baby Mee Bike is suited for children from 3 to 9 months and can carry a maximum weight of 10 k
36. nd nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 1 e Child bicycle trailer http Awww fietskarinfo be e _ Steco http www steco nl pages consumer index php taal nl amp page Producten amp cid 1 2 amp pid 20 Here you will also find a mounting manual and user s guide Mobiel21 15 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids A baby on the back of my bike My daughter Liv s day care centre is located in between our home and the train station am a commuter and the cycling route to the station is shorter and more pleasant than the route by car That is why we went in search of the best way to take Liv to the day care centre by bike Research suggested that a bike child trailer was very safe Unfortunately this was rather unpractical for us because we did not want to leave the bike trailer at the station On a Dutch website we found some information on the Steco Baby Mee an undercarriage for a car seat or similar child s seat with extra springs that you can mount to your bike rack You can put the car seat in the metal undercarriage and attach it with the elastics that come with the system It was hard to find the Baby Mee system in Belgium and the shops that did sell it were very expensive In the end we decided to buy a second hand model on a Dutch website Several points of interest As you would do in a car you need to put the car seat s handle upright when cycling It functions as a
37. nd the family tandem should have double stands Photo 21 Double stands e Cycling comfort In order to enhance your child s cycling comfort consider using a trail a bike that has an adjustable saddle an adjustable steering wheel and gears so it is easier for your child to cycle with you Make sure your child has enough leg space and can easily reach its steering wheel To make it easier for your child to cycle with you his her bike should have the same gears as you do Your child will have to change gears him herself so make sure you teach your child how to use them Take your child with you when you are out buying the bike so you can try out the system before buying it You and your child will be able to experience if the cycling System is stable enough for you e Price range Naturally a family tandem will be more expensive than a trail a bike or a hitching system The Dutch Cycling Association has tested several trail a bike systems You can find their conclusions on the following website http www fietserbond nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 2001 Belgian legislation When you are cycling with a trail a bike using a hitching system or a family tandem you are submitted to the same rules as other bikers Safety advice e See Safety advice on page 4 e Adjust your child s saddle so your child can still put his her feet on the ground e Make sure your child is attentive during the ride and does not fall asleep Talk to yo
38. ng When it wants to learn the learning process will be easier and more fun Mobiel21 36 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids Sources e _ BIVV Brochure Children on a Bike e Gezinsbond Brieven aan jonge ouders Baby s eerste levensjaar van maand tot maand Elsevier Sequoia Brussel 1980 164 p e Hedwig Stellamans Wellens Kijk ik word groot Van baby tot peuter Davidsfonds Uitgeverij 1997 101 p e Kind en Gezin Ontwikkeling van de baby http www kindengezin be Ouders Baby Ontwikkeling Ontwikkeling van de peuter http www kindengezin be Ouders Peuter Ontwikkeling e Robert S Feldman Ontwikkelingspsychologie Pearson Education Beneleux 2007 Mobiel21 37 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzwQ 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids COLOPHON Editorial Staff Cindy Jans Mobiel 21 vzw Elke Franchois Mobiel 21 vzw Lies Lambert Mobiel 21 vzw Vicky Dierckx Mobiel 21 vzw Authors witness stories and photographers Jochem Poesen Karen Vancluysen and Werner Dierckx Katrien Stynen and Arthur Odekerken Leen Franchois and Han Tambuyzer Nele Smets and Bert Smits Raf Canters Riet Van de Walle and Wim Billet Sarah Martens And others Date September 2010 Responsible Publisher Elke Bossaert Mobiel 21 vzw Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 Mobiel 21 vzw Vital Decosterstraat 67 A 0101 3000 LEUVEN Tel 32 0 16 23 94 65 Tel 32 0 16 31 77 0
39. o grow When you severely shake a baby the head and neck make a kind of whiplash movement the head violently shakes back and forth and the brain moves about inside the skull as well This phenomenon can cause the aforementioned symptoms At what age Under the age of 3 months babies are still very vulnerable and their head and brain can easily be damaged After 3 months babies neck muscles are stronger and they are better protected against the risks of violent shaking Once children are 1 year or older it is very unlikely they will get SBS A one year old has a different more proportionate body than a baby the head chest and neck are more in balance SBS and transporting a baby by bike In a car seat or baby hang mat or scale the vibrations and limited shocks move in a head to feet direction and hardly occur in the opposite front to back direction The vibrations are almost completely absorbed by the springs in the transport system Thanks to this system whiplash movements are completely eliminated e Younger than 3 months Babies under the age of 3 months have no control over their neck muscles Because of this head to feat vibrations will always trigger front to back vibrations as well However when your baby is in a car seat baby hang mat or baby scale adjusted to your bike he she will not experience any vibrations Still it is advised not to travel for over half an hour The same holds true for travelling with babies by a
40. oing that and we bought the bike Next time you see a cargo bike passing by with two cheerful girls in the cargo box and a proud mum or dad behind the steering wheel it might be us Nele Mobiel21 27 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids A TRAIL A BIKE A trail a bike is a system that is fit for 4 to 8 year olds depending on your child s height If your child cannot cycle without training wheels yet or you and your child have to cycle through very busy traffic than the trail a bike might be a good solution for you Your child can choose to coast or pedal along while they are being towed A trail a bike is also very handy for taking children with an auditive or visual disability with you on a cycling trip This system allows them to enjoy a safe and fun bicycle trip too What are the possibilities e A trail a bike only has one wheel and the bike s frame is mounted on the adult bike s seatpost or bike rack The child can pedal if and whenever it wants to The adult is in charge of steering the child can hold on to its steering wheel but cannot move it e The special hitching system allows you to attach a regular child s bike to the adult s bike This system allows the child to cycle independently when possible When your child is tired or traffic is dangerous you can hook up your child s bike and cycle on safely e On the family tandem your child sits in front of you
41. oto 23 Bicycle helmet The smallest bicycle helmet size is 46 52 cm For more information on bicycle helmets have a look at these brochures Put on your Bicycle Helmet For children BIVV and Bicycle Helmet on Good idea For parents BIVV and CM Photo 24 Bicycle helmet e Bicycle Helmet on Good idea http www cm be nl 100 bewustgezond ehboenveiligheid veiligheid veiligfietsen veilig fietsen j sp e Put on your Bicycle Helmet http www bivv be main PublicatieMateriaal Educatie catalogDetail shtml detail 70995 160281 anguage nl Mobiel21 35 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzwQ 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids YOUR CHILD S DEVELOPMENT Your child s development is an individual process Not every child develops his her motor coordination at the same speed Some children are fast and others are a bit slower It is important for parents to remember that Below you can find some important milestones in the development of your child you should bear in mind if you are planning on taking your child with you on your bike or when your child wants to start riding a bicycle him herself Milestones e 3months When a baby is 3 months old it can already use its neck muscles a little The baby is capable of holding its head up independently for a while e 6months At 6 months babies experiment with sitting upright At first the baby needs to be supported when sitting upright but babies are fast learners Mo
42. s affected by bad weather and wind when it is seated behind you A centre mounted child bike seat has a lower back support system that leaves the head unprotected However this system does offer more protection in case of a bike accident When you are transporting children on your bike be sure not to put up your saddle too high so your feet can still touch the ground Also have your brakes checked regularly and adjust your speed When mounting the child s bike seat secure it to the frame of the bike This will be more comfortable for you and your child Child s bike seats that are fastened to a bike luggage rack or the steering wheel require an extra point of attachment When a child s bike seat is mounted too closely to the saddle your child will not have enough leg space When mounted too much toward the back of the bike the bike will easily tip over Belgian legislation e You can only transport someone on your bike if you have installed a bike seat It is prohibited to transport people on your bicycle rack e Thus sitting on a bike rack sideways with both legs to the same side is also prohibited Safety advice e See Safety advice on page 4 e The child s seat does not have any gaps that are about 0 5 1 2 cm wide Your child s fingers could get stuck e There are no small bits and pieces your child can pull or swallow e There are no dangerous sharp edges Cover them up if there are Mobiel21 11 On the Move with B
43. s best to wait until your child shows some interest in learning how to cycle without training wheels Talk about it now and then to kindle your child s interest and he she will be riding a bike before you know it Buying a children s bicycle e The bicycle s frame should be adjusted to your child s height Take your child with you so he she can try out the bike A first bike is normally a 12 inch model One inch is about 2 7 cm and is used as a unit to describe the wheels diameter Bicycle dealers recommend the following sizes Table 1 Measurements children s bicycles Wheel diameter Your child s clothing size 12 inch 92 cm 104 cm 16 inch 104 cm 110 cm 20 inch 116 cm 122 cm 24 inch 128 cm 140 cm There are intermediate sizes as well but these are not available everywhere e Buying a bicycle is not like buying a toy The bicycle should have a solid frame and should be built out of qualitative materials Mobiel 21 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 33 On the Move with Bike and Kids e Let your child test the brakes before buying the bike The brakes are often positioned too far away from the steering wheel or they are too difficult for small hands to work with Children s bikes often have a torpedo brake braking by pedalling backwards e The smallest bikes often have training wheels to help the young cyclist keep his her balance The downside is your child w
44. st of them can sit up independently at 6 or 7 months e 8 months At the age of 8 9 months your baby can sit without any support his head is balanced and he can sit up with a straight back e 12 months At the age of about 12 months your baby learns how to raise himself with help and he can make little sidesteps while holding on to something When a child is 12 14 months it will start taking its first steps with help Half of the children can walk by the time they celebrate their first birthday Once they have reached this age they will start taking obstacles without falling they learn how to throw a ball without falling or losing their balance and they might even try to run e As of 18 months Once your toddler has mastered walking it can learn how to ride a walking bike or a tricycle It can learn all about balancing pedalling steering braking avoiding obstacles e As of 30 months When your child is about 30 months he she is ready to ride a bicycle with pedals They will still need some support for maintaining their balance at first e Ages 3to 5 Getting the hang of steering starting and stopping is a big task Three year olds are not very good at it yet but by the time they are 5 they will probably master these skills quite well e Ages 4to7 This is a good age for a child to start cycling They can start practicing keeping their balance braking steering avoiding obstacles However you should not force your child to start cycli
45. te braking System that brakes as soon as the cyclist brakes e Abicycle child trailer should have two red reflectors at the back e At night or when the visibility is less than 200 m and the bicycle trailer hides the bicycle s rear light you have to install an extra red rear light on the trailer e Itis obligatory to cycle behind one another when cycling with a bicycle trailer Safety advice e See Safety advice on page 4 Mobiel 21 19 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids e Make sure the seat belts are secured at all times e If you are transporting 2 children teach your toddler not to play with his baby brother or sister while in the trailer e Always close the trailers mosquito net Not only does it protect your children from insects it also keeps little rocks and stones from flying about in the bicycle trailer In a closed bike trailer hands and feet cannot get stuck in between the pokes e Check if all the parts hang mat scale are securely attached and cannot get loose Also check if there are any loose parts your toddler can fidget with If this is the case it is best to cover up the dangerous parts e In order to decrease the risks of shaking your baby on the way an extra head support is recommended In all sorts of weather You cannot completely close off the bicycle child trailer When it is cold outside try to close off the trailer as much as you can and dress
46. ur child ask him her to pedal with you e f you want to check up on your child without having to turn your head all the time simply install a mirror on your steering wheel e Make sure you do not cross the system s weight limit Mobiel 21 29 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids e It is possible that your child gets off the bike while you are standing still at a traffic light for example Remember to always look back before setting off again to check your child is still on the bike Photo 22 A child s seat in front and a hitch for hooking up a child s bike Sources In all sorts of weather On a trail a bike a children s bike or a family tandem you cannot install a tent construction to protect your child ren from rain and wind If it is raining outside dress your child in a poncho and waterproof trousers e BIVV brochure Children on a Bike Legislation and Safety advice http www bivv be section publication and material e Dutch Cycling Association http www fietsersbond nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 1 e Family tandem http www familietandem nl e Follow Me http www followme tandem nl e Trail gator http www trail gator com Mobiel 21 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 30 On the Move with Bike and Kids TAKING EXTRA LUGGAGE OR A BUGGY WITH YOU ON THE BIKE What are the possibilities e
47. with Bike and Kids Neuropathology of inflicted head injury in children Il Microscopic brain injury in infants Geddes JF Vowles GH Hackshaw AK Nickols CD Scott IS Whitwell HL Brain 2001 124 1299 1306 Traumatic axonal injury practical issues for diagnosis in medicolegal cases Geddes JF Whitwell HL Graham DI Neuropathology and applied neurobiology 2000 26 105 116 Position paper on fatal abusive head injuries in infants and young children Case EM Graham MA Handy TC Jentzen JM Monteleone JA and the National Association of medical Examiners ad hoc committee on shaken baby syndrome Am J Forensic med Pathol 2001 22 112 122 The whiplash shaken infant syndrome Has Caffey s syndrome changed or have we changed his syndrome Lazoritz S Baldwin S Kini N Child Abuse Negl 1997 Oct 21 10 1009 1014 Anatomy of the shaken baby syndrome Lancon JA Haines DE Parent AD Anat Rec 1998 Feb 253 1 13 18 Retinal haemorrhages and child abuse Levin AV Recent advances in paediatrics David TJ ed vol 18 London England Churchill Livingstone 2000 151 219 Position statement on identifying the infant with nonaccidental central nervous system injury the whiplash shake syndrome Luerssen TG Bruce DA Humphreys RP the American society of pediatric neurosurgeons Paediatric Neurosurg 1993 19 170 The spectrum of traumatic axonal injury T A Gennarelli Neuropathology and applied neurobiology 1996
48. would be absurd to buy a second car just for bringing our daughter to day care However a child can only use a child s seat when it is about 10 months so we needed to find another solution We went for a bicycle trailer and not a cargo bike because of the price Photo 14 1 child in the bicycle trailer In addition the bicycle trailer has the advantage that can easily leave it at the day care centre so do not have to cycle around with a heavy empty trailer for no reason When transporting a small baby you do need to use a baby scale in the bicycle trailer You could use a car seat as well but we bought a scale because it was user friendlier We use the bicycle trailer 3 or 4 times during the working week for bringing our daughter to and from the day care centre and at the weekend we go on short bicycle trips Furthermore we also use the bicycle trailer when we go shopping Although our daughter is old enough for a child bike seat now we still use the trailer because it offers better protection from the weather A second advantage of the trailer system is that you have more room Nappies for the day care centre groceries you can still take everything with you A third advantage is that you can easily use it for 2 children and if you buy an extra wheel you can go walking with the trailer as well A disadvantage compared to the child s bike seat is that the trailer is heavier and less flexible e g In busy streets If you also w
49. y wow me it had a steering wheel lock so the steering wheel could not tilt had soon made my choice bought a blue green colourful model with 7 gears The mother s bike has a typically wide curved steering wheel that leaves room for mounting a child s bike seat The bicycle has a special lower frame that makes it easier to get on and off your bike It also has a sturdy bike rack extra spokes and double stands The bicycle bought does not have a steering wheel lock but it does have springs in between the frame and the steering wheel that prevents the latter from tilting too much The springs and double stands ensure the bike s stability when taking Photo 8 A mother s bike with rear your child in and out of its seat mounted child bike seat A mother s bike without a child s bike seat is like a pub with no beer and so also got to browse through the shelves with child s bike seats felt like a kid in a candy shop had decided in advance wanted a centre mounted seat on my steering wheel so could talk to Ruben about the animals in the field the tough lorries on the road and the trains speeding through the landscape during our bicycle trips Eventually a centre mounted seat with a matching windshield and sleeping role to put on the steering wheel caught my eye The advantages of a centre mounted seat are that it allows you to talk to your child you can still use the bike rack and you can leave your saddlebags o
50. your children warmly When the weather is extremely cold you can always wrap your child in an extra blanket For babies up to 9 months there are special fleece blankets that have holes in them for pulling seatbelts through so your baby is warm and safe at the same time You can use these blankets in a child s car seat as well Most bicycle child trailers offer protection from the rain The fabric used in bike trailers is plasticized on the inside so not a single drop of water can reach your children Sources e BIVV Brochure Children on a Bike Legislation and Safety Advice http www bivv be section Publications and material e Dutch Cycling Association http www fietsersbond nl urlsearchresults asp itemnumber 2717 amp viewtype popup e Kind en Gezin http www kindengezin be e Chariot bicycle trailers http Awww chariotcarriers com e Croozer bicycle trailers http www croozerdesigns com e Bicycle trailer info Michel Obourdin http www fietskarinfo be e Kidcar bicycle trailers http www kidcar com e Winther Dolphin bicycle trailers http www winther bikes com Mobiel 21 20 On the Move with Bike and Kids Mobiel 21 vzw 2010 On the Move with Bike and Kids 1 child in the trailer We bought a bicycle child trailer for 2 children Currently we only have 1 child but we wanted to buy a bigger trailer in case our family expands Because live nearby my work and the day care centre we thought it
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