Biking With Baby

Riding is one of the first things new parents quietly give up, and one of the easiest to get back. A chariot or a child bike seat brings your child along for the ride, which turns a Saturday morning loop into something the whole family does rather than something you take turns at.

Chariots and Trailers

A chariot tows behind the bike in an enclosed cabin, and it's the option that does the most. Your child sits low and protected from wind and sun, there's room for a bag and a jumper, and the ride is smoother than anything mounted on the frame. 

The good ones convert, so the same unit becomes a jogging pram or a walking stroller when you swap the wheel kit over, which is what justifies the outlay for a lot of families. A bicycle chariot suits longer rides, two children, and anyone who wants to keep going through weather that would end a bike seat outing.

Front Mount and Rear Mount Bike Seats

Seats are lighter, cheaper and quicker to fit, and they suit shorter trips. A front mount seat puts your child between your arms where you can talk to them and they get the view, which younger toddlers love, though it limits how much you can lean into a turn. Rear mount seats carry more weight and suit a bigger child, and they come in two fittings. 

Rack mount sits on a luggage rack, frame mount clamps to the seat tube, and which you need depends on your bike, so check before ordering. Either way you're carrying the load high, which changes the handling noticeably. Take the first ride somewhere quiet.

Starting Safely

Every manufacturer sets a minimum age, and it comes down to the same thing: your child needs to sit unsupported and hold their head steady while wearing a helmet, which is heavier than it looks on a small neck. 

Check the figure for the specific model rather than assuming, since it differs between seats and trailers. Trailers can take a younger passenger when fitted with an infant sling, which supports a baby who can't yet sit up on their own, and the sling has its own age guidance worth reading closely. 

Helmets are required for everyone in Australia, including the passenger. Check the mounting is tight before each ride, keep to paths and quiet streets while you're getting used to the weight, and ride a little more conservatively than you would alone.

The Brand We Ride With

We stock one brand across this whole category, and it's a deliberate choice. Thule is the Swedish outdoor brand behind roof boxes and bike racks, and it applies the same engineering to carrying children. 

Its range covers front and rear mount seats in rack and frame fittings, the chariots that convert between towing and jogging, and the accessories that extend them, including infant slings, padding and storage covers. 

Buying within one system means the sling, the cover and the wheel kit are made to fit the trailer you already own, which is worth more in this category than choice for its own sake.

Getting Out and About

Biking is one way of covering ground with a small child, and most families end up with two or three depending on the day and the terrain. Our full baby travel gear range covers the alternatives, and these are the closest to a morning on the bike path:

• Wagons & Chariots
• Running & Jogging Prams
• Baby Carriers
• Scooters & Trikes
• Pram Sun Covers
• Drink Bottles & Cups
• Sun Hats
• Prams & Strollers

Come and look at the fittings in person atAlexandria orMiranda, and bring the bike details with you so we can match the mount.