Cycling with babies and toddlers: everything you need to get started

Whether you’ve got a newborn on your hands and are already thinking about how soon you can start cycling together, or you’ve got a toddler who’s raring to get going on a balance bike, cycling with babies and toddlers is such a lovely thing to do. 

Since there’s a lot of thought and planning that can go into cycling with a baby or toddler, Cycle Sprog is here to tell you everything you need to know to get started.

Since 2012 Cycle Sprog has become the go-to source of information for cycling parents - we've ridden with kids and helped others ride with kids.  So we're experts on the ups and downs and in's and out's of cycling with little ones. 

From safety concerns about carrying babies on bikes, to practical advice on how to get toddlers rolling independently, we’ve written extensively about all things cycling with the under 3's. 

To make this process as easy as possible for you, we’ve collated all our best advice about cycling with babies and toddlers into one place. 

This is a comprehensive guide to cycling with babies and toddlers, broken down into different subjects so you can either read it in its entirety or pick and choose which parts you’re most interested in.

This guide is aimed at parents looking to cycle with children aged between birth and 3 years old. Check out our similar guide for cycling with kids for the 3-11 age group, or cycling with teenagers, if these are more relevant to you. 

Contents

You can skip to the relevant parts by using the links below.

• What age can you cycle with a baby?
• How to start cycling with babies and toddlers
• Equipment for carrying babies and toddlers by bike
• Guide to helmets for babies and toddlers
• Useful accessories
• Where you can hire before you buy
• Bikes for babies and toddlers
• Where to ride together
• Cycling after childbirth
• Troubleshooting

Front seats

Lots of parents opt for a front-mounted seat for their bikes, which are suitable for children as young as 9 months old.

It’s a great way to have them up front and centre where you can see them and chat to them, and they get the best view!

It’s worth bearing in mind however that they will also get the full brunt of the elements if you’re riding in bad weather.

Front bike seats also don’t work with drop handlebars, and if you’re on the shorter side, it can be a bit cramped!

If this sounds like the best option for you, check out our guide to the best front bike seats for toddlers and young children.

Rear seats

Another option would be to have a seat mounted to the rear of the bike, so your child is sat behind you. These are also suitable for 9 months and up, and can be a better option if you’ve got drop bars or don’t want to be too cramped up front. 

Rear seats can be mounted either directly to the bike, or placed on top of a rack, so there are lots of options to suit different setups. 

It’s worth noting that with a rear-mounted seat, your child will have a more restricted view, and it’s difficult or impossible for you to wear a backpack.

To explore this option further, take a look at our guide to the best rear bike seats for toddlers and small children.

Cargo bikes

There’s a reason family cargo bikes are soaring in popularity: we’d say that if your budget allows, then this is the absolute best way to carry your children by bike for everyday journeys.

They’re purpose built for it, rather than an additional accessory to add to your current bike, where you may need to worry about compatibility issues, or your ability to ride with the additional weight.

There are different types — long-tail, two-wheeled box and three-wheeled box — so start by deciding which type of cargo bike is best for your family, and then move onto our guide to the best cargo bikes for families.

Trailers

Pulling a trailer can be great if you’re transporting up to two children at the same time, and they’re safe to use for babies aged one and over. The one notable exception is the Hamax Outback trailer, which is safe for babies as young as 6 months old.

A trailer can also double up as extra storage, making them especially handy if you also plan to do the food shop by bike, or have an older sibling to take to school. There are even trailers that convert into strollers and joggers for when you’re not pedalling.

We recommend you start by choosing one of the best kids’ bike trailers, and after that consult our guide to how to hitch a bike trailer, to make sure you’ve got a compatible setup. 

Small sized kids bike helmets we recommend

We like to get hands on as many helmets as possible so we can confidently recommend the best to parents.

Over the years we’ve done just that, so these are the best bike helmets for babies and toddlers that we think are worth investing in to protect the smallest of heads. 

If you’re looking for more in-depth information on individual models, then check out our kids’ bike helmet reviews.

Bike locks

If you’re leaving your bike unattended then another very useful accessory is a good quality lock. Unfortunately no matter which part of the world you’re in, you’re likely to find that bike theft is a problem (this is especially true in cities), so it’s best to keep your bikes safe!

We’ve listed the best kids bike locks that should work well for your child’s bike, especially if you’re leaving it unattended at the park, for example. These can also work well for your own bike. 

If you have a cargo bike that you leave unattended while running errands, then we’d recommend something more robust, which you’ll find in this guide to the best cargo bike locks. 

Furthermore, we’ve written a comprehensive guide to cargo bike insurance, which we’d recommend reading if you're considering buying a cargo bike. 

Ride-ons and pre-balance bikes

Usually from around the age of one, a child will be able to toddle about on a ride-on, or toddlebike.

These usually have three or four very small wheels, so they’re not technically "bikes", but try telling that to a proud one year old with their first "bike"!

They’re a great way to get toddlers ready for their first two-wheeled balance bike when they've developed the strength and co-ordination needed. 

Check out our guide to the best bikes for a 1 year-old to explore the various options. 

Balance bikes

Once your child is ready to progress to two wheels, have a look through what we think are the best balance bikes.

These are small two-wheeled bikes without pedals that they scoot around on with their feet.

Balance bikes are a much better option than stabilisers for the vast majority of children, as they teach them how to steer with their bodies and balance while in motion, which can be learnt from a younger age. 

These are vital skills they need that make the progression to pedalling much easier when the time comes.

For more on this, have a read of does my child need stabilisers? and if you’re not entirely sure what you should be looking for when choosing a balance bike don’t worry. We’ve got a handy guide that answers the question, what is a balance bike?

Kids’ bike search

The absolute easiest way to find the best option for your little one is to use our kids’ bike search.

Simply use the filters (including your child’s favourite colour) to narrow down your options, and our database will do the rest!

Balance bike reviews

After 12 years of writing about family cycling and children’s bikes, it’s no wonder we’ve amassed so much hands-on experience with the different options out there.

Check out our balance bike reviews, to see which balance bikes we reckon are the best to give your child a life long love of cycling.