Biking with your family can be an enjoyable experience. It’s a great way to spend more time together away from the TV and computer, stay fit and take advantage of all the fresh air and scenery that our country offers. It’s also a great idea to initiate your children to biking at an early age, so they continue riding as they get older.

When your kids are too young to follow along on their own bikes, you can still take them with a child bike trailer. A bicycle trailer is specifically for transporting children behind your bike.

Choosing a Bike Trailer for Kids

There are many things to consider when you’re considering a kids bike trailer, but the most important is safety:

Respect the weight rating of the trailer - A bike trailer is as important as a child safety seat in your car and comes with a maximum weight rating. Putting two children in a trailer designed for one, hauling a child who is too heavy or carrying your child plus extra weight in the trailer is dangerous and can result in serious injury.

Choose a model you are comfortable with - If you don’t feel comfortable or confident with the baby bike trailer because it is too heavy or difficult to manoeuvre, try a different model. Modern child bike trailers have safe, flexible attachment points. Compare as many different styles as possible to find one that works well.

Choose the right number of wheels - Infant bike trailers come with two, three or four wheels, while single-wheeled piggyback trailers exist for older children who can sit up and pedal along. The three and four-wheeled models are generally more stable than the two-wheeled models, but they tend to be heavier and create more drag

Don’t try to put your kids in a bike trailer that isn’t designed for their age and size. When they outgrow it, you can always sell it on BikeExchange and upgrade to a more appropriate model.

Load carrying Bike Trailers

Another popular type of bike trailer is designed to carry objects other than people. There are small bike trailers that attach to the rear of the bike and carry objects such as spare parts or baggage for distance riding.

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Find the Best Bike Trailer on BikeExchange

Once you have selected your basic type of bike trailer, it’s a matter of choosing the options that appeal to you. Will you just be doing the occasional weekend ride? An open-top children’s trailer might work well. Do you have more than one young child? A dual-seat trailer is useful. Are you a hard-core biker who likes to hit the road or trail in all conditions? A water-resistant covered trailer may be necessary.

As with bikes, there is a vast range of bike trailers on BikeExchange that cover all uses and budgets. Additional features such as quick-release attachments, reflectors, storage, and even brakes and suspension can really enhance your biking trips.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect bike trailer for baby, or you need a bike cargo trailer, check out BikeExchange. Then, take a look at our editorial section for the latest in cycling. You’ll find news, interviews, reviews and more.