www.mobile-bambini.eu Bicycle trailers and bike seats Bicycle trailers and bike seats Traditional Bicycle Seats In Austria a cyclist has to be at least 16 years old to be permitted to transport a child in a child seat. The child itself must not be older then 8 years. According to the cycling policy bicycle seats can only be mounted in the back of the bike. The weight of the child must not exeed 25 kg. Please note that rules and regulations vary from country to country. When using a child seat on a bike it is important that the bike has a stable frame and stand, preferably wide tires and most of all good breaks. Saddle springs, if present, need to be shielded. According to regulations the child seat needs to be firmly connected with the bicycle frame. Every child seat needs to have a harness system that cannot be opened by the child. Footrests that are adjustable in height can be changed according to the needs and the size of growing children and guarantee that they cannot get caught in the spokes. Seats with a high backrest that can be tilted backwards are ideal for sleeping children. A backrest is also mandatory to support the head properly. Tip: Take along your bike and your child when you purchase the seat! Usually the bike dealer can tell immediately which seat will be the right one. Extreme caution is recommended when mounting and dismounting. Never park a bike and leave the child in the bike seat. Even with a double kickstand there is too much danger that the bike topples over with the child. There’s no reason to abandon cycling when you have small children. On the contrary: many trips are twice as much fun in their company. Attention: children should always wear a helmet in the child seat as well as in the bike trailer. Apart from traditional bicycle seats and trailers there exists a constantly growing offer of carrier bikes (mainly from the Netherlands and Scandinavia) and many new innovations that are bike and push chair in one can be converted with a flick of the wrist. Tip: Special adaptors are available for the luggage rack to mount a baby car seat (maxi cosi). However, there are some regulations and notes on safety that need to be observed. -2- Light or stable construction Trailers with a base made out of plastic or aluminium are much more stable and can therefore also be used to carry loads. Frames that are only covered with fabric are less stable but lighter and can be folded up more easily. Make a stroller out of it With one or two additional wheels many models can be used as a stroller. Due to their size and manoeuvrability however they are not really suited for every day use. But they can be very practical on holiday. In addition pushchairs can be taken on the train free of charge, bike trailers on the other hand are not permitted on many long-distance trains. Traditional bike trailers Bike trailers are an alternative to bike seats. Their advantage is that they provide more room for parents and children and children sit more comfortably. It is easy for children to fall asleep in a trailer or to play. In addition they are protected from wind and weather. In the case of an accident they cannot fall off the bike, but sit in the trailer. In addition most trailers provide space for two children. Hitch If used frequently a high quality hitch is important. Easy and quick handling a small turning radius, lock ability and the possibility to use more than one trailer with the same system are all traits of a good hitch Storage space If the trailer is also used for longer or shopping trips and to transport goods it needs a stable base (not a frame with fabric) and a removable seat. The model Ritschie 2 from Weber is very interesting in that respect. Instead of an upper part used by children the trailer can be upgraded with a lockable lid. However, there is a certain price difference between bike seats and trailers. It is possible to buy a good child seat for around 50 Euros a trailer (with room for two children) on the other hand is considerably more expensive: prices range on average between 250 and 1200 Euros. Certain issues need to be considered when purchasing a trailer. The following points might help you to find the most appropriate model for your purposes. If you want your children to have a comfortable ride you have to consider the child-orientated design, the seating comfort, and the heat and weather protection. An over roll protection is necessary to prevent that the passenger cabin gets damaged in the case of an accident. The wheels of the trailer need to be covered to prevent that children can reach them. In particular, good breaks are important. Two-piece hitches to attach the trailer on the bike are best because they are easier to handle and safer. One or two-seater Two-seaters are “future-proof” and offer more storage space. A one-seater is only marginally narrower and lighter and, if anything, more interesting for sportive use. Flexible of fixed seat Adjustable seats with a headrest enable children to sit and sleep in a comfortable position. For children up to nine months baby carriers are available as an accessory e.g. from Weber Tip: Always take your own bike to the dealer because each trailer doesn’t fit every bike! -3- A good harness system can save lives. Straps need to be easily adjustable. A two seater should offer the possibility to place the child in the middle. This is advantageous with respect to the centre of gravity. If that is not possible, place a single child on the right hand side. The trailer also needs a proper lighting system that is independent from the bike, have a red back light, a white reflector in the front and a red one in the back, as well as one yellow reflector on each side. Trailers, wider than 60 cm need two red back lights as well as two red and two white reflectors to clearly indicate the width of the trailer. Make sure that your trailer has a solid base. Physical injury is possible if the bottom of the trailer is made of fabric only. According to Austrian regulations all trailers need a bendable flagpole with a brightly coloured banner that is at least 1,5 m high. Tip: Some trailer can easily be converted into jogging or everyday mall stroller. Make sure that goods transport is also possible with the trailer – for the time when your kids have outgrown it. Gazelle Cabby This cargo bike is well suited for long and short distances. It is very easy to manoeuvre and has a comfortable seat for two children. With an adaptor also babies can be transported in their car seat. A rain tent and a cover provide additional comfort. The patented, foldable and detachable box saves you storage space. For more info visit: www.gazelle.nl or YouTube. (Price ca. 1400) Christiania Bike These famous carrier bikes can also be used to transport children. You can order them at the bicycle dealer of your choice. www.christianiabikes.com Bakefiets 2 or more children as well as all your shopping can be transported in such a carrier bike. A user friendly transport bike that ensures absolute cycling pleasure. The cargobike is extremely manoeuvrable, convenient and light steering. The kids sit in a tough wooden box in front of the rider. There are three-points harnesses that keep them safe. For more information and prices visit: www.bakefiets.nl. Trail-A-Bike In specialist shops various models of these child bike trailers are available. They enable parents and children to go on longer cycling trips together, without the need that the child cycles on a separate bike because they get tired more easily. This is also a good method to introduce children to traffic safety topics while the child is safe in the back. Prices range from 100 to 300 Euros. -4- Taga Stroller Bike Taga understands itself as a multifunctional vehicle for urban traffic. The design focuses especially on the needs of parents and children wanting to be mobile without a car. It combines a carrier bike and a push chair function and can be made into one or the other in simple and easy steps. “Taga is more modular, comfortable and manoeuvrable than a bike and is very safe it is cheaper than a car, better for the environment and your personal health” (quote from the Taga website. The Taga stroller bike can be purchased in shops all over Europe. For more information visit:www.taga.nl TrioBike = Bike + Pushchair+Carrier Bike This new carrier bike, designed in Denmark, is a fantastic invention for the transport of children. After dropping off the children at the nursery the carrier part can be detached easily to use the bike separately. If both parents have such a bike one can drop off the child in the morning and the other picks it up in the evening. Or the carrier bike can be used as push chair. This carrier bike is available as a double or trio bike. The simple version of this carrier bike costs around 1700 Euro. Push chair part and bike alone cost around 1300 Euro each. More Infos: www.triobike.co.uk. -5- Project Partners BAMBINI’S main objective is to achieve a shift from a car-dominated mobility behaviour towards a more sustainable & energyefficient mobility in the future. This is accomplished by affecting the travel behaviour of children (0-6) and their parents – starting as early as possible – at birth and throughout kindergarten. Coordinator: FGM-AMOR, Austria Karl Reiter Tel: +43 316 810451 23 www.fgm.at Partners: Center za zdravje in razvoj Murska Sobota, Slovenia Tatjana Buzeti Engergy Agency of Plovdiv (EAP), Bulgaria Bogdana Bogdanova www.eap-save.eu Mobiel 21, Belgium Elke Franchois www.mobiel21.be City of Munich, Department of Public Order, Germany Bianca Kaczor www.muenchen.de DTV Consultants, the Netherlands Don Guikink www.dtvconsultants.nl Development Agency of Eastern Thessaloniki (REACM), Greece Kostas Konstantinou www.anatoliki.gr BAJO, Poland Wojciech Bajor www.bajo.com.pl Regional Agency for Environment and Energy of Ile de France (ARENE), France Céline Meunier www.areneidf.org Agency for Energy and Environment’s Protection Management - Brasov (ABMEE), Romania Camelia Rata www.abmee.ro Municipality of Hisarya Ivanka Bogunska Agency for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Salerno Salerno (AGEAS), Italy Agnese Germino www.ageassalerno.net The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not represent the opinion of the European Communities. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. -6-