by contributor Dan Beeby

Princeton University defines a cyclist as “someone who rides a bicycle.” I ride a bicycle. A lot. I’ve done so in a semi-serious way for 25 years and I commute a dozen miles per day in New York City. So, it’s no wonder that I have a strong desire to imbue a sense of cyclophilia in my young daughter.

My mother-in-law knows this and in that spirit she gifted my (then six-month-old) daughter a CoPilot Taxi  bike seat, which I immediately installed on my beater bike. Then I waited (and waited) until the baby was one year old to take her for a spin.

Now for a disclaimer: young infants should not be taken on bike rides. Common sense. New York State and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission dictate against it. But if your greater-than-one-year-old has good neck strength and a need for speed, get yourself a CoPilot, a very small helmet, and hit the road.

In my neighborhood, the CoPilot Taxi is ubiquitous. You’ll see one mounted on the back of nearly every other bike and for good reason: it’s well built, solid, and easy to use. I’ve been tempted by the iBert and Weeride seats (which mount on the bike’s top tube, are smaller, and might provide a more realistic riding experience for the child) but the “tandem” riding position of the CoPilot is more comfortable and strikes me as being safer.

The seat is relatively easy to mount on the included Blackburn EX-1 rack (which serves double-duty as a regular old bike rack when the CoPilot is not on the bike). However, the design suffers from some over-engineering: it has no fewer than three redundant safety latches. First, the “nose” of the seat is designed to click under the front rail EX-1. Second, there’s a heavy duty nylon strap/buckle that wraps around the seat post. Third, the seat has a “tongue” on the rear base that locks behind the back of the rack. And finally there’s a small locking pin to ensure that the tongue doesn’t (somehow) pop loose. It’s difficult to “opt out” of any of these (which is a testament to its thorough design), but it seems that one or the other could have been left on the drawing board.

The bike has three additional systems to hold baby in the seat. There’s a locking lap bar (which is a fun plaything for her to swing up and down while you’re trying to strap her in…it’s also a good place to pinch little fingers). In addition, a three point harness comes over the shoulders and snaps between the legs (be sure to secure this before attempting to clasp the helmet to her head, which I found to be the most challenging task by far). Finally there are leg straps—I haven’t had to use these, but my passenger isn’t prone to kicking.

Dismounting the seat can be a bit tricky. I’ve found it best to unstrap it, unlock the “tongue” pin and push down the “nose” as you punch the base of the seat backwards. Then lift the “tongue” and slide the seat back on the rails until it’s free. Another piece of advice: if you have more than one bike pick up another EX-1 rack at your local bike store or Nashbar for around $40.

The ride performance suffers a bit when you’ve got 25 pounds of baby sitting over the rear wheel. The steering becomes lighter and the back end tends to swish around more. Standing on the pedals into a hill is not recommended unless you like weaving side-to-side. As with any bike configuration, though, you quickly become used to it and your “co-pilot” does, too.

Until I can afford one of these for my Brompton foldable bike, I’ll gladly continue to pedal around with the CoPilot.

Steer Clear or Revere?  REVERE

Pros:

• Well-made
• Ubiquitous (read: cheap — I’ve seen them with rack for $60 on Craigslist)
• Safe

Cons:

• Child is out of view
• Added weight over rear wheel

PS – click for a video of my copilot daughter singing through Prospect Park

by Rob Curtis, our gear expert

While other baby carriers are good, the Ergo Baby Carrier has worked best for me. Before we had kids, we never thought Dads with babies strapped to their chests were cool. Of course when you’re a parent, your first priority isn’t “coolness”, it’s doing what is most comfortable and calming for the baby.

As Dads, we have to take advantage of the little time we get with the newborn as they’re sleeping and eating most of the day. I realized the best way for me to be involved was to calm our crying baby by any means possible. I decided to take it upon myself to ditch the expensive glider and try out the baby carrier and bounce her away to sleep on an exercise ball. If I had known it would be so easy with the carrier and ball I would have never dropped the cash on a glider. Once I realized that she felt safe & sound listening to my heartbeat while bouncing her to sleep, I no longer cared about being cool. The only thing that mattered was my baby wasn’t crying. And putting an end to the crying is a parent’s prime directive.

There are a few options for these baby carriers, but the most popular seem to be from Baby Bjorn and Ergo. I liked the Ergo over the Bjorn because it can be in service up to 40 lbs or 4 years, and the Bjorn just over a year. And since we’re plunking down major money on child seats that only last a few years each, this is a smart move.

The Ergo also seems to be a lot more comfortable as it has plush straps and can be used in multiple positions, although the front position is typical for the first year or so. I had done a fair amount of homework on the carriers as I knew I would be the one carrying her most of the time. I didn’t like some of the reviews talking about circulation being cut off in the babies legs with the Bjorn and that was all I needed to know. The Ergo is comfortable for both the wearer and baby and provides a safe zone for napping on Dad, which could very well be one of the coolest things ever. Yes, I said “coolest.” Funny how our idea of that concept changes.

The Ergo has been such a help during the times when a stroller is just overkill—when in crowds, or in the bar for a drink or two. Also, you will be left with jobs to do while taking care of the baby and throwing them on your chest makes getting around so much easier, especially if tasked with going to the grocery store.

While the Ergo is on the pricier side, it does last much longer which helps justify the expense over time. We all have our preferences for what works best, and the Ergo Baby carrier has been a go-to for me in many situations when I need to hold her close. Which is something I want to do often.

STEER CLEAR OR REVERE? REVERE

STEER CLEAR OR REVERE? REVERE