When is it okay for a toddler to sleep on the back of a bike?

We love going on bike rides with our kids, including our toddler. He’s very large for a 2.5 year old, we like to think he’s smart for his age but still a toddler at heart…and by definition.

Our primary toddler-biking setup is a Thule on a cruiser bike. This way, he can have the straps around his shoulders to keep him in. These are particularly important for when the subtle bumps and sways of the road lead to a lovely little nap.

Is this safe enough? When I inspect the Thule set up, no portion of it is being held together by son’s conscious thoughts. In fact, I do not think he could break the system if he tried, apart from actively unlocking the straps. But maybe he is contributing to the balance of the bike? Maybe he is an important feedback mechanism to the cyclist (crying exists for a reason) that I do not know. The practical part of me says “Sure, this is absolutely safe,” but there is something unnerving about it.

When we ride by people when’s he awake, the response is almost universal. “Aww, that’s so cute.” When we ride by people when’s sleeping, the responses are polarized. “Awww, that’s so super cute,” or eyebrows raised like “Are you sure you know you what you’re doing?”

It does put his neck into compromised angles for short periods of time, similar to falling asleep in a stroller or a carseat. I haven’t seen many warnings about keeping a beefy toddler’s neck supported though, those warnings typically are done after 6 months of age maximum. If we crash or something worse, the initial position of the neck does not seem like a critical detail to the resulting condition.

This strikes at a common theme for me. I typically reject the thought “Better safe than sorry” because that can be taken to an extreme where it’s clearly wrong. There is always a trade-off. If we’re having a conversation, you are much more likely to make progress with me if you use the term — it is risk-reward calculation, rather than simply “Better safe than sorry.”

I think it’s safe, as long as the straps are fit well and the seat is attached to the bike well. However, as usual I am open to data that would help me change my behavior for the better.

Stay safe…and live!

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