# Stop the head bobbing please



## Muddydogs (Jul 15, 2010)

My little grandson (he is 2.5) gets in his trailer and within a mile is sleeping away but with his helmet on and the way the trailer seats are his poor little head dose the constant bob and weave. It has got to hurt his neck. His Grandma wanted to take his helmet off on the last ride but I would not do so. Has anyone found a way to help with the bob and weave short of a bungee cord or duct tape  ? I assume everyone puts a helmet on the kids inside a trailer.


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## slcdawg (Jul 28, 2003)

We have the same issue with my 18 month old, even when he is awake. He's so short that the helmet rests against the seat and pushes the helmet forward. We are worried that the chin strap may choke him. My wife and I go through the debate every time about whether he should wear a helmet or not. We take frequent stops - but are still looking for the answer.


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## Mikey (Jan 15, 2004)

When my son was little I'd use a rolled-up towel to prop his head, you can try that, but I don't remember it being worried about it at 2.5, they're pretty strong by then. And of course keep the helmet on.

But, hey, PROPS to GRANDPA for taking the kid for a ride! Do his parents ride too, or are you giving them free time? Sounds great whatever the case.


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## Muddydogs (Jul 15, 2010)

His mom rides with us sometimes, but mostly its just the kid when he needs babysat on the evenings we ride, his Mother works evenings and Dad can't always watch him. Its a good work out pulling 50 ish pounds behind the bike.


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

Muddydogs said:


> I assume everyone puts a helmet on the kids inside a trailer.


I only do when cars are a factor. I don't have him wear a helmet when we are mountain biking or on the rail trail. I figure the bouncing around off road will be multiplied with the weight of the helmet and there is no real threat that a helmet will solve. The chariot trailer has enough of a roll cage where he won't actually hit something if he's in it (unless I rolled it, but that is extremely unlikely).

Chris


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

If a HANS device exists for smaller children then that's the only thing I can think of.


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## texacajun (Jan 20, 2004)

slcdawg said:


> We have the same issue with my 18 month old, even when he is awake. He's so short that the helmet rests against the seat and pushes the helmet forward. We are worried that the chin strap may choke him. My wife and I go through the debate every time about whether he should wear a helmet or not. We take frequent stops - but are still looking for the answer.


We had the same issue w/mine. A friend suggested a small pillow behind them so the helmet wouldn't hit the back rest of the trailer. Worked like a charm. I think mine was closer to 3 before she was tall enough for her helmet to clear the seat.

Most of my trailer pulling was on my CG neighborhood hike & bike. Unless I was somewhere with a lot of h&b traffic or riding at training pace or on roads we went sans helmet. The one & only time I ever tipped the trailer when I clipped a curb the 5 point harness kept her head from coming anywhere close to touching anything.


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## _tom_ (Jun 18, 2005)

texacajun said:


> We had the same issue w/mine. A friend suggested a small pillow behind them so the helmet wouldn't hit the back rest of the trailer. Worked like a charm. I think mine was closer to 3 before she was tall enough for her helmet to clear the seat.
> 
> Most of my trailer pulling was on my CG neighborhood hike & bike. Unless I was somewhere with a lot of h&b traffic or riding at training pace or on roads we went sans helmet. The one & only time I ever tipped the trailer when I clipped a curb the 5 point harness kept her head from coming anywhere close to touching anything.


I use a piece of foam a couple of inches thick. I cut it from a foam camping pad. I just cut it about the same size as the backrest and it works perfect.


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## _tom_ (Jun 18, 2005)

Oh and as to the unlikeliness of rolling a Chariot...it's easier than you think. Trust me.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

Leopold Porkstacker said:


> If a HANS device exists for smaller children then that's the only thing I can think of.


Yeah, they make them for car seats. From infant right on up. A pillow behind the back to keep their heads from leaning forward and a neck pillow & you're all set.


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## sunnyracegirl (Apr 11, 2004)

Wait. You put a helmet on a kid who is INSIDE a trailer? Like, one with a with a roll bar? While strapped in with a 5-point harness?

Jane is almost two and has been in a Burley trailer since she was about 5 weeks old. Helmets were too small for her till she was about 18 months old, and she has never worn one in the trailer. Besides, when falling asleep it becomes a hazard with the chin strap. 

I never found a need for helmets in the trailer. 

FWIW, now that she can wear a helmet, she's in an iBert. Best purchase I've made all year.


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## Hippienflipflops (Oct 18, 2006)

word sunnyracegirl... let the helicopter parents start the exasperation and scolding....my daughter is 9 months. she goes in the chariot, no helmet, no head bob. she couldnt hold her head up with a helmet on anyway...


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## Plum (Sep 14, 2004)

You can look around for a 'Hawaiian neck pillow' for kids, at least that's what we've always known them to be called. Picture a horse shoe shaped pillow, just big enough to go under the kid's chin, helps keep their head from lolling forward after they fall asleep. 

The chariots have a cutout for the helmet, but if your kid is too short, the cutout is too high anyway. Our kids don't wear helmets inside the chariot, and yes, I've rolled it with a kid inside. She was safely buckled in and was just hanging sideways in the restraints, laughing. Properly buckled in, she can't move far enough to hit anything inside..

Plum


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## TaS (Jun 25, 2007)

*We just fit a car seat into the trailer*

Stopped at a garage sale and picked up a toddler car seat for $8. Remove the belts for attaching it to the car and routed the trailer's seat belt through the seat and tighten it down. The seat is postitioned reclined, so once the little guy falls asleep his noggin is cradled similar if he were in the car.


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## wvucyclist (Nov 8, 2007)

I've put the pumpkin seat in the trailer before for my 4 month old (no helmet), then my 2 year old in the seat on the rack (with helmet). If they're old enough to support their own head, the head bob isn't as uncomfortable as it would be to us. When driving and my son (2 years) falls asleep, his head always goes into some awkward position, and we try to straighten it out, but it doesn't always help.
The thought for the helmet is, unfortunately, if something gets through the trailer, a helmet isn't going to help much. On the rack mount car seat, they'll be falling from 4-5', so I'm not so confident to not ever drop a bike with my kid on it, so the helmet goes on.


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## Muddydogs (Jul 15, 2010)

On our last ride we put couch type pillows along the sides of the kid so when his head flopped to the side he was resting on the pillow. I have went back and forth about a helmet but when you have some @[email protected]#@% ridding double on the paved trails around blind corners and about run into the trailer a helmet seams like a good idea.


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