A trailer is wider than a bike and there’s a baby inside, so weaving through traffic is no longer an option. You quickly become accustomed to your increased width (80cm for a two child trailer), with the major obstacle being barriers on ‘cycle paths’ put in place to stop motorcycles.

After being trapped by a few of these, I abandoned the ‘quiet cycle routes’ on the cycling map and now stick to the main road cycle routes or quite roads without cycle paths. Design guidelines for cycle paths require a minimum 2 meter width, so there is plenty of trailer space, even when passing other cyclists.

Everything you Need to Know About Cycling with a Baby

Timing is important when cycling with my baby. The key is the get back home before baby needs to be fed, and ideally 20 minutes before so you can get in a shower before baby bootcamp restarts. That said it’s possible to feed on the road, and on longer rides or cycle tours, that’s how we roll. Try timing rides with nap times – the trailer gently rocks baby to sleep and you can ride in peace and tranquility and once you’ve adjusted to the weight, you can almost forget that the trailer is there.

If you aren’t a seasoned cyclist, towing a baby in a bike trailer is not for you, as it requires confidence, strength and road cycling know how. If you live in a flat place, you may not find the weight of the trailer a problem. If like me climbing hills is a part of daily life, a lower gearing on your bike will make those climbs easier to bear (Père Nöel bought me a 40:24 front chain ring with a 12:25 cassette for Christmas).