Q: I’m in the market to buy a bicycle seat so I can ride my bike with my 1 year old. Which is safer—a bicycle-mounted seat or a bike trailer?
A: Both types of bicycle seats have their safety issues. Because of its low profile, a bicycle trailer, which attaches to the rear axle or frame of a bike and can transport one child age 1 to 6 or so, can be difficult for motorists to see, especially in limited light. (If you go this route, get a 31/2 -foot- to 7-foot-tall, high-visibility orange flag for it.) Trailers are also wider than the bike, so they take up more of the roadway. If you’re riding on the shoulder of a road, which we don’t recommend because we consider trailers “off-road” vehicles, the trailer can stick out into the road if you’re not careful. And trailers can tip over if you
