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Dog carrier for bike: how to ride safely with small dogs & puppy
Riding with your pet can be an incredible experience for both you & the pup. You can do your daily commutes and adventures without ever leaving your buddy behind!
If you’re the pet parent of a small animal, riding a bike can be very useful. It’s a way to enjoy the outdoors without having to cut short your outings because your dog gets tired too fast.
However finding the right set-up can be quite challenging. There are some critical differences to keep in mind when looking for a dog carrier for bike. So pop your feet up and let’s get into it!
Finding the right dog carrier for small dogs and other small pets
There are plenty of options on the market that allow you to safely ride with your furry friends. In order to choose the right one for you, keep in mind a few things: for example, what is the age of your dog? Is it a puppy, an adult or a senior? What’s the character of your animal like? Is he the leader of the pack, always at front and basically taking you on a walk rather than the contrary… or is he more nervous and/or frightened by new situations?
Your answers can already tell you a lot on what model can work best for your doggo! Let’s look at the main bike solutions and their preferred users:
#1 Dog bike basket
- A dog bike basket is a cheap and compact option that perfectly suits small sized dogs. It can be positioned at the front on the handlebar, if you want to have your pup in sight at all times. It can also be installed on the rear rack for better stability. Especially if your pet is on the heavier side. It’s possible to add extra accessories like a mesh cover to avoid the dog jumping out. This accessory is also suitable for other pets such as cats, rabbits and so on…
The downside of this accessory is that the put can greatly destabilise the ride when moving. Furthermore, you might struggle to ride if the pet sits on the handlebar and he’s too heavy.
✔️ Positive: cheap, compact and easy to remove
❌ Negative: not ideal for animals that tend to move a lot, doesn’t offer a lot of seating space, might make the bike unstable
Photo & copyright: Snoozer
Photo & copyright: Croozer
#2 Dog trailer
- A dog trailer, is an accessory that adds a seating space for your dog at the back of the bike. It can come in various shapes and forms and there’s a great variety on the market. Some are also made for mixed terrains and some can become a dog stroller once detached from the bike. The downside of this option is that the dog can’t be supervised as it sits at the back. This setting might feel too stressful for some pets.
✔️ Positive: very safe and stable even if the dog moves around, compatible with any bike, great variety
❌ Negative: not suitable for unpredictable pets such as puppies as they can’t be supervised during the ride, often requires an electric assistance due to the bulkiness + not ideal for small pets as it’s too large
#3 Cargo bike for dogs
- A cargo bike for dogs, is a full two or three-wheel bike that contains space for hauling animals at the front or back. This is generally best for bigger sized animals or for owners that want to carry multiple dogs/charges at once.
Photo & copyright: Sustrans
Dog carrier bike kit: a versatile solution for everyday people
If you don’t feel like the options above fit well with your dog and/or your lifestyle, that’s when the cargo bike kit comes in! This concept was developed to respond to the needs of urban people that look for something ingenious, safe and affordable. A cargo bike kit offers a module that can reversibly transform your current bike into a perfectly adapted cargo bike by replacing the front or the back wheel of your bike.✔️ Positive: more affordable than a full cargo bike, more compact and it’s a reversible option
❌ Negative: often needs to be built, can take time to adapt to riding due the setup change
Keeping in mind the needs of urban riders that are also pet owners, we developed two add-on accessories that transform your bike into a trike for dog transportation: the Dog Kit & the B-Back Animal! Let’s have a better look …
The AddBike+, an innovative means of transportation for bike & animal lovers
The AddBike+ is a cargo bike kit that transforms YOUR BIKE into a front trike by replacing the front wheel. It can transport up to 35 kg so you could totally bring multiple pups & other charges along on your rides. This accessory is innovative because due to the tilting wheel system, the rider can cycle dynamically even on a trike. Our furry customers also love to ride on the AddBike+ because it’s spacious and they feel in control of the situation (the dog parent also). The accessory comes with an integrated leash so that your dog will always be safe.✔️ Positive: a dynamic accessory, reversible, spacious but compact (made for the city) & safe for small dogs transportation
❌ Negative: not adapted for beginner riders (due to the tilting wheel system)
Our dog carrier for bike: the B-Back Animal, made for & from you!
The B-Back is our newest product that we have developed after your feedback: we wanted to create something easy to use & smart for everyone to use! As mentioned above, this kit works exactly like a regular cargo add-on. It replaces the back wheel of your bike and turns it into a three wheeled bike. So what’s special about this product? Differently from the AddBike+, the B-Back brings great stability to the bike making it perfect even for beginners & riders with some light mobility issues! It comes as the base accessory that can be mounted on a muscular bike or an E-Bike (if the motor is not on the back wheel!) It’s possible to add on top of it the animal crate (photo on the right) or the insulated box, perfect to transport groceries and small charges up to 35kg/77 Ibs.More about the B-Back Animal:
made to comfortably transport dogs of small size & other pets such as cats too! The crate comes in a sturdy scratch-proof textile with mesh windows, so that your pet can enjoy the view too. The accessory is also equipped with several pockets to transport toys, snacks & much more. Big plus, the crate is fully foldable thanks to its system of detachable bars so that it becomes really compact when not in use.✔️ Positive: improves stability of the bike, spacious but compact (made for the city)
❌ Negative: can only drives up to a normal speed
And lastly, some tips & tricks to get your small dog love the bike
When starting out, we always advise to take it slow and build your dog trust little by little. While some react really confidently to the new activity/ bike, some might need more time. And that’s fine too!
Generally speaking, we’ve already touched on the basics of bike safety with dogs here so start there if it’s all new to you. This time, we’ll share more advice on small dogs & bikes!
Small dogs & safety on the road
When riding with a small dog, it’s important to be extra cautious especially on bumps and turns. A sudden movement or jump might hurt them/ send them literally flying, due to their lower body weight. When riding in the city, it’s critical to always look around and anticipate any possible danger.
While a mesh cover and an included safety belt helps with this, we strongly discourage you to leash your pet while riding (this is mainly for dog bike baskets). If your dog is on leash and for some reason falls out of the basket, the impact might injure him severely.
Getting your small buddy to feel cosy
Smaller dogs are more likely to feel chilly because of their small body. So it’s always good to wrap them around a comfy blanket especially in cold weather. The blankets also help them get cosy and feel relaxed, this is also true for cats!
Also, make sure that the accessory of your choice has enough space for your friend to lie down comfortably if you plan on taking long rides.
We hope that this guide has helped you get a clearer vision of how to ride with a small pet in complete safety! If you want to know more about our dog carrier for bike kit (at the front or at the back of your own bike) don’t hesitate to reach out to us to be advised by our team of bike specialists.
Happy cycling!