Baby seats!!!!!11one Awesome/interesting thread!! Life changing discussion within

[maxwolfie]

Warning - boring stuff ahead for most readers:

I am after a front mounted baby seat. I have been researching for a couple of weeks, and I have come to a bit of a fork in the road. My two options basically whittle down to one of two categories:

1.) Seat mounted to steerer/stem - seat turns when bars are turned. Advantage - bars will never not foul on seat. Disadvantage - steering is heavier and possibly more difficult if baby is squirming around. Range of motion will be limited also as baby seat will eventually hit my arms.

2.) Seat mounted to headtube - seat is fixed, does not turn with bars. Advantage - lighter steering. Disadvantage - range of motion of bars may be limited as they will eventually hit the baby seat.

Anyone had personal experience with either, or preferably even both?

 

[DMan]

Warning - boring stuff ahead for most readers:

I am after a front mounted baby seat. I have been researching for a couple of weeks, and I have come to a bit of a fork in the road. My two options basically whittle down to one of two categories:

1.) Seat mounted to steerer/stem - seat turns when bars are turned. Advantage - bars will never not foul on seat. Disadvantage - steering is heavier and possibly more difficult if baby is squirming around. Range of motion will be limited also as baby seat will eventually hit my arms.

2.) Seat mounted to headtube - seat is fixed, does not turn with bars. Advantage - lighter steering. Disadvantage - range of motion of bars may be limited as they will eventually hit the baby seat.

Anyone had personal experience with either, or preferably even both?

No, but I had a weeride and I liked that. I presume you've ruled them out? Meant you had to keep your legs wide but you weren't carrying it on over the bars.

 

[void]

No, but I had a weeride and I liked that. I presume you've ruled them out? Meant you had to keep your legs wide but you weren't carrying it on over the bars.

The Weerides are a great bit of kits.. highly recommended.

 

[agentninety3]

Warning - boring stuff ahead for most readers:

I am after a front mounted baby seat. I have been researching for a couple of weeks, and I have come to a bit of a fork in the road. My two options basically whittle down to one of two categories:

1.) Seat mounted to steerer/stem - seat turns when bars are turned. Advantage - bars will never not foul on seat. Disadvantage - steering is heavier and possibly more difficult if baby is squirming around. Range of motion will be limited also as baby seat will eventually hit my arms.

2.) Seat mounted to headtube - seat is fixed, does not turn with bars. Advantage - lighter steering. Disadvantage - range of motion of bars may be limited as they will eventually hit the baby seat.

Anyone had personal experience with either, or preferably even both?

I have a Yepp Mini, which mounts on the steerer:
- Despite the name, the Yepp is quite large and the position on the bike is such that I need to ride somewhat bow-legged to avoid hitting my knees on the seat
- I put this on a GT Zaskar (2011), with an already cut steerer. If I had my time again, I'd use a longer steerer with a shit-tonne more spacers below the seat mount to avoid the knee issues
- I found it very hard to get on the bike with the kid in the seat without using a dropper. This was a PITA as the Zaskar is not built for a dropper.
- Steering is heavy enough that with the other issues it doesn't make me confident to ride on the trails, so the kid has been with me on bike paths only.

I've clearly got the wrong frame for option 1, so I'm considering other options; new frame, new carrier, whole new bike. I'm pretty sure the attachment won't ft over my OD2 steerer Trance (2012), and I'm not overly keen on sticking it on my new Optic, but I might just to test it out to see if I have a frame that suits the seat.

With regards to option #2, right now this would be my preference. My elder kid (girl, 2, 12kg) is strong enough to balance on a bike type seat without the full straps and back rest, and if I'm turning tight enough to foul it's going to be at such low speed I'm probably dabbing anyway.

Not sure if that helps, but my experience with kid seats hasn't been too flash.

 

[maxwolfie]

No, but I had a weeride and I liked that. I presume you've ruled them out? Meant you had to keep your legs wide but you weren't carrying it on over the bars.

Tried one, unfortunately not enough space between top of my TT and bottom of my top headset cup. The bracket requires about 10-15mm and I had less than 10mm. Otherwise it was promising, shame.

The Weerides are a great bit of kits.. highly recommended.

See above

I have a Yepp Mini, which mounts on the steerer:
- Despite the name, the Yepp is quite large and the position on the bike is such that I need to ride somewhat bow-legged to avoid hitting my knees on the seat
- I put this on a GT Zaskar (2011), with an already cut steerer. If I had my time again, I'd use a longer steerer with a shit-tonne more spacers below the seat mount to avoid the knee issues
- I found it very hard to get on the bike with the kid in the seat without using a dropper. This was a PITA as the Zaskar is not built for a dropper.
- Steering is heavy enough that with the other issues it doesn't make me confident to ride on the trails, so the kid has been with me on bike paths only.

I've clearly got the wrong frame for option 1, so I'm considering other options; new frame, new carrier, whole new bike. I'm pretty sure the attachment won't ft over my OD2 steerer Trance (2012), and I'm not overly keen on sticking it on my new Optic, but I might just to test it out to see if I have a frame that suits the seat.

With regards to option #2, right now this would be my preference. My elder kid (girl, 2, 12kg) is strong enough to balance on a bike type seat without the full straps and back rest, and if I'm turning tight enough to foul it's going to be at such low speed I'm probably dabbing anyway.

Not sure if that helps, but my experience with kid seats hasn't been too flash.

Hmm.. thanks. I only have about 15mm worth of spacer on my steerer, so not much adjustment there. At this stage I was actually leaning towards the Yepp Mini.

Unfortunately this whole ordeal is a "suck it and see" type affair, there is no perfect answer as everyone's expectations, heights, bike geometry etc is different.

I must say however that this website has been quite useful.

 

[Beej1]

I tried the wee-ride, and eventually found it too cumbersome and restrictive. As well as having to ride bow-legged, I also had frequent numbnuts from constant seated riding given you can't really stand and pedal with a large seat and toddler right where your hips want to be.

I know you're specifying front/mid-mount, but I figure it's worth mentioning the above.

 

[agentninety3]

Unfortunately this whole ordeal is a "suck it and see" type affair, there is no perfect answer as everyone's expectations, heights, bike geometry etc is different.

I must say however that this website has been quite useful.

Great source of info there, especially the helmet tests.

One of the other blokes on the forum (No Skid Marks) was running a Canfield Nimble 9 with the Bobike seat with good results using a 120mm or 140mm (?) Pike. I'm unsure how big the steerer was but there are some pics in this thread. I'd be keen to somewhat replicate that setup with my Yepp if I can free up the cash, but the $250 USD shipping fee from the Canfield store is a killer.

 

[Halo1]

I have the bobike mini, just the seat on my XL fat bike.

It is great, I have only used it for my daughter from about 2 years of age. I got one cheap from Pushys and it mounts to the steer tube. It has heaps of pedalling room and good room to turn the bars. You can stand and pedal as well, but it is a bit awkward and may not be possible on a smaller framed bike.

The down side is that bub has nothing to hold onto so you have to be careful of big bumps at speed. This will knock her around a bit. The fat tyres provide a bit of cushioning and a Sus fork will do the same. But she will feel bumps that you normally don't think about. She generally enjoys this but I try and avoid giving her whip lash and just slow down a bit more.

The bigger she gets the heavier she gets and you do feel this on a climb. Over time she will be able to reach the bars and the brakes! so I will have to be mindful what she is doing. I think I will get another year maybe two our of the seat. By then I hope she can ride her own bike more.

 

[mtb101]

if you have wood work skills make your own.

I don't have a pic of the one I made - it worked beautifully for kids, even off road.

using ply I mounted a comfy seat on wood that sat on top bar with sponge underneath and the foot holder held it onto frame (slide fit).

kid sat in between arms nicely - held onto bars. they had a good view. handling was still good, so could do single track. pedaling a bit compromised (knees out), but fine for cruising.

 

[blacksp20]

I have an OK Baby Orion, which is named the Peg Perego Orion on that linked site. Mine has an older style bracket which attaches to the downtube instead of the headtube though.

I can't fault mine. I've used it for two kids to around 2 1/2 years, but my boys are tall. You do have to ride slightly bow legged and with the saddle down slightly for ease of getting on/off. I only use mine on roads/paths as the boys get thrown around quite a lot when going over bumps and up/down gutters.

I'd suggest taking your bike to a store and try to fit some different models. My seat will only work on one out of three of my bikes due to differing heights and widths of top tubes.

 

[SF Trailboy]

Like above had the yepp mini and very happy with it....

 

[Binaural]

The Weerides are a great bit of kits.. highly recommended.

My colleague has one and it works well, for his very small and light toddler. He rides the little lass to daycare, then disconnects the seat for his wife to pick up together with the kid in the afternoon in the car and rides on to work.

Depending on what style of bike you're fixing it onto, you might also consider a rear-mounted type with a quick release. When I researched this recently I concluded that this was a great alternative to something like a weeride, albeit with a bit more disturbance to weight distribution.
Example: https://www.evanscycles.com/en-au/hamax-smiley-child-seat-EV142835

 

[wannaberad]

I have a mac ride seat. Fits option 2. There is enough room on a medium frame to fit us both but none to spare. Works a treat on the green trails at Stromlo.

I backed the project on kickstarter, but I think they will soon start producing for general consumption.

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[schred]

Mounted a thule ridealong mini this morning. Really well made/executed, but it really is mini by nature. Our avg height kid just fits under the tallest strap setting @18mths/12kg whereas limits suggest it's good to 3yrs & 15kg. At least it will be around for the next one.

Baby seat carrier assembly & install on commuter - sub 10mins incl coffee / Tubeless conversion of 1xSchwalbe 'tubeless easy' on mtb without compressor - 1.5hrs

 

[No Skid Marks]

I rate both. The bobike then the Macride.
Pic of bobike

 

[Tubbsy]

Great shot!

 

[wannaberad]

Yep great shot. I would have to hide that from my wife. Here is one of us cruising some singletrack with the macride

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[agentninety3]

Great shot. Hold old is your little one there?

 

[wannaberad]

Somewhere around 3. We started at around 2.5 years I think.

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