Long shot but anyone use a baby bike seat with their kid?

[pete6032]

I know this forum is mostly ATOT millionaire chads who have no kids but has anyone here used a toddler bike seat for their child? I'm looking at rear mounted ones versus trailers because the trails and roads here do not have very wide lanes. Any recommendations or thoughts on the rear mounted ones? Seeing people post about how they're difficult to ride with or not safe.

 

[biostud]

Nope, bought a E-cargo bike so I can transport all three kids at the same time.

 

[Dirigible]

I owned 2 front mounted seats, 2 rear mounted seats, a long-tail cargo bike with multiple kid bike seats, and a trail-a-bike when my kids were small. I probably would've been better off with a trailer, tbh.

I never got a great solution I was totally pleased with. Front mounted seats were a lot of fun. We'd talk, I'd point things out, it was a great experience with my kids. However, they were less protective than the rear mounted seats if I let the bike fall over, and more difficult to use. Made even me nervous, and I'm a fantastic rider.

Rear mounted seats are ok, but we'd talk a lot less while riding, and my kids were stuck looking at my butt unless they looked to the side. I found the rear weight more difficult to handle than central weight.

Cargo bike is great in many ways, and I still use it for grocery shopping and stuff, but it's huge and heavy. Pedaling that thing uphill to preschool with my 2 kids on the back was rough.

Trailers provide better protection (slightly), they have use beyond the very short time your kids are small, they're stable, but it's a pain having the extra width and turning radius.

It was way better when my kids could hold on to a trail-a-bike and not fall off. We had some fun mountain biking then. Plus they started to pedal a little bit sometimes too.

 

[nakedfrog]

I had rear-mount one for a baby, not a toddler, 20 years ago, but I didn't do any "serious" riding, just little rides around the neighborhood. I don't specifically recall it being difficult to ride with, safety, IDK.

 

[biostud]

Cargo bike is great in many ways, and I still use it for grocery shopping and stuff, but it's huge and heavy. Pedaling that thing uphill to preschool with my 2 kids on the back was rough.

I ride my every day also for grocery shopping. My have a motor, so that helps.

 

[Meghan54]

I know this forum is mostly ATOT millionaire chads who have no kids but has anyone here used a toddler bike seat for their child? I'm looking at rear mounted ones versus trailers because the trails and roads here do not have very wide lanes. Any recommendations or thoughts on the rear mounted ones? Seeing people post about how they're difficult to ride with or not safe.

Rear seats take a bit of getting used to, but can work well, providing the child is cooperative…wiggling around will throw you off a bit in tracking. Can be “annoying” in tight spaces at speed.

I’d look at Thule, Burley, Topeka brands first…branch out from there. (All are very reputable.)

 

[IronWing]

Having ridden many a mile behind mom, front is better.

 

[dullard]

Seems like this is what you really need:

 

[Dirigible]

I ride my every day also for grocery shopping. My have a motor, so that helps.

Nice! E-bikes weren't a thing when I got my cargo bike. But you better believe I added an electric motor kit to mine in 2016, when the tech had progressed enough in my mind and it got cheap enough. As a city dweller, it's a fantastic car replacement.

I do have a car, but I need to keep a battery tender on it or the battery will be dead when I want to drive somewhere again.

 

[pete6032]

Rear seats take a bit of getting used to, but can work well, providing the child is cooperative…wiggling around will throw you off a bit in tracking. Can be “annoying” in tight spaces at speed.

I’d look at Thule, Burley, Topeka brands first…branch out from there. (All are very reputable.)

Do you have any experience with any of those seats? Just so happens that all 3 are listed for sale on my local classifieds.

 

[Meghan54]

Do you have any experience with any of those seats? Just so happens that all 3 are listed for sale on my local classifieds.

I sold Thule and Topeak, but this was decades ago. I’d concentrate on condition and if all parts there if going used. I wouldn’t be afraid of buying any of those brands.

Most would consider Thule and Burley upper end-ish brands, Topeak mid-range-ish.

 

[RalphTheCow]

I used a rear seat for awhile but found all that weight up high was not good for stability. I see a burley trailer with both my daughters for years. In retrospect probably not safe enough on the roads so I doubt I would do that again. So no good answer from me!

 

[Zorba]

I never used a seat, but I didn't like the idea of my daughter's head potentially smacking the ground from five feet up (which is why I'm also the only person to ever make my kid wear a helmet in a hiking backpack). So I got a trailer. The problem with the trailer is it was nearly impossible for us to talk, and sometimes she didn't mind and sometimes she did. I liked that the trailer had a frame all the way around it and it wouldn't roll even if the bike did.

Luckily my daughter was riding on her own at 39 months and could ride a few miles at a time by the time she was 4. She can't keep up with me, but my wife doesn't mind riding at her speed.

 

[lxskllr]

Those are my thoughts on seats. I'd be more inclined to go with a trailer. I don't bike anymore, but I've had my share of unplanned spectacular wrecks, that weren't entirely preventable. One of the more noteworthy crashes was going around a turn at a decent clip, hitting sand, and the bike just went straight til it grabbed good pavement again. I wouldn't have wanted my kid on the back when that happened.

 

[WelshBloke]

I've used a centre mounted seat, a rear seat and a tag a long with both my kids from when they could hold their heads up up to the point where they could cycle 10 miles or so on their own.

I absolutely loved the centre mounted seat. The kid ends up sitting between your arms so they feel protected and you can chat away to each other. It was the nicest feeling. Those seats only work when they are little ones though.
The rear seats I'm not too keen on and only used them on hired bikes on holiday. You can't see the kid and the height of the seat throws the balance of a bit. It's also a bit of a boring position for the kid, you can't see them or really chat to each other.
Tag a longs are great when they have a bit of balance. The kid is still behind you but they are actively part of the ride and can push you along a bit. My kids loved this. If you're on the flat and is not too windy you don't really feel the weight. The kids have to be a bit sensible for this one.

Centre mounted seat with happy child!