I was all set to buy a hamax child seat, the kind that fits to the seat tube of the frame. I figured it wouldn't take me five minutes to take it on and off. I don't mean sliding the seat off, but taking the bracket off too. Seems it's not so simple. Quite a bit of set up to do.
Was going to fix it on my new build. Lovely summer season. Hate to have anything permanently bolted to it like that.
Is anyone aware of any other options. Something I could fit and unfit easily? For a baby. Else I'm going to buy an old clunker especially for the occasions.
Bike Forum
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Child seat solutions.
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Couple of things to watch....
The Hamax bracket is clamped to the downtube. Probably OK on a Summer Season, but I'd be very wary on any sort of alloy frame as these can be very thin and could be crushed.
Does the Summer Season front gear cable route along the top tube and down? If so, you may find that the clamp won't fit without fouling the cable. OK if you want to run 1x9 or SS I suppose.
I much prefer the Co-pilot options, which fit to a Blackburn rack. Watch what you're fitting this to though - you'll have problems getting to fit with a rear disk (although Cube seemed to have thought of this with their drop-out design).
Your other option is a trailer. This should fit to most bikes and can be detached in seconds.
Please, please, please don't opt for a front/top-tube mounted baby seat.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I got a CoPilot which was fine on a 456 (with a little hacksaw action). If I were to do it again I'd get a Weeride.
As they get older a LOCT is good.
Both are secondary top tube mounted (neither front nor top tube mounted as such)and the LOCT has been good enough for alpine red routes. Mid engined as it were having less of a negative effect on balance and handling - though if you do endo you will kill your child, so don't do that.
Posted 2 years ago # -
druidh - Member
Please, please, please don't opt for a front/top-tube mounted baby seat.igm - Member
if you do endo you will kill your child, so don't do that.I rest my case.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yeah - don't endo. With 20st on my bike my brakes aren't that good anyway. Meanwhile if you top tube, your kid gets the benefit of the front, or even full depending on the bike, suspension. Whereas with the CoPilot (and I still have one in the garage) he has an aluminium rod from the drop out to his behind. So ride gently because every bump goes straight up his bum.
That said I prefer CoPilot to Hamax and it fits the 456 so it should fit the summer season.
Posted 2 years ago # -
igm - what brake calipers were you using on the 456 (just for info like).
Posted 2 years ago # -
Thanks guys. Mmmmm! The CoPilot would need a rear rack to fix on I think. Have to see how easy that is to take on and off. As I don't want to ride around with one of those all the time either.
The weeride looks like the easiest to take on and off. But there is no head tube poking up on the 456, like the bikes I've seen it fixed to in a quick google.
Looking at my bike, I'm not even sure the bracket for the Hamax would fit anyway with the cable there. I've got a few months to get it sorted. She's 8 months, but already pulling herself to standing. I think she could definatly sit in a rear seat like a Hamax or CoPilot already. The weeride look like for older babies/kids.Posted 2 years ago # -
Juicy 3s
By the way 8 months is pretty young to be in a bike seat. They need to be able to sit up and to be able to hold their head up while wearing a helmet, which adds weight obviously, and being bounced around.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Put my oldest on an OK Orion BABY seat http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/OK_Baby_Orion_Child_Seat/5360032134/ when she was 13 months and went proper trail riding in Surrey, she loved it, pic is when I first plonked her on.
She's now approaching three and loves sitting on the LOCT on my SX trail or Enduro (they come on/off very easy)
Posted 2 years ago # -
Hey Dango. That looks like the best one. I guess I will have to order the downtube fixing separately. Probably no way the headtube fixing will work.
About the actual downtube bracket? The one that you are supposed to leave on. Is it a lot of hassle to take it on and off? Maybe taking it on and off a few times a week. Or is that too much trouble you think?Posted 2 years ago # -
put them in a papoose, works very well...
Posted 2 years ago # -
You need to order the OK Baby downtube bracket separately - they come as standard with the headtube bracket.
Try Discountbicycles.co.uk - heres the link Orion seatPosted 2 years ago # -
Honestly mate that first one looks 'kin terribly unsafe - although I can see how it's the most fun for the kid. As long as they're not faceplanting. I have a hamax rack mounted one and the bike handles like shyte, front one will be worse - wouldn't fancy it for anything above the most gentle bimble round the park.
There's basically no one solution to the child seat - a rack mounted one is very sturdy and safe, but you're riding your bike round with a rack on it. Mine's on a CX bike so I use it for commuting and it works OK.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I went ahead and got the OK Orion. Good solution for me in the end. The main bracket is not that difficult to take on and off ( if you use the tricky little allen key supplied), just four bolts. The bike handles pretty well - balance is fine. My little girl loves it.
Posted 2 years ago #
Topic Closed
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