Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • What child bike seat?
  • pixelmix
    Free Member

    Looking for a seat for PixelMix Junior for Christmas. We’ll probably use it in Spring onwards when he’ll then be 9 mths.

    Only expect to use it for the odd trip at weekends with Mrs PixelMix.

    Crossbar mounted ones sound like a faff getting in the way of knees, so I’m veering towards rear ones.

    It’ll be mounted either to my Cotic BFe (no rack mounts or guard holes obviously) or my Kinesis Pro6 CX bike (mudguard mounts and and rack mounts – I have a rack in the garage which is a faff to fit, but does fit.

    Recommendations?

    crankboy
    Free Member

    We use the hymax rear mount it fits into a solid block that mounts round the seat tube. Good for us as we have one on each of our commuter bikes so can both do the nursery run .

    The boy is a sturdy 30 months and he significantly effects the handling of the bike especially when he swings around to look at cars and busses.

    The seat is effectively sprung by the two bent steel bars that curve back from the seat tube to over the rear wheel, so it absorbs the bumps and low speed curb drops and mounts.

    spudly1979
    Free Member

    Be careful with the seat tube ones, cotic advised me that the seat tube is very thin on a soul (and potentially on a bfe I guess?) and would be easily deformed using one of these. I tried it on the seat post itself but it makes the seat so high it’s incredibly difficult to mount the bike let alone ride!

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    hounslow
    Free Member

    ^ It’s also incredibly dangerous to use on a seatpost, as there is nothing bracing the post against the leverage of the childseat.

    csb
    Full Member

    We have Co-pilot limos, a Hamax as above and a Weeride one for the top tube.

    The Co-pilot limo appears to be the safest, it’s so sturdy (bulky) and has a lot of coverage. Downside is it needs a specific Blackburn rack, it has zero suspension and you have to mount by getting your leg over the top tube. We use these for daily commute in traffic.

    The Hamax one has a bounce to it, but feels more exposed in traffic. I had hope this would be useable with panniers but no, because the feet bit run down the sides you can’t.

    The Weeride is the nicest for interaction (like a big cuddly ride someone here once said) but mounts to a heavy bar which fits along the top of the top tube from the headtube to the seat post, like a brace. It’s a faff to fit so not easy on/off. The seat is quite wobbly and very exposed – doesn’t feel totally safe. I don’t believe their marketing saying it would fit a 4 year old.

    pixelmix
    Free Member

    Thanks for the comments all – Hamax is the front runner as it will let me use the BFe. Noted re the comments on the seat tube not being chunky enough, but hopefully the BFe tubes are sufficiently overbuilt comapred to the Soul that they can take the strain. Don’t think I’ll be using it all that often or on anything rough anyway.

    Anyone used one with a small hardtail? I’m running 1×10 so no front mech cable issues, but it would be good to know that it will fit a smallish hardtail frame (most photos online seem to be bigger frame hybrids etc).

    natrix
    Free Member

    My wife has a hamax on her small hardtail and its fine. I wouldn’t recommend using one on a CX bike though………..

    kirk92
    Free Member

    I would highly recommend the Hamax Siesta we’ve had one for about 3 years now mostly fitted to our tandem (Its a Cannondale MTB one with a ‘small’ rear seat-tube and fits fine) also works ok with panniers although as mentioned above limits how full you stuff them and is a bit of a faff getting in and out due to the foot pods. I have also used it quite a bit this year off road on my cross bike now our son is old enough (3 and a half and probably slightly over the weight limit!) to enjoy being bumped about a bit!! not had a problem with the clamp damaging either of these aluminium frames (as far as I know!)and its fairly quick to swap between frames if you’re only doing it occasionally

    We also have a Weeride bought earlier this year since having a second child but I find it absolutely awful!! I read a lot of positive stuff on here before buying but for me it makes it impossible to ride the bike normally as your knees are hampered by the seat there is also very little room to slide forward when stopping meaning you need to run your saddle very low in order to feel safe. ( I think this may be why droppers were invented!?). Probably ok for a tow path pootle but the rear seat is much more comfortable for longer rides for both adult and child, the Hamax which reclines allows the child to sit, look around and sleep comfortably while the Weeride is very upright and when the child sleeps they fall forward supposedly on to the head rest but every bump or corner sees them slipping off to one side or other, I found myself trying to wedge my forearms either side of the seat to stop her from slipping off! Also agree as above you would never fit a 4 year old in the Weeride our daughter seems uncomfortable at 18 months and I don’t think the straps even extend far enough to go over our sons shoulders

    Obviously the big plus for the Weeride is how close you are to the child and on the road it is difficult to communicate with them in a rear seat but no problem off road where its quiet enough to chat and you can comfortably glance round without traffic to worry about. Also not an issue if your out with others as they can do the interacting!

    iain1775
    Free Member

    Front ones aren’t really a faff, you quickly adapt your pedalling style and your not going to be riding anything extreme with the kid on board anyway, I just switched pedals from spd’s to flats and its fine for distances around 10 mile, any longer she gets bored and cold anyway
    Any faff is more than outweighed by the increased interaction you get from them being on the front and able to see where they are going, as well as you getting to see their reactions
    WeeRide Kangeroo is possibly the best bike related purchase I’ve ever made, daughter is now almost 4 and I can still ride with her in it

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