Author Topic: Child Bike Seat recommendations ? (Read 10239 times)

Dinamo · « **on:** 25 July, 2010, 11:29:04 am »

Baby Dinamo is now ready for her first bike seat

I have searched the internet and would welcome any comments / experiences
This model from Halfords seems to have many good reviews
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_258207_langId_-1_categoryId_165476
.....does anyone here use it ?

DrMekon · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 July, 2010, 01:37:23 pm »

Not that model, but I don't like the 2-prong suspension suspension setup. In my limited experience, and watching others, it allows playful kids to wobble themselves side to side alarmingly, and affect the handling because of the high CoG. When not using the Bakfiets / Madsen / Chariot, we have Bobike Maxi on my wife's BSP. They are nice, but if you like the full sides thing, they may be a bit minimalist for you. I know JEJames have a great price on this full-sided Hamax system, which doesn't have the wobbly setup.

Hamax PLUS Reclining Suspension Child Seat Premium Carrier

Among the various contraptions we've had is the WeeRide Kangaroo. It gives you some of the sociability of the bakfiets at a tiny fraction of the cost. Was fine until my oldest boy got heavy enough to affect the steering alarmingly.

WeeRide Kangaroo - Just Â£69.99 lowest price on the web

perpetual dan · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 July, 2010, 06:55:07 pm »

I borrowed something similar to the picture in Dinamo's link. I couldn't get it to fit on my bike - on the seatpost it was too high and Miss Dan the Younger interfered with the seat (its bad enough that she tries to pull my shorts down!); on the downtube wasn't right either - I forget whether it interfered with the back wheel or my feet while pedaling. The ideal place was where the top tube was.

I now run one that bolts to a rear rack. Just about misses my ankles. Stops me carrying panniers though.

hatler · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 July, 2010, 10:33:16 am »

Quote from: DrMekon on 25 July, 2010, 01:37:23 pm

Among the various contraptions we've had is the WeeRide Kangaroo. It gives you some of the sociability of the bakfiets at a tiny fraction of the cost. Was fine until my oldest boy got heavy enough to affect the steering alarmingly.
WeeRide Kangaroo - Just Â£69.99 lowest price on the web

A big vote here for the WeeRide. A wonderful piece of kit, but note that it doesn't fit all bikes. There's a blanket exclusion for anything with drops, but I've also found that for MTBs with a seriously sloping top tube, the fit isn't exactly great either. Best that you check before committing to buying.

Another slight downside is that one's knees have to bow slightly outwards to allow for the seat, but this only really induces knee pain up seriously steep hills (eg Ditchling).

However, the pure joy that this thing creates absolutely swamps the downsides.

I too found that as mini-hatler got bigger the steering became slightly more challenging, but this was because he had worked out that by putting his feet on the handlebars he could change where we were going !

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 July, 2010, 10:42:34 am »

We had a Hamax, and it was very good. Still got it actually, although Little Cudzo is too tall for it now. There are various models, ours was called Smile

but they only really differ in that some have a mechanism which can tilt the seat backwards. This is only of real use with very small children who are likely to fall asleep in the seat. The "frame" which attaches to the down tube is nice and rigid, so it doesn't sway too much, and because it fits to the frame you can still carry panniers (or use it without a rack) but there isn't going to be room for a saddle bag or rack pack.

Whatever you choose, you'll need mudguards - splashing through puddles was great fun for our son. It's also good hill-climb training, as your child is likely to push you in the back up hill to show their displeasure at the lack of speed!

RJ · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 July, 2010, 01:00:44 pm »

Co-Pilot Limo. Price includes a Blackburn rack - to which you can fit the seat OR panniers (not both at the same time). In that respect, seat-tube fitting models like the Hamax may be better. However, both Co-Pilot seats give good all-round protection (reassuring if your bike should ever fall over with child strapped into teh seat

).

Frenchie · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 July, 2010, 01:03:20 pm »

Co-Pilot Limo here as well; by far the best IMHO in terms of safety for the smaller child. It is very comfortable too and unlike other seats does not flex and move too much which is reassuring for the rider too. We use ours a lot including on nursery runs and Little G loves it.

David Martin · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 July, 2010, 01:27:11 pm »

Hamax something or other here. Two prong attachment plus fitting to the rack so the weight is mostly taken by the down tube, but the stability is given by being bungeed to the rear rack.

Works fine, but no panniers or rack pack. We ended up putting velcro straps in to replace the original ones after many years of use.

..d

Jules · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 July, 2010, 10:10:48 pm »

Another happy Co-pilot Limo user here (mine's actually a Rhode gear - it's that old)

Protection is superb. I've skidded and dropped the bike and my youngest - then aged about 18 months was totally undamaged.

Greenbank · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 October, 2010, 12:57:42 pm »

Anyone got a Weeride they no longer need?

I'll be taking/collection baby GB to/from nursery and want to do it on my commuting bike.

hatler · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 October, 2010, 05:55:55 pm »

Quote from: Greenbank on 24 October, 2010, 12:57:42 pm

Anyone got a Weeride they no longer need?

I'll be taking/collection baby GB to/from nursery and want to do it on my commuting bike.

Quite possibly.

We're out of town for a week but are SW London based. That's close to you isn't it ?

I say possibly 'cos I'm not sure we a) have all the bits, and b) whether we have zero chance of having to lug any more small sprogs around in the future.

Panoramix · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 October, 2010, 06:03:14 pm »

I have the simplest Hamax unconnected to the rack and it works great IMO. I like the flex as it is good to absorb Bristol potholes. If I had to buy a new one, I would buy the reclining version, when they feel asleep the non reclinable version is uncomfortable especially for a young child.

Greenbank · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 October, 2010, 12:51:49 pm »

Quote from: hatler on 24 October, 2010, 05:55:55 pm

Quote from: Greenbank on 24 October, 2010, 12:57:42 pm
Anyone got a Weeride they no longer need?

I'll be taking/collection baby GB to/from nursery and want to do it on my commuting bike.
Quite possibly.

We're out of town for a week but are SW London based. That's close to you isn't it ?

Yes, I'm in Putney. Let me know if it's a yes or no, and a price...

My first nursery run will be 3rd November so I've got a bit of time before.

I've also asked my brothers, although they're unlikely to be ready to pass theirs on yet (one has a 6 month old, the other's youngest is 2 and they aren't sure they've finished yet...)

Greenbank · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 November, 2010, 10:20:22 am »

Thanks to Hatler I now have a Weeride, Baby GB had her debut trip today although I was walking the bike along rather than riding (to get her used to it, plus I had to give up trying to get her to keep the helmet on as I was running out of time).

It's on my Audax bike (with drops) and although it doesn't interfere with the turning circle that much, I'm guessing their recommendation against drops is more to do with the narrower bars on drops and being pushed back further away from the brakes (compared to bikes with straight handlebars).

I may have to move it to the fixed since that has bullhorns and TT-aero brake levers. If that doesn't work then it'll go on the hackbike with straight bars.

No photos yet (hopefully I'll get her out on it at the weekend and take some.)

Wendy · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 November, 2010, 11:08:33 am »

If it works for you, then get a trailer instead of a child seat. They are much more useful, and much safer than child seats.

OTOH trailers have the disadvantage of being bulky to store.

hatler · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 November, 2010, 12:23:00 pm »

Quote from: Wendy on 10 November, 2010, 11:08:33 am

If it works for you, then get a trailer instead of a child seat. They are much more useful, and much safer than child seats.

OTOH trailers have the disadvantage of being bulky to store.

Mikey,

Not attacking here, I'm genuinely curious.

The claim of trailers being safer, what grounds are there to be able to state that ?

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 November, 2010, 12:30:24 pm »

I've had a wee ride in the shed for a couple of months and this weekend I'm going to convert my Cannondale cross bike to a flat bar and take her for a spin

hatler · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 November, 2010, 12:31:05 pm »

Quote from: Greenbank on 10 November, 2010, 10:20:22 am

Thanks to Hatler I now have a Weeride, Baby GB had her debut trip today although I was walking the bike along rather than riding (to get her used to it, plus I had to give up trying to get her to keep the helmet on as I was running out of time).

It's on my Audax bike (with drops) and although it doesn't interfere with the turning circle that much, I'm guessing their recommendation against drops is more to do with the narrower bars on drops and being pushed back further away from the brakes (compared to bikes with straight handlebars).

I may have to move it to the fixed since that has bullhorns and TT-aero brake levers. If that doesn't work then it'll go on the hackbike with straight bars.

No photos yet (hopefully I'll get her out on it at the weekend and take some.)

I'd always thought that the 'no drop handlebars' rule was based on the end of the bars knocking into the seat, but having seen how it was placed on your bike last night I realise (as you have identified) that the ruling must be based on the seat and child pushing you away from the bars.

Delighted to hear that mini-GB had a ride this morning. I hope she was well insulated.

Wendy · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 November, 2010, 12:33:45 pm »

Child bicycle trailer safety

Translation of a German safety review.

TBH I think either option is pretty safe, enough that I'd have no worries using them, but trailers are just that little bit safer still.

Greenbank · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 November, 2010, 12:46:04 pm »

I'd agree with the 'crumple zones' comment for a rear/rack mounting child seat, but with the Weeride I am the crumple zone (and a pretty effective one at that).

Weeride works for me on the nursery run because it isn't bulky, it takes seconds to detach and shove on a shelf in the buggy store, and seconds to reattach when I pick her up. The only place I could store a trailer at home would add 5 minutes to the getting in/out routine.

My choices were to get a Weeride, or just walk my bike to/from the nursery with Baby GB in a Baby Bjorn. The latter would probably be easier, but it's less fun (for me at least).

Anyway how is this (not my photo) anything but cool: wer4.jpg

Wendy · « **Reply #20 on:** 10 November, 2010, 02:50:45 pm »

Yeah, I'd be keen to try a weeride, they look like awesome fun!

hatler · « **Reply #21 on:** 10 November, 2010, 04:46:56 pm »

Mikey, thanks for that link. I will peruse later this evening.

GB, ref the Baby Bjorn thing. They only last so long, nowhere near as long as a Weeride. Limit on the Weeride is 40lbs. I think I managed to squeeze mini-hatler into ours when he was 5 (but this isn't recommended blah blah).

Panoramix · « **Reply #22 on:** 11 November, 2010, 01:12:02 am »

I once got told off by an old posh lady for transporting my daughter in the trailer on the snow!
It was OK, traction was just a bit iffy.

I use the trailer during the winter only or if I need to use my audax bike to avoid denting it with the clamp. The big disadvantages of the trailer IME is that traffic jams affect you badly and you can't communicate with your child but for carrying shopping and on rainy/cold days it is fab.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 November, 2010, 06:52:39 pm »

Quote from: Panoramix on 11 November, 2010, 01:12:02 am

I once got told off by an old posh lady for transporting my daughter in the trailer on the snow!
It was OK, traction was just a bit iffy.

I use the trailer during the winter only or if I need to use my audax bike to avoid denting it with the clamp. The big disadvantages of the trailer IME is that traffic jams affect you badly and you can't communicate with your child but for carrying shopping and on rainy/cold days it is fab.

I was once told off by an old but not posh lady for pushing my son in his pushchair into a cold wind. she said I sould drag it behind me so he did not go into the wind.

Greenbank · « **Reply #24 on:** 11 January, 2011, 05:11:38 pm »

The Weeride is great but I can't fit it to my Tempo as it has an oversized head-tube and it's time to get back on the fixed for commuting.

Does it usually come with a couple of different rubber/plastic shims for the headtube? The one shim I have is perfect for my Aravis with a normal sized head-tube (where I've been using it).

I might nip down to somewhere that stocks them (there's a place down in Herne Hill that's not too far from me.)

Obviously I'm hoping they do have a thinner shim for fatter headtubes and someone who isn't using theirs can pass it on to me.