# Experiences with front child seats?



## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

I overcame my misgivings about the safety of a front-mounted child seat and got the Thule Ridealong Mini for my Cross Check (size 52, set up with a flat bar). I gave it a test ride today (without baby) and was very sad to discover it is just not going to work out.

My knees hit the seat so that I was forced to ride bow-legged (uncomfortable and my power output was greatly diminished), I had to be careful mounting and dismounting because there is little space between the saddle and the baby seat, and I was leaning so closely over the seat that I'm sure I would have been in my passenger's personal space had she been on board.

I briefly put the seat on my mountain bike, which has a longer top tube, and had the same issues.


Is this simply the nature of front child seats? 
On what types of bikes do they actually work without obstructing the adult rider (large, upright hybrids is what I'm guessing, if anything)?
Are there any front seats that work acceptably with more bikes than others?


I was very much looking forward to having my co-pilot up front with me. It would have been fun, plus I like the compactness of that setup and the accompanying retention of a somewhat "normal" center of gravity. Oh well. At least the Cross Check is versatile if nothing else, and I won't have any difficulty installing a rear child seat on that bike.


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## mtbmatty (Dec 5, 2007)

I have no experience with a front mount, but I would Think would be a common issue. That's a lot of real estate to be sitting between you and the H-Bar. Was it in the way other than the affect it had on your pedaling? For me the trailer was a safer solution. 

Out of curiosity, what was the appeal of the front mount??


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

The biggest issue was that I was hitting my legs on the baby seat when pedaling such that I had to pedal bow-legged. But also as I mentioned above, I had to be careful mounting and dismounting because there is little space between the saddle and the baby seat, and I was leaning so closely over the seat that I'm sure I would have been in my passenger's personal space had she been on board.

The appeal of the front seat, to expand on what I mentioned above:

seems like fun to have the child up front to interact with
our baby is still pretty small (only a year old) and I'd like to keep a close eye on her
retention of a "normal" center of gravity--keeping her "in" the bike with me has to make it easier to control the bike than having her in a seat on a rear rack
a friend has one and spoke highly of it.

I'm sure a trailer is the safest option, though it has its own hazards, but I'm too much of a minimalist to get one. All the baby stuff we've accumulated over the past year is driving me a little nuts. If at all possible, I don't want to contribute to my own insanity.


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## BigJimG (Mar 11, 2016)

My wife has the Yepp Mini mounted on her Upright/Hybrid bike. I mocked it up on my Rockhopper and said NF'nW... I have ridden her bike for short distances with the front mounted seat. Other than the bike frame being a little small for me, it's not too bad. She loves it, as does our son, the only issue we have is we didn't have it for any of our other kids...


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## jestep (Jul 23, 2004)

Absolutely the best child seat I've ever used, and I've used all types, these, rear mount, trailers, and trail a bikes. I believe wee ride was the brand we had. As far as I know they were the first company to make them. We got one about 10 years ago before they were readily available in the US, had to order it from Australia. 

As long as the child has the strength to sit up in it, as they don't have the neck support that a rear-mounted seat has, it's by far the best seat I've ever used. I was able to ride almost everything that I normally could, single track no problem, something that is impossible with a trailer. Obviously stay off super technical or rocky stuff but I used ours at least 2 summers up on Colorado single track. Center of gravity is mostly unchanged. Child isn't staring at your back, so it's way more fun for them.

I used mine on my medium size bontrager privateer without any issues except I would sometimes hit my knee when trying to dismount. Otherwise, it's mostly like just adding some weight up high to the bike.


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

It sounds like my experience was more like @BigJimG's with his Rockhopper rather than yours with your Privateer, @jestep. I'll look up the Wee Ride and see if maybe there's anything that might indicate it would sit in a different location than the Thule I got. Thanks for the replies!


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## oren_hershco (Mar 11, 2006)

I use a front seat when I carry BOTH kids (the bigger on the back). Whenever I carry only one, I always use the rear, and leave the front at home.

The front seat disrupts your ability to control the bike, to the area where you can call it "not very safe": it's very difficult to turn or go around obstacles; it's very exhausting because your legs have to be awkwardly tilted outwards; starting/ stopping is also a hassle, because the seat takes a lot of space between the saddle and the handlebar.

It does work better on easy-riding bikes, like the Electra Townie.


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

Your experiences sound similar to mine @oren_hershco. Be careful out there!

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## scoon (Aug 26, 2005)

I used the Ibert for both of my children and found it worked out great on my mtb bike. The thing I did was to set different expectations - adding the weight on the front of the bike will definitely change the way the bike handles. BUT - having the child on the front makes it much easier to interact with the child than if the child is on the back or in a trailer. I had a trailer but felt that the kids were just to far away for me to enjoy their experiences on the bike.


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

Although I never got to the point of actually putting my little one in the seat, the added weight on the front of the bike wasn't my chief concern. The problem with the geometry of my bikes and me is that, like @oren_hershco and @BigJimG with his Rockhopper, I was obstructed from pedaling and from getting on and off the bike safely with the seat installed. Sounds like that isn't much of a problem for you, @scoon? For me not to hit the seat while pedaling, the seat would need to be probably 4 or 5 inches higher, and for me to have adequate clearance for mounting/dismounting/coming to a stop, I would want another 4 or 5 inches between the adult saddle and the child seat.


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## scoon (Aug 26, 2005)

likeybikey said:


> Although I never got to the point of actually putting my little one in the seat, the added weight on the front of the bike wasn't my chief concern. The problem with the geometry of my bikes and me is that, like @oren_hershco and @BigJimG with his Rockhopper, I was obstructed from pedaling and from getting on and off the bike safely with the seat installed. Sounds like that isn't much of a problem for you, @scoon? For me not to hit the seat while pedaling, the seat would need to be probably 4 or 5 inches higher, and for me to have adequate clearance for mounting/dismounting/coming to a stop, I would want another 4 or 5 inches between the adult saddle and the child seat.


I did not have much of a problem. I had the seat mounted on a 1998 Santa Cruz Chameleon. It was tight, but I never felt unsafe with it.


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## etrailer Expert (Mar 4, 2016)

Hey folks,

We have done some test fitting of the Thule Front Mount and Rear Mount child bike seats and we found that the front seats tend to fit better (with the rider) on bikes with larger frames such as cruisers and hybrids. The size of the rider in relation to the bike also contributes to the level of comfort when riding.

From our experience and the feedback we have received, front seats are generally a more popular solution for short trips or short daily commuting with a child. When you mount and dismount from your bike frequently, it can be easier to swing your leg over the back of the bike instead of hiking it over the top frame tube with a child attached.

Historically front bike seats have been more popular in Europe, but it has grown in the Unites States over the last 10 to 15 years, mostly in larger cities where bike commuting is more common.


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## jestep (Jul 23, 2004)

likeybikey said:


> It sounds like my experience was more like @BigJimG's with his Rockhopper rather than yours with your Privateer, @jestep. I'll look up the Wee Ride and see if maybe there's anything that might indicate it would sit in a different location than the Thule I got. Thanks for the replies!


Do you know what your top tube length is? Off the top of my head, I believe mine was about 23". I think we also did have the child seat as far forward as it would go before it would cause an obstruction while turning.


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

The 52cm Cross Check has a 21.5" top tube (pretty short but it is designed around a drop bar). I think my mountain bike has a top tube around 22 or 22.5".

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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

Thanks, @etrailer Expert! Good information!

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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

As I'm riding full suspension mountain bike, I used weeride at first, when my son grow out of it , I get tyketoter.
Tyketoter is the best! just few seconds to mount or unmount.


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## frgeoff (Mar 9, 2009)

i LOVE my yepp mini. however you must be very particular about what type of bike it gets mounted on, headset and headangle. I have a lot of bikes, was only happy with this seat on one of them


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

@frgeoff Good gosh, man! Don't leave us hanging! Which one?!

Just kidding. Yes, it seems the takeaway here is that when they work they can be great, but whether or not they work for the individuals and bike involved is another matter altogether. I ordered a rear rack seat from my LBS. I'm not anywhere near as excited about it as I was about the front seat. But if I can get my little one to put her helmet on, we should get to ride this weekend!

@CaRaBeeN I looked up the Tyketoter. Definitely for older kids but looks interesting. I imagine it would only work on a bike that a front seat also works on, which would rule me out.


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## frgeoff (Mar 9, 2009)

i bought so many bikes over the years, but an old Huffy Cranbrook cruiser is my bae. you need to get the older ones with hiten steel and TIG welding. not the new junk with seam tube and mig welding. Put some good cranks, headset and wheels on her, love the bike

the only other bike ive been tempted to try is a Trek Custom Cruiser


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## danradfahren (May 20, 2010)

Just to let you know that the Weeride Kangouroo has no better knee clearance. I used it a lot, but for short trips. The only time I went far (20km), I believed it triggered a hip bursitis from the bowlegged position. I tried it on the following and always had to pedal bowlegged: Santa Cruz Blur LT, Norco Bigfoot, Salsa Vaya, older Kona Explosif, all of wich are sized properly for me. Haven't tried my Giant Simple cruiser, might work because of the ultra slack geometry.
At 2.5 years old she now rides either in a Weehoo iGo (not perfect but still awesome) or a Yepp maxi at the back of an Extracycle Edgerunner. We have a Chariot Chinook but she got bored a lot quicker, so we stopped using it. It is also cumbersome when riding and bouncy offroad. Plus you can't really interact with your kid. I can't wait for her to be older and try something like the Tyketoter or even better the Mac Ride, if it ever actually ships (Mac Ride)
Nothing's perfect put don't let it stop you from riding with your kids


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## lawstudent (Nov 17, 2015)

I've used both the iBert Safe-T Seat and Tyke Toter with all three of my children. I find front mounted the only interesting way to ride with my children as we can share the enjoyment of the road together. 

Both systems were used on a medium size Novara Buzz One Hybrid Cruiser (mustache bars), medium size Haro Mary SS (converted to flat bar), and now a Nashbar flat bar road bike 21 inch. I'm 5'10" and believe all these bike to be a tad small for me, but felt having a smaller framed bike gave me the ability to plant my feet on ground and "around" the child seat.

Also, I watched a friend mount a weeride to his toptube and it seemed ridiculously complicated compared to my iBert (2 bolt stem) or Tyke Toter (Quick-release clamp). And that style of seat demanded that he ride bow-legged.

I only rode groomed bike paths and city streets and never felt any safety issues. At times you will find it necessary to be slightly bowed in the leg, but never a problem bumping knees. I never rode more than 10 miles/trip though as the child doesn't have the patience for it or even falls asleep. For a longer haul, a rear seat where a child could rest his head would be preferred. I found the quick trips to the park and ice cream store the best with front mount seats. If I was riding farther, I'd leave the kid at home quite frankly. 

I've enjoyed both products immensely with my kids. The iBert roughly ages (1-3yrs) and Tyke Toter (3-5 yrs). I find it funny though that I was willing to spend $100 each on a piece of plastic injection molding for one and a single aluminum bar post for the other AND NOW I wince at spending over $100 for a full on bike on craigslist as I constantly search for their next ride!


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## likeybikey (Nov 24, 2007)

Thanks for the comments, @frgeoff and @danradfahren. I can see a cruiser working with a front seat. Also, @danradfahren, sorry to hear about the hip injury. The 4 miles I rode with the seat attached to get home from work, that was my fear. It was not only uncomfortable, but I thought that dinner it later it would result in an injury. Coincidentally, the mountain bike I alluded to in my original post was an older 26er Explosif. Still love that bike.
@lawstudent Your comments open up the discussion as to which seats might work better than others for the adult rider.
Thanks, all, for your thoughts!

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## SuperSartre (Apr 18, 2016)

I tried front seats, back seats, and a trailer (for road rides) and finally I just said screw it and put him on my back with a mei Tai wrap. It's amazing, his weight is my weight, he can still see everything, it's the only thing I've used that I really love.


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## dan1231 (Jan 8, 2012)

I just wanted to +1 the i-Bert. I'm 5'10" and I've mounted it on both my medium-sized hardtail and large-sized full suspension bikes. I've ridden on streets, bike paths and even singletrack trails with a 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 year old at the helm, and both of my kids just loved/love it. There are some situations where I feel comfortable in "letting the throttle go" and we zoom down the trail, and my son/daughter are comfortable and stable in the seat (and yelling "go faster!"). It also helps that your chest can act as a little bit of a headrest. I do hit my knees on it in certain positions, but with a little adjustment (spreading the knees outwards and moving back on the seat), I can ride no problem for hours, and even do some technical climbing by dropping the gears down and readjusting my expectations on speed. It's been super fun to share the trails with my kids this way.


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## huckers (May 14, 2012)

frgeoff said:


> i LOVE my yepp mini. however you must be very particular about what type of bike it gets mounted on, headset and headangle. I have a lot of bikes, was only happy with this seat on one of them


I own a Yepp Mini as well. I have plenty of great things to say about it, but I haven't done a tonne of *real mountain biking on it yet, as I only got it last year.

So far I would say:
1) There are a LOT of things you need to balance in the "fit" equation. Definitely try/tweak/love before your 30 days return policy is up. 
2) One Mary (mustache) handlebars were required on my Rocky Blizzard Fatbike in order that I could reach around my first born comfortably to the handlebars.
3) I highly recommend a dropper post... without it I am either bow-legged pedalling or teetering dangerously at a stop-light or trail obstacle. Having the dropper increased my safety confidence 100%
4) The build quality of the Yepp Mini is top notch... baby loves it... comfort is there. The only issue is fit. On my bike her head is often bouncing on my chest. I feel the need to bend/tilt the mount to get her head a little more upright , but I'm hesitant for obvious reasons.

I can compare to a WeeRide. I didn't ride it on the same bike, but despite it's awkward crossbar, I actually found it more comfortable from a fit perspective. The child is far more upright, so way more forward head bobs and their legs are more bent... seems like it would be less comfy for them. But that said, it gives you more room in the cockpit.

Finally... I've seen an i-bert in action and perhaps it was the bike head tube angle (it was on a dualie Pivot), but it seemed to sit lower and more laid back. The child's bum seemed to be more on a reclined angle, closer to the top tube than either the Yepp or the WeeRide. This seemed to put the child's head lower against your sternum/abdomen.

THE POINT: These are all going to fit differently depending on your bike, your kid and you. So take the time to try them out in person (or online with return policies).

And then be ready to tweak.... once you do, true "oh I'd take any rider here... good for all skill levels" single track will be super fun for you and the little one. I love the shrieks of excitement I get as we round a banked corner and head on a short decent. Obviously you have to be on trails you rate a 6 and no higher for your personal difficulty... but it is fun and I am doing trails that would be way too narrow to dream of with a bike trailer.

PS: Note, I was certain I wanted a "headset mount" style seat rather than a "extra crossbar" style. In fact I bought the Yepp anyway when I knew the WeeRide was going to be a hand-me-down. I'm happy with the Yepp, but expect the WeeRide will also find a permanent place on my wife's bike. In the end, you'll be swinging your leg over the rear of the seat to mount and there simply isn't room between seat and saddle to step off (hence the added utility of a dropper post).


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## seano (Jun 3, 2008)

Just tried the Yepp Mini for two rides this past weekend. Set it up on my older Stumpjumper FSR 26r, size large. Have also ordered a WeeRide to try that this week.

I love the front seat position for my daughter and second what everyone who's ever used a front seat will say is true - great interaction the whole way and loads of "talking" and obvious delight (she's 1 yo).

Generally felt quite safe and comfortable, but one challenge I discovered was that I could not turn the handlebars as much as I wanted - she's short and the foot platforms are high enough that they bang into the frame and limit steering for any slow speed maneuvering. Obviously not a problem once rolling, but anything slow speed (i.e. parking lot maneuvers, slow climb single track etc.) are problematic. 

This seat does require me to ride slightly knees out - noticed it more on a climb - but not terribly so. Tried riding with my saddle lower than normal on the first ride, but moving it into correct height actually minimized the banging my knees on the seat.

Those that have used this or the iBert etc. will probably agree that you can feel the weight on the steering, particularly w/one hand... feels almost like a cruiser bike front wheel flop. No big deal, but something to take note of.

I did install a spare pair of 710mm riser bars + slightly shorter stem than I usually use which made it quite comfortable to ride with her there. And I love Huckers suggestion of a dropper post as teetering on/off could be problematic at some point. Also there is no room for me to stand over the frame between the Yepp mini and my saddle.

I'm looking forward to comparing this to the WeeRide - I like the design of the Yepp Mini: supportive but soft and ventilated seat, overall really well made. The limited steering issue @ low speeds on my bike, however, really restricts where I might try to ride with her.


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## jestep (Jul 23, 2004)

Would something like a a setback seatpost correct the knee issue, or would that mess up your position too much?


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## seano (Jun 3, 2008)

Yeah, right? Which is the lesser of two evils - get that seat slammed back and get further behind the bb and maybe the knees completely clear or keep same position as other bikes, yet have to splay out the knees a bit?

I was thinking a dropper makes so much sense... so to your point, maybe make sure the one I get has some setback which would leave me working room to play around with the setback.


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## huckers (May 14, 2012)

jestep said:


> Would something like a a setback seatpost correct the knee issue, or would that mess up your position too much?


hmm... I'm not sure I would recommend a set back seat post. Everybody is different, and I admire fly like a longer top tune, but I found it difficult to reach around the seat... My normal body position was on top of where the seat is... I needed to grab some On One Mary bars to allow a more upright position.... "Admire fly = admittedly


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## DARE_SUPPORTER (Apr 13, 2010)

I just installed the Weeride Kangaroo today on my Highball, I will try to give some better feedback once I get a chance to take my boy out for a spin this weekend. I'm hoping it works out well, my only first glance concern is the seat looks very small for my boy. We will see though.


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## DARE_SUPPORTER (Apr 13, 2010)

DARE_SUPPORTER said:


> I just installed the Weeride Kangaroo today on my Highball, I will try to give some better feedback once I get a chance to take my boy out for a spin this weekend. I'm hoping it works out well, my only first glance concern is the seat looks very small for my boy. We will see though.


Well, the weeride seat fit my son perfect...It was a good ride, we rode our neighborhood and he loved it!!! As far as pedaling there was no issues as far as my knees hitting, my only issue was the bars felt low since you lean over your child. The straps to hold your child in the seat were a bit of a pain when doing them by yourself, not bad with help.


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## seano (Jun 3, 2008)

*Updated... Yep Mini vs WeeRide*



mtbmatty said:


> I have no experience with a front mount, but I would Think would be a common issue. That's a lot of real estate to be sitting between you and the H-Bar. Was it in the way other than the affect it had on your pedaling? For me the trailer was a safer solution.
> 
> Out of curiosity, what was the appeal of the front mount??


As an aside, we also do have a chariot trailer - the nice thing is that can go on any bike... but the front seat is just so much for fun for both of us!

Here's the Yepp Mini on the bike:









I got the WeeRide and installed that in place of the Yepp Mini this past week..









The strange thing about the two pictures is it actually looks like there is more room for me with the Yepp, but I think it mounts so high that there is no way to straddle the bike between the Yepp and my seat. The Yepp is also a bit more laid back, while the WeeRide is much more upright.

I like the Yepp Mini seat & straps much better (more substantial), but the smaller WeeRide gives me a lot more room on the bike due to that size. My daughter is much more cradled in the Yepp, but she did fine in the WeeRide (she's a small 14 months).

I also prefer the Yepp Mini "handlebar" to the WeeRide and will fashion something similar.

I modified the bracket for the WeeRide and picked up a seatclamp that provides a spot to mount a rack - much nicer without that big bracket attached to the seatpost. It now allows me to put the seat up/down so someone else can ride the bike:








I definitely like how the bike rides with her seated on the "frame" vs the steer tube. And the steering issue is 100% solved: I'll definitely take her out on smooth singletrack with the WeeRide.

The straps on the Weeride need a little bit of help while she's small... I'll have to modify or add to these to make them a bit better.

Incidentally, I had purchased the spare Yepp Mini steel bracket and did some mockups with it attached to the WeeRide cross bar, but the seat was just too large to make this work.

So, for us - we're going to return the Yepp and stick with the WeeRide.


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## FrankZappa6 (Aug 9, 2010)

*Grandpa duty!*









Here's a Thule Ridealong mini on a Spearfish. Still learning & tinkering and have more miles with a bowling ball in the seat than my Granddaughter, but it's shaping up. Jury is out on the windscreen, but the bugs are really bad in the evening so I'm she doesn't mind it too much. The dropper post is just about essential with this seat. I drop it to mount and dismount and go off and on over the back. There just isn't room to straddle the top tube.

Things that I think make this front seat more viable would include:

Tall stack and longish reach geometry, so consider an upsized frame.
Alt bars to move your hands and chest back.
Shorter cranks to reduce knee/seat interference.
A dropper post.


I also have a 27.2 dropper ordered to try it with my La Cruz and Karate Monkey. The KM has better geometry with the extra stack and longer reach, but I'd like to get it to work with the La Cruz for neighborhood rides & such. There's a pic of it in the La Cruz thread.


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## davee5 (Jul 16, 2016)

Forgive the rambly notes, they were written up for a cousin who asked this question on Facebook.

TL;DR: we love the Yepp Mini with the threadless stem adapter, but it really must be on a dual suspension setup to be safe / comfy for trail riding.

Bona fides first: I have co-ridden over 600 miles of reasonably hardcore cross-country mountain bike trails with my kid in a front-mount / handlebar seat. Many more miles were put on pavement too. This started at 9 months and continues now into 2 yrs. The trails have gotten more aggressive as he's grown, it's a bit nuts now. (Early on:

__
http://instagr.am/p/zMXJK4k1Dm/
 ) We even cracked the top 10 on a few Strava boards.

There are a few things you need in a front-mount seat, in order or priority:
1. Full-body support / child comfort
2. Secure mounting to the bike
3. Distributed loading of the sub-frame
4. Maintains bike performance integrity
5. Adult rider clearance / comfort

The leading front-mount seats you can buy around here are:
- iBert Safe-T Seat
- Yepp Mini
- Thule RideAlong Mini

iBert - DO NOT BUY THE &[email protected]# iBERT. IT IS UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED. The iBert design is categorically flawed, it does not satisfactorily meet items 1-3.
(re: 1) The half-seat leaves the child's head and shoulder unsupported. Riding over even the smallest bumps causes a child's head to whip a bit, the bike is a long lever arm, and you need that full body support - you get none of it there.
(re: 2 & 3) The iBert uses a single die-cast spike that runs under the center of the plastic bucket, secured with a cheap cotter pin. There are documented incidents of the spike breaking, and the pin breaking, and also the buckets snapping around it, each where children fall to the ground. These events are statistically uncommon, but that's a total, complete no-go / veto / blacklist in my book - especially when compounded against the safety flaws under all conditions.

Thule RideAlong - probably totally fine, but not the best.
The Thule has great support. Mounting is acceptable but not stellar. There is no subframe for the seatback, but the bottom is solid. I worry the large leg cans will impede steering by hitting the bike frame, so that's not great, but not everyone takes hairpin turns on loamy singletrack with their toddler... The back seems like it's hung fairly far back with a lot of lean. That intrudes into adult chest space, which makes it hard for the adult to hold the bar without a child's helmet in their chest, but I haven't ridden it to confirm.

Yepp Mini - my strong recommendation
The mini has a high back and a robust bucket design. The bucket has a tubular aluminum subframe all the way up the back, so it's super bomber.

The mounting is typically identical to the Thule (split clamp for stems) but the quill mount is designed for Dutch quill stems and is unlikely to fit your modern american ride. That's fine in my book, because the adapter accessory that installs in the stem & spacer stack is WAY more robust than any other mounting setup out there. It's foolproof, not subject to bolt shear failures, and actually tightens up the cockpit for better adult comfort. It is unfortunately expensive for what you get, but it's a good upgrade.

The bike steering is generally OK, but the clamps for the foot holders are not stellar - mine only give me a full range of motion in only 2 locations. That hasn't slowed me down at all, and it does mean there are sweet spots, but take note of it on install.

The seat position of the Yepp is also much more upright than the others, meaning the adult has considerably more clearance and comfort than the other designs. It also means the kid hunches over less when you lean into them. This matters a ton in the long run as your copilot grows.

Lastly, I do recommend buying a third-party sternum buckle to keep the straps in place - basically all the designs fail at this as the shoulder belts are prone to slipping. Adding one more harness buckle is incredibly helpful and well worth the $5.

You may also consider other data sources, such as: Child, Baby Bike Seat Comparison Charts - Two Wheeling Tots
I think these guys have their heads screwed on straight, but they are looking for basic around town riding - my standards are higher for use & abuse.

And finally, enjoy riding with your little ones!

P.S. I do not personally recommend trailers, but YMMV. The kids in trailers ride directly over the wheel axle so they get 100% of the bounce and jounce. You also can't see them to adapt your riding style and you tend to misjudge things like turns. Hit that curb once with a trailing wheel... Finally, having the kiddo up front allows you to interact in important ways.. I point out trees, animals, soothe him, cradle him if he starts falling asleep, and pull in my elbows to help him brace if we're headed for some rock gardens. It also keeps the bike riding in a familiar way, which is paramount for safety. Some people dig trailers, but that's not how we roll.


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## davee5 (Jul 16, 2016)

A few more notes for the MTBR crew:

0. Here are some videos of our Yepp Mini + threadless adapter (bolted to a large Santa Cruz Blue) in action:
Emigrant trail, Tahoe: 



 Arastradero, Palo Alto [our home turf]: 




1. Suspension matters a ton when riding with a kid up front. They're locked into the seat and can't stand up to take the hits, so you really need the bike to do all the work.
- Ride dual suspension
- Ride seated at all times so your butt forces the shocks to work harder.
- Ride smooth, smooth lines.

The real killers are water berms. Once little ones are strong enough to roll trails, they can deal with jitter OK. But water berms and other fast rollers make their necks whip and snap, which is super scary. Stuff that you'd usually stand up for so the bike can roll underneath you are *terrible* for the stem-seated kid.

2. When they fall asleep it's a whole new level of tricky. Weight gets all funny, their heads stop taking up vibrations, they slump awkwardly, and you have to ride all that much more carefully.

3. My kid LOVES it. "Go ride big bike?" has been a favorite phrase since he's been able to talk. Sometimes we ride with his modified Skuut strapped to my back and he'll do a few sections, but it's always real easy to talk him into riding trails.

4. Everybody else loves it too. We get more smiles, kudos, space, and good will riding together than you could imagine. Especially when riding trickier trails or places that don't seem obviously kid friendly you just get huge respect from other riders. And there is little more satisfying than passing some over-kitted out douche on a $14K bike with a toddler strapped to your handlebars while he says "He has a BLUE bike! Bye bye blue bike man!"

5. Other safety gear matters for both of you. Low profile helmets matter for chest space (we love the Bern Nino XS). Getting goggle for the kid (kiddo snow goggles) is critical too. We *once* took a bug in the face, not the eyes, and from then on it was eye coverage all the time. He fought it for a while, now "need hat, need goggles, ride big bike" is the opening line before strapping in.

6. Cornering is funny, but mostly due to weighting issues. The fork will feel funny, the front wheel mass way different, and your whole riding style shifts. But even at ~40lbs with kid & seat, the steering response is not too different - the mass stays reasonably well centered on the steertube.

7. Enjoy it, but don't push it too fast. It took us a lot of easy rides tarting at 9mo to work up to as-fast-as-the-tires-will-hold-250lbs-of-riding-team at 2 years. But man, so worth it.

:: Dave


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## Ufdah (Sep 9, 2012)

My son Trek sure loves his WeeRide. He turns two in a couple weeks and has been riding all over with me, actually I think it's his favorite thing to do. I do have to pedal with my knees out to the side but the large q-factor of the fat bike cranks makes it quite comfortable. That being said, I am 6'3" and it's a 21" frame so there's a little more room for him...


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## Rascal Rides (Jan 27, 2015)

*Love Mountain Biking with the iBert*









I have used both the iBert and the Yepp Mini. The Yepp is my favorite over-all seat, but the iBert is preferable (in my opinion) for mountain biking. While some have pointed it out as a flaw, the lower back is less obtrusive for mountain biking where you need to be able to see well and to get your weight forward.

My full review of the iBert is here: Review of the iBert Safe-T Child Bicycle Seat ? Rascal Rides

Now that my son has outgrown the iBert (3.5yo), we also use the TykeToter. It wont work for babies, but is a front bike seat option for mountain biking with slightly older children.


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## BlackPotato (May 23, 2014)

I have mtb'd with my 2-year-old in my backpack carrier. She was able to see over my shoulder, and I have full manoeuvrability on the bike. How can there be a better way? Only difference was I felt heavier on the bike. When sitting on the seat, you just have to sit upright a little bit more to ensure weight is going direct into seat.

Not sure I would do it for long rides, but was a pretty effective method for tame mtbing with your kid.


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## eman555 (May 31, 2016)

Hi Everyone,

So happy I came across this thread, hoping to get some input from those of you with experience with the Thule Ride Along Mini.

I bought one months ago in anticipation of my son's first birthday. I went to set it up recently on my 2016 Trek Top Fuel which is carbon fiber except for the rear triangle and stem. That's when I noticed that Thule's manual states that these are not compatible with carbon fiber stems.

Anyone know of any issues installing these on forks with carbon fiber spacers and steerer tubes? I would assume using a torque wrench to tighten the bracket would be the smart move.

Thanks is advance.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

Carbon fiber stems are already a very bad idea on a mountain bike and now your wanting to risk your child's life on it???

Why not just buy an proper alloy stem and be done? 

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## eman555 (May 31, 2016)

tigris99 said:


> Carbon fiber stems are already a very bad idea on a mountain bike and now your wanting to risk your child's life on it???
> 
> Why not just buy an proper alloy stem and be done?
> 
> Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


My bad...my bike has an alloy stem, but the spacers (and I'm pretty sure the steerer tube) are carbon fiber. Gonna edit the original post.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

I doubt the steerer tube is carbon fiber for an OEM bike unless you literally bought the most expensive version of the top fuel. Just take the top cap off and you'll see real fast if it is.

Spacer material doesn't matter any.

The biggest thing is making sure there is nothing in the mounts that will put concentrated pressure on the carbon fiber frame. I'm not familiar with that seat (I won't use seats, I use a trailer, if my bike falls over the risk of injury to my son is way too high) but if you can get pictures of the mount I can tell you pretty quick if your going to trash your frame using it or not.

I'm guessing it fits like the last pics posts which is a bar from seat post to steerer tube. No way in hell if it was carbon fiber anything (seat post or steerer) I would be trying to make it support a child seat like that.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## eman555 (May 31, 2016)

I'm being a moron...you're right, the steerer tube is aluminum. The spacers are carbon fiber so I picked up some aluminum ones tonight at my LBS to swap out in their place. 

The seat only attaches at the steerer tube with a clamp-type bracket. Nothing attaches to the seat post. 

Thinking about moving to a trailer once my kids get a little bigger. Any recommendations for those?


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## elipsoid (Mar 26, 2017)

Well, guess I have just joined the club. My 1yr old received a Thule RideAlong mini for her birthday and today we gave it a spin. A few observations:

1) The straps are not that great, one of the loops the strap goes through ripped after the first ride. They are there to keep the strap in place, so I guess no big deal safety-wise, but still sucks.

2) Installing it on my Canyon Nerve AL 6 was tricky, the locking mechanism requires a lot of space and the steerer tube is quite short - it is about 4 mm shorter than the stem after tightening everything. Not sure how safe this is.

3) I had to drop my seat way lower so I can safely stop and put my feet on the ground.

4) Now the worst part. Maybe because of 3) my knees keep hitting edges of the seat. Wouldn't be such an issue if the edges were not bent outwards and quite sharp. I might try raising the seat to my usual riding height tomorrow, just to see if it helps. But then I will probably have to get a dropper post to be able to get on and off the bike safely.

I will be returning the seat because of the ripped strap loop and I am thinking If I should get the same one or give the Yepp a try. As davee5 said, it seems to be less reclined plus the edges are rounded and further away from the rider's knees. I will need that adapter though.

Also there is a new Yepp Nexxt (link) which does not require the adapter and is even more rounded on the outside. Anybody has experience with this one?


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## foxpuppet (Jan 2, 2011)

I've recently moved our yepp mini off a specialized sirrus flat bar to my stumpy fsr. It's so much more comfortable to ride than the commuter & handles singletrack like a breeze. With a dropper and xx1 gearing I even managed some steep firetrail climbs without much hassle. Just need to dial in the fork and shock for the added weight up front.




























The reason I mounted this up is im actually waiting for the macride to arrive next month and it's taken so long my oldest is almost too big for it already. The price you pay for supporting kickstarter 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## lukeNZ (Dec 13, 2012)

We have a yepp mini on the front of our big dummy. We end up with both the ahead adaptor (thin steel plate) and the fatter chunky standard one which is supposed to be for 1" steerers but I have got it to fit around the 1 1/8th fine which gets the seat closer to the steerer tube which gives better leg clearance, you just need a decent steerer lenght


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## foxpuppet (Jan 2, 2011)

Don't need the yepp mini anymore, the macride arrived 2 days ago and got mounted and tested yesterday. It's so much better in every way. This is the macride 2.0 and gotta say the finish is very good. I'd liken it to XT or X01 over slx or gx..... and all in black 



















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## lukeNZ (Dec 13, 2012)

easier to buy of but not quite as good as the macride is the dolittle seat which is well used for mtb here in NZ. Don't be put off by the lame pictures here Do Little Bike Seats | Kids Bike Seat NZ | Childs Bike Seat as they are great seats for the price


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## Kbarrette (Mar 16, 2013)

foxpuppet said:


> Don't need the yepp mini anymore, the macride arrived 2 days ago and got mounted and tested yesterday. It's so much better in every way. This is the macride 2.0 and gotta say the finish is very good. I'd liken it to XT or X01 over slx or gx..... and all in black
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Got mine a couple weeks ago too and my son has had me out around town every day since.

Mounted mine to my single speed Nashbar 29er.

I tried it on my Rocky Mountain Vertex but the reach is a bit less on that and it's a bit tighter.










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## BikePilot1 (May 15, 2006)

Rode my guy around on a front seat from about 1 to 2.5yrs old. By mid 2s his head was in my way and we just didn't fit well. Also he was pedaling his own self around quite proficiently and could swap to the Oset if Daddy needed more exercise.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


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## davee5 (Jul 16, 2016)

Since my last post re: the Yepp-mini micro dude was really pushing the boundaries of rideability. I couldn't find a LOCT and the MacRide wasn't out yet so I just built one myself.

Co-Pilot Page








Basically I took some lugged brazing sets from Nova Cycle Supply and found a combo that would allow me to make a seat-post mounted, fork-legged, seatpost-holding rig that duplicates the MacRide setup with real pedals and a real seat.

It's super duper great and we've logged a few hundred miles together, including rocking some slickrock in Moab. Some notes from our experience so far:

- A large, bored 3-year old who is not strapped in and is also holding your handlebars can be a hazard. Steering assistance, random hugs, pointing at trees, and jumping up and down can happen at any time.

- The dynamics are WAY better than a front seat, so you can go faster more confidently. Combined with a larger, more confident child, I now run out of skills before I run out of enthusiasm. He now wants to decend rock gardens that our combined weight makes rather inadvisable.

- Going faster, with no seatbelt, also means panic breaking is dangerous. Get your your kid's position dialed so they aren't too tall over the bars and their arm angle naturally braces for deceleration. They don't know when to hold on tight until you tell them.

- Make your kids some grips! Get some roadie grip tape and give them "their" place to hold on. If not they will try to share your grips / brakes / shifters. I also gave my kid a Spurcycle bell and duties to ding in corners and when passing.

- Teaching your kid to actually ride, instead of just sit there, is great. We practice "weight back" on descents, "little bit standing" on bumpy sections and water berms, and "Wheeeeeee!" on downhills. The interaction is super fun. Narrating brake work is also helping micro-dude learn to use his own pedal bike.

- Passing other people with a 3-year old makes them happy, unless it surprises them too much. I've had TWO people fall over in shock when being passed by a 3-year old on tricky sections and/or steep climbs.

- Passing other people with a 3-year old makes ME *super* happy. And tired.

Enjoy!


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## Scotty2H (Mar 28, 2016)

Old but important thread. Just got my new bike and fit a Thule Ridealong Mini. Need to fiddle with my seat position and I think slightly bowed knees will be necessary. Worth it for kids smile though. Thinking of swapping for Yepp Nexxt Mini to see if more clearance.


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## Kingfisher2011 (Nov 1, 2011)

I did a "Take a kid mountain biking" event recently where both the mom and dad had top tube mounted seats, with "stirrups" for lack of a better term. Similar to the picture above from 2017 but I believe they were mounted direct to the top tube rather than having another horizontal tube that came out. It seemed surprisingly stable. The dad was doing manuals with the kid up front and the kids were locked in place. They just kept their hands on the bars and all was well.


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## Ocn360 (Feb 18, 2021)

likeybikey said:


> I overcame my misgivings about the safety of a front-mounted child seat and got the Thule Ridealong Mini for my Cross Check (size 52, set up with a flat bar). I gave it a test ride today (without baby) and was very sad to discover it is just not going to work out.
> 
> My knees hit the seat so that I was forced to ride bow-legged (uncomfortable and my power output was greatly diminished), I had to be careful mounting and dismounting because there is little space between the saddle and the baby seat, and I was leaning so closely over the seat that I'm sure I would have been in my passenger's personal space had she been on board.
> 
> ...


Hey 
I know this is an older post but just wanted to share my experience with the Yepp Mini front carrying seat. It worked well on my beach cruiser. Knees cleared fine, comfortable to ride, easy to load and unload my baby loved it. I tried the seat on my Kona ute and knees hit! Trying to find a solution. Possibly a seat post with a slight kick back. 
Pretty sure the front carrying seats are designed for a bicycle with a comfort geometry.


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