Cycling with a child: 5 child bike seats

The range of bicycle seats of the Bellelli Rabbit series has three representatives: models with the index Handlefix and Bellelli Rabbit Sportfix are oriented for installation on the steering wheel, and Bellelli Rabbit Standard B-Fix Price from 2 711 up to 2 995 ₴ suitable for mounting both on the steering wheel and under the saddle.

It is much more interesting for a child to drive in front than from behind, because instead of the back of one of the parents, he has a view of everything that is happening around. That's just in this case, the baby is not covered from the headwind, and it becomes harder for the bike driver to manoeuvre because of the increasing load on the steering wheel. After all, up to 15 kg of extra weight (that's how much the chair can withstand) affect the convenience of bike control.

The bicycle seat holder is screwed to the steering part of the frame using four bolts. It will require only up to 10 cm of free space on the front pipe (between the welding seams and the steering column). The chair is inserted into the mount almost effortlessly and is also easily removed from it when such a need arises.

The chair is designed for children aged 9 months to 3-4 years. All elements in it are adjusted as the child grows (height and width adjustable seat belts, as well as footrests with side shields). On a hot day, the child's back will not sweat, because the perforated back will create the necessary ventilation. It is possible to travel in such conditions both at close distances and at long distances, and it does not matter what type of road surface — vibrations and shocks from small bumps are practically not felt on a bad canvas.

The Longus Baseli Carrier chair is designed to be mounted on a bicycle boot. If there is a boot with standard dimensions of the platform, there will be no problems with the installation of the model, and in its absence you will need to purchase this useful bicycle accessory separately.

The rear mounting does not cause doubts in terms of safety. But this method of installation has one drawback — almost complete lack of shock absorption. Because the bike seat is attached to the boot rigidly, the child in it feels all the irregularities of the roadway, especially when jumping on curbs or traveling off-road. On more or less smooth asphalt, it is much more comfortable to be in a chair.

The design of the bicycle seat is very well thought out. A special hole has been made in its upper part for a children's bicycle helmet, wide protrusions are made on the sides to protect against side impacts during falls, and flaps are installed on the bottom to protect the baby's legs. In the frame of each flap there is one adjustable platform for placing the child's feet.

With a small weight (about 2 kg), the chair is able to take on board a load of up to 22 kg. Translating this figure to age, it turns out that it is possible to carry a child up to 6 years old in a Longus Baseli Carrier. The main thing is that it fits comfortably in a bicycle seat in height. Well, if the grown-up child is tired of sitting idle behind the parent's back, you can buy a separate children's bike for him.

The products of the Swedish company Thule are aimed at active travelers, including parents with young children who do not accept a sedentary lifestyle. At least, it is for this category of consumers that children's bicycle seats from the Scandinavian brand are produced.

The model with the prefix Yepp Mini is installed on the steering wheel. This type of attachment imposes restrictions on the maximum weight of the child (up to 15 kg). If the permissible norm is exceeded, it will become very difficult to steer a bicycle. If we talk about the age groups of children, the chair is suitable for kids from 9 months to 3-4 years.

The bicycle seat is designed taking into account the change in the child's height. It will be equally comfortable for both one-year-olds and older children. The merit of this lies on the shoulders of a variety of adjustable elements: from leg supports together with straps and up to 5-point seat belts. The latter are additionally equipped with softened shoulder pads.

In front of the seat there is a large handle-handrail, for which the child can hold on while moving. The benefits of it are especially clearly visible on an uneven road. Thanks to the handle and the soft upholstery of the seat, the baby will not even feel the pits. In addition, it will not be hot for him — a breeze will refresh the child in front, and from the back the air supply will be provided by ventilation holes in the body of the chair.

The line of Yepp bicycle seats includes two more copies, but with a rear installation method: Thule Yepp Maxi Rack Mounted Price from 3 999 up to 5 458 ₴ is placed on the bike rack, and Thule Yepp Maxi Frame Mounted Price from 4 399 up to 6 298 ₴ is attached to the bicycle frame. All versions of the chairs are equipped with a quick-release mechanism, and their fabric parts have water-repellent properties. An even greater degree of protection from precipitation can be achieved together with a rain cape, which is sold separately from the chair under the name Raincover.

The bicycle seat from the Italian brand Bellelli is attached to a seat tube with a diameter of 25 to 46 mm. According to this parameter, the mount is compatible with most modern bicycles.

The chair itself is located behind the seat, i.e. above the rear wheel. When installing it on large bicycles, you will have to sacrifice the boot, since the gap between the wheel and the base of the chair in this case will be small. The weight of the chair is a little more than 4 kg, while it can withstand a child weighing from 9 to 22 kg.

Being in a bicycle seat will be comfortable even for the smallest children. This is facilitated by a flexible system of various adjustments: the height of the seat (4 positions as the child grows), the angle of the backrest (3 positions plus the reclining position) and the height of the footrests are subject to change. The legs of the child are additionally protected by wide side shields that prevent contact of the lower limbs with the wheel spokes.

There are many small holes for ventilation and several larger holes in the back of the model, through which 5-point seat belts are threaded. By the way, the model has a version of Bellelli Tiger Relax B-Fix . It costs a little more than a standard solution, but is more versatile due to the fact that its installation on the bike is supported both from behind and from the front (on the steering wheel).

The chair from the Swedish brand Thule is made at the highest level. It has mechanisms for adjusting the position of the child's seat and uses exclusively high-quality materials.

The manufacturer's attention to detail is visible to the naked eye. What a waterproof lining is worth, each side of which is decorated with a different colour. When dirt appears on one side, you can not worry too much about this and repaint the lining with the reverse side. It has cut holes for seat belts, the position of which is flexibly adjustable in height.

The chair is mounted on a quick-release support equipped with a lock-lock. In turn, the support is put on the seat tube of the bicycle with a diameter from 27.2 to 40 mm. If the pipe has an oval shape, then the maximum dimensions for mounting are limited to 40x55 mm.

The main advantages of the bicycle seat are the support of a five-position adjustment of the backrest angle (within 20 °) and the possibility of changing the height of the support points for the baby's legs. In addition, it should be noted that there is a reflective hearse on the back of the chair and a place to install a bicycle light. And the disadvantages of the model include its heavy weight (almost 5 kg). However, it has practically no effect on the displacement of the centre of gravity of the bike, even taking into account the weight of the child seated in the chair (up to 22 kg).