Child Bike Seat Selection Guide

When your child is between 9 months and 3 years old, a front bike seat is most suitable. It is mounted on the handlebar of your bike, and its greatest advantage is that you can see your child. Another advantage is that the rear luggage carrier remains free for other accessories such as a pannier bag or bike basket. That being said, steering can be somewhat more difficult with a front child seat because the seat restricts your freedom of movement.

A rear-mounted bike seat is the ideal way to transport your child when it is a little older, that is, from the age of 2 onward. Rear child bike seats offer additional support for children up to approximately 6 years old. Extra strong child seats have a maximum capacity of 35 kg and are recommended for children between 5 and 10 years of age. One of the advantages of a rear-mounted child bike seat is that the weight rests on the luggage rack and not on the handlebar like a front-mounted seat. It is important to check the weight limit of your luggage rack. If the seat plus child is too heavy, you can consider buying a rear bike seat that can (also) be mounted to the seat tube.

The front or rear child bike seat itself is often not your only purchase. To ensure a carefree ride for your child in the front seat, you can add a windscreen to prevent insects, gravel or dirt hitting the child. For an even better use of your front or rear bike seat you can purchase functional or decorative accessories; pamper your child with a sleeping roll or decorate your bike seat with a flower garland.

When buying a child bike seat, an important choice is between a front and a rear seat. The choice between these two types of seats depends primarily on the child’s age and weight.