baby seats?

Dmitri Colebatch

Hi guys,

Our little boy is almost 10 months now and so I'm starting to look around at
a way to take him with me on the bike. I see the following options:
- trailer
- bike seat (rack mounted)
- bike seat (seatpost mounted)

I've pretty well discarded a trailer as I feel more comfortable keeping the
bike under control rather than keeping the trailer under control. Happy to
hear experiences on the topic though.

So, looking at seats, I've currently got the following list:
- http://www.topeak.com/t8/products/babyseat/babyseat.php
-
http://www.all-about-the-home.co.uk...-seat-345-p.asp

My gut feel is that a rack mounted seat would be stronger, but I'm assuming
that in this overregulated world we live in I imagine that the seatpost
mounted seat would well and truely be strong enough, or else it wouldn't be
on the market. Thinking further about this I imagine that the seatpost
mounted seat would effectively have built-in suspension, like those fancy
frames that have the seat suspended from the front rather than sitting on a
seatpost.

This is to go on my soon-to-be new commuter, one of my options is the Kona
Paddy Wagon (http://www.konaworld.com/08_paddywagon_w.htm) which doesn't
have pegs for a rack so if I'm not going to get the seatpost mounted seat
then I need to look at a different bike (o:

Anyone have any tips?

Cheers,
Dim

Graeme Dods

On Feb 25, 6:38 pm, "Dmitri Colebatch" <n...@telling.com> wrote:

> I've pretty well discarded a trailer as I feel more comfortable keeping the
> bike under control rather than keeping the trailer under control. Happy to
> hear experiences on the topic though.

This has been discussed lots of times, so from experience I can tell
you that you're about to get a dozen different opinions.

I'm not keen on kid seats due to the effect they have on the handling
of the bike and that in the (hopefully unlikely) event of you taking a
tumble, your son goes down too. If he's in a trailer then he's more
likely to be entertained by daddy falling off and shout "Again!
Again!" The risk of either event is low though. The handling of a bike
isn't affected much by hauling a trailer, though you do have to be
aware of bollards, gate posts etc. and pass a little wider than you're
used to.

Another advantage of the trailer is that you can also carry all your
son's toys, 12 changes of clothes, two boxes of nappies and four days
worth of rations (or is this your 2nd child and you've gone past that
"just in case" stage?).


> My gut feel is that a rack mounted seat would be stronger, but I'm assuming
> that in this overregulated world we live in I imagine that the seatpost
> mounted seat would well and truely be strong enough, or else it wouldn't be
> on the market.

I've not seen any seat post mounted kid seat, but the only seat post
mounted racks I've seen have weight limits of around 10-12kg. This
limit would be fairly easily exceeded with a seat and a child. As you
say, there's certainly a safety factor built in to that limit, but
just how big and are you willing to take the risk? Kid's may bounce to
a certain extent, but they don't half make a noise about it when they
do [1].

Hope that helps

Graeme

[1] Dods, Graeme, "Parenting the Caring Way, Volume 2", page 347

lemmiwinks.au@gmail.com

On Feb 25, 8:38 pm, "Dmitri Colebatch" <n...@telling.com> wrote:
> So, looking at seats, I've currently got the following list:
> -http://www.topeak.com/t8/products/babyseat/babyseat.php
> -http://www.all-about-the-home.co.uk/ok-baby-sirius-recliner-child-sea...
>
> This is to go on my soon-to-be new commuter, one of my options is the Kona
> Paddy Wagon (http://www.konaworld.com/08_paddywagon_w.htm) which doesn't
> have pegs for a rack so if I'm not going to get the seatpost mounted seat
> then I need to look at a different bike (o:

If I had to get such a device I'd be seriously considering the Weeride
http://www.weeride.com.au I'd feel more comfortable with the kid up
front where you can keep an eye on it, though there's still the issue
of going over as mentioned by Graeme.

tim

On Feb 25, 8:38 pm, "Dmitri Colebatch" <n...@telling.com> wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> Our little boy is almost 10 months now and so I'm starting to look around at
> a way to take him with me on the bike. I see the following options:
> - trailer
> - bike seat (rack mounted)
> - bike seat (seatpost mounted)

- cargo bike

http://www.cargocycles.com.au

(ob.disclosure: cargo cycles is me)

tim

BT Humble

On Feb 25, 8:38 pm, "Dmitri Colebatch" <n...@telling.com> wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> Our little boy is almost 10 months now and so I'm starting to look around at
> a way to take him with me on the bike. I see the following options:
> - trailer
> - bike seat (rack mounted)
> - bike seat (seatpost mounted)
>
> I've pretty well discarded a trailer as I feel more comfortable keeping the
> bike under control rather than keeping the trailer under control. Happy to
> hear experiences on the topic though.
>
> So, looking at seats, I've currently got the following list:
> -http://www.topeak.com/t8/products/babyseat/babyseat.php

If you're in/near Canberra, I have a seat that's quite similar to that
Topeak one that you can have for free. I bought it at a garage sale
some time ago, thinking "Somebody I know will be sure to want that one
day". (I don't have any young 'uns).


BTH

OzCableguy

"Graeme Dods" <GraemeDods@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:0c372e70-eae8-42e6-bdd4-bbd8ed54eb92@q78g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> I'm not keen on kid seats due to the effect they have on the handling
> of the bike and that in the (hopefully unlikely) event of you taking a
> tumble, your son goes down too. If he's in a trailer then he's more
> likely to be entertained by daddy falling off and shout "Again!
> Again!" The risk of either event is low though. The handling of a bike
> isn't affected much by hauling a trailer, though you do have to be
> aware of bollards, gate posts etc. and pass a little wider than you're
> used to.
>

I agree. Even in the event of a serious spill where the trailer goes over as
well you've still got a full roll cage on the trailer so the sprog isn't
likely to make contact with the road.

> Another advantage of the trailer is that you can also carry all your
> son's toys, 12 changes of clothes, two boxes of nappies and four days
> worth of rations (or is this your 2nd child and you've gone past that
> "just in case" stage?).
>

Indeed. I upgraded to a trailer after No 2 & then No 3 son came along and I
needed to cart at least two of them around with plenty of assorted crap that
seems to be necessary to go anywhere with littlies.

Another aspect of the child seat is unless you're Jean-Claude Van Damme you
can't throw your leg over from the rear anymore so it's really awkward to
mount a bike with a top tube. It also tends to really freak them out when
you need to lean the bike right over to get your leg over the top tube and
it's also really easy to over-balance in the attempt with the extra weight
of the kiddie over the rear wheel. Plus, bike stands aren't the most stable
things in the world and in the process of loading everything up, the bike
can topple over if junior picks the wrong moment to jump around like a
maniac (usually the moment your back is turned).


--
www.ozcableguy.com
www.oztechnologies.com

Adrian.Tritschler@gmail.com

On Feb 26, 11:05*am, "OzCableguy" <ozcable...@NOSPAMhotmail.com>
wrote:
> "Graeme Dods" <GraemeD...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:0c372e70-eae8-42e6-bdd4-bbd8ed54eb92@q78g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I'm not keen on kid seats due to the effect they have on the handling
> > of the bike and that in the (hopefully unlikely) event of you taking a
> > tumble, your son goes down too. If he's in a trailer then he's more
> > likely to be entertained by daddy falling off and shout "Again!
> > Again!" The risk of either event is low though. The handling of a bike
> > isn't affected much by hauling a trailer, though you do have to be
> > aware of bollards, gate posts etc. and pass a little wider than you're
> > used to.

Sometimes they simply don't fit down a proportion of the "bicycle
paths" due to anti-bicycle obstacles, chicanes, miscellaneous
bollardery, railings, steps, etc. People riding with small kids are
often more inclined to use off-road paths, but trying to do so with a
trailer can become frustrating.

> I agree. Even in the event of a serious spill where the trailer goes over as
> well you've still got a full roll cage on the trailer so the sprog isn't
> likely to make contact with the road.

Another plus is that the majority of people will give the trailer a
much wider berth when passing in cars. Similar effect can be had by
riding with panniers, even an empty RHS pannier seems to make people
pull out further.

> > Another advantage of the trailer is that you can also carry all your
> > son's toys, 12 changes of clothes, two boxes of nappies and four days
> > worth of rations (or is this your 2nd child and you've gone past that
> > "just in case" stage?).

...and legs like tree trunks to lug it all up hill!

> Indeed. I upgraded to a trailer after No 2 & then No 3 son came along and I
> needed to cart at least two of them around with plenty of assorted crap that
> seems to be necessary to go anywhere with littlies.
>
> Another aspect of the child seat is unless you're Jean-Claude Van Damme you
> can't throw your leg over from the rear anymore so it's really awkward to
> mount a bike with a top tube.

You quickly learn that one if you've got a tandem... unless you want
to kick the stoker in the head, which is guaranteed to instill
disharmony in the upcoming ride!

> It also tends to really freak them out when
> you need to lean the bike right over to get your leg over the top tube and
> it's also really easy to over-balance in the attempt with the extra weight
> of the kiddie over the rear wheel. Plus, bike stands aren't the most stable
> things in the world and in the process of loading everything up, the bike
> can topple over if junior picks the wrong moment to jump around like a
> maniac (usually the moment your back is turned).

One hand on bike, one hand on child, one hand to pick up bags, one
hand to adjust helmet...

> --www.ozcableguy.comwww.oztechnologies.com

Adrian

Graeme Dods

On Feb 26, 10:14 am, "Adrian.Tritsch...@gmail.com"
<Adrian.Tritsch...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > "Graeme Dods" <GraemeD...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > > Another advantage of the trailer is that you can also carry all your
> > > son's toys, 12 changes of clothes, two boxes of nappies and four days
> > > worth of rations (or is this your 2nd child and you've gone past that
> > > "just in case" stage?).
>
> ...and legs like tree trunks to lug it all up hill!

Oh I've got legs like tree trunks alright, just combine the colour of
a ghost gum, the knobblyness of a banskia and the thickness of a
stretched out bonsai and you've got the picture. The perfect legs for
stopping my bum hitting the floor and not much else.

Graeme

Gags

"Dmitri Colebatch" <not@telling.com> wrote in message
news:47c28d1d@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Hi guys,
>
> Our little boy is almost 10 months now and so I'm starting to look around
> at a way to take him with me on the bike. I see the following options:
> - trailer
> - bike seat (rack mounted)
> - bike seat (seatpost mounted)
>

Just stumbled over this one while following links from an unrelated site -
looks pretty innovative!!

http://www.triobike.com/

Gags

tim

On Feb 27, 11:13 pm, "Gags" <gagsunderscor...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
> Just stumbled over this one while following links from an unrelated site -
> looks pretty innovative!!
>
> http://www.triobike.com
Aaah yes. The triobike.

One mediocre substitute for three useful things, costing not much more
than buying each of them separately.

Here's a review of them, from somebody who knows more than a little
bit about kid-carrying cargo bikes:
http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2007...ternet-reviews/

tim

--
http://www.cargocycles.com.au

adam85

Trailers vs bikeseats - it depends on where you are riding. I agree with Adrian about trailers, they are the safest option but can be difficult to get around with because of the size. I've got a chariot trailer which my 2yo doesn't mind for short trips, but I recently installed a wee-ride seat and he absolutely *loves* it. Because he's sitting in front of me we talk the whole way, pointing out things, he rings the bell at everyone, tells me which way to go, and gets me to race everyone and I can see exactly what he is doing.

I take him into a childcare centre in the CBD which requires some tight turns and crossing at lights from the footpath and it's much harder to do with the trailer.

I put the weeride on a touring bike which I converted from dropbars to flats, so I have handlebar bags and front and rear panniers if required for luggage/shopping etc. It took a bit of modification to get a good fit, which allowed me to easily get my feet down as you can't really stand over the top tube and to get the weeride seat as far forward and low as possible. The only real criticism of the weeride I have is that the moulded plastic parts of the seat could be stronger and the child's pad is not solidly mounted to the seat.

Adam

Donga

On Feb 28, 11:29 am, adam85 <adam85.35g...@no-
mx.forums.cyclingforums.com> wrote:

>I've got a chariot
> trailer which my 2yo doesn't mind for short trips, but I recently
> installed a wee-ride seat and he absolutely *loves* it. Because he's
> sitting in front of me we talk the whole way, pointing out things, he
> rings the bell at everyone, tells me which way to go, and gets me to
> race everyone and I can see exactly what he is doing.

Is this the same daredevil I saw doing 'drop-offs' at the Murrarie
skatepark on a three-wheeler without pedals? There's a born racer!
Haha.

Donga