I wanted to get something for my ten month old so I could ride my bike while my three year old rides his. We have a trailer but I wanted to try a seat because I thought it would be easier than dragging the trailer out- especially just for riding slowly around the neighborhood with a three year old!
The front kind seemed like a good idea. The whole reason I bought a trailer in the first place was because I was afraid of my balance being thrown off with a bike seat. This front mounted seat is super for balance! I felt very comfortable with my daughter up front and she loved it! We just went for a test run around the block after installing it.
I was able to install in less than 20 mins with a 10 month old crawling around. So I'd say it was pretty easy. It's also very easy to remove the seat when you don't want it on your bike.
I was a little afraid of how my knees would hit the seat but I figured for the price I would just order it and give it a try and if it didn't work out I'd return it.
It's much better than I thought it would be. My knees don't really hit but I have to pedal in a way that I'm aware that the seats there. Not really a big deal, just something to get use to.
The seat does seem a little wobbly, not terribly so though, so not a huge deal. I may be able to adjust it to keep it from doing this. The seat was so easy to install I actually haven't read the manual yet...
Over all for the price you can't beat it. What a cool thing.
I just want to add that I recently went to our local hospital where they do helmet fittings to get a new helmet for my three year old and they wouldn't sell me one for my daughter until she's a year. The AAP doesn't recommend children ride in trailers or bike seats until a year. Trailers are also recommended over bike seats because the majority of accidents happen in bike seats. Although I would imagine that would be the back mounted type. It would be interesting to see a study about front mounted seats as they become more available.
Get this seat! Just be safe! WeeRide Kangaroo Child Bike Seat
I have been looking for a way to take my 2 1/2 year old riding with me. The salesperson at my local bike store refused to sell me a back mounted infant seat because they are so dangerous. I don't want a trailer which are safe, but I enjoy riding the many fire trails by our house.
So this was a great fit.
PROS
1) easy to attach- I also switched screws and bolt from the front/back attachment as the seatpost of my TREK needed the bolts from the front attachment.
2) comfortable ride- my daughter is very comfortable and the center of gravity is outstanding... I don't feel unsafe on the bike
3) Easy to remove- there is a screw that once you unscrew it you can take the chair off and you can ride normally.
CONS-
1) The seat belt system stinks- It is really bad and not very safe.
2) Going up hill is tough- definitely be in shape for those uphills, more then 2x as tough...but it is a great workout
3) You can't use clipped pedals- because you have to splay your legs a little to pedal, clipped pedals are not feasable
Again, My daughter is comfortable (she's 35 inches tall) but in about 3-6 months she will be too tall for this chair... but for now we are having a blast!
The seat is wonderful-it just was not made to be used with a petite rider I guess. I am 5' tall, and when the seat's foot rests are in their fully-extended position, they interfere with my steering mechanism-making it very dangerous for me to make turns. The seat itself is right in my gut. I can lean on it to push it forward, so it isn't too awful, but the worst part is that in order to pedal, I have to extend my legs outwards. It is a terrible strain on my knees and makes this a very uncomfotable-and sometimes overly painful experience.
I live in a neighborhood with a lot of parks and a lot of biking trails. My two-year-old son loves going to the parks, but since some of them are a bit farther than he could walk (he could probably walk halfway to one of the parks we go to most often), this often necessitates that we bring him in his stroller. This presents a problem because as soon as we get to a park, he insists on pushing the stroller around instead of playing.
The other excuse is that walking to some of the far parks tire *me* out, so I don't feel like walking back and pushing him in his stroller.
So, getting to the parks by bike was the best option, unfortunately, none of the child carriers that I researched or saw on other bikes appealed to me, since I didn't like the fact that most of the carriers would have my son sitting BEHIND me, therefore giving him a great view of my sweaty back and allowing him to do whatever he wants (like wiggle around and throw off my balance) without my knowledge of it. I also didn't want a bike trailer since they sit below a car driver's eye level. Well, that is, until I saw the WeeRide Seat.
Once I got the WeeRide, I had my son sit inside while it was on the floor so I could adjust the seatbelt (which, according to another reviewer, is pretty crappy, but works as designed) and the footcups. Installation on a beach cruiser was pretty easy. I'd imagine that it would be just as easy on a mountain bike...but regardless, due to the position of the WeeRide's front 'armrest', don't expect to utilize any accessories (trip computer, air horn, etc) which may be mounted in the middle of your handlebars.
Riding the bike with the WeeRide and my son sitting in it isn't awkward at all. Granted, I'm riding a beach cruiser and the handlebars swing back so I don't have to lean forward since I sit upright. I'd imagine that folks riding a mountain bike would probably not have the same seated position, so they'd probably hit their chests against their kids' helmeted head. I do have to pedal a little differently since my legs are spread apart a little to compensate for the width of the WeeRide and it definitely works a different muscle group than normal pedaling. But, I've adjusted and it's pretty natural now.
As far as I can tell, my son enjoys riding around on the bike while in the WeeRide. As soon as I put his helmet on him, he knows that he's going for a ride, and he tells me where he sits (the WeeRide) and where I sit (directly behind him). Whenever we ride around, I can point things out to him so he can see, but most of the time, he points things out to me...like, "Doggy!", or "Ducky!", or "Big Truck!"...you get the picture. It's also great being able to keep an eye on him and make sure that if any bugs get in his mouth, I can wipe them off. Just kidding, no bugs - just a little snot (he's a teething two year old, what do you expect?), which I can wipe away easily...or, to my son's liking, I give him a tissue so he can wipe it away himself.
The other day as we were riding around the neighborhood, two electricians driving by stopped me and asked me where I got the WeeRide. They were pretty excited since each had a child of his own and didn't know that something like the WeeRide exists. They were pretty ecstatic and raved about how my son was in front of me and didn't look tired and how he could see everything. [...]
With that in mind, on one level, the WeeRide enables my son to see more of the world...and on a different level, the WeeRide is an enabler in Father-Child bonding. Already, I've passively encouraged two other fathers that being with their children for an activity as trivial as riding a bike could be an enjoyable and enriching experience.'
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