Here are 7 of the best baby and child bike seats to keep your child safe on bike rides. This post includes a handy comparison chart so you can quickly choose the best bike seat for your child. There are also videos and reviews to help you decide. If you want to take your child cycling with you, your first thought will likely be the safety of your child. But there are other factors to consider too, including your child’s age and weight, the number of kids, and your own cycling preferences. This post will help you to choose the ideal bike seat for your family.
Chart Comparing 7 of the Best Baby and Child Bike Seats
 | • Rear mounted, attaches to seat post. • Mount or dismount in seconds with the universal quick-release bracket. • Fits most frames. | Best for children who are at least 18 months old. Rated for children from 9 months to 6 years old, up to 48.5 lb (22 kg) | • 5 different reclining options. • Adjustable footrests. • Height adjustable, padded safety harness with child proof safety buckle. • Reversible, washable seat cover. • Reclining function for an extra comfortable ride. • Adjustable 3-point harness ensures child safety and the perfect fit. • Smooth, comfortable ride from the shock-absorbing suspension system. • One-handed reclining seat for on-the-go naps (5 options; up to 20 degree recline). • Childproof safety buckle with large button to easily secure your child | $299.95 |
 | • Rear mounted, attaches to seat post. • Fits rear bike racks with an EasyFit window or racks with Thule Yepp Maxi EasyFit Adapter (sold separately). | Best for children who are at least 18 months old. Rated to carry children up to 40 pounds (18 kg) | • Rated as “the Cadillac of bike seats” • Complies with the most stringent European safety requirements and has won multiple design awards. • Includes Adjustable 5-point harness for a perfect fit. • Adjustable footrests. • Shoulder pads. • Theft-proof. • Soft and shock-absorbing seat for child comfort. • Childproof safety buckle to quickly and easily secure child. • Built-in reflectors and safety light attachment point for added visibility. • Adjustable foot rests and straps grow with your child. | $249.95 |
 | • Front mounted, attaches to headset. • Easy mounting; compatible with most bikes. | Suitable for children from about 12 months, once they can comfortably hold their heads up for extended periods. Tested for children aged 9 months to 3 years old; rated for up to 33 lb (15 kg) | • Soft and shock-absorbing seat. • Adjustable 5-point harness ensures a perfect fit and child safety; • Comfort handle bar for child’s hands. • Adjustable foot rests and straps means that it can grow with your child. • Childproof safety buckle. | $159.95 |
 | • Front mounted, attaches to headset and seat post and the headset. • Fits almost all bikes including oversized head tubes and full suspension of 16”+ (except drop handle bars). • Comes with its own bar so it can be fitted to almost any bike. | Suitable for children from about 12 months, once they can comfortably hold their heads up for extended periods. Rated to carry children up to 40 pounds | • Very thick seat and back padding. • Adjustable footrests. • Plush headrest in the front for nap time. • Patented bar puts weight in centre of bike and not on front like other front seats. • 5 point safety strap and enclosed movable footrests for child safety. • The seat can be fitted easily within 20 minutes and can be removed in seconds for solo riding. | $159.45 |
 | • Trailer. • Can be attached to the seat post of almost any bike. | Can carry up to two children; rated for up to 100 pounds (45 kg) | • Highly rated by users. • Exceeds ASTM standards for safety and durability. • Lightweight. • Hammock-style seat for comfort. • Two 5-point harnesses so you can carry one or two children. • Windows have UPF 30 sun protection. • Full internal roll cage. • Rear cargo space. • Bright colors. • Reflective elements. • Comes with neon orange safety flag. | $379.95 |
 | Separate mini-bike that attaches to seat post of most bikes | Recommended for children aged 4 to 9; rated for up to 75 pounds. Weighs 24 pounds | Allows child to help with the pedaling and learn some cycling skills. | $104.72 |
 | Bicycle that is especially designed to carry cargo - in this case, children | Suitable for children over one year old. Exact suitability depends on which one you choose - be advised by the manufacturers' recommendations | Features will vary depending on which one you buy; some carry children in the front, others at the back; there is also an option of getting an electric cargo bike | Check with your local bike shop |
Note that these child and baby bike seats are not ranked in order of preference. We recommend all of them. However, each of these bike seats offers different benefits and is suitable for a specific age range. For example, if your child is younger than 18 months, go directly to choice no. 3, as the first two choices are suitable for children who are older than 18 months.
No. 1 : Rear-mounted Thule Ride Along Child Bike Seat
The Thule Ride Along Child Bike Seat
Our choice for #1 on our list of 7 of the Best Child Bike Seats is the Thule Ride Along, which is a rear-mounted bike seat that attaches to your seat post. It offers all of the premium features found on the best child bike seats, plus some extras. Notable is that you can tilt the chair with one hand, to enable five different reclining options for sleepy kids or babies!
Grows with your Child
This bike seat also offers adjustable footrests and a height adjustable, padded safety harness with a child proof safety buckle. This of course means that it can grow with your child. The Thule Ride Along also has springs for comfort, a reversible, washable seat cover, and a quick release bracket. The frame will help to protect your kids if you fall. This kind of safety frame is typical of this style of seat.
The Thule Ride Along child bike seat is rated for children from 9 months to 6 years old, with a weight of up to 48.5 lbs./22 kg.
Check it out in this Video!
You can see many of our choices for 7 of the Best Child Bike Seats in the video below. The no. 1 rated Thule Ride Along bike seat can be seen at minute 3:07 of this video :
No. 2: Rear-mounted Thule Yepp Maxi
Our no. 2 choice is also a rear-mounted child bike seat. The Thule Yepp Maxi rates so high on our list of 7 of the Best Child Bike Seats because it complies with the most stringent European safety requirements and is certified by the Dutch TNO Institute.
The Thule Yepp Maxi has won these awards:
- Baby Innovation Award Winner,
- Reddot Design Award Winner,
- Good Industrial Design Winner,
- Dutch Design Award, and
- Fiets Innovative Award.
This rear-mounted bike seat attaches to your seat post and includes a 5-point harness, adjustable footrests, and shoulder pads for comfort.
The “Cadillac” of Bike Seats?
The Thule Yepp Maxi is rated to carry children up to 40 pounds (18 kg) and is designed to be theft-proof. You can see this bike seat at minute 4:00 of the video above, where it is rated as “the Cadillac of bike seats”. However, we rated it at no. 2 because we appreciate the five reclining options on the Thule Ride Along. Other than that, the no. 1 and no. 2 options are very similar.
Video Showing How to Install a Thule Yepp Maxi Bike Seat
This video shows how to install a Thule Yepp Maxi bike seat, and also demonstrates how to securely strap your child in. The only sound on this video is music, so you don’t need sound to watch it.
Related Post: Complete Guide to Child Bike Seats and Trailers
No. 3: Front-Mounted Yepp Mini
Among front-mounted bike seats, which are ideal for babies, one of the highest rated is also our no. 3 choice: the Thule Yepp Mini.
This bike seat features easy mounting; a soft and shock-absorbing seat; an adjustable 5-point harness; and a comfort handle bar for your child to rest their hands on. This bike seat has been tested for children aged 9 months to 3 years old, and is rated for up to 33 lb (15 kg).
Video Demonstrating the Thule Yepp Mini
You can see all the thoughtful attention to detail in the no. 3 rated Thule Yepp Mini in the video below – and notice how cheerful the baby is!
No 4: The Front-Mounted WeeRide Safe Front Child Bike Seat
The front-mounted WeeRide Child Bike Seat is another highly-rated child bike seat, and is rated to carry children up to 40 pounds. The WeeRide Child bike seat made it onto our list of 7 of the Best Child Bike Seats because it has several great features, including very thick seat and back padding, adjustable footrests, and a plush headrest in the front for nap time. The seat is mounted to the seat post and the headset, while resting on the cross bar, making it very secure.
Video Showing the Features of the WeeRide Safe Front Child Bike Seat
The video below highlights the features of the front-mounted WeeRide Safe Front Child Bike Seat, including the fact that this seat is mounted to the seat post and the headset, while resting on the cross bar, making it very secure.
No 5: The Burley Bee Child Trailer
The Burley bike trailer provides a comfortable, fun ride for kids. They sit in a hammock-style seat, secured with a 5-point harness. You can choose to take along one or two kids. With one child, the trailer is still balanced.
A new innovation is tinted side and rear windows with integrated UPF 30 to protect your kids from the sun. This strong bike trailer weighs just 20.5 lb.
Safety features include a full internal roll cage, a choice of bright colors, reflective piping, reflectors on the wheels, and an orange safety flag. This bike trailer is rated for up to 100 pounds (45 kg).
No. 6: The WeeRide Co-Pilot Bike Trailer
These handy machines are variously called tag along bikes, bike trailers, and other things. The bottom line is that you can use them to really get your kids into cycling safely. Your kids are able to pedal, but you get to stay in control! This WeeRide Co-Pilot Bike Trailer is extremely highly rated by users.
This trailer is recommended for kids aged 4 to 9 years old, who weigh up to 75 pounds. The device itself weighs 24 pounds, so it is best if your child helps with the pedaling, but it is not required – the child can also just coast. It comes with a safety flag.
Video Showing the WeeRide Co-Pilot Bike Trailer
This video shows how the WeeRide Co-Pilot Bike Trailer allows you to share the joy of cycling with a child.
No. #7: Cargo Bikes to Transport Kids of Any Age
You can use cargo bikes to transport kids of any age. You can see a cargo bike from minute 5:05 of the first video in this post. Cargo bikes are hugely popular in European countries where bikes are an important part of the transport network. The cargo-carrying part may be at the front or the back.
Of course, cargo bikes require a large initial outlay, but this should pay for itself over time. You can fit two children and groceries in most cargo bikes. These bikes are quite large, but a good one is reasonably easy to ride. If you need help, you can also consider an electric cargo bike, such as this Morrison electric cargo bike that is currently on KickStarter, which I wrote about here. You can also read much more about cargo bikes for transporting kids here.
For prices on cargo bikes, check with your local bike shop. Alternatively, see if you can get a great deal on Craigslist. I have a lot of posts with advice about buying bikes online, such as this one about how to buy bikes on Craigslist.
Explanation of the Different Kinds of Child Bike Seats
Rear-Mounted Child Bike Seats
Rear-mounted child bike seats are suitable for children aged from 18 months and older. There are two kinds:
- rear-mounted bike seats that attach to the bike frame (usually the seat tube) – these are by far the most common, and are more comfortable as they utilize whatever shock absorbing system your bike has, plus they also sometimes have their own springs
- rear-mounted bike seats that attach to the bike rack (requires your bike to have a suitable rack, or eyelets that are intended for mounting a rack).
Some of these rear-mounted child bikes seats have springs for comfort, and some even have a reclining option! The reclining option can come in handy, as these seats are very comfortable for children, and they are likely to fall asleep.
Things to Consider with a Rear-Mounted Child Bike Seat
Using a rear-mounted child bike seat requires you to adjust your balance because you have a weight on the back on the bike. Also, depending on how agile you are, you may find getting on the bike to be a bit of a learning curve!
Safety note
If your child is relatively heavy (over 30 pounds) and extremely active, they could upset your balance by making sudden large movements while in the rear-mounted bike seat. This happened to Maggie when her oldest son was a child, and almost caused her to fall over.
If this is the case with your child, it might be safer to use a bike trailer such as the Burley Bee Trailer – see our no. 5 choice. Trailers have the advantage of being very stable.
Front-Mounted or Rear-Mounted?
The video at the beginning of this post makes much of the advantages of a front-mounted seat compared to a rear-mounted seat. While there certainly are some advantages, the reality is that the choice of rear or front mounting really comes down to the age and size of the child. Once your child is about two years old, you are probably both going to be more comfortable having her or him in a rear-mounted bike seat or a bike trailer.
Front-Mounted Bike Seats: First Choice for Babies
Our no. 3 choice on our list of 7 of the Best Child Bike Seats is the front-mounted Yepp Mini. Front-mounted bike seats are ideal for very young kids, up to the age of about two years old (unless your child is large for his or her age). The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you wait until your child is at least 12 months before putting them in a bike seat. They also note that bike trailers (see our no. 5 choice) are associated with fewer injuries (source: AAP).
However, you will often see younger children (from around the age of 9 months) being transported in bike seats. If your child can comfortably hold his or her head up for long periods of time, then you can consider using front-mounted bike seats from about the age of 9 months.
Advantages of Front-Mounted Child Bike Seats
You can see a front-mounted bike seat at the beginning of the first video above, from minute 0:30, and also in the photo below. These seats enable you to keep a constant eye on your child, and communicate. They also provide an optimal view for your child, so that they can share the ride with you.
You may find you have to splay your knees a bit, so this option is not super comfortable, but it does enable you to keep your arms protectively around your child, and gauge if they become distressed.
Mounting tip
You need to have space on your bike’s headset to attach the seat. If your headset is threaded, it will have a locknut which you can adjust to make more space available to attach the bike seat, as shown in the photo below.
A very common way to transport small kids on bikes is with a bike trailer, as in the photo below. You can also see this kind of device from minute 3:20 in the first video above.
Advantages of Bike Trailers
Bike trailers have several important advantages:
- You can transport more than one child, as shown in the photo above.
- You can transport kids of varying ages. As most people tend to have kids who are NOT the same ages, this can be handy!
- There is no load on your bike, so the balance of your bike is not affected. Some people are more bothered by this aspect than others. Maggie always likes a basket on the front of her bikes, but that front-weighted feeling makes me feel less in control of the bike, and I really don’t like it. This tends to be a personal thing. However, it is the reason that I only ever use a bike trailer, not a front or rear child bike seat, to transport kids.
- There is a frame around your kids, which should help to protect them in the event of a fall.
- Your kids are protected from the rain and the wind far more than if they are in a seat.
- You can also use the bike trailer for your groceries, OR you can transport one child and a dog. I tried this once and my child was outraged – especially when the dog in question threw up! However, you may have a child who is more willing to share space with a dog (and a dog that does not get motion sickness!)
- Most have an additional cargo area, so they are very handy for picnics or for shopping expeditions.
Safety Considerations for Carrying Children in Bike Trailers
Of course, you are pulling a trailer, so you have to remember that and ride accordingly. You will take up more space, and you will need more space for maneuvers such as overtaking. Also, if you like to have your eyes on your child at all times, it can be unnerving. I have always combined a bike trailer with a rear view mirror, so I can keep an eye on my kids. These are cheap, and I always install them on all my bikes, as I like to know what is happening behind me. I believe that rear view mirrors are an excellent (and strangely under-rated) safety feature.
Bottom Line on Child Bike Seats
If your child can comfortably hold us his or her head for extended periods of time, you can start to think about enjoying the fun of cycling with him or her. We trust this post has given you all the information you need to get started! One of our choices on our list of 7 of the Best Child Bike Seats will almost certainly meet your needs for safe cycling with your child!
Related Post: 7 Easy Steps to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike
As your kids grow older, you will of course want to get them riding their own bikes, so you don’t have to transport them anymore. Just kidding! But teaching a child to ride a bike is, in my humble opinion, a sacred duty. Like making them drown-proof. Teaching a child to ride a bike opens the door to a lifetime of healthy activity and fun for them. Here’s a post all about 9 Simple Steps to teach your child to ride bikes. As is stressed in that post, avoid training wheels! An ideal place to start is with a strider or balance bike, as shown in the photo below.
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