Where should baby sit on my bike?

Once baby could hold her head up and sit independently, it was time to get her a place to sit on my bike!

What kind of seat?

I wanted to add a bike seat for my child to my current bike. For a 12 month old, that gave me 3 options:

1. Front child seat

2. Bike trailer

3. Rear child seat

Front Child Bike Seats

I grabbed this front child bike seat secondhand long before baby was ready. Years earlier, I had gifted the same bike seat to a friend. She loved it so I figured I would too.

I thought front child bike seats were the obvious choice because:

1. Babies love watching the world go by and this way they had a literal front seat to all the action.

2. When baby is sitting in front of their adult, adult and baby can interact easily.

Like everything else in parenting, there were a few things I hadn’t considered:

1. Size: The size of the baby seat + baby in comparison to the size of the adult + bike matters. As a medium height woman, baby + seat were more likely to:

   1. Limit my visibility since baby was directly in front of me (especially if baby was wearing a helmet).

   2. Compromise my steering by placing a tall + wide object between me and the handlebars.

   3. Make me push my knees out awkwardly as I pedaled so as to not hit the baby seat.

2. Longevity: Front baby bike seats in North America usually have a weight limit of 33 lbs (15 kg) while rear baby bike seats have a weight limit of 40 lbs (18 kg). After setting up the bike for optimal riding with baby, I wanted it to last as long as possible before figuring out the next solution!

3. Fit: Front bike seats are more finicky than rear bike seats and the one I got did not fit my bike.

4. Intended use: For reasons above, front child bike seat didn’t work well for long distance and longer term use.

Bike Trailer

I know some people love bike trailers. Perhaps the main selling point is that they don’t rely on the adult rider’s balance to keep upright. Plus they can be useful for hauling multiple children.

I didn’t want one to carry my first child because:

1. Reduced Visibility: The trailer is less visible to cars because it’s so low to the ground. I think that increases the chances of the trailer getting hit on the road.

2. Car Driver Behavior: It’s often hard to see what, if anything, is inside the trailer. I’ve seen research¹²³ that explores how cars give bicycles more space when they see the bicycle rider as human or believe a child is on board. It’s anecdotal but I notice that when drivers identify me as female and especially when they can see I’m riding with a child (which may be harder with a trailer), many are more careful around us.

3. Bike Maneuverability: The trailer width and two wheeled set-up plus the added length to my bike may affect my maneuvering options on the road.

4. Distance from Child: Given the distance and height differential between adult rider and child passenger, I wouldn’t be able to interact with or maybe even see my child as we rode.

Rear Baby Bike Seat - The One I Picked

With a rear child bike seat, I can:

1. Maneuver on my bike nearly as well as pre-baby (just a bit heavier in the back).

2. Interact with baby easily, including touching her, talking to her, and passing her objects.

3. See baby as I bike (with rear view bike mirrors. They are like rear view car mirrors. I put one on each side of the handlebar so I can see baby’s expression no matter what direction she turns her head (not pictured above)).

If you decide to get a rear baby bike seat, there’s tons of different reviews out there. I think it mostly comes down to what’s available in your area, your budget and your bike.

My biggest piece of advice?

Get a rear child bike seat that connects to the frame rather than sitting on your rear rack.

Why?

Kids are smaller but need more STUFF. Snacks. Extra clothes. Toys (essentials like a shovel and bucket for every single park adventure). Water bottle. A place to carry the rocks they pick up and will not part with.

A bike seat that sits on your rear rack essentially reduces the amount of stuff you can carry on a bike. There’s no space for rear panniers (bike bags) or a rear basket. You have to settle for a front basket, front panniers (uncommon outside touring bikes), or wear a backpack (please don’t do this, no one enjoys a backpack inches from their face). No matter how you look at it, you get less storage.

With a rear child bike seat that connects to the frame, you can still have rear panniers! And a front basket. And front panniers.

I use my front basket for the purse or backpack that I carry with me off the bike or the groceries I pick up.

My rear panniers carry bike locks, emergency snacks, toys, wipes and a change of baby clothes. All of which stays permanently on the bike until needed. At this point in my life (deeply sleep deprived with a young child) I’d rather risk someone stealing it than carry around more stuff. Thankfully no one ever has, which I appreciate.

In conclusion, the best option I found for biking with baby daily, for long distances and fun adventures was a rear seat that connected to my bike frame.

I’ve shared my selection process to give you a better sense of the pros and cons of front child bike seats, rear child bike seats and bike trailers. With these insights you;ll be able to make a more informed decision over what you need.

No matter what you choose, remember that your child’s bike seat is just the first step to setting up your bike for a safe and enjoyable ride. I mentioned rear panniers and bike mirrors (on both sides!) but those are just the start. In the next few posts I’ll share the other items that made all the difference.

1. Walker, I. (2007). Drivers overtaking bicyclists: Objective data on the effects of riding position, helmet use, vehicle type and apparent gender. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 39(2), 417–425.

2. Delbosc, A., Naznin, F., Haslam, N., & Haworth, N. (2019). Dehumanization of cyclists predicts self-reported aggressive behaviour toward them: A pilot study. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 62, 681–689.

3. Dupont, E., Vansteenkiste, P., Aernouts, M., & Vanrie, J. (2020). The impact of a child bike seat and trailer on the objective overtaking behaviour of motorized vehicles passing cyclists. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 75, 55–65.