Family bike rides with a child seat

Why should you use a child seat? There are two benefits. Firstly, it's much more affordable than other child transport options. And secondly, it's easy to use. Once you've installed the bracket, the seat can be clipped onto and taken off mum's or dad's bike in seconds. So there's no need to hitch or balance anything! If you're going to be using it regularly, you can even leave it attached to your bike after your ride. Because that's another benefit of this system: it doesn't take up much space. Even with it mounted on your bike, it's easy to put away and, if you live in a flat, move between floors. The simple, minimalist child seat is your best bet for a quick, spontaneous departure. 

In principle, the child seat system is more intended for urban use, so that you can do very short journeys as a family. But there's nothing stopping you from using it for short country rides or ones lasting a day or a whole weekend. Planning a longer ride? Then you're probably better off with a trailer. Trailers keep your kids more comfortable and also protect them from the weather. But with a child seat, kids are completely exposed to the elements. That said, it's totally possible to go for a hybrid solution that pairs a trailer with a child seat. When they're awake and keen to chat or watch the world go by, they can ride in their seat. And when it's nap time or the weather's no good, their covered trailer is the perfect place to be. 

It's recommended that you wait until your little one is able to hold themselves up. So somewhere around 9 months. If you have very young children, a front seat can be more reassuring. This type of seat sits on your bike's head tube and means that you can see your child at all times. It makes communication easier. With this set-up, you'll have no trouble chatting to them and comforting them if necessary. Plus, with you sitting just behind them, you form a protective cocoon with your arms, giving them a feeling of security.

With a front child seat, your child also gets a much better view of what's going on around them. You'll enjoy a cosier shared experience together.
So what are the downsides of this type of seat? When sitting in front of you, your young passenger is very exposed to the wind (unless you install a windshield). Another limiting factor is that these types of seat only take children weighing up to 15 kg (around the age of 3). After that, you'll need to opt for a rear seat, otherwise you'll really struggle to ride your bike (hard to balance, hard to control the handlebar). Rear child seats can be used by kids weighing up to 22 kg – around the age of 5 or 6.

Generally, both front and rear seats come with a padded seat and a shell that's shaped to fit their body, keeping kids nice and comfy. If your child gets drowsy, they'll be properly supported, which means they can always travel under the best conditions, even if your ride lasts a little longer than expected. 

Not necessarily. There are two mounting systems for rear child seats: on the pannier rack, and on the bike's frame (on the seat tube). But be aware that this is something to avoid if you have a carbon bike. If your child is under the age of three, you can also go for a front seat which, as we've already mentioned, attaches to the head tube of the parent's bike.
Does your bike have a pannier rack? Just make sure that it's strong enough before you mount a child seat on top of it.

It's certainly possible to have a front child seat and a rear child seat on the same bike, provided that your children don't weigh more than the limit for each seat (15 kg at the front, 22 kg at the back). But all this extra weight isn't something to be overlooked. You'll find it much harder to balance when stopping and pushing off! It's OK for short trips on flat ground – enough to enjoy a little family picnic, for example. For longer rides, it's best to use a different transport solution. 

This is a particularly dangerous thing to do. Up to the age of five, young passengers on a bike should always ride in an approved seat (standard EN 14344) with a seat belt (3 or 5 points) and footrests that prevent any contact with the spokes. These seats are designed to suit kids' bodies and have been carefully thought out to keep them comfortable during rides lasting several hours, with removable cushions, padding, and even tilting backrests ready for nap time.

Remember that everyone, kids included, should always wear a helmet. To be as safe as possible, you should put their helmet on before you put them in their seat, and only take it off once they're back on the ground. This is because it's very easy to knock the bike over when it's propped up with its stand on the pavement.

You might find that your bike isn't compatible, particularly with models that fix to part of the frame (seat tube, head tube). Measure the corresponding parts on your bike and be sure to check before buying!

Child's name and age: Raphaëlle age 2
Route: 300 km loop in Cantal, France
Average daily distance: 45-50 km
Instagram: @sopampastic

For Camille and Giorgio, bike touring is all about spending time together as a family. To transport young Raphaëlle, they opted for a front child seat as well as a trailer. They tried out this hybrid solution for the first time during a 300 km ride around Cantal, France. Here's what they had to say about it. 

Initially, it was what we did for commuting around town. But installing a child seat meant we couldn't use the pannier rack. As we never go anywhere without our pannier bags, we decided to invest in a front child seat that wouldn't stop us using the pannier rack. And when we're touring, it makes even more sense.

Yes, and for the rest of the family too. When they're in the trailer, you can't really interact with them. You can't point out things for them to look at. We found this really frustrating, especially because Raphaëlle is a very chatty child. The front seat means we can now enjoy the entire ride together. Raphaëlle uses it like her own little crow's nest. She points out animals in the fields, moos or clucks, has a sing-song, and laughs her head off. You can chat about everything that she sees. You're in tune with each other, physically and emotionally. And she never gets bored for a second! 

She can easily stay there for an hour or an hour and a half. But as soon as she feels like it, she'll go back in her trailer. This is generally what happens in the early afternoon when she needs a nap. In Cantal, we managed to ride about 45 km per day in spite of all the hills. 

It takes a little bit of getting used to. You notice the weight of the seat and the child a little bit when steering, and the centre of gravity is different. But it's very doable and you soon get used to it. Personally, I was never worried. I actually preferred it to a rear seat. It meant I could constantly keep an eye on her. I could see everything that was going on. 

Yes, especially since Raphaëlle now has a little sister. We're going to use a two-seater trailer, but we'll keep the front seat as well. It means we can enjoy quality time with the eldest while giving the youngest more space for a nap.