Age range: 9 months to 3 years (maximum weight: 15kg).
Position: The child sits on a front seat with legs under the handlebars, while Mum reaches her arms around. Children can get too big before they get too heavy in this position. If they can’t fit their legs under the handlebars, it’s a struggle to see over their head as you ride or you can’t get a good grip on the handlebars, they’re too big.
How do they attach? These seats are easy to attach, usually with a mounting bracket that is clamped on to the handlebar or handlebar stem. The seat than clicks into the bracket and can be easily removed (the bracket stays on the bike). Utility bikes/city hybrids are a good bicycle for these child seats, as the riding position and height of the handlebars allow more space for the child.
Pros:
• The child is in a secure position and in full view between your arms – good for both parent and child, as you don’t have to twist round to talk to them or check on them and they feel more secure.
• Great view for the child – being up front, they can see what’s going on – and a great introduction to the joys of cycling.
• Easy to attach to most bikes.
Cons:
• Some parents report they have to cycle bow-legged to avoid contact with the seat. This is not always the case, though, so test-ride the seat with your bike before you buy.
• If you push yourself forward on your bike to get going, your tummy may collide with the seat, so you have to adjust to a gentler push-off.
The test ride: I introduced my daughter to the world of cycling with a front-mounted seat and we both loved it. As she was still quite little, having her between my arms felt like a reassuringly secure position and she always seemed very content to be up front. Steering felt fine, but you had to be careful when parking up and dismounting, to make sure that the bike was stable and the handlebars didn’t swing round with the weight. It was a sad day when her little legs got too big to fit underneath the handlebars. The only criticism I have of this seat is that it didn’t last long enough (Florence fitted in it for 15 months).
