9 Baby Bike Seats for a Safe and Comfortable Ride
You don’t have to wait until baby’s ready for their own set of wheels to get them on a bicycle. There are plenty of benefits to getting them in a baby bike seat at a young age: For starters, biking is a fun way to get from point A to point B, and it offers a great opportunity to experience the outdoors together. (It can also help your child get used to the idea of pedaling their own bike someday!)
Of course, biking with baby can take some getting used to; fortunately, the best baby bike seats are supportive and comfortable, and won’t significantly alter how you control the bike. Ready to take baby along for the ride? Below, some important bike safety tips you should know, followed by our top picks of the best baby and toddler bike seats to suit your needs.
Many child bike seats are designed for infants as young as 9 months, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it’s best to wait until your little one is 12 months. That said, every baby develops at their own pace, so you may decide to wait a bit longer. Looking for cues that your sidekick is ready to ride? “Baby should be on track with their milestones, able to sit upright without assistance and have good head control to support wearing a toddler helmet,” says Alexis Phillips-Walker, DO, a Texas-based pediatrician. Even if baby meets these criteria and clocks in at an above-average weight for their age, “the safest option is to wait until they’re at least one year old to go for a bike ride,” she says. In some states, it’s even against the law to transport children under one on a bicycle.
Baby bike seats are the only safe way to carry a child on your bike; the AAP advises that front packs, backpacks, slings and carriers don’t offer adequate protection on a bicycle. It also isn’t a good idea to go out for a ride during naptime. “If a child falls asleep, you don’t need to wake them up, but they shouldn’t sleep in a bike seat for a prolonged period,” says Phillips-Walker, adding that “there’s an increased risk of suffocation if they fall asleep slumped over.”
Before going on your first ride together, you’ll need properly fitted bike helmets, spoke protectors to prevent those little hands and feet from getting hurt and reflectors to make your bike visible at night. You should also check your bike’s tire pressure to make sure the tires are well-inflated, as this can make for a smoother ride.
Rear-mount bike seats attach to the bike above the rear wheel (known as a frame-mount) or on a separate bike rack (rack-mount). Since bumps and potholes are more often felt from the back of a bike, these types of bike seats often have shock-absorption features. Rear-mount bike seats can also accommodate a higher weight limit—often up to 48 pounds—compared to front-mount bike seats.
Easy-assembly baby bike sea
Two reasons this Topeak rack-mount model tops our list as one of the best baby bike seats: It’s padded with safety features (literally), and has more longevity compared to other seats, with a 48.5-pound weight limit. The wrap-around design offers great protection with a suspension system, roll bar handle, six-point harness, and multiple heights, along with adjustable footrests and straps to keep a passenger’s feet away from the spinning wheels. It also has a built-in rear reflector. Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months to 4 years
- Weight range: 20 to 48.5 pounds
- Total seat weight: 6.9 pounds
- Easy assembly
- Deep head area provides wiggle room for a helmet
- Lockable lap bar can make little ones feel more secure and in control
- Gel padding is comfortable for toddlers
- Some parents say that the seat was incompatible with their bike brake systems
- The yellow padding is a bit bright
Frame-mount rear baby bike seat
This frame-mount rear bike seat has been popular with everyday cyclists for years, and for good reason. The shock-absorbing seat is one of the lightest on the market, and is made with water-repellent materials, making cleaning a breeze. It adapts as your child grows (until they’re 40 pounds) with an adjustable padded five-point harness, footrest and foot straps for ultimate comfort. It’s available in black, blue and orange, as well as a rack-mount version.
**Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months to 6 years
- Weight range: up to 40 pounds
- Total seat weight: 10.1 lbs.
- Features a five-point harness for optimal safety
- Comes with a built-in reflector (and can accommodate additional rear lights—sold separately)
- Comprised of water-repellent materials that are a cinch to clean
- Pricey option
- Some parents say that the seat is too comfortable; if their toddler falls asleep, they’ll slump forward
- Not all bike designs can accommodate a frame mounted seat; thankfully a rack mounted version is available
Comfortable baby bike seat
Despite having a smaller footprint than similar baby and toddler bike seats, this rear frame-mount seat doesn’t compromise on comfort or safety. Weighing 8.7 lbs. (and 6.4 lbs. for the rack-mounted model), the seat works in three positions for ideal spacing between you and your little one. But what makes it the best baby bike seat? It has armrests, an attached small storage compartment, a rear reflector and a removable water-resistant seat cushion for easy cleaning. The adjustable five-point safety harness can accommodate toddlers up to 40 pounds.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months to 5 years
- Weight range: Up to 40 pounds
- Total seat weight: 8.7 lbs.
- Easy installation
- It features a five-point harness for extra secure
- You’ll need to determine whether standard or extended rail ‘fitments’ are more suitable for your bike
- Checking for compatibility takes time
Easy-to-install baby bike seat
It comes as no surprise that one of the most well-known bicycle manufacturers knows a thing or two about constructing a sturdy and reliable child bike seat. This top-rated frame-mount rear seat has a padded crossbar, three-point harness and stellar seat features, like a removable headrest and vents to help with the airflow. Bonus: Adjustable leg restraints will prevent unwanted kicks from unruly passengers. It’s suitable for kids up to 40 pounds.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months+
- Weight range: Up to 40 pounds
- Total seat weight: 12 lbs.
- It’s an affordable option
- Seat spring guard and spoke guard provide even more safeguards for little ones
- Amazon’s Schwinn offer is bundled with an infant//toddler helmet
- Screwdriver and adjustable wrench are needed for installation
- The three-point harness is less secure than other designs with five-point harnesses
Adjustable baby bike seat
One-handed adjustments make this rack-mounted option a serious contender for the best baby bike seat. It’s designed so you can quickly and easily adjust the seat, footrests, foot straps and harness while keeping one hand steady on the bike—a major win. It’s also one of the few reclining seats, offering up to a 20-degree recline with an adjustable-height backrest and slightly recessed headrest to comfortably fit a helmet. It comes in a frame-mount style too, with the same safety features: spoke guard attachments, reflectors, shock absorbers, a childproof safety buckle and the ability to support kids up to 48 pounds.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 9 months to 6 years
- Weight range: Up to 48.5 pounds
- Total seat weight: 12 lbs.
- Twist-closure construction allows for tool-free setup
- Footrests allow for 10 height options with easy slide-and-click adjustment
- Designed with 100 percent recyclable, phthalate-free materials
- Suspension is helpful, but makes the seat very heavy and high
- Not sold with a rack; need to check compatibility
Front-mount bike seats attach to the front of the bike, with baby’s legs sitting below the handlebars. Although this position provides an optimal view for them, wrapping your arms around the bike seat can feel a bit cramped, especially as baby grows. Front-mount seats tend to have lower weight capacities than rear-mount seats, so you’ll likely need to switch to a rear-mount seat when baby reaches 33 pounds.
Lightweight baby bike seat
Weighing in at only 4.2 lbs., it’s amazing how sturdy this lightweight front-mount bike seat is. The shock-absorbing soft padded seat and easy-to-grasp handlebar offer ultimate comfort, while an adjustable and padded five-point safety harness and magnetic childproof safety buckle will keep children secure, up to 33 pounds.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 9 months to 3 years
- Weight range: Up to 33 pounds
- Total seat weight: 4.2 lbs.
- Lightweight yet sturdy (courtesy of a hard outer shell and soft internal seat padding)
- Colorways are fun and fashionable
- Universal quick-release bracket can mount and unmount seat in seconds
- Parents say that the chest straps have a tendency to slip
- Not suitable for aggressive bike rides (out of the saddle pedaling can be blocked by seat)
Colorful baby bike seat
This colorful front-mount bike seat comes with a padded steering wheel for your child to help lead the way. It’s able to hold kids up to 38 pounds in a three-point harness; this seat offers great stability and easy communication with your rider. It has a lower back than other front-mount bike seats, which can make it easier for your arms to feel relaxed on the handlebars.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months to 3 years
- Weight range: Up to 38 pounds
- Total seat weight: 6.5 lbs.
- Your steering and pedaling won’t be affected by the child seat (since it sits so far up)
- Colorways are playful and great for all genders
- Seat padding is soft, comfortable, waterproof and easily wipeable
- Not compatible with some styles of bikes (less ideal for road bikes)
- Some parents say the attachment point/installation isn’t reinforced enough (child can tilt)
- Features a three-point harness vs. five-point harness
Water-repellant baby bike seat
A unique bracket system connects this seat to the bike’s frame, and offers a built-in suspension system typically only found in rear-mount baby bike seats. The seat is water-repellent and waterproof, with three positions for the footrests, and a three-point harness that adapts to fit children up to 33 pounds. There’s even a removable handlebar to give toddlers (up to 22 pounds) some extra restraint.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months+
- Weight range: Up to 33 pounds
- Total seat weight: 4.9 lbs.
- Affordable price point
- Innovative mounting bracket won’t throw off your center of balance
- Once bracket is attached, installation happens in one click
- Colorways are bright and cheery
- Not as suitable for taller riders (room is limited)
- Some parents say that the padding wasn’t too comfortable for their child
- It features a three-point harness rather than a five-point harness
Affordable baby bike seat
To close out our list, how about a front-mount baby and toddler bike seat that puts your little riding comrade into their own pod? The simple shell design of this seat is lightweight and breezy (check out all of those ventilation sites on the backrest), and the padded foam seat is cushy for your little one’s tushie! Moreover, a three-point harness system keeps tinies strapped in tight (not too tight, of course) while their feet rest comfortably on the adjustable foot beds—no constricting Velcro straps here. Our favorite part? The totally effortless three-part installation process that starts with the mount snapping flawlessly onto the bike frame. Next, the suspension rack snaps into the carrier and clicks right into the mount. The mount stays on your bike and you can easily install or remove the seat with Bell Sports’ quick-release latch system.
Specs at a glance:
- For ages: 12 months+
- Weight range: Up to 33 pounds
- Total seat weight: 8.7 lbs.
- Budget-friendly option
- Fits most bike styles
- Compact design keeps baby close to you
- Some parents say that the straps (on the three-point harness) sit low on their toddler
Plus, more from The Bump:
The 8 Best Travel Strollers for Stress-Free Trips
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