Check the compatibility of your bike to the seat, and give the seat you like a test run indoors or in a place free of car or bike traffic before committing. Your child’s safety is of the utmost importance, explains Natalya Vernovsky, MD, Illinois-based pediatrician with JustAnswer. “Only adult cyclists should carry young children,” she tells Verywell Family. “Riding on the road with a child in a bike seat is dangerous; riding on bike trails or in the park is much safer.” When evaluating child bike seats, we reviewed them for safety, bike compatibility, ease of installation, and price. Based on our research, these are the best child bike seats. The bright colors of this bike seat will be fun for your child—and also help drivers and fellow riders see you on the road—and that’s just one of several factors making this our top pick. The seat is a center mount, which fits behind the handlebars to ensure stability and visibility for the adult rider. “Front-mounted seats are typically sized only for younger kids," pediatrician Amy Liu, MD, MPH, an assistant professor in the Department of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, reminds us. Keep this in mind when you make your purchase. Designed to hold a child up to 38 pounds, it’s made of durable plastic resin, and the seat comes equipped with a 3-point safety harness made of nylon. It also has adjustable foot cups, so it can grow with your child. An extra feature we can’t resist: Your little one will have fun pretending to drive with the attached toy steering wheel, which also happens to be padded for added safety. As for bike compatibility, the brand notes that it works with most bikes, but it is not compatible with drop handlebars or bikes with odd-shaped stems. Reviewers note that it’s easy to assemble and lasts for a long time. Price at time of publication: $120 The bike seat also has removable and washable padding—a necessity for young, messy kids—and an adjustable five-point harness strap. It’s also designed with armrests, a storage compartment, and a back reflector for visibility. The footrest adjusts to four positions, ensuring that you and your kiddo are both comfy. Price at time of publication: $170 The seat, which you mount in the front of your bike, is soft and designed to absorb shock for a comfortable ride, while a five-point harness keeps kids safe. (Note: Many bikers believe that having your child ride up front when tackling tough terrain is beneficial as there’s less dirt flying up there, though you may want to add goggles, too.) It also features foot straps and adjustable footrests, so the seat can grow with them. While this bike seat is more expensive than many other models, online reviewers say it’s worth every penny. Price at time of publication: $160 The seat has a three-point harness to buckle your child in, and it can be adjusted to fit them as they grow. However, the maximum weight for the seat is 33 pounds—which includes your child, their helmet, and any bags or toys they want to bring along. Price at time of publication: $101 The seat is designed so the child is visible to the rider at all times without impairing the rider’s line of vision. This model is great for younger toddlers up to 33 pounds. According to Dr. Liu, a child should be at least 12 months old to ride with an adult on their bike, and they also must be able to sit up unsupported with a bicycle helmet on. Price at time of publication: $100 The foot pedals are adjustable to meet your child’s comfort needs. One important note is that, while this seat can hold a child up to 110 pounds or 4.1 feet tall (whichever comes first), bike mounts should really only be used for kids who are 12 months to 4 years of age and less than 40 pounds, according to Dr. Liu. Price at time of publication: $100 As a general rule for all bikes with child seat attachments, but especially for parents who ride mountain bikes off-trail, Dr. Liu suggests that adults stick to bike paths, park trails, quiet streets, and only ride in good weather conditions to prevent injury. It comes equipped with a three-point harness strap, leg restraints across the adjustable footrests (so they can’t kick and throw off your balance), a padded crossbar for added safety, and a removable headrest for comfort. The seat is also designed with air vents so it won’t create resistance for the rider, and it will help keep your child cooler. Price at time of publication: $130 Finally, the seat back, footrests, foot straps, and three-point harness are all designed to grow with your child and can be adjusted with one hand by the parent. Price at time of publication: $189
What to Look for When Buying a Child Bike Seat
Type of Mount
The first thing to decide before buying a child bike seat is if you want a rear, front, or mid-mount (something typically used for mountain bikes). A rear-mounted seat is the most popular because there is more room behind the rider, so its seat can be larger. “The rear child bike seat is the most common, usually suitable for ages 1 to 4 years,” Dr. Vernovsky explains. “Rear bike seats provide more freedom and control of the bike which also feels safer.” A front-mounted seat is often preferred by adults who want to have eyes on their little one and the road at the same time. The problem is that once they get too big, they may obstruct your view. “Front-mounted seats do not recline, as that would interfere with the space of the adult rider, but they provide the ability to see your child at all times in front of you,” Dr. Vernovsky says. “Your child’s forward view is unobstructed, and they have a better view of their surroundings. Front-mounted seats might be suitable for younger children ages 1 to 3 years on shorter rides.” The first thing to decide before buying a child bike seat is if you want a rear, front, or mid-mount. A rear-mounted seat is the most popular—and because it is behind the rider where there is more room, its seat is larger. A front-mounted seat is often preferred by the adult so they have eyes on their little one at all times and the view is not restricted for the child. Mid-mount seats on the market are often used on mountain bikes.
Compatibility
The size of the seat tube and the saddle seat proximity to the frame of the bike are both important in determining which bike seat will work. Pay special attention to these measurements and mounting instructions before making your purchase. If a rear mount cannot attach to the bike frame, you can sometimes purchase a rack for it.
Features
Once you have decided on the type of mount and narrowed down the options that are compatible, look at the added features. The comfort and cushioning may be important to you, or perhaps you want a seat that is easy to install and remove. Some bike seats have better head and neck support than others, but you want to make sure your child has strong head and neck support first. “Most child seats are suitable for children between the ages of about 12 months and 4 years. The lower limit is dependent on the ability of the child to sit up unsupported; a child’s neck has to be strong enough to support a lightweight helmet,” Dr. Vernovsky says, warning children under a year old should not be on a bike seat. “The upper limit is restricted by weight rather than age. Seats are typically rated for passengers weighing up to around 44 pounds. Do not carry infants in backpacks or front packs on a bike.” You’ll also want to be on the lookout for a sturdy harness and reclining abilities, Dr. Vernovsky suggests. “The seat should have a high back as well as a sturdy shoulder harness and lap belt that will support a sleeping child,” she adds. “The ability to recline the seat can prevent their neck from flopping around during a ride.”
Why Trust Verywell Family
Ashley Ziegler is a staff and freelance writer who covers lifestyle, home, parenting, and commerce content for a variety of platforms. She’s a wife to a public school administrator and mom to 1-year-old and 3-year-old daughters. In addition to regularly scouring the internet to find the best things for herself, Ashley spends multiple hours a week researching, comparing, and writing about products specifically for kids and families. Dr. Vernovsky agrees with the use of bike trailers over bike seats because bike trailers are “quite safe, as long as the cyclists stay off busy roads and ride on bike paths, in parks or on quiet neighborhood streets.” She explains bike trailers are safer than bike seats, “especially in an accident given the child would fall about 3 feet from a bike seat compared with only about 6 inches from a trailer.” Not only are bike trailers safer, but children can typically ride in them at an earlier age. “Children can travel in bike trailers, usually from between 9 to 12 months,” says Dr. Vernovsky. “Attaching an orange safety flag and rear mounted flashing lights to the trailer will provide additional safety.” Additional reporting to this story by Deanna McCormack Deanna McCormack is a freelance writer who focuses on lifestyle, family, and commerce. She regularly purchases and tests items for early childhood and has two kids of her own under the age of 3. Deanna lives in sunny Arizona where it’s always bike season, and her older child enjoys his UrRider Child Bike Seat.
