It would seem a simple quest… You would like to take your child cycling for pleasure or transport, but can’t find an appropriate seat. I have spent a couple months on this quest researching Bell, ibert, Burley, Topeak, Co-Pilot Weeride, Dumbo, Instep, Bobike etc. & hope that I may help you! If you live in North America as I do, you will discover that the options are few.

Here is the background , all children’s bike seats that are to be attached to an adult frame are of molded plastic of varying size. They all have slightly different features, most have a limited weight restriction. They all resemble something that should be in a spaceship from a 1950′s science fiction film, or better yet they have cages that do a good job or emulating a medieval torture device. They are difficult to mount, navigate with, and you certainly won’t be able to carry anything else on your bike. Frustrated yet?

Next, don’t believe the hype. Retailers will encourage you to purchase a trailer for your child, stating it is the safest way to travel. Studies have proven this irrelevant, based on where you live, how you travel etc. The reason they promote trailer travel is that they themselves have nothing else to offer. Look at this objectively, the rest of the “free world” has & does travel with their children on their bicycles. Take the Netherlands for example, is there a more pro-family country in Europe?! Would they allow their children to travel unsafely?

I realize if you are reading this you may be in the “minority”, but that is who I am appealing to. I like to think I am conscientious, I live in a climate that is covered in snow & ice 5-6 months of the year. Still, we are a 1 car family, live in the city center and try to do “our bit” for the planet. I refuse to accept that their are no other options. When my daughter was born I found a front mount bike seat (bobike mini ) that allowed me to ride with her from 9 months to 3 years that was roughly a $100 investment from One Step Ahead The seat was easy to balance, the ride was intimate and I knew what she was doing, we could communicate and mostly, she was part of the experience. The dilemma was finding the next size up.

A needle in a haystack? There are only two distributors in the U.S. Bobike of the Netherlands offer the best options for safe travel from 9 months to 9 years. They can be ordered via http://clevercycles.com (carry all models) or http://www.koolstop.com/index.php. (carry 1 style) I am not endorsing, but merely want to disspel the myth regarding safety and our lack of options. When you consider your investment, nothing compares to 8 years of use & 2 seats for a mere $350. Help liberate our children from passive trailer captivity & spaceship cages! Let them cycle!!!