Riding your bike is fun alone, but it can be even more enjoyable for parents to go on bike rides when they can have their baby come along with them.
Infant bike seats are a fantastic way to bring your baby along with you, whether riding around the neighborhood or pedaling through the park.
The best infant bike seats provide a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable ride for your little one while still meeting important safety standards.
There are many different types of infant bike seats on the market, so it can be challenging to decide which bike seat is right for you and your family.
To help you make a well-informed decision, we’ve put together a list of the five best infant bike seats, complete with a buyer’s guide to help you choose the right seat for your needs.
Comparison Chart
1. Bell Front and Rear Child Bike Seat
The Bell Child Seat is a versatile seat that can be attached to either the front or rear of your bike, making it ideal for any parent riding style.
Most parents riding with an infant may want to position it in the front for extra safety, but it’s nice that you can move it to the rear once your child gets a little older.
Made from high-quality materials, this seat is built to last and can accommodate children weighing up to 40 pounds.
It includes a five-point harness system for added safety, along with a cozy padded seat and adjustable footrests to keep your little one comfortable during the ride.
This seat also comes with a bar across the front, which is excellent for infants, as parents can attach tours to it for them to play with throughout the journey.
The bucket seat design is not only comfortable for your child but decreases the likelihood of your knees knocking on the back of the seat as you peddle.
Additionally, the molded spoke guard helps keep your baby from slipping out of the seat, even on bumpy rides.
Finally, this seat includes a rear reflector, which is a highly sought-after safety feature.
One potential downside to this seat is that you need an 8mm bolt to clamp the seat down to your bike, and many bikes have a 4 or 6 mm bolt.
Pros
- Versatile front and rear design
- High-quality material
- Five-point harness system
- Bucket seat / knee-friendly design
- Molded spoke guard
- Rear reflector
Cons
- 8 mm bolt necessary
- Challenging installation process
2. Schwinn Deluxe Mounted Child Carrier
The Schwinn Deluxe Mounted Child Carrier is another excellent choice for parents looking for a safe, comfortable ride for their little ones.
Schwinn designed this seat for the rear of the bike, so it is suitable for infants at around the age of 1 and no younger or toddlers who are between 1 and 3.
This seat is easy to install and has a three-point harness system, padded crossbar, headrest, and leg restraints.
All of these features increase the safety and stability of the seat for your young one. The leg positioning and headrest can both be adjusted to your child’s liking.
Additionally, the quick release system on the harness ensures that you can remove your child quickly and smoothly without having to fiddle with a complex buckle.
The seat also features ventilation which prevents wind drag. This high-quality feature is often found in more expensive seats but is included in this seat at a very reasonable price.
The only real downside to this excellent seat is that it is not suitable for parents looking to have their child positioned in front of them.
Some users also had issues with the screws during installation.
Pros
- Easy to install
- A three-point quick-release harness system
- Padded crossbar
- Headrest
- Leg restraints
- Adjustable leg rest
- Ventilation
Cons
- Only for rear seating
- Some users have screw issues during installation
3. Innolife Baby Bicycle Seat
If you’re looking for a bike seat carrier that will grow with your child, the Innolife Baby Bicycle Seat is an excellent choice.
This seat can support children up to 110 pounds, making it suitable for infants as well as toddlers.
In other words, this high-quality, sturdy, and durable seat can support your child from 8 months old to 4 years of age.
Given this age range, Innolife designed this infant bike seat with adjustability in mind. You can adjust the height of the seat to meet your kid where they’re at and make sure they’re comfortable.
This seat is as versatile for varying bikes as it is for varying ages. Users can install this seat on city bikes, mountain bikes, electric bikes, road bikes, and more.
The seat might bounce if your bike does not have a crossbar for additional support; however, users find this seat to be relatively sturdy and very safe regardless.
Also, the instructions are a bit unclear for setting up the seat, but not impossible to get with some time and effort.
Once you’ve installed it successfully, you and your infant will be ready to enjoy an incredible and fun ride!
Pros
- Wide age/weight range – 8 months to 4 years
- Adjustable seat height
- Versatile bike compatibility
- Relatively sturdy support
Cons
- It might bounce a bit without a crossbar
- Tricky setup instructions
4. Peg Perego Orion Front Mount Child Seat
The Schwinn Deluxe Mounted Child Carrier is another excel
The Peg Perego Front Mount Child Seat is another top-quality choice for parents looking to safely and comfortably transport their infants on their bikes.
This seat is suitable for children at least 12 months old and up to 33 pounds, which is relatively standard for infant bike seats.
The standout feature of this infant bike seat is its innovative bracket system. This system ensures compatibility with many different bike frames, as users can easily fit it to the head tube of their bike.
Additionally, this seat has a built-in suspension system that allows for just the right amount of bounce for an enjoyable ride without your child feeling unsafe or out of control.
The three-point adjustable harness also adds both safety and convenience, and the comfort of this seat’s Thermoformed padding is hard to beat.
Weatherproof and built for various terrain, this is one of the best infant bike seats for parents who want to go a little off-road with their adventurous child.
The main potential downside of this seat is that the weatherproof padding is more rigid than some of its competitors. Also, the legs are splayed outward, which some infants might find less comfortable than others.
Pros
- Innovative bracket system compatible with any bike frames
- Built-in suspension system
- A three-point adjustable harness system
- Thermoformed padding (weatherproof / water-repellent)
- Suitable for slight off-road adventure (e.g., gravel and dirt roads)
Cons
- Padding is relatively harder than competitors
- Legs positioned outwards, which some babies may not find as comfortable
5. Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini Child Bike Seat
We love the Thule Yepp Mini Child Bike Seat because of its padded, adjustable, innovative, and even stylish design.
This lightweight seat has an adjustable 5-point ultra-safe harness system that provides an excellent fit for every small child.
It also has a shock-absorbing feature to ensure a smooth and comfortable ride on various terrain.
The seat’s shell is hard for safety, while the interior is heavily padded for ultimate seated comfort. Plus, the quick-release bracket makes it easy to get your child in and out of the seat.
Finally, this seat also has adjustable foot straps so that you can adjust the fit as your child grows.
The only potential con is that it is relatively more expensive. But with the higher price, you will certainly get a high-quality item from this bike seat!
It also might not be as suitable for specific mountain bikes.
Pros
- Nicely padded interior for comfort
- Hard frame for safety
- Shock absorption for a smooth ride
- Quick-release bracket
- Adjustable foot straps
Cons
- High price compared to some competitors
- It might not be suitable for certain mountain bike frames
What to Look for in an Infant Bike Seat
When you’re looking for the best infant bike seats, there are several important factors to consider.
Safety
The first and undoubtedly most important consideration is safety. The best infant bike seats provide certain components to put parents’ worries at ease.
Safety specifications include but are not limited to
- A hard outer shell
- Shock-absorption shell
- 3-point or 5-point harness for a protective fit
- Adjustable footrest for a protective fit
- Crossbar in the front for extra protection
- Padded seating for additional support
- Easy-to-understand instructions (ensuring proper and safe installation)
Of course, make sure to always put a helmet on your child if they are riding in a mounted bike seat.
Age Suitability
You also want to make sure the bike seat is suitable for an infant. An infant is technically a baby who is 0 to 1 year of age, but most infant bike seats will not be suitable for any baby under seven months old.
It’s crucial not to get a seat for 2-year-olds or older children when you still have an infant because the frame will be too spacious, allowing too much room for your baby to move and bounce around during your ride. This is an unnecessary risk and can be dangerous.
Position of Seat
Lastly, if you have a preference about where you want to position your child during your bike rides, make sure that the bike seat you select is compatible with that preference.
Some seats are suitable for both front and rear positioning, while some are designed for just one or the other.
Many parents prefer a front seat if they are riding with an infant to be able to keep their eyes on them and make sure they are comfortable and happy during the ride.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several excellent infant bike seats that you can choose from, but your final decision will depend on your child’s specific age, your bike, your seating preferences, your budget, and any other considerations you might have.
All in all, if you choose one of these five best infant bike seats, you’ll be ready to take your young one on a fun and exciting ride in no time!
