Can anyone advise me on quick release child seats please?

Kola

Everyday I pick my 9 month old daughter up form nursery. It takes 3 miles to get there by car. I am lucky enough to live right on their C2C coast to coast route and if I were to peddle there its only a mile.

With my ever expanding age and waste line I feel I should get of my arse and start leaving the car at home as ofter as poss.

A few questions I was hoping someone who has gone through this before could maybe answer.

1 - I am not wealthy enough to own one bike with a child seat on and one without. I have one bike and it must do everything.
I would need a quick release system that actually 'is' quick release. I will only want the child seat on for a half hour a day and will be putting it on and taking it off daily.

Is this practical or even possible? If so have anyone any good experiences with certain models?

2 - Is 9 months too young to be transported safely.

3 - Can I get any sort of helmet for my daughter just in case?

Gussio

1. The Hamax seats attach to your bike by an unobtrusive bracket mounted on the tube holding the seatpost. Means that you do not need a rack on your bike. The quick release is a simple button and takes seconds. There are two plastic indicators which ensure that when you reatach the seat, you can be confident that you have done so properly.

We have the Hamax Siesta at a cost of around £80. We chose this model because of the quick release option and because the missus can have a bracket on her bike and I can have one on mine (additional bracket cost £15). We opted for the Siesta rather than the cheaper Kiss because of the recline function, which is great for sleeping time and stops our son from lolling out to the side when dozing. It has been excellent.

The Co-Pilot Limo gets good reviews as well, but requires a bike rack to be fitted.

2. Our little fellow is 11mths old and has been using it for a month (we would have started him earlier if the weather had not been so rubbish).

3. We have the smallest Met helmet (£26) which has very good adjustbility and fits just fine (the Hamax design is recessed at the back to make space for the helmet).

Good luck with your search and enjoy the experience!

Kola

Gussio,

Hey, thanks tons for that reply, sort of answers everything in one hit. Ill look into the Hamax you mention along with the met helmet.

(thumbs up!!)

Kola

For anyone else following this thread here is a link to what Gusso recommends
http://www.hamax.no/?ItemID=1149

Further Qs.

1 - I am guessing the seat is mounted on the two metal prongs and these prongs clip into the fitting on the, erm, seating tube thingy (lol)

Am I correct in thinking this fitting is a permanent fitting. This isn't a prob as its tiny, just wondering. You'd think the web site would explain the whole fitting, unfitting process :roll:

2 - Is there anyway to weather proof this. IE I may set out to pick her up and it may start to rain. Hey this is England you know, anything can happen :?

woodford2barbican

Most helpful thread in months!

Gussio

1. The fitting bracket is not permanent - attaches to the frame with four Allen bolts (Allen key supplied) and takes no more than 5mins to take on and off.

2. We are toughening our fellow up, so no cover Not sure if you can get a cover, but unless the rain is really heavy, the passenger is quite sheltered behind the rider and a helmet offers some protection from drizzle.

Kola

Well, im convinced. It will be next pay day Ill be getting one (next month and I will update)

Thanks tons Gussio!

Kola

Anti rain/bad weather poncho
http://www.hamax.com/admin/common/getim ... ileID=1677

windbreaker

I have a hamax in France and a co-pilot limo in scotland. I use it the way you will. In fact I have used it exactly as you wish today already. The Limo is much more stable, and clips off ins econds. The only downside is the feet slots are a tight fit, the hamax are easier to fasten the straps on. The Limo gives a good blackburn rack which I use with panniers most of the time. The Limo also works with a rain cape I bought from edinburgh Bicycle.

I'd receommend the limo but it is more expensive. .

navt

Have a look at WeeRide. Sits between seat and handlebar, hence in front of the rider. Better weight distribution and great for communicating to child during ride. Seat held down by a simple nut, easy to remove.

SmellTheGlove

I used a Halfords Hamax clone for over a year - the babe has outgrown it now. Too tall although not too heavy (20kg is the limit on this I believe).

Being skint at the time I bought it on e-bay and it was absolutely fine, not heavily used and about half the price of new. Pretty soon it will be back on sale!

I couldn't fault it for the nursery trip especially as I could unclip it and leave it in the porch, then travel on to work and do the reverse in the evening. The frame bracket is fairly chunky but as you said, you're concerned about the waistline so leave it bolted on and don't worry about pushing an extra kilo...

I loved using it and so did my daughter - one of the joys of fatherhood, not to be missed and now past as she has graduated to her own machine.

Small Fish

We used the Limo for both our kids - it is pretty much indestructable. My partner and i both had racks so I could drop at nursery, leave the seat there and mum do the afternoon pick up. Takes literally seconds to clip on and off.

We tried a Hamax (or something very similar) first and found that it felt much less secure, but the deal breaker was that the prongs flexed which felt weird and with the geometry of my bike there wasn't sufficient clearance over the back wheel so the seat base would have bounced against my rear tyre every time I went over a bump.

For weather protection we had a waterproof all in one jumpsuit that we got from a website called muddy puddles. The Limo had a very high back and sides which in the event of a fall would prevent head/floor contact but we still put helmets on ours.

(I have cosmetically battered but physically sound Limo seat and 2 x Blackburn racks currently languishing in my shed in manchester - would sell the lot for £40 if anyone wants to come and pick them up - PM for more info!)