Child seats for mountain bikes: Parent-child happiness or a no-go? - Pros & cons

On special child seats for mountain bikes, young parents can ride their children in front of them on the top tube. This gets the kids excited about biking and at the same time satisfies the parents' need for exercise.

However, the exposed position of the child harbours risks. What happens in the event of a fall, and do parents always assess the risk correctly? We asked two MTB experts for their opinion:

PRO

"I think these child seats for mountain bikes are a real stroke of luck. It allows my wife and I to explore the great outdoors with our son. This option makes everyday family life a lot easier. I put my son in the child seat for the first time when he was two years old. Only on very short journeys, of course. My son is now four years old and we take him on tours on forest roads. I realise that falling is not an option! The centre of gravity is completely different and you have to know what you're doing. I only take the risk because I have full confidence in my abilities. For anyone who doesn't have that: Hands off! I don't recommend riding on trails anyway."

CONTRA

"I take a critical view of child seats and child trailers with suspension. Time and time again, I see fathers riding sometimes challenging trails with their child strapped in on the top tube. I think many underestimate the dangers. Some child seats are approved for children from the age of two. An average man weighs around 80 kilos. I don't want to imagine what can happen even in an unspectacular fall at low speed, e.g. on the pump track. It doesn't even have to be your own fault, a defect on the bike can also cause a fall. Even at our bike park, I've seen exuberant fathers and their children riding down the park track on the top tube. A child-friendly holiday is different."

You can find more articles on the subject of child seats here:

New handlebars for Shotgun MTB child seat

Mac Ride child seat

Buying advice for children's bikes