When to stop using a child seat

[Twilkes]

This is with a Weeride mid-mount seat, but interested in rear mount seats too. Son is 1 metre tall and 18kg (only 2¾ so a chunky monkey!) and it's fine as long as he doesn't shake from side to side which he used to do but thankfully stopped doing a good few months ago. If anything the height would seem to become a problem before the weight would.

What stage did you have to stop using a child seat?

(I know the Weeride is rated at 18kg or something but that's because it falls into the front-mount regulations; on the top tube, it's probably the strongest of all child seat fixing positions)

 

[Tom B]

Good thread. Might be worth posting in the family section.

I'm wondering the same myself. I have a hamax siesta rear carrier suitable upto 22kg. My 31 month old is fine and behaves well on it, we use it about 4-5 days a week since 9month old so it's just something he does and he doesn't mess about in it. But I do have my eye on the next move. The old boy who helps out at the notso-lbs thinks natural progression is a tag along and that's what he did. Though he did say getting a 3 yr old to stay on is a challenge sometimes.

I do have a trailer but it's a big faff to get out and assemble.

May consider a family bike Jose Dew style. But storage is an issue..

 

[BurningLegs]

Our son is 2.5 years old but only weighs just over 12KG so we don't feel that close to the limit yet, but I suspect a lot of it also depends on what type of bike you have the seat mounted to.

My wife had a top-end hybrid bike with a carbon fork and with a baby seat on the back it felt really unstable and volatile. She now has a cruiser (Giant Liv Flourish) which has a longer wheelbase, significantly heavier, and thus more stable. It inspires confidence and we will certainly be able to ride with our son in a seat on the back of that bike longer than the hybrid that was previously used.

 

[Twilkes]

Our son is 2.5 years old but only weighs just over 12KG so we don't feel that close to the limit yet, but I suspect a lot of it also depends on what type of bike you have the seat mounted to.

My wife had a top-end hybrid bike with a carbon fork and with a baby seat on the back it felt really unstable and volatile. She now has a cruiser (Giant Liv Flourish) which has a longer wheelbase, significantly heavier, and thus more stable. It inspires confidence and we will certainly be able to ride with our son in a seat on the back of that bike longer than the hybrid that was previously used.

It's a 60cm Kona Dew hybrid so already pretty big, I don't really feel any difference in handling compared to when he was 12 months old. So I'll maybe just go on instinct and stop when I feel things aren't right. It's served me well going out to see the trains and the fire engines every day for the last two weeks anyway...

 

[alvintc]

Had my six year old in the back seat on Tuesday...and the twins in the trailer. My rear seat sits in the pannier rack so no issues.