Best front bike seats for toddlers and young children
Front-mounted bike seats are one of the best ways to cycle with babies, toddlers, and young children. A toddler bike seat fitted at the front is suitable from around 9 to 12 months old, right through until about 3 to 5 years, depending on the type of seat. This makes them a flexible choice for families wanting to start cycling together early.
The best front bike seats for toddlers and young children position them directly in front of you, creating a fun and interactive riding experience. You can chat, point out the sights, and share the joy of cycling, all while keeping a close eye on your child. For many families, the best front mounted child bike seat feels more natural and engaging compared to rear-mounted options.
Front seats are also compact and convenient, taking up little space on the bike. They can usually be left in place between rides without getting in the way, and their forward position often gives a more balanced, stable ride. Popular across cycling-friendly countries like the Netherlands and Denmark, they’re now becoming increasingly common elsewhere as more parents discover the benefits of family cycling.
In this guide, we’ll cover which front mounted child bike seats suit which types of bikes, the different age ranges they’re designed for, and a range of options to suit different budgets.
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Quick picks: best front bike seats
If you’re short on time and don’t want to scroll through the full list, here are our top three picks for front mounted bike seats for babies and toddlers, covering different styles and budgets.
- Best budget front bike seat: Urban Iki front seat TA-KE (from £64.99)
The Urban Iki front seat comes in a range of stylish colours, has a 5-point harness and a soft, water-repellent seat cushion.
- Best premium front bike seat: Thule Yepp 2 Mini (from £104.99)
The Thule Yepp 2 Mini front bike seat is safe, comfortable and hard-wearing. It is easy to clean and keep dry and comes with an integrated handlebar for your toddler to hold on to.
- Best front bike seat for mountain biking: Kids Ride Shotgun Pro seat (from £200)
The Kids Ride Shotgun Pro MTB seat is the best option for mountain biking parents who want to cycle with their toddler (from 18 months).
Contents
Use the links below to jump to the most relevant information on front bike seats.
Why choose a front bike seat?
One of the greatest benefits of using a front bike seat is the bonding experience it creates.
With your child right in front of you, they have an optimal viewing platform, and you can easily speak to them, share observations, and even offer safety advice as they learn to navigate the world around them. This makes it an excellent introduction to cycling, and many children love being able to see everything as they ride.
Your child will also gain a better understanding of road awareness compared to being seated behind you in a rear seat or trailer.
Whether you’re pointing out traffic lights, explaining roundabout rules, or sharing the sequence of events at junctions, front bike seats can help develop essential road sense that will serve them well as they grow older.
Additionally, a front bike seat can be combined with a tagalong to transport two children at once, making it a versatile solution for families.
Best front bike seats for babies, toddlers and young children
Here's our pick of the best front bike seats currently available.
Please be very careful of buying cheap imported front bike seats on auction sites. These may place all the weight of the child onto a flimsy piece of metal that attaches to your seat post or stem, and which doesn't meet British Safety standards.
Each seat will have restrictions on the type of bike that it is suitable for, so please check the manufacturer's instructions carefully before purchasing and using the seat.
Most front bike seats are not recommended for carbon fibre bikes and can be very tricky with drop handlebars.
If you're unsure if a particular seat will fit your bike we recommend you;
- Email the seat manufacturer to ask
- Speak to your local independent bike shop
- Join the Family Cycling UK Facebook Group and search the group for similar questions. If someone hasn't asked about your specific type of bike then post your own question - there's usually someone who has fitted a seat to a similar type of bike.
If you've got an older or heavier child (from about 3 years old), who you want to carry in a front seat, read our article with best front mounted bike seats for older kids.
Different types of front bike seats for babies and toddlers
Front bike seats come in different shapes and forms, suiting different ages and different types of bikes and cycling.
As a very rough guide, there are three types of front bike seats available:
Head tube-mounted front bike seats
The head tube-mounted bike seats are attached to the head tube (or stem tube), just below your handlebars. The seat clicks into a mount and you can usually take the seat off when you don't need it, and if you attach a mount to another bike, you can swap the seat between bikes.
This type of seat is usually a full seat that supports your little one's back, has a 3 or 5-point harness, and includes (adjustable) footrests.
This front bike seat is suitable for babies, as well as toddlers, from about 9 months until about 3 years old.
It's tricky to say exactly what bikes this type of seat will suit, as it depends on the seat you go for and the bike you own.
With a head tube-mounted seat an issue that may crop up is that there's not enough space between the bike seat and your saddle. This will depend on the combination of the geometry of your bike, your height and the seat.
| Seat name | Max weight | Mounting point | Price - from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thule Yepp 2 Mini | 15kg | Head tube | £104.99 |
| Urban Iki | 15kg | Head tube | £64.99 |
Top tube-mounted front bike seats
The top tube-mounted bike seats are attached to the tube that is between the seat post and the head tube on your bike. This seat won't work with step-through frames.
This type of seat usually only includes a saddle with footrests, but no support for your child's back. It is therefore suitable for slightly older kids, from 18 months or 3 years old (depending on the seat).
Some of these open-style seats are particularly suitable for mountain biking families. These seats usually come without a harness, so your child is not strapped in.
For more details on the differences between the Kids Ride Shotgun seats check out our Kids Ride Shotgun Seat review for a detailed comparison of the models
| Seat name | Max weight | Mounting point | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Ride Shotgun 2.0 MTB seat | 27kg | Top tube | £145 |
| Kids Ride Shotgun MTB seat | 22kg | Top tube | £85 |
| Oxford Little Explorer | 22kg | Top tube | £38 |
Zero frame contact front bike seats
Zero-frame-contact front bike seats are designed to attach to your bike without touching the frame itself, usually fixing between the headset and seat post. This makes them an excellent option for bikes with carbon frames, unusual tube shapes, or e-MTBs where a traditional top tube-mounted front bike seat might not fit.
They’re particularly popular with mountain biking families, as the extra clearance and secure fit means kids can join in on more adventurous rides without compromising the bike’s setup.
| Seat name | Max weight | Mounting point | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun Pro MTB seat | 27kg | Headset and seat post | £200 |
| Kids Ride Shotgun Pro Evo seat | 27kg | Headset and seat post | £299 |
Best head tube-mounted front bike seats
Bike seats mounted on the head-tube are perfect for babies and toddlers, from 9 months until 3 years old.
Make sure you look out for your specific needs, such as compatibility with a windscreen or being able to swap the seat between bikes.
The Thule Yepp 2 Mini is a light, and easy to use front bike seat. It gives your baby or toddler a full view of the road (or cycle path) and because it is made out of water-repellent materials, stays dry and easy to clean (great during those potty training months!).
There's also a handlebar for your child to hold on to.
The Thule Yepp bike seat range also includes the roomier back seat, the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi. So, if you have kids of different ages, you can have one of each!
The Yepp 2 Mini front seat is suitable for carrying children on the front of your bike from 9 months up to a maximum weight of 15 kg (approx 3 years).
It is mounted onto your bike's handlebar stem using the adapter supplied.
This seat fits normal stems with a diameter of 20-28 mm (0.78-1.1 inches) and ahead stems with a diameter of 28.6 mm (1.125 inches).
It's easy to fix the Thule Yepp 2 Mini front bike seat into place. There's a nifty little lock at the bottom of the seat to deter theft.
It's also very easy to detach it. This is useful if you don't have your child with you, or if you need to leave the seat at nursery for someone else to do the pick up (additional Yepp 2 Mini mounts are available for this purpose).
As you'd expect, there is a 5-point harness with an easy-to-use buckle, which also has soft shoulder pads to protect against chaffing.
The footrests are adjustable and have straps.
Other head tube-mounted front bike seats to consider
These are some other popular front bike seats that are similar to the Thule Yepp seats:
These seats all have a similar design of supportive backrest, 5 point harness and footrests, making them suitable for younger passengers.
Polisport Guppy Mini front bike seat
Some of the cheapest front bike seats available are from Polisport.
These are a popular brand on the continent and offer a no-frills, cost-effective way of transporting your child. It may not be the most luxurious ride, but if you're just popping them to the nursery, or doing a quick ride to the park or shops, then you're needs are going to very different to someone heading out for hours on end across various terrains.
The Guppy Mini is suitable for children from 9 to 15 kg. An optional windscreen is available which can be really helpful on cold or windy days.
The Polisport Guppy Mini is a stem mounted version that comes with two sets of different brackets allowing it to be mounted to stem tubes of 28-40mm or 22-40mm.
Go to the Polisport website, to check whether the seat will fit your bike.
Read our review of the Polisport Guppy Mini Front Bike Seat.
Best top tube-mounted front bike seats
Bike seats mounted on the top-tube are a great solution for slightly older kids, from 2 or 3 years old.
They are particularly suited for shorter trips, or more adventurous ones such as mountain biking.
Cycle Sprog reviewed and recommended seat
Once your child reaches the age of two, they're old enough for a Shotgun front bike seat, which is designed to get off road and enjoy mountain biking together.
Designed to easily fit onto virtually every size mountain bike frame, the Shotgun is really popular with parents wanting to introduce their children to the joys of off road cycling from an early age.
It doesn't have the same levels of safety restraints as seats designed for younger children. Your child needs to be able to sit up totally unaided, and certainly not fall asleep the moment you start riding.
We've tested the original version of the Shotgun front seat and you can read our review - 3 year old Rosie and her dad loved it!
Kids Ride Shotgun released an updated version of the original seat in 2023, with several improvements including a quick release fittings and two footpeg positions to allow for shorter and taller kids than the original.
Shotgun Pro MTB bike seat
The Shotgun Pro seat is an evolution on the original Shotgun bike seat, featuring zero frame contact.
There are also Pro Handlebars to match the Pro Seat. These provide an easy and secure setup for your toddler, that also keeps them away from your brake levers and dropper post controls whilst you shred the trails together.
Being quick release means you can easily swap over onto another bike so both mum and dad can get time with their Sprog (and alone!)
You can buy the Handlebars separately or together with the Pro Seat as a bundle.
Check out our Kids Ride Shotgun Seat Review to find out how this great seat performs in real life.
Other front MTB child bike seats to consider
If you're interested in a front seat to go on your mountain bike and the Kids Ride Shotgun seats aren't for you, check out the Mac Ride seat instead.
Oxford Little Explorer top tube bike seat
The Oxford Little Explorer is one of the simplest kids front bike seats on the market.
This is a seat aimed at the older end of the age range, where your child isn’t going to fall asleep and wants to feel close to the action.
It’s simple to get your child up and into and is ideal for short, sharp rides out. It’s also easy to cycle with when the child isn’t in the seat, so good for dropping off at nursery or preschool and continuing your journey.
Safety features are limited but include a two-point belt that fastens around the waist and non-adjustable foot straps.
Please note that this seat differs from some of the other cheap imported bike seats at a similar price, as it fastens to the top tube (crossbar) and not the seat post or stem. For this reason, it's not suitable for step-through frames (or if you have a very small frame size).
The best thing about this seat is that you really get to cuddle your child as you cycle along - and for this reason the Little Explorer's predecessor, the Oxford Leco has been a firm favourite of ours.
See our article about having to give up using the Leco once our son got too big.
Zero frame contact front bike seats
Zero-frame-contact front bike seats are ideal for mountain bikes, as they attach without touching the frame, protecting it from damage and making it suitable for MTBs and e-MTBs. Their design makes them perfect for full-suspension MTBs and MTBs wide down tubes, while still offering a secure and comfortable ride for your child.
Shotgun Pro MTB bike seat
The Shotgun Pro seat is an evolution on the original Shotgun bike seat, featuring zero frame contact.
There are also Pro Handlebars to match the Pro Seat. These provide an easy and secure setup for your toddler, that also keeps them away from your brake levers and dropper post controls whilst you shred the trails together.
Being quick release means you can easily swap over onto another bike so both mum and dad can get time with their Sprog (and alone!)
You can buy the Handlebars separately or together with the Pro Seat as a bundle.
Check out our Kids Ride Shotgun Seat Review to find out how this great seat performs in real life.
Weeride front bike seats
The Weeride Safe is a front bike seat that is different from most other front seats because it is mounted in the centre of your bike. The seat goes on a bar that sits between the seat post and head tube.
Going frame or stem mounted is a matter of personal preference. Parents with short arms and small frames (or pregnancy bumps) will probably gravitate to a stem mounted seat, and they are popular around town options.
Some parents find a stem mounted seat can affect balance or steering (particularly off-road) as the weight is over the front of the bike. In this case, some parents favour a frame-mounted seat where the weight is more towards the centre of the bike.
The Weeride Safe includes: higher sides for increased child stability added strap underneath the bar for extra stability, 2 movement thumbscrew, and 2 movement buckle release for enhanced safety; additional straps on foot holders; increased seat size.
Weeride Deluxe bike seats
The Weeride Safe and Deluxe both come with a headrest, which will come in handy when your little ones undoubtedly will fall asleep when out on a bike ride.
The Deluxe model is similar to the standard model, but with thicker padding on the headrest and the seat.
Because of the thicker padding, the Weeride Deluxe is recommended for toddlers under 18 months.
How to choose the best front-mounted bike seat for your baby or toddler
If you're in need of a bit more buying guidance, here are some things to consider when making your choice.
Choosing the best front bike seat for your child
When selecting a front-mounted bike seat, consider the type of cycling you plan to do—whether it's regular commuting, leisure rides, or even mountain biking. There are options for all types of cycling activities, and you’ll want to choose a seat that suits both your needs and your bike’s specifications.
Be cautious about purchasing cheap, imported seats from auction sites, as these may not meet British safety standards. Instead, opt for reputable brands that prioritise safety and durability. Some seats may not be suitable for carbon fibre bikes or those with drop handlebars, so be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
If you have a heavier or older child, you’ll want to explore seats designed specifically for them. For more information on front-mounted seats for older kids, check out our dedicated guide.
What age are front bike seats suitable from?
Your baby or toddler must be old enough to sit upright and have developed sufficient neck strength to use a front-mounted bike seat.
This is typically around 9 to 12 months for seats with full back support. However, you should consult your healthcare professional if you have concerns about your child's readiness.
For seats without full back support, your child should be at least two years old.
Always check the manufacturer's guidelines for weight, height, and age limits to ensure safety.
What features should a front-mounted bike seat have?
Front bike seats vary in design. Some mimic traditional bike seats with a restraint system, while others have features like leg protection, high backs, and sides, similar to rear-mounted seats. Your child will either hold onto the handlebars or a bar that forms part of the seat.
Fitting systems also vary. Some seats clamp directly to the bike’s crossbar, while others attach to the stem or use a separate mounting bar. Be sure to check that the fitting system is compatible with your bike before purchasing.
Weather and comfort considerations
One thing to keep in mind is that your child will be more exposed to the elements in a front bike seat. In cold or wet weather, you’ll need to dress them warmly, perhaps with gloves and a balaclava, as they won't generate as much body heat as you do while riding. Even on warmer days, make sure they are dressed appropriately since they will be less active.
In terms of comfort, front-mounted seats may cause you to ride slightly bow-legged, depending on the size of your bike, your leg length, and your riding position. It’s a good idea to try a seat before buying if possible.
Finally, note that front seats without head support are not ideal for napping. If your child tends to fall asleep during longer rides, this could be an issue unless the seat comes with additional head support.
Before you go...
Front Bike seats are a great way to transport smaller children, but it's also worth considering your longer term options (as these kids keep on growing!)
If you're using your bike for daily transport (rather than mountain biking) then it's worth thinking about cargo bikes.
Cargo bikes do require a higher investment than a bike seat, but may well be the right solution for your family - either now or in the future. Read all about cargo bikes.
Other articles you might be interested in:
- The best front mounted bike seats for older kids
- Best electric longtail cargo bikes to carry kids
- The best rear bike seats for toddlers and small children
- How to start cycling with a small child in a bike seat, cargo bike or trailer
- Keeping warm on a bike seat – great ideas to keep the cold at bay
- The best balance bikes as recommended by parents
- Best bikes for a 1 year old
- Kids Ride Shotgun launch improved mountain bike seat
- How to stop your kid getting saddle sore: a guide to kids bike saddles
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