friedduck

I bought a Thule RideAlong but there's just not enough clearance between the Thule and my seat to stand over the top bar at stops. The RideAlong reclines so far back it leaves no space.

Has anyone here tried the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini and found that it works with an average large frame mtn bike? Or more to the point--know if it's a more upright seat that'll leave me a little more room?

I can't find any profile shots online that show the two seats from a comparable angle.

Thanks,
Jeff

mel2012

I never tried the Ride Along, but I did use the iBert, Yepp Mini, and Bobike Mini. Of the three, I found that the Bobike Mini had the most clearance when squeezing on/off to mount/dismount and riding (knee clearance). Potentially a stem riser/spacers might help by allowing you to mount the seat higher up. However, short of putting a front seat on a cruiser with a long effective top tube and swept back handlebars, I would not expect to be able to mount and dismount at each stop sign, etc. You'll need to practice staying on the saddle and just putting one foot down. That may mean your seat height is less than optimal initially, but as you get comfortable with it, you can raise the seat height.

friedduck

Thanks @mel2012. I returned the RideAlong and bought the Nexxt after looking at a bunch of photos.

The Nexxt has more space between the seats than the RideAlong, but the whole thing is more cheaply built. The lock, the stem mount, everything. Even cranking down on the mounting bolts it would rotate pretty easily. (There's no rubber collar like there was in the mount for the RideAlong.)

Finally, it looked promising but the legs for the Nexxt are narrower and rubbed on the fork. I could just *barely* get it to fit on my pretty-standard mountain bike. (Trek Superfly.)

So unfortunately this one is going back too. I'll see if I can find the Bobike Mini locally. Appreciate the help.

Jeff

finch204

I have a Thule RideAlong on a Trek FX 2. It is a tight fit but I have compromised to make it work. I keep the saddle low so that I can touch one foot on the ground when stopped. There is no way I can stand over the top tube with the child seat installed on the bike. I have done a number of rides with it and it is okay. The best bike to use with a front child bike seat are those crank forward designed bikes, like an Electra Townie or a cruiser bike. Recently I have stopped riding with it, because my kid throws a tantrum when we stop riding >_< Pretty soon he will be near the weight limit of the Thule RideAlong and I plan to either get a trailer or a rear mounted child bike seat.

friedduck

I ended up buying a Benno cargo bike and a Yepp Nexxt Maxi (I think that's it) rear seat. Awesome so far. Great, easy-riding bike that I can get get the little one on or off with no fuss. Also has enough room for a grocery run or trip to the pool with all of our stuff.

The rear Yepp seems much better put together than either of the front seats I tried. I agree, finch, that a cruiser or townie would've been a better bike to try the front seat with.