Thule RideAlong review

First, let’s talk safety. The RideAlong is a rear-frame-mounted seat, fitted with an adjustable and padded three-point harness. This offered that extra peace of mind and meant our mini-tester was very well secured in the correct position in the seat. The clasp was easy to use but very sturdy, securing even the wriggliest of passengers.

It was easy to adjust every aspect of the seat to suit both our adult tester and his child, and the recline, footrest and shoulder straps could all be altered to suit whatever needs were required depending on that day’s adventure.

As is always the case with such complex kit, the RideAlong can be tricky to set up. Getting the bracket for the seat attached initially was a faff but, once sorted, the seat itself was really easy to remove and reattach to your bike – as long as this bracket remained in place – and this was one of our tester’s favourite features on this seat. For this reason, the RideAlong works best if you’re only planning on using one bike to transport your child; if not, it’s still a great option, but it may be worth buying a second bracket (£25) to save having to detach and reconfigure right from scratch each time.

One thing our tester did miss on this seat was a recess pocket to allow for the helmet. Without it, their child could not keep their head fully upright, which meant that as they fell asleep their head drooped forwards rather than backwards, even in recline mode. Although this didn’t cause any damage, and the mini-tester didn’t wake up unhappy, it certainly didn’t look comfortable.

However, the parts and packaging look reassuringly secure and sturdy and the seat feels well put together, brimming with the typical Thule simplicity. Our mini-tester had a snack for the journey, and any marks left on the plastic of the seat were simply wiped off with a damp cloth, while the padding is completely detachable and machine-washable – very handy whatever the age of your passenger.

Thule is a trusted brand, and this bike seat definitely does not disappoint. It is well built, simple to use and will retain its value for resale, which makes it an ideal purchase if you’re looking for a product that will exceed your expectations.

The specs:

Front or back mount? Back

Weight: 5kg

Safety harness type: Three-point

Age range: From nine months up to 22 kg

RRP: £120

Average resale price: £57

Colour and design options: The plastic comes in light grey, dark grey and zinnia (a flashy orange colour), with reversible padding also available to purchase separately

Bike specifications: Thule recommend that this seat fits most bike frames, 27.2-40mm diameter round frames and maximum 40 × 55mm oval frames. Take a look at the website for more information.