Weeride Classic review

First off, front-mounted seats can be a great alternative to having your child behind you while you adventure. Not only is the added stability comforting, it also gives you much better interaction with your mini-passenger, and gives them a much more scenic ride in the cockpit.

The harness on the WeeRide is a secure and simple-to-adjust five-point system and, matched with the added bonus of having your child in your sightline, the seat felt incredibly safe. Although there was no padding on the material of the straps which would have improved comfort, we liked that there is an added chest strap for extra peace of mind.

Installation-wise, the WeeRide may take a couple of attempts to get right. It’s quite a fiddly seat to install – and although it was possible for one person to do alone, it would be easy to get wrong and have to start again. It was also pretty tricky to adjust once it was installed and, disappointingly, due to its front position there’s no possibility of a recline.

However, you’ll only have to install it once. Once in place, the seat itself can be removed and reattached easily, which our tester really loved. Although the bar left behind when the seat isn’t on doesn’t look too snazzy and adds a significant weight to the bike, being able to remove the seat for everyday riding so easily is a huge bonus.

The ever-practical headrest is another brilliant extra, and it’s positioned perfectly in front of your child so when they fall asleep on the move, they can do so comfortably and safely, all while securely strapped into the harness, too.

As for appearance, the seat is certainly more functional and sturdy than it is a work of art. However, made of plastic and with padding on the seat, it looked tough and comfy enough for the child throughout the journey. The plastic will wipe clean very easily, but the build-up of snot and goodness knows what else on the fabric of the headrest might not, and we feel discolouration of this may well just be part of the package.

If your child is anywhere near three years old, and therefore is at the older end of the recommended age range, we definitely suggest testing out this seat before buying. Our 18-month-old mini-tester had his feet at the lowest setting on the footwells already, and it’s possible the added weight of a much larger child could make a huge difference to the ease of cycling.

Unless you have the grace of a ballerina, you may also need a couple of practice mounts and dismounts without your passenger in place, to help you find the least acrobatic (and most modest) way to get on and off your bike.

At £75 this is a fairly cheap option, and for the peace of mind having your passenger sitting securely between your arms, it is certainly worth it. Sure, you’ll have a few things to get used to (including learning to pedal legs-akimbo), but we think the added fun of the ride for your child makes the WeeRide a great option.

Key specs

• Front or back mount? Front

• Dimensions: 36 X 28.5 X 45cm

• Weight: 4 kg

• Safety harness type: Five-point

• Age range: One to four years – although we wouldn't rely on being able to fit your child in the seat comfortably from three upwards

• RRP: £75

• Average resale price: £36

• Colour and design: Comes in dark grey with red straps

Bike specifications: Weeride claim this bike seat fits all bikes as long as they have a gap of 49 to 60cm from seat post to headset, and 5mm headset space below the handlebar stem. More information is available on the website.