Child seat on bike PLEASE HELP (long)

[imnot27]

We want to replace our knackered bike seat on the back of dh's mountain bike with a new one. We went to posh biking shop at weekend, where slightly odd lady told us that as ds2 is so HUGE (he is 3.4, but tall, and weighs about 15 kilos I think) he couldn't have one of the standard bike seats, as he would bend the frame! This doesn't seem to be an issue with the one he's in at the moment, also these seats all say up to 22 kgs! Does anyone have a bike seat? Can you tell me how big your LO is etc? The seats she said would bend are the ones without a pannier frame, just the pole fiiting onto the frame. TIA!

He could bend the frame if the frame is made from a light-weight alloy (mostly aluminium). A bike with an all- or mostly-steel frame will not be damaged, though (okay, I am not an enginner, but our bikes are okay for it, anyway, 7 years later, and what I'm saying was confirmed by at least one bike shop...), and so a steel-frame can take a 22kg child on a down-tube attached seat.. Thus, bike shop lady could be right, and could be wrong about your specific situ.

BUT, if I were you I would look at a trailer bike instead. This will last until you feel comf. letting child ride their own bike on the road, and will be more stable for the adult rider to control.