Found: Tandem Tot – A front mounted Child carrier

flashback to my childhood)
when I was a child(early 90th) it was still popular in Russia to carry children like this
and of course all of this seats were homemade

Those have been around for donkeys years, I pass a couple of people using them on my way to work most days. The more refined version of the same idea is:

http://www.amazon.com/iBert-Safe-T-Front-Mounted-Bicycle/dp/B000H4E7EO

The poor man’s version is to just have the child sit side saddle on the top tube, something I see quite a bit if I’m on the bike near schools round here.

Looks like it will be fun until a kid’s foot goes into the spokes. Other than that I actually like it. I’ve used the front mounted ibert seat for both of my kids and they’ve loved it, so I would welcome something that would work for bigger toddlers. There’s a UK co. that has made something similar, but has straps to hold the kid’s feet in place.

lovely!

as a Dutchy, i have to say: what’s new?

http://www.giezentweewielers.nl/admin/uploads/pappazone.jpg

Any idea that encourages people to ride their bikes more is a good idea though 🙂

Like the iBert, my first thoughts are…. Baby Air Bag.

Looks to be no more unsafe than any other bicycle/child combo, in that one could not picture having a problem with this on a clear open path, but it seems to do little to protect anyone in case of a routine (driver brainfart) car accident. But then again, that is the case with almost anything involving a standard bicycle.

Probably better to have some sort of dorky three-wheeled cycle or sidecar setup where everyone is well-assured that they won’t be thrown off the top of a saddle in case of a minor incident. But if you’re replacing one of those rear attach-a-tandem devices or rear-rack child seats, well, at least you can see your kid with this one.

Does that pile of Diamondback come with your $125 purchase of two pipe clamps and some rubber bits? Probably best to put that money towards a sweet insurance policy that you’ll inevitably have to use when your moron kid does an accidental foot jam and makes you both otb. This is why I don’t ride “greenways”. Roads and trails are safer than people riding around on bike paths with kids dangling off their death traps. They should sell these to Walmart so we can go ahead and knock off the next generation of idiots earlier than later.

And just when you thought you couldn’t make the old baby killer bike seat concept any worse…..these guys come along.

this will work get on my viking giro when i take the kid to school

The kids dad is wearing a Beer Shirt, Imperial made in Costa Rica!! haha Make your own decisions about whats worse the seat for the child or the drunk dad.

$125? These things are all over the place in China and cost less than a tenth of that. Someone’s hoping to make a quick buck it seems. Incidentally in China they even have plastic ponchos with a little “chest-burster” hood on the front so that the kid can her head out on a rainy day.

Also kids nowadays need to harden up, back when I was a kid I sat sidesaddle on the top tube, no fancy seats required.

Where’s the video of the dad descending the Stelvio with his kid on one of these?

In the Eddy Merckx documentary “La Course en Tete”, made late in his career (1974?) there is footage of Eddy riding a young Axel Merckx to school using one of these exact type of child seats.

That’s nigh on identical to the Leco top Tube seat I used for my son between the age of 2 1/2 and 3 1/2. Difference was i didn’t bother with the fott-bar, he put his feet on the top of the fork-crown. Used it daily for the nusery-run and managed a few 10km rides also. Never had any problems (except for clamping it to a too-thin aluminium frame, but that’s another story)

As its just a saddle, it beats the iBert style seat as there’s space to get your knees around it, much easier to ride that way.

As for injuries and lawsuits, if you’re going to be like that, will you ever let your kids actually ride a bike?

“Sevo – 10/21/12 – 11:35am

And just when you thought you couldn’t make the old baby killer bike seat concept any worse…..these guys come along.”

Agreed! I call the child carriers “Baby launchers”
Just because people have been using them for a long time doesn’t make them ok. Trailer is the only way to go. Inclosed and harnessed in.

the ones worried about legs getting into spokes may look at this picture (and the device in the critical spot):
http://s1.directupload.net/images/121022/mn44stlh.jpg

This looks like a great way to carry a kid and expose them to the joy of cycling fast. Kids brains develop in response to input and having a kid ride up front and experience more of the ride as it really is will probably make for a keener and better rider later. Really, think about it, formative years in a kid seat on the rear looking at dads ass crack. This is MUCH better!

I had lawn darts – LOVED THEM.

Goats

I concur 100% with Tobin’s comments. My own 2 cents after using the Tandem Tot for over a year now: this is one of the best systems to transport your child without having a bunch of gear you would have to take on and off or tote around with you when you don’t have your little one with you. Hands down.
The safety concerns brought up are obviously written by people who haven’t ever tried the Tandem Tot. My kid’s feet have never come close to getting caught in my spokes. Nor would I want to strap his feet in, like in the Euro seats, because if I did fall or crash….I would want him to be able to move his feet/body to respond to the incident. Strap in systems give the rider a false sense of security that their child is somehow safe. Riders need to be more responsive and aware and communicate with their tot to ensure safety. Wtih my kid right in front of me I can tell him to watch out for bumps, holes, etc. and he responds by tightening his grip and focusing his attention just as I would.
I think before you knock the Tandem Tot…you first have to try it for yourself.

I too, have been using the Tandem Tot for a couple years now. My daughter was 2 1/2 yrs. old when she first got on! She is now 5 and I still ride her on it. I have a cheap bike, no special metals and never has it caved in or collapsed like a previous commenters concerns. I used to use an enclosed bike trailer and never felt safe with it trailing behind me! I once witnessed a child on one of those attached bikes they can peddle themselves and the parent was pulling forward to cross the street and the boy was not paying attention and flew of the back of the bike on to his head in the road! I love having the action in front where I can see what’s going on and be in control of her safety. These people who are so worried about it should look at all the rear bike carriers. This gives her the ability to watch and learn traffic safety and awareness. It would like taking driving lessons in the back seat of the car. Obviously, the earlier they learn safety on the road the better. For those who say this has been around forever, I have been alive since 1965 and never seen anything like this. Yes, they have front carriers with full back seats, but his is much better and compact, easier to control the bike with and gives them the feeling of riding the bike themselves. I highly recommend the Tandem Tot!