Child bike carrier for Capra

Wee-Rides don’t mount on the steerer, they just use the headtube. However, Mac-Rides (for when kiddo is a bit bigger do use a spacer on the steerer.

Doesn’t really answer your question, but might be useful. I’ve not looked at Wee Rides in a few years, but an adapter for a larger headtube might be all you need. For a Wee-Ride you don’t need much height above the headtube, but you do need a few mm of tube or headset cup (not spinning) to clamp against

@mashr you're slightly wrong there, Wee-Ride do a Mac-Ride style seat now.

@chrisyork if your capra is alloy maybe go for the Wee-Ride which mounts the TT if possible. If not maybe you could be brave and only fit the spacer when wanting to use the seat and risk one of the stem bolts clamping above the steerer... I can go measure the Mac-Ride spacer to check height if you'd like?

oikeith
Full Member
@mashr you’re slightly wrong there, Wee-Ride do a Mac-Ride style seat now.

Noted. retract a lot of my info then

I’ve used a Mac Ride on a 2016 Capra. Mac Ride fit pretty much all bikes, aside from cannondake (or others) with 1.5 straight steerer tube; No adapter for that.

Main downside of the Mac Ride is cost m (was quite spendy when I got it several years ago) and gets in the way of your legs when pedalling otherwise it’s great.

Thanks folks, I don’t think the macride will be suitable yet as he’s only 11 weeks. The first carrier needs to support him fully with protective pad at the front and full supported seat.

I did read that the weeride can connect to the headtube so. H oh get just have to take the plunge from wiggle and if it doesn’t fit return it and see what else can be done

I use a trailer - albeit didn't get her out in the bike till about 9 months out of an abundance of caution.

I wouldn't bother with a weeride or similar at that age. Think about when they are going to be able to sit up, support their head properly, think about the weather at that time of year and plan your equipment / adventures accordingly.

I optimistically did an electric conversion on a cargo bike with a kiddy seat on the back. Then I realised the amount of layers to go on/off to keep them comfortable and got a trailer instead!

We looked into a trailer but they are so expensive being around a grand new and even second hand if you can find one £700. Hold their value really well!

We have a Thule yepp something, been using it since about 9.5 months (13 months now, daughter was early to sitting, head holding up etc, we still took to really gently to start with). If you have the steerer tube for it it works fine, but I had to swap forks between bikes to find a combination that gave me enough room to get the ridiculously chunky bracket under the stem. Incidentally all generations of Thule head tube mounted seat brackets are incompatible, so you can’t use the helpful slim fit adapter with the newer seat (if anyone wants one, unused, make me an offer!). They’re really not designed for mountain bikes, the whole shape fits a shopping bike shape so much better.

We also shelled out for a trailer. Ended up going burley as I found a d’lite new for barely more than Thule were going second hand. I flipping love it. I mean, having them up front is awesome too and in most ways more fun, but being able to put her in the trailer for her morning nap and go out for a ride, then transfer her to the front seat when she eventually gets bored is just glorious. We do look ridiculous as a convoy though!

Btw thanks for this, I think we might be screwed to be honest with you because the steerer only has enough space for one small spacer so there isn’t any room to fit something on the steerer. It was mentioned that it would fit a head tube however, the Capra has a fairly beefy head tube. we are looking at the The nexxt too, but as mentioned as well it sounds like that also needs an adapter for the head tube which also won’t fit. I cursed the person who fitted my forks and chopped it only long enough for the stem as I think without a doubt I would run it a little bit higher anyway, if I could!
I literally think it might not be possible for a Capra with my lack of clearance which is a shame!

Pic for guidance
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second hand if you can find one £700. Hold their value really well!

You nailed it there. Buy a Thule chariot, use it, sell it for how much you bought it for.

Think it chariot was £350.

Gone back through my photos and I can see we had our little one in the chariot with the baby sling insert at 3 months.

I cursed the person who fitted my forks and chopped it only long enough for the stem as I think without a doubt I would run it a little bit higher anyway, if I could!

DMR Defy stem. Will give a bit of rise plus probably half the stack of that stem.

I can measure the DMR stem if needed. I have one on a bike.

With short stems I seem to remember needing to include a spacer to stop the Mac Ride clamp fouling it. Will depend on the stem though so you might be ok just replacing the spacer with the Mac Ride one but risky you need to add a spacer and then don’t have space.

Edit- replacing the knurled finger screw for the clamp with a simple hex bolt gives a bit more clearance on the Mac Ride too.

You can get low profile stems that take up less stack on the steerer so you could look at one of them?

That’s a great idea, not one I thought I’d but yes looking at the Raceface stem it’s a chunky one! Slimming down would give steerer space! Looking at the DMR now compared to mine to see the difference 👍

Don't underestimate how much front seats get in the way of your knees. It can get quite painful riding knees out. When they're bigger the Shotgun seats are excellent and much lower profile.

Also neither of mine particularly liked being on the front but LOVED being behind me.

One way or another, I've ended up with a front mounted Thule Ride Along Mini, a rear rack mounted seat, rear seat tube bracket mounted seat, Shotgun, and a Burley Honey Bee trailer.

The trailer is by far the best purchase, the kids love it.

I'm not sure about the front padded head rest thing - if the kid is tired it's time to stop anyway IMO with the seats on the bikes. Any bumps or even just gravel track vibration and they're smacking their heads on the 'rest' even with a helmet, so offroad is a no no and on road can get some big pot holes. I've seen kids slumped on them and it can't be good for bones, backs, knecks etc...

The trailer has been amazing. They've been able to sleep in it, laugh in it, giggle etc... 'faster daddy'. Protected from the rain/wind/sun/bugs etc...

I don't think there's one answer - kids grow, have different strengths, different likes. Be prepared to experiment which is all good stuff, it's all bike purchases 🙂

Look like there is loads of space under that stem. Is the headset really tall? Perhaps a lower stack top cup as well as the DMR stem.

Buuut even if you get it to fit 11 weeks* is way, way too young imo. I would not (and did not) even contemplate either child on a bike till they could hold their head up (and had been able to for a while). You risk neck damage doing it too soon, especially when you add the weight of a helmet on top. For really little ones car seat in a trailer is the only sensible approach. Even with an older child it is easy to hurt their neck. My eldest had neck pain after a jolt on a ride at a much older age (can't remember exactly how old but she could talk so maybe 3ish).

* Noted you said 'when he is able' not 'now' in OP.

Edit; front seats really do get in the way, even in large bikes. You will likely need to adopt a knees out pedaling style.

Mac-Ride are currently developing a seat for littler ones that fits the current Mac-Ride. You will need to be able to lift the stem though.

I started with a Weeride, had to source longer bolts for the clamp to fit the top tube and you do have to ride a bit John Wayne style. Both my kids live being up front and u think the Mac-Ride is worth every penny. I think the resale will be quite strong too.

Yes I think it’s got a really big top headset cup if that’s what you call it, I don’t know if I can change that can I if it’s part of the acros headset?

I can get a lower top part of the headset cup is that right?

Yes I only mean for when he’s old enough

As an update, I just can’t get the weeride to work!

So I bought the only stem with a much smaller depth being the DMR one, then bought the steerer adapter for the weeride and it all seemed to fit however the headset was then loose and didn’t get as far as to trying to actually use it as nobody rides a bike with a loose headset!

Looks like the Thule yepp mini they do a very slim bracket so going to look at that. Any recommendations and has anyone used?

Be aware- there are three (at least!) generations of Thule front seat with similar-at-first-glance mounting brackets that are all in fact completely incompatible. The thin one only works with the (I think, please check before spending money) Yepp Mini not the Yepp Mini Nexxt. I know this because I have one sitting in a box that doesn’t work with the seat we have. Have to use the chunky bracket.

We’ve had a lot of fun taking a toddler out on the seat and I’d rather have it than not have a seat but… the Thule is just one of the most annoying things I’ve owned in terms of thinking ‘did no one pull this up in testing’? It’s entirely possible this is a ‘bike seat’ problem not a Thule problem but it’s pretty much put me off buying other Thule kit, especially when I had them in mind as the ‘bit pricier but just works’ option. Three irritations that spring to mind-

The legs attach at such a narrow point that I can’t use it on the big bike because there’s not enough clearance to the admittedly quite wide top tube to, you know, turn the handlebars. I get that it’s probably designed for city bikes with dropped top tubes but come on, a little testing would surely show that up.

Once assembled the seat takes up a frankly silly amount of room because of the crossbar and legs and these are not practical to detach to store it or, say, put it in the car because they’re screws into plastic and I suspect would thread if used regularly.

The front clasp for the straps seems to be designed such that when you put a child in they sit on it, meaning you need two hands to lift them in and one hold it out of the way.

To repeat, we’ve had loads of really fun rides with it but I can’t wait to move to a Macride.

With my little ‘un I also have been thinking how to take them cycling

After similar considerations all highlighted above, I ended up going down the Weehoo thrill trailer route as it easily connects to a dropper post with 29er wheels and you can navigate single track terrain with ease and comfort, unlike a 2 wheel trailer

I got mine on gumtree, they come up regularly and I paid less than £200 for excellent condition, I just added a Schwalbe Big Ben balloon tyre to improve cushioning and looking forward to trying it out when little one is ready