Can I use a rear mounted bike seat (for baby) with a 3 wheel bike?

Question

I want to use a 3 wheel bike when riding with my baby, but I can't find any info on using an adult trike with either a baby trailer or a rear mounted seat. Having the third wheel seems like it would provide the extra stability to make a bike mounted seat safer, but I'm not sure if it's possible to properly and safely attach one to the frame of a three wheel bike? Or if I decide to use a trailer, would that attach to the frame of my bike successfully? Any info or experiences with this are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Depends on if its an upright (traditional), tadpole (2 wheels in front) or delta (2 in back) trike. A bike mounted seat will work with any, but it will work without modification on a tadpole.

However, trailers have no downside on a trike since they already have the added width of two wheels (a trailer's only real fault). Children can move around, read, play and sleep in a trailer. You can usually bring along two kids (which you cannot on a carrier). They have a windshield to keep out wind, bugs and rain. You can use them for groceries and pets when the kids aren't around (or when they are!). Best, you can easily detach it and get a normal trike (bike) back when you don't want to use it.

No good reason to prefer a carrier on a trike that I can think of.

Answer 2

There are a range of different bike mounted kids seats. There are also a heap of different styles of trailers. There will be some that will fit easy and ones that will need to be modified. The style of trike will determine which will fit best.

Most upright adult trikes have a large wire basket mounted between the back wheels. If this is removed it leaves plenty of potential mounting points. to securely mount one or more child seats.  Of course caution needs to be observed to make sure that all moving parts are well shielded from little fingers and feet. I've seen three mounted across the back of a trike. (fitted with a custom made frame). I've also seen infant car seats mounted.

The best trailer option I can think of of the top of my head would be this style. They usually mount on a bike's rear axle, but there will be plenty of options at the back of a trike to securely mount these.

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetai...

http://www.actionbent.com/twtrailer.html

There are others that mount off the seat post that should work also. The most common trailers clamp onto the left chain stay, they won't be any good on a trike.(with out major rework)

Yeah; there are plenty of options. You should be able to get something pretty much "off the shelf". An extra dollar or two on different mounting clamps might be necessary. Or you could go to town and do something totally original.