MR BIKE'S PANEL OF PARENTS REVIEWS THE IBERT SAFE-T-SEAT

Published November 29, 2007

John
    The seat was very easy to install and seemed to easily fit different styles of stems and handlebars. While bike handling was not adversely affected, I found my knees hit the back of the seat. This is probably because the child's weight is behind the axis of the head tube, which actually helps center the bars.
    The straps and buckles are a bit hokey-pants for my taste. They tended to slip away from the child's shoulders. I'd like to see the back of the seat come up higher to help keep the child in position and put the strap mountings higher on her back.

Julie
    My general assessment is that if you want a seat in front, this one is fine. It did not badly affect the bikes' handling or balance. It was extremely easy to install which is a big plus.
    I didn't feel like my arms were too stretched out to reach around the seat. The seat did, however, interfere with my knees. Because of this I definitely would not want to use it as my everyday bike seat or for a long ride. But for short distances I think it is a decent seat.
    My daughter likes to fall asleep in the seat. With this seat there is nothing to catch her head when it flops. That alone is a reason not to use it. It would be better if the back were higher.
    I am very happy with seat we have, a Topeak. It quick-releases from a rear rack so my husband can drop our daughter off at daycare, leave the seat at home, and I can grab it to pick her up.

Josh
    Installation: Very easy. Seems flexible enough to fit a variety of bike types.
    Durability: There isn't much to the seat. The latch for the plastic swing-arm needs redesign. It seems like it will be the first thing to break and seems an insecure part of the harness system. The seat's body could use some water drain holes near the feet.
    Fit: The age/size range of the seat is pretty limited, and my 3-year-old had trouble squeezing her feet under the handlebar. The kids seemed to like the reclining posture. Compared to my top-tube mounted seat the safe-T-seat gives much better head support when the kid gets sleepy.
    Safety: The minimal 3-point harness was not easily adjusted and hard to get over the kids' heads with bike helmets on. From a purely visual aspect the safe-T-seat appears less safe than seats with 5-point harnesses. We didn't crash to test this.
    Usability: Compared to my top-tube mounted seat the safe-T-seat had better knee clearance, making it much easier for me to ride. On the downside, the seat's weight on the steering column required more steering strength and concentration. Also, when I parked my bike, the up-front load made it hard for my kickstand to support the bike.
    Enjoyability: My son and daughter both enjoyed riding and reclining in the seat. It would be nice to have something for them to play with beyond my grips and bell.

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