I just installed this seat today and took my 3 year old out for a short test ride before it started raining. While I don't have experience with day-to-day usage yet, I would like to comment on the instruction manual for those parents considering this product and hopefully the manufacturer will read this, too. In short, the manual is unclear from step 1 onwards. There's no explanation of what a "seat stay" or a "braze-on" are, so if you're unfamiliar with these terms, you may have difficulty with installing this seat. More and bigger illustrations would be appreciated. It took me about 2 hours, mainly because I had to take the rear wheel of the bike off because there's not enough room between the smallest cog and the inside of the dropout. The manual also mentions a CG (Center of Gravity) hash mark that's supposed to help with alignment, but I couldn't find it.
One side note: I almost bought this seat from craigslist. "Almost" because the seller was honest enough to tell me that she doesn't have the installation manual anymore, and warned me about the installation difficulty.
I went to various bicycle shops to check out 3 different child seats (Limo, Taxi and one whose name I don't remember) and like this the most. Despite the comment above, which is just a one-time hassle, I still think this is among the best seat on the market. Time should tell whether it's worth the price. I also considered the iBert Safe-T Front Mounted Child Bicycle Seat, which I couldn't find in any local bike shop. One salesperson told me they don't carry that product because they feel front mounted seats are just not safe for children. Most accidents are head-on collision and children are better protected when they sit behind an adult. CoPilot Limo Bicycle Child Seat
I was given a bike seat as a hand-me-down (another brand..). Didn't like it due to safety reasons so I decided to research online the best child seat while also minding price as much as possible. I narrowed it down to this one seat.
PROS:
1. Very sturdy - seat mounts to a free mounting rack that is supplied. It fastens securely to the mount and is also tethered to the bicycle seat bar as well. Very smart idea.
2. Secures infant very well - your child is secured down by the ribbon that goes over their chest as well as the horizontal bar that further secures them in the seat. There are even velcro ties if you want to tie down their feet if need be.
3. Free bike rack!
4. Interior of seat is very well cushioned for easy riding for your child.
5. Literally seconds to remove the seat. Don't be concerned it requires a few steps to accomplish this.
6. The seat is quite high - so as to keep your child safe while riding.
7. Middle of the road price.
CONS:
1. Shoddy supplied screws. They easily will strip if you are not careful. I actually discarded mine and used some other ones that I had that worked (same thread and length).
2. Instruction manual leaves a lot to be desired.
IN SUMMARY:
If you are looking for a seat that is safe and secure, not too costly and is great looking then I highly recommend this child bicycle seat.
My son enjoys riding within the carrier and I feel that he is safe within it. It is easy to install, easily detaches from the bike, and is sturdy. I would recommend using a helmet that is flat on the back for toddlers.
Today, after clipping a bush on a bumpy sidewalk, I lost balance and my bike fell on it's side with me on it and my 13 mos old in the Co-Pilot. I struggled to gain balance, but couldn't and took the brunt of the fall on my knee and my poor twisted back. After a panic, I jumped up and quickly assessed my toddlers condition. There she sat snuggly in the Co-Pilot, with her pink bunny Giro Infant Helmet (which I also highly recommend) without a clue that anything was wrong. The seat's lap bar and harness held her in place and not a single inch of her came near the pavement. Thank God! She just looked at me like I was crazy. LOL!
So despite a funky installation manual and some tweaking to accommodate the bike I had, this product is worth every penny. Its' comfy, quality, safety and ease of use are worth 5 stars. I hope no one else has to learn that the way I did though! Ha.
I bought the CoPilot Limo after spending hours and days researching both front mounted and rear mounted bike seats. Once it arrived I was so excited for my husband and I to take our daughter on her first bike ride. However after spending some time trying to figure out the instructions we began to think the seat was not compatible with my husbands bike. After calling the 800 customer service number our fears were confirmed. I was quickly told that if our bike had a quick release seat and/or a rear suspension the seat would not be able to be mounted. My husband's bike has both. My complaint is....it would have been nice to know this BEFORE I purchased the seat. I did not see this information disclosed anywhere, maybe I missed it. It's probably a wonderful bike seat, but we wouldn't know since we are not able to use it. - Baby Bike Seat - Bike Seat - Child Carrier - Toddler Bike Seat'
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