Yepp Mini on Rivendell experiences?

[Dave]

Hi folks,

Picked up a Yepp Mini stem-mounted child seat this weekend for my 55cm Cheviot and was surprised to find that the bike is now incredibly hard to get on and off of. My PBH is 84 and I'm about 5'8".  Seems strange to me that on a step-through frame with a long theoretical top-tube that I'm having such a hard time with the fit of this kiddo carrier. Anyone else have similar experiences or figured out a way to make it work? My suspicion is that because the mount-bracket sits on the stem which on the Cheviot comes back towards the rider that it puts the carrier closer to the saddle than on other bikes.

Love the idea of the front mount, but only if I can still be comfortable on the bike! Thanks for any input.

Dave

[David Banzer]

Hi Dave,
Can you post a photo? I'm trying to decide which front carrier to go with and I'd be interested to see what the Yepp Mini looks like on a Cheviot. I'd be putting one on a Clem.
Thanks,
David
Chicago

[Edwin W]

Pictures, please! I just bought one for my sister and her husband and heard they like it on their non-Rivendells.

Edwin

On Monday, March 14, 2016 at 10:35:46 AM UTC-5, Dave wrote:

[Dave]

Wish I had taken pictures during a break in stormy weather yesterday. Will add some to this thread this evening :)

[Deacon Patrick]

Yup on the Yepp. I think I had to swing straight into the seat, lean the bike slightly, and tiptoe to get on/off/going. Awkward. There is inadequate space between my seat and the Yepp (and other kid-in-front carriers we tried), not to mention the change in handling. We ended up going with a cargo bike for my wife instead.

With abandon,

Patrick

[Shoji Takahashi]

Hi Dave,

I use the Yepp Mini on my 48-cm Hunqapillar (effective top tube 54.5cm) with albatross bars. My PBH is 80/81 (saddle height ~70), and I'm 5'7".

Here's a pic (and there's more in the photostream):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stakx/21356997484/in/datetaken/

How do you get on your bike? I swing my leg over the rear wheel, since the top tube gets in the way. Occasionally, if there's a top load on the rear rack, I can put my leg over the top tube (not preferred). I can't say that I have had problems with getting on/off with my daughter in the seat (she's now at the weight limit of the seat). 

The seat does require that I pedal with my knees slightly outward to keep from striking the bottom (minor nitpick). Also, the adapter keeps me from putting the bars a little bit lower, which I would prefer. 

Nevertheless, I do love the Yepp Mini. I ride my daughter to preschool in the morning, and I will miss it when she no longer is riding up in front. I'll be retiring the seat in the coming weeks as she's at the size/weight limit.

Good luck!

shoji

[dstein]

Had one for a while on a Cheviot, once I was on the bike it was fine but I couldn't step through the frame to get on like I hoped I would be able to as there wasn't enough room so I had to swing my leg over the rear and mount that way. Once I was riding it was fine. I now use the Yepp mini on a quickbeam with albatross bars and it works fine there as well.

[Dave]

Thanks guys. What Shoji and dstein mention is my experience as well: having to swing leg over rear of bike as opposed to being able to use the step-through. Makes me a bit nervous about stopping and standing while riding...

[Dan McNamara]

I had the Yepp Mini on my Bomba. Ended up going with Bosco bars to keep me from leaning into Alice. That worked out pretty well. I kept the Yepp mount as low as possible on the stem. 

Getting on the bike was mostly a swing leg over rear rack affair. 

Dan

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[Dave]

Loaded my son up, despite the awkwardness when not moving, and headed down to the lbs where they confirmed that, yeah, it's just that sorta thing. Will probably lower seat to make standing/supporting myself at a stop sign possible. Also debating exchanging it for a rack mounted Yepp maxi.

https://goo.gl/photos/9d6VUd9rkaL3ayRX8

[Tony DeFilippo]

Is there a minimum amount of stem space required? How much? A timely thread as I'm in the market as well!

It's good to see pictures with Albatross bars, looks like they work fine for getting around the seats. Aside from the actual fitment to the bike of the seat how do people change the loading of other commuting gear? Wald front basket still OK? Do you get more wheel flop? My only complaint with my front basket loaded on the Saluki is that the bars always want to fall back towards the frame when stopped or pushing the bike... I've solved it on previous builds with the VO spring thing at the back of the lower fork crown. A good solution except that it would get mounted over the 's' in Saluki now which seems a shame.

But honestly I'm close to having to do it as the headset is adequately tight and I do like to load the front. Given that a yepp is on that same turning axis I'm wondering if it makes a difference.

Are drops and moustache bars definitely out for use with the yepp?

Tony

[Edwin W]

Dave,

That is one cute kid!! I think there is something nice about having the kid up front so you can chit chat with him, but if he's too close, it will be annoying. Raising the stem would raise you up and move you back a bit, and boscos would do that more, but at a cost and for a hassle.

Good luck and let us know what you do.

Edwin

[Paul Clifton]

FWIW, a friend of mine added a MTB style dropper seat post to his bike with a front-mount child-carrier, so he can get on and off easier and stand on the ground at lights, but once he gets going he can raise it up and pedal in his normal position.

If you haven't seen them, they work like office chairs, so you toggle some lever while sitting on the seat and it lowers. Then you stand up off the seat and toggle the lever and it raises up.

Seemed like a smart idea to me, but I've never ridden with a child seat.

Paul in ATL

[Shoji Takahashi]

Hi Dave,

A suggestion from my experience with Yepp Mini:

Stand on one side of bike (I usually stand on non-drive side).

Put kid in seat--> bike and/or seat leaning against your body.

Grab BOTH grips of the handlebars (while standing off to the side on both feet).

Swing your leg over the back of the bike, or lift it over the top tube. If you're going over the top tube, you might want to lean the bike a bit-- make sure your balance is adequate for the weight shift of a kid in the seat.

Sorry if the above sounds insulting-- it's not my intent. I'd put together a video, but I can't do right now.

BTW: I don't know if a Yepp Maxi would solve your problem. With a rear carrier, you can't swing your leg over the back of the bike. Also the weight is not between your arms-- I've seen a person drop their bike+kid as the handlebars rotated and the bike frame slid out. 

Without the Yepp Mini, do you mount the bike by stepping over the top tube? Or how do you get on the bike?

Tony,

There is a minimum amount of stem space required. I'm guessing about 2-3 inches. I can check when I get home.

RE: basket-- with small bikes, there can be interference between the foot rests and a front-mounted basket. Your bike is probably fine-- my 48cm Hunqapillar was ok when my kids were small, but now that I have the foot rests all the way down, I can't use the basket (w/o modifying it). 

RE: commuting gear w/front seat-- I'm using front rack+bags (HAR/HAB) now, as I need the rear rack for a Burley Piccolo. At other times, I've used the rear rack with saddle sack or panniers. It doesn't make much difference (with a Hunqapillar). The Yepp Mini is great in that there's a quick (and secure) on/off. I leave the seat at the preschool before heading out to work. 

RE: Wheel flop-- I don't notice wheel flop, b/c I'm usually holding onto the handlebars or Yepp seat when it's mounted. Since the Yepp seat is mounted on the other side of the axis, it might actually help to stabilize and reduce wheel flop? 

RE: handlebars-- albatross works really well. If you're taller (and have longer arms) and your child isn't very tall, you can probably use drops and/or moustache bars. I think I could probably use moustache bars, as I sometimes grab the fronts of the albatross.

Good luck!

shoji

On Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 1:10:38 AM UTC-4, Dave wrote:

[Tony DeFilippo]

Thanks Shoji for the detailed answers!  I think the yepp mini is the way I'll go.

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[Dave]

Thank you Shoji, no insults felt ;)

For me, getting on and going on the bike is totally fine. It's when I come to a stop sign that I have to plan for, as opposed to simply being able to slide forward off the seat and put my left foot on the ground. If I slight forward I can't fit in the gap between the back of the Yepp and the tip of my Brooks B67. If I lower the seat there's no real issue anymore, aside from the lack of efficiency in my pedal...but how far am I really riding with an infant? 

I guess I could also use this as an excuse to get a nitto lugged seatpost with plenty of setback ;)

Dave

[Shoji Takahashi]

Maybe that's the trick? I've got a Nitto lugged seatpost on my Hunqapillar!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stakx/23278928000/in/datetaken/

BTW: I just lean to the side, with my butt on the saddle. Low bb and slack seat tube angle puts my foot close to the ground. Maybe try that a little w/o the kiddo? 

shoji

[David Stein]

I feel like that is tradeoff with stem mounted seat. The QB I have it mounted on now is already a size up from what I'd normally buy (longer top tube, plus the fact that Rivendell already has longer top tubes). ALthough its a tiny bit of a stretch to get my feet on the ground while at a stop and still in the saddle, I don't feel that its never been an issue, for me anyway. I don't see how any amount of top tube will make up for the fact that those seats take up so much space b/w the saddle and the stem.

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[Lungimsam]

Two words:
ROSCO BABY

[Shoji Takahashi]

Hi Tony,

I checked the stem-mount adapter-- it requires 1 5/8" on the [threaded] stem. That's a minimum amount, which would probably do fine on a dirt-drop-style stem. On a tallux-style stem, the forward extension could interfere with the mount, thus requiring one to raise the stem a little more. 

In any event, if you've got ~2 inches on free stem space, you'll probably be fine. 

Good luck! shoji

[Dan McNamara]

Another front seat option to consider is the BoBike Mini Front. The seat does not lean back as far as the Yepp and some of the other front mount mounts so the clearance is better for the rider. Not as well marketed in the US as Yepp or iBert but it is a quality seat. 

Dan

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[Ryan Thompson]

Hey Dave, I love riding with the kids and use a combination of a Xtracycle free radical and the Bobike Mini City up front.  I'll echo what others have said about the lack of space between the saddle and child seat, so I have to run the saddle low enough to place a toe on the ground while sitting.  It's not ideal and makes riding a little more difficult especially hauling this bike loaded up hills.  

Pics: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135783646@N08/25812226096/ 

Ryan

On Monday, March 14, 2016 at 11:35:46 AM UTC-4, Dave wrote:

[Keith Muller]

I just installed a Yepp Mini on my Hunqapillar and have been pretty happy with it!  Baby Lucy has been pretty happy with it as well!

Keith

On Monday, March 14, 2016 at 11:35:46 AM UTC-4, Dave wrote:

[René Sterental]

How cute!!!

[WETH]

Super cute. That should be a product photograph!

[Daniel Jackson]

Keith that's awesome. What fenders are you running there?

[Keith Muller]

Daniel,

They are Velo Orange Flutted 63mm Fenders.

Keith

[Tony DeFilippo]

Nice Keith!

Question from my wife who I showed the picture to... For shorter folks with a front mounted child do you have any problem seeing over them?

Thanks,
Tony

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[Keith Muller]

Tony,

I also installed a mount on my wife's 50cm Cheviot. She hasn't ridden with the baby on yet, but I will let you know what her experience is. I'm sure it depends on the baby. Lucy is about 10 months old and 17 pounds so she's on the small side.

Keith

[Shoji Takahashi]

Great pic, Keith. I love how Lucy's using the bullmoose as a toe rest.

Tony,

I'm 5'7"-- on a tall day. I've had no problems seeing over my 3.5 yo. She's now on a Yepp Maxi (rear seat), as she's over the weight limit of the front.

Here's my kid shot w/me, standing, which is not much lower than when on the bike saddle (48-cm Hunqapillar):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stakx/23883607522/in/datetaken/

I will say that riding with a kid on the rear seat is very different. Having the added weight between the wheels keeps the handling much easier, IME. Tail-wagging the dog feeling is a bit disconcerting, and mounting/dismounting and moving the bike while walking is more difficult (for me). 

Here's rear seat pic:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stakx/25400970363/in/datetaken/

Good luck!

shoji

[Tony DeFilippo]

Thanks Keith and Shoji!  Another quick and satisfying answer. 

[Keith Muller]

Tony,

So Lucy, my wife and myself took a ride down to the tidal basin this morning the see the cherry blossoms. My wife had Lucy on her Cheviot and had no problems seeing over her. Like I said previously, her Cheviot is a 50cm frame. Me wife is about 5'3" tall and didn't have any complaints about seeing over Lucy. I'll post a photo later when I get home.

Keith

[Braxton Colagross]

It's all about that laugh. https://www.instagram.com/p/7EBRAfSeB9/

[David Stein]

It's also all about the handlebars. I had some flat-ish bars (Jitensha) and although I could easily see over the kiddo, my chin was basically resting on her helmet because I was too far leaned over (5'7", 48cm Hunq). I put on some Albatrossbars and that gave me the clearance I needed, but now she's grown to the point where I should probably move her to a rear seat (plus she's edging in on the yepp mini weight limit). Good thing the second kid just came along so I can continue to use it for a few more years.

On Fri, Mar 25, 2016 at 7:30 AM, Braxton Colagross <braxtonc...@gmail.com> wrote:

It's all about that laugh. https://www.instagram.com/p/7EBRAfSeB9/

--

[Shoji Takahashi]

Love that laugh.

My kids would raise their arms up and scream/laugh when we rolled downhill. Wheee!

[Keith Muller]

Here is a photo of Lucy on my wife's bike.

Keith

[Tony DeFilippo]

Thanks again for the shared pictures and experiences, after the preponderance of info provided here my wife seems willing to 'give it a try'... :)  It'll be a while though we're expecting our first child mid-June which I think puts Yepp mini eligibility somewhere in the winter-ish timeframe.

[WETH]

Tony,
Congratulations!!
Erl

[Shoji Takahashi]

Congrats to you, Tony and family. Riding with a child and family is a wonderful experience. 

shoji

On Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 8:55:07 PM UTC-4, WETH wrote:

Tony,
Congratulations!!
Erl

[Tony DeFilippo]

Thanks guys!

--

[Deacon Patrick]

I'm getting my previous posts up on my new "Grid" AI designed site (still in beta, so a bit quirky yet), and thought this one was appropriate to re-share with the group here:

https://thegrid.ai/with-abandon/picket-wire-canon-april-2013/

With abandon,

Patrick

[Daniel Jackson]

It works on a 58 Hunq quite well. I too have to get on with a swing of the leg over the back of the seat, but I can also dismount in a jiffy and plant a foot with a tight squeeze between baby and seat. 

Spring has arrived up in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom!

[John Stowe]

I went with a Bobike since it seemed to give me a bit more clearance, though I think I was mostly concerned with knees. On my 58 Sam there's a little more top tube length to work with, but the front seat precluded standing up on the pedals or getting more than a toe down at stoplights. Definitely improved my trackstanding during that time. As others have mentioned, handlebars matter too: I went with Bosco Bullmoose's, which curve back nicely around (and put the bell within reach!). So far I haven't bothered to execute the original plan of using cable couplers to swap with Noodles, even now that my passenger has moved to a rear seat (Thule). I've gotten good at kicking my foot over the front (easier when dismounting, since my hips are slightly higher when I'm on the seat/standing on the pedals) but a Cheviot would certainly help now!

Another congrats to Tony, and an offer from your neighbor in Alexandria: you're welcome to try mounting my Bobike on your bike(s) and take it for a spin!

-J

  

[Tony DeFilippo]

My daughter Rebecca is just about 6 months old and a front seat is on the agenda very soon... anyone on the list have one they are done with and want to sell?  Yepp Mini or iBert?  Hit me up off list. If not I think the Santa-Amazon-Claus will be making a stop at my place very soon! :)

I can't wait to get her out on the bike!

[Keith Muller]

Tony,

If you can't find a used one, go talk to Loren at The Daily Rider over on H St NE. He stocks the Yepp Mini at his store.

Keith

[David Banzer]

Tony,
PM if you're still looking. Might have a Yepp mini available.
David
River Grove, IL

[Tony DeFilippo]

Got my Yepp Mini and plan to try it out while I'm in North Carolina next weekend with some mild weather... any consensus on helmets for small noggins?  I had picked up a Bell advertised as 'infant' size and it's a bit large, probably will work fine with a knit hat.  Some shopping on amazon and I'm finding all listed at 1 year +...  My daughter just about 7 months and aside from being a pretty robust ~20lbs has good head/neck control.  The nutcase helmet looks good, and my wife likes hers.  Figure I'll try that unless I hear some other good ideas from the list.  

Tony

[Keith Muller]

I'm a big fan of the Nutcase Little Nutties! Solid helmet, decent price, plenty of cool designs, and they are pretty durable.

Keith

[Will]

You might try an Ovation. They make an XXS helmet. We have one. They are nice.

http://www.ovationriding.com/helmets/ovation-schooler-helmet-467566

[Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles]

Hi Tony,

We use a Lazer Bob helmet, the range is 46cm-52cm (Pretty small)... works great and comes in some fun patterns.

[Tony DeFilippo]

Successful first ride, just around the block really but the Yepp Mini mounted up to my newly-Albatross'd XO-3 and even though Rebecca isn't a big fan of the helmet she tolerated it and seemed to enjoy the sensation.  With weather like we're getting right now we'll get in some riding early this year.  Thanks for all the info in this thread!

First impressions from riding with the Yepp are that at least for me it's a slight knee knocker, I'm going to try mounting a seat that can be set back a bit which will still be ok with the Alba bars.  I got used to it pretty quick but for a longer trip I'd like another inch of clearance.

[Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles]

Ha, lookin' good Tony!  I was initially trying to make my Schwinn High Plains a dedicated "dad bike" via the Yepp mini.  Turns out I had the same issue as you (knee knocker).  Riv bikes and they're tall headtubes make great candidates for the Yepp Mini because everything gets shifted UP UP UP.

[Tony DeFilippo]

Thanks Alex,  yeah my wife's medium Clementine is going to get a tryout with the Yepp very soon, it might be the happy compromise.  My Saluki and Bombadil are just about the same TT length as the XO3 so I don't think they are of much use in the knee situation.  Going up higher would also work though, I'll have to take a look at that even on the XO as I'm sure I could tolerate the bars a bit higher.

[Kai Vierstra]

I bumped knees on my Hillborne, but my Clem's got a 1/2" to spare. Unfortunately for me, my Clem, and my Yepp mini, my 3 year old is too big and has recently graduated to the big Yepp out back. 

-Kai

Brooklyn NY

[Jim Bronson]

The iBert is MUSA, if that matters to anyone.

http://www.ibert.bike/

That said which front mounted seat has the highest capacity?  My baby is already over 25lbs.

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[John Stowe]

Here's a great comparison chart, including weight limits: http://www.twowheelingtots.com/child-bike-seat-comparison-guide

By the time mine hit the 33 lb weight limit on our Bobike mini, I was ready to switch to a back seat just for handling/weight distribution.

[Daniel Jackson]

Kai,

what rear rack are you using the Yep on?

[Kai Vierstra]

I'm using a Tubus with a Yepp brand mount bolted to the top. It's not elegant but it works.
-Kai
Brooklyn NY

[Tony DeFilippo]

https://youtu.be/XvXqOx-Qqb8

Another success with the Clementine this time. I will say that balancing a 21# infant (yes she's huge!) As you load her in and then mount the bike takes some practice but the riding is great. Can't wait for the warm weather to return for good so we can get some serious family cycling in!

[Minipanda]

With a Yepp maxi on the back of my Clementine, I have found a double kickstand to be invaluable. Much safer for mounting and dismounting my squirmy 3-1/2 year old.