KidsRideShotgun launch a top tier version of their Shotgun kids’ seat that is easier to switch between different bikes.
The Shotgun Pro takes the KidsRideShotgun concept but adds no frame contact making it easier to switch between bikes and deal with bigger downtubes for ebikes.
Pete enlisted the help of local legend Rob Friel and his daughter Ainslie, as he was unable to produce a child during the test period.
Key features:
- Designed for kids aged 2-5 years (up to 60lb / 27kg)
- Fits all mountain bikes with standard 1 1⁄8 steerers (10mm clearance required)
- Adaptors for Trek Knock Block and Scott Syncros headsets sold separately
- Suitable for dropper posts and all common seatpost sizes
- Optional kids handlebar accessory sold separately
- £180.00 RRP
- KidsRideShotGun.co.uk
The options for child seats for your bike have improved substantially in the last few years and KidsRideShotgun are part of the wave of bringing your wee ones up front for the ride. Their Shotgun Pro builds on their original offering by not mounting to the frame, whereby making swapping to other bikes far easier as well as fitting a much broader range of bikes.
This is done by mounting the seat to the steerer spacers and seat post. Naturally anyone with a slammed stem is going to struggle here, as you will need at least 10mm of clearance to fit the front part of the mount. All common seat post sizes are catered for too and there are Trek and Syncros specific adaptors available separately.
With their updated design, KidsRideShotgun have fired a shot across the bows of their closest rival, MacRide, who offer a similar system, albeit at £19 more cash. £180 might still seem like a lot of money, but as Rob pointed out, if you have two kids, two years apart, it’s going to be very cheap for the amount of use it gets.
To test out how straightforward the fitting is, Rob attempted fitting it without reading the instructions, whilst Ainslee set about sticking the supplied stickers to anything and everything, including an unsuccessful attempt on the cat. One minor tweak to the position of the front adaptor to clear the stem and we were ready to rock in all of twenty minutes.
A second supplied spacer means that parent number two can have their bike ready to go, and the mostly tool-free adjustment and removal makes swapping between bikes almost alarmingly straightforward.
Despite the Shotgun pro being designed for 2-5 year olds, the leg extenders and the stirrups were at their maximum with Ainslie at all of three years old. Naturally, the mileage you get out of this seat will depend on how fast said child grows, but her wee brother is waiting in the wings when she’s outgrown it.
There were absolutely no qualms from our wee shotgun rider about riding the Shotgun Pro, but Rob reckoned the grips sold separately might be on the wish list come the winter when holding onto cold, metal bars isn’t really an option. The seat felt solid throughout and there we no issues with feet coming loose from the stirrups thanks to the small metal pins on the pedals.
