Thule Yepp 2 Maxi

The Thule Yepp 2 Maxi is Thule's flagship rear child seat and targets parents who refuse to compromise on safety and comfort. The seat is intended for children from 9 months (as soon as they can sit unassisted) up to about 6 years, with a maximum of 22 kg. In the Netherlands, the country with the highest share of parents cycling daily with their kids, that is exactly the age at which the daycare school run on a stadsfiets or e-bike begins — and the Yepp 2 Maxi is a rock-solid choice there. The headline safety feature is the five-point harness with padded shoulder straps: two shoulder straps, two hip straps and a crotch strap hold your child firmly in place, even if you have to brake hard or dodge a bollard.

That is genuinely a step safer than the three-point harness on the Bobike One Maxi or the Polisport Joy FF. The footrests also have safety straps that keep little feet away from the spokes. Mounting runs through the EasyFit bracket on the rear rack, the standard system on nearly every Dutch city bike or e-bike — convenient, but do check that your rack is between 120 and 180 mm wide. As for the seat itself: the shock-absorbing polypropylene cushion takes the sting out of cobblestones in town, and the design is airy enough to keep your child cool on warm days.

What you do not get is a reclining backrest like the Hamax Caress offers; if your child tends to nap on the road, Hamax is the better pick. In the Netherlands a helmet is not a legal requirement for children on bikes, unlike Spain or Australia, though many parents choose one anyway. The Yepp 2 Maxi is priced at the premium end, and for the short hop from home to daycare that may be overkill — but daily cyclists get a seat that lasts for years without complaint.