Bobike Exclusive Tour Review

With extended coverage around the head, sides and legs, the Bobike Exclusive Tour is a solid seat for young toddlers. Read the review to find out more about this Dutch child bike seat brand.

mom loading her child into the bobike exclusive tour

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Bobike Exclusive Tour

RATING: Highly Recommended

MSRP$199

BEST FOR: Families of young toddlers.  Shoulder straps can be too restrictive for kids older than 3.

MOUNT TYPE: Rear Rack

AGE RANGE: 1 year to 48 lbs.

PROS:

  • Wrap-around head protection
  • Excellent room for child and adult rider
  • Quick and easy rack mounting system
  • Adjusting the seat for various-sized kids is a breeze
  • Foot straps are well-designed and keep kids’ feet in place
  • Available in several fun colors

CONS:

  • Molded plastic shoulder straps don’t stretch out and they become too tight for kids before they outgrow the seat

Bobike Exclusive Tour Review: Results of our Test Rides

Years ago we tested out the Bobike Exclusive Tour and while we loved a lot of the seat’s features, we had some concerns with the seat’s mounting system and weren’t able to recommend it.  Having reworked their mounting system to make is stronger and more durable, BoBike reached out again to have a take a look at the updates.  After several months of testing, both our young riders and adult testers loved the BoBike Exclusive.  Easy-to-use and easy-to-adjust, the Exclusive has a lot to offer.

BoBike Exclusive Tour in Action

Mom riding Prioirty bicycle while carrying her son in the BoBike Exclusive Tour child bike seat.

Quick and Easy Adjustments

Toddlers can be wiggly little buggers and getting them to stay still while adjusting a bike seat while also keeping your bike upright can be a challenge.  The BoBike Exclusive makes adjustments quick and easy.  Starting off, their uniquely mounted shoulder straps mount by snapping in, one at a time, above the child’s shoulders. Unlike other systems, the straps do not need to be pulled over the child’s head and helmet, which greatly simplifies the process.

The shoulder straps also adjust in three different places.  The insertion height of the straps can be raised or lowered by raising and lowering the headrest.  By adjusting in unison, you can ensure the headrest is always properly placed around the child’s head to offer maximum protection.  To further tighten the buckles, each shoulder strap can be adjusted independently via the gray button on the shoulder strap webbing.  The same button on the lower portion of the buckles allows for additional strap adjustments.

Loading a Child in the BoBike Exclusive Tour

Child being strapped into the BoBike Exclusive Tour child bike seat.

One concern we had regarding the shoulder straps is that the stiff plastic shoulder “cups” are pretty rigid and don’t allow for much room for the child to grow.  While they do flex somewhat, as a child gets older the strap is likely to put unwanted pressure on the child’s shoulder.  Our one-year-old tester comfortably fit in the straps, but an older preschooler may have some concerns.

Lastly, the footrests are also very easy to adjust.  Made of soft wide webbing, we found that they hold a child’s foot in place much better than other systems found on similarly priced seats.

Easy adjustments on the BoBike Exclusive Tour

Up close images of foot rest with easy-to-use foot straps on BoBike Exclusive Tour child bike seat.

Extended Protection

A unique and impressive feature of the Exclusive is it’s extended coverage around the head, body and integrated tire shield for the legs.  The body and headset of the seat are made of double-walled plastic that is rigid and durable.  We love the headset as it not only helps to keep the child’s head upright when they fall asleep, it also keeps their head from jostling back and forth during rough parts of the ride. The higher sidewalls also help to keep young riders’ arms tucked in place while riding, but without restricting their movements.

Child riding in BoBike Exclusive Tour child bike seat with high headrest that wrap around the head.

Mounting

The Bobike Exclusive Tour is available as a rear rack mount or a rear frame mount.  We only tested out the rear-rack mount, but the seat itself is the same between the two mounting styles.

The rear rack-mounted seat does not come with a rack, but it does come with a mounting bracket that must be attached to your rack.  The bracket is very adjustable and is likely to fit just about any rack.  Because the bracket is so adjustable, it did take us a good 15 minutes or so to get the bracket properly mounted to fit out rack.

Mounting system and rack for the BoBike Exclusive Tour child bike seat.

Once the bracket is mounted, the seat quickly and easily snaps into place.  On the front of the seat, a large metal hook slides into a metal bracket on the front of the mounting bracket.  The rear portion of the seat snaps into the mount via two plastic tabs that wrap around a metal-reinforced shelf on the bracket.  As a safety precaution, a safety strap is also provided to secure the seat to the seat post (shown in images with bike above).

Under the seat of the BoBike Exclusive Tour child bike seat showing tabs that lock the seat into the rack mounting system.

In our 2014 review of the old model of the Bobike Exclusive Tour, we were not able to recommend the seat due to the weak nature of these plastic tabs on the bottom of the seat. After riding over some rough terrain, one of those tabs broke which greatly compromised the safety and securing of the seat.  Since then, Bobike has reinforced these tabs as well as the mounting bracket to ensure the safety of the seat.  Based on our tests, we do not anticipate any issues with the mounting system of the updated Bobike Exclusive Tour.

Bobike’s Kids Plus XS Helmet

Along with the Exclusive Tour, we were also able to test out Bobike’s Kids Plus XS helmet (48-53cm).  Built with in-mold construction, a built-in visor, increased protection down the neck, and an easy to use dial adjust system, the helmet was loved by both parents and child alike.  In fact, our young tester loves the helmet so much he regularly wears it around the house.

Baby wearing the BoBike Kids Plus XS baby helmet.

Bottom Line

A breeze to use and with extended protection around the neck, sides and legs, the safety and durability of the Bobike Exclusive Tour is a solid around-the-town choice for toddlers to kids about age 3.  For older or larger kids, the fixed shoulder strap width may become an issue with time.  The Bobike Exclusive Tour is only available through authorized BoBike dealers.

FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review.  No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC.  All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.

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