Small and mighty, the Polisport Guppy Mini child bike seat is high-quality, easy to use, and easy to adjust for babies and toddlers. While generally only available in Europe, it’s still one of our favorite front-mounted seats. Read the review below for all the details.
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Polisport Guppy Mini
RATING: Exceptional
MSRP: $150 (not currently available in the US)
BEST FOR: Those in the UK, or those lucky enough to find one in the US, whose bikes have at least 0.5″ of space on the headset for mounting.
MOUNT TYPE: Front
AGE RANGE: 9 mo. to 33 lbs.
PROS:
- Five-point safety harness
- Gentle suspension system
- Durable, UV plastic
- Rubber shoulder straps help keep them in place
CONS:
- Incompatible for mounting with a lot of bikes – measure your bike!!
- No handlebar for child rider
Polisport Guppy Mini Review – Results of our Test Rides
Sporty, sturdy and safe, Polisport’s Guppy Mini is a great choice for any parent and toddlers on the go. Designed for kids 19 to 33 lb. (9 to 15 kg.), the Mini’s five-point harness, gentle suspension system and durable UV plastics will please both parent and child. Straight out of the box, we loved the Mini as it simply felt good. No cheap plastics or flimsy foot straps. Every aspect of the Mini has us eager to put it to use.
Unfortunately, we quickly learned that the bike seat was not compatible with many of our adult bikes. Designed with bikes with a head tube 0.86″ – 1.57″ (22 to 40mm), the Guppy did not fit onto our mountain bikes the tubes were too wide, but did fit onto our townie style bike shown above.
We were, however, able to adhere the mounting bracket on the steerer tube, above the head tube and below the handlebars. By doing so the seat was placed much too high on the bike but we were able to have a few testers try it out. As we anticipated, the five-point harness was a standout feature. With every strap able to adjust, it was quick and easy to fit the seat to our testers. The ability to raise and lower the two-handed safety buckle was a particularly favorite of ours as it is rarely found on bike seats.
Upon placing our testers in the seat, it was also quite clear that the recessed helmet pocket was not of much use for our 12-month old tester. Considering the minimum weight of the rider is 9 g (19 lb.), we can’t image any child being short enough to make use of the recessed helmet pocket. In the end, however, our toddler testers loved the seat and their parents loved the security they felt the Mini Guppy provided to their children.
In addition to the adjustable harness, the rubber sleeves on their shoulder straps help to prevent the straps from sliding down during a ride. The rubber sleeves, however, do make it more difficult to adjust the shoulder straps, but considering the lower strap could be loosened or tightened to compensate, it ended up being a minor nuisance that we could easily overlook.
When mounted on our “townie” bike, the mounting bracket went on quick and easy and actually sat much lower on the bike than other seats, giving the rider more room. The suspension on the seat was also nice, but being mounted to the frame versus the steer tube, meant that the seat would remain straight when you were turning, thereby making it possible to hit the seat with your handlebar. While it never became an issue, as you generally wouldn’t take a right turn with the seat on anyway, but it is worth noting.
Comparisons
The 5-point buckling system of the Mini is a hands-down favorite amongst other seats we have tried. Easy to use and easy to adjust, it was a clear winner. The downside of the Mini is that it doesn’t have a handlebar (which our testers love) and when mounted to the frame, the handlebars can hit the seat.
Bottom Line
The Polisport Mini Guppy is a great seat and one of our tops picks, BUT it is essential to measure your bike prior to purchasing the bike to make sure it will fit. The bike will only accommodate bikes with a head tube or steerer tube between 22 and 40 mm (0.86″ – 1.57″).
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