Thule RideAlong 2 Child Bike Seat Review
A tried-and-true favorite, we’ve loved the Thule RideAlong bike seat since its launch in 2014. Offering a comfortable fit, five levels of recline, easy-to-adjust shoulder straps, and an extended fit range, the updated Thule RideAlong 2 retains many of the great features we’ve appreciated since the beginning.
While the latest update removed a few of our favorite aspects of the original RideAlong (namely the backpack-style shoulder straps), the RideAlong 2 remains one of our top picks, especially for taller toddlers and for families who need a seat that reclines (a feature that’s becoming increasingly rare on the market!).
From fit to functionality, in this review we’ll cover everything you need to know about the RideAlong 2, including how it compares to other child bike seats.
Thule RideAlong 2
MSRP: $319
BEST FOR: Parents who want the best quality child bike seat on the market, but don’t need a ton of ventilation.
MOUNT TYPE: Rear frame
AGE RANGE: 9 mo. to 40 lbs.
MAX CHILD HEIGHT: 43.3″
Cons:
What type of bikes is the RideAlong compatible with?
The RideAlong is available only as a frame-mounted seat and cannot be used with a bike rack. Like all frame-mounted child seats, it’s not compatible with full-suspension bikes or bikes with carbon frames.
Mounting the seat requires 6 inches of open space on the bike’s seat tube to attach the mounting bracket. Mounts for water bottle cages are often along this portion of the bike’s frame, so be sure to measure as the bracket cannot mount over them.
The seat tube should also be round and free of cables. As shown in the image example, an exterior brake cable or cable bracket can be problematic, and a curved seat tube won’t allow a flush fit. Both of these situations make the bike incompatible with the RideAlong.
Traditional women’s bikes with steeply sloping top tubes also often lack the necessary 6 inches of seat tube space for a rear-frame-mounted seat. In these cases, a rack-mounted seat is usually required. Occasionally, the Burley Dash frame-mounted seat may fit, Burley’s compatibility video provides a good explanation of how to determine if your bike will work.
Who is the Thule RideAlong 2 best for?
Compared to other seats on the market, the combination of continuously adjustable shoulder straps, a locking mounting bracket, extended fit range, and the ability to recline make the RideAlong 2 stand out.
Its shoulder strap settings cover one of the widest ranges available, making it a great match for both smaller toddlers and taller kids. For families with taller children, the RideAlong offers one of the best fits as they grow and is also among the easiest seats to adjust over time.
Beyond fit, the long armrests are another standout feature. They give kids a comfortable place to rest their arms and help keep them cooler, instead of having their arms sit against their legs during rides.
If you don’t need a seat that reclines, we recommend saving some money and opting for the Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi. While it lacks a recline function, we do prefer its 5-point harness, which doesn’t need to go over the child’s head like the RideAlong 2’s 3-point harness. However, its harness doesn’t fit smaller 12-month-olds as well as the RideAlong does.
What size child fits on the RideAlong?
The RideAlong fits kids up to 40 lbs. and no taller than 43.3 inches (same as other Thule models). Young toddlers can begin riding as soon as they have the head strength to support a helmet. If you’ve heard that the RideAlong or other seats are safety rated to 48.5 lbs, that is according to European standards. According to ASTM standards, no rear child bike seat can be rated over 40 lbs.
One of the RideAlong’s strengths is its versatility in fitting both small and larger riders. Its slightly wider seat accommodates kids with broader frames, while the broad range of shoulder strap height settings makes it an excellent choice for smaller riders as well. In our testing, we were able to secure a 12-month-old comfortably with the straps fitting snugly at his shoulders.
Compared to other seats, the RideAlong offers the broadest range of shoulder strap heights. Its lowest setting matches the Burley Dash at 10.5″ above the seat, making both great fits for younger or shorter toddlers. But where the Dash tops out at 12.5″, the RideAlong extends all the way to 14.5″, giving it more room to grow with taller kids. The RideAlong’s adjustments are also continuous while the Dash only has 2 height settings.
For reference, the Thule Yepp Maxi starts at a higher 12.5″ minimum and also tops out at 14.5″. So while the Yepp seats also fit taller toddlers well, the RideAlong covers the widest range overall, making it one of the most adaptable rear-mounted seats on the market.
What’s different on the RideAlong 2 versus the original RideAlong?
The latest version includes improved foot straps and a redesigned shoulder strap system. The RideAlong 2 now uses the same standard straps as the Thule Yepp Maxi models instead of the original’s backpack-style straps we loved.
The new model, however, does have much improved foot straps that are easier to tighten and keep small feet much more secure as compared to the original straps. The seat size, recline function, shoulder harness continuous adjustability and mounting bracket remain unchanged.
Thule Child Bike Seat Review – Results of our Test Rides
“It’s perfect!” That was the verdict from the parents of our young tester, who have been using the Thule RideAlong for the past nine months. With a bigger toddler on board, they’ve loved how easy the seat is to adjust as he grows and how comfortable it’s been for both mom and child on longer rides.
Often heading out for long rides and taking their bikes on vacation, they’ve found that being able to pop the RideAlong off the bike in seconds and reinstall it just as quickly has been a huge perk, especially when loading bikes onto the car rack.
With older siblings riding 20” and 24” pedal bikes, the recline feature has been a lifesaver. Family rides don’t always go as planned, and having the ability to tilt the seat back so their little guy can grab a nap has been a big benefit.
Riding frequently in the desert of southern Utah, they did note the RideAlong isn’t as ventilated as they would like (the Yepp Nexxt Maxi offers the most). Their toddler would get a little sweaty now and then, but never enough to make him complain or shy away from riding. On those long, hot rides, the RideAlong’s armrests were another big win. Giving him a place to rest his arms besides his legs helped him stay cooler and more comfortable—a feature Thule’s Yepp seats don’t offer.
For families riding in hotter climates every day, the extra ventilation of the Thule Yepp seats is a nice plus, but neither of them recline. And among the three reclining rear seats on the market (Thule RideAlong 2, Burley Dash X FM, and Hamax Caress), none offer outstanding ventilation.
One unexpected is that the RideAlong 2’s fabric pad doesn’t get scorching hot when left in the sun, unlike the foam-and-plastic seats of the Thule Yepp Maxi and Yepp Nexxt Maxi models. When you need to park the bike at a store or playground, that small detail can make a big difference when loading back up.
Features of the Thule RideAlong 2
Adjusting the Shoulder Harness
If you’ve ever dreaded rethreading shoulder straps on car seats or strollers, the RideAlong 2 is a welcome change. To adjust, you simply lift the lever at the back of the seat and slide it up or down to set the strap height just below your child’s shoulders. The straps are continuously adjustable, making it easy to fine-tune the fit as your child grows. The Hamax Caress is the only other seat on the US market with this type of continuously adjustable, no-rethread system.
Tightening the straps is as simple as pulling down on the nylon webbing. To loosen, you lift the adjustment tab and pull down on the straps. While we miss the old backpack-style straps of the original RideAlong, we have no complaints about the updated nylon straps. To help prevent chafing along the neck, the upper portion of the straps also includes soft, flexible rubber inserts.
The buckle snaps securely into place and can be undone easily with one hand by an adult, yet requires too much force for a child to unbuckle on their own.
It’s also worth noting that the RideAlong’s shoulder straps (shown on the bottom right—the older version is pictured, but the placement remains the same) are set about an inch wider than those on the Hamax Caress (shown on the bottom left), making for a noticeably more comfortable fit for older riders.
Reclining
The RideAlong is one of the few child bike seats with a recline feature—and it’s one of the easiest to use. Simply pull the lever under the seat to adjust through five recline positions.
You can even do this mid-ride after coming to a stop, and the harness straps don’t need readjusting. If your child falls asleep, being able to recline quickly prevents their head from drooping forward and makes for a much more comfortable nap—and a more peaceful ride for you.
The only other reclining models are the Burley Dash X FM and Hamax Caress. The Burley is easy to recline but doesn’t fit taller toddlers well, while the Hamax accommodates taller kids but uses a slower twist to recline knob that can wake a sleeping child.
Foot rests and straps
As your child grows, you will want to adjust the height of their foot rest to ensure a comfortable fit. Like the shoulder straps, each foot rest adjusts by flipping up the adjustment tab and pulling up or down to adjust the footrest to the proper height. Once in the desired spot, you simply lock the tab back into place.
To keep little feet secure—and to save the rider from surprise kicks to the back—the rubber foot straps tightened down and lock into place easier. These straps are a significantly easier to use than those on the older version.
Suspension and Seat Comfort
To help smooth out bumps along the way, the RideAlong’s dual-beam mounting bars add a slight bounce. While minimal, it helps provide a more enjoyable ride for little ones and is one of the reasons we recommend frame-mounted seats over rack-mounted seats when possible.
To increase comfort—and to protect the seat from the sun—the RideAlong comes with a thin seat pad. While not as thick as the plush cushion on the Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi, it still provides some padding and helps wick sweat away from the body.
To prevent water from pooling during rain, the seat also has drainage holes beneath the pad.
Arm Rests and Safety Wings
The armrests on the Thule RideAlong were another standout feature. Longer than those on the Burley Dash and Hamax Caress (the only other seats on the market with true armrests) they gave kids a comfortable place to rest their arms during rides.
The RideAlong also included integrated protection wings: thick plastic bumpers that extended past the armrests to keep little hands and fingers from getting pinched if the bike was leaned against a wall. It is a small detail, but a thoughtful safety feature that no other bike seat offers.
Mounting the Seat
The RideAlong 2 is only available as a frame-mounted seat and attaches to your bike via a bracket on the seat tube. You’ll need about 6 inches of clear space near the top of the seat tube to install the bracket.
The bracket secures with four Allen bolts. Once it’s in place, taking the seat on and off takes just seconds. After locking the mounting bars into the bottom of the RideAlong, you simply slide them into the bracket until you hear an audible click. To remove the seat, pull the release lever on the face of the bracket and slide the bars out.
For optimal and safe placement in relation to the bike’s rear axle, the RideAlong can be adjusted forward or backward by unlocking the side lever, sliding the seat into position, and locking it back into place. A small circle on the left side of the seat marks the “centered” point over the rear axle. For safety, that circle needs to sit no more than 10 cm behind the axle. Within that range, you can shift the seat to accommodate your saddle shape or give yourself a little extra space.
Thule RideAlong 2 vs. Competitors
There are several excellent rear child bike seats on the market, and while they share many similarities, each has its own strengths depending on your bike and your child’s needs.
Hamax Caress (Frame-mounted): Another quality seat with recline and continuously adjustable straps. Its narrower fit works well for average or smaller riders but doesn’t accommodate larger toddlers as comfortably as the RideAlong.
Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi 2 (Rack or frame-mounted): The lightest of Thule’s rear seats with excellent ventilation and the most seat cushioning of the group. A great pick if balance, comfort, and minimizing extra weight on the back of the bike are priorities.
Thule Yepp Maxi 2 (Rack or frame-mounted): Known for its vibrant colors and plentiful ventilation holes that help keep kids cooler in summer.
Thule RideAlong 2 (Frame-mounted): Offers the widest shoulder strap height range, continuously adjustable no-rethread straps, and one of the easiest-to-use reclines on the market. Its fabric pad also stays noticeably cooler in the sun compared to the Yepp models, which can make a difference on warm days.
Burley Dash (Frame or rack-mounted): A budget-friendly option that also has a 10.5” lowest shoulder strap setting for younger toddlers. Lighter overall, though with a more limited shoulder strap height range than the RideAlong.
Thule RideAlong Video Review
Prefer shorter videos over longer written review? Watch our Thule RideAlong video review below for a quick and visual summary of why we love this Thule bike seat! This review is of the older Thule RideAlong Seat. The new seat has improved foot straps and a different shoulder harness, but is otherwise almost identical.
Bottom Line on the Thule RideAlong 2 Child Bike Seat
The Thule RideAlong 2 continues the legacy of the original RideAlong as one of the most versatile and family-friendly rear child bike seats on the market. With its easy-to-adjust shoulder straps, quick on-and-off mounting system, and ability to recline on the go, it’s a standout choice for longer rides and growing toddlers—especially those on the taller side.
While it lacks some ventilation compared to the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi and Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi seats and uses a 3-point harness instead of a 5-point, the RideAlong 2 offers features few competitors can match, like integrated armrests with safety wings and one of the smoothest recline mechanisms available. For families who want a comfortable, secure seat that can adapt as their child grows, the RideAlong 2 remains an easy seat to recommend.
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.
