Bicycles

Mac Ride puts a tyke on your mountain bike

Mac Ride puts a tyke on your mountain bike
The Mac Ride consists of a seat and stirrups, mounted on a telescoping pole that should attach to most mountain bikes
The Mac Ride consists of a seat and stirrups, mounted on a telescoping pole that should attach to most mountain bikes
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The Mac Ride consists of a seat and stirrups, mounted on a telescoping pole that should attach to most mountain bikes
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The Mac Ride consists of a seat and stirrups, mounted on a telescoping pole that should attach to most mountain bikes
The Mac Ride folds when not in use
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The Mac Ride folds when not in use
The Mac Ride quickly attaches to the bike's steerer at the front (via a custom spacer) and the seat post at the back
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The Mac Ride quickly attaches to the bike's steerer at the front (via a custom spacer) and the seat post at the back
The Mac Ride focuses the child's weight on areas of the bike already designed to take the rider's weight, and not on more sensitive parts of the frame such as the top tube
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The Mac Ride focuses the child's weight on areas of the bike already designed to take the rider's weight, and not on more sensitive parts of the frame such as the top tube
Glen Dobson and his son Mackinley, using the Mac Ride
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Glen Dobson and his son Mackinley, using the Mac Ride
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When Canadian mountain biker Glen Dobson first wanted to take his young son out riding with him, he discovered that none of the existing child seats met his needs. That prompted Dobson and his wife, Ashley Howard, to create something known as the Mac Ride. The device has now hit the market, should you wish to take your own li'l shredder out on the trails.

The Mac Ride consists of a horse-saddle-like silicone seat, mounted on a telescoping aluminum pole that quickly attaches to the bike's steerer at the front (via a custom spacer) and the seat post at the back. Extending down from either side of that pole are a set of stirrups, which the child's feet go into.

This setup focuses the child's weight on areas of the bike already designed to take the rider's weight, and not on more sensitive parts of the frame such as the top tube.

Glen Dobson and his son Mackinley, using the Mac Ride
Glen Dobson and his son Mackinley, using the Mac Ride

Once you get riding, the child stays centered between your arms, holding onto the handlebars and using the stirrups to stand up when approaching rough terrain. As they get older and bigger, the seat can be slid back on the pole, and the stirrups can be extended – the age range for the product is 2 to 5 years old.

If you're interested in getting one, the Mac Ride is available now for US$199. It can be seen in use, in the video below.

Source: Mac Ride via Pinkbike

Mac Ride Hornby Island

View gallery - 5 images
2 comments
2 comments
Grunt
Hmmm! And is that helmet going to save the poor kid when 90Kg of Daddy comes crashing down on top of him in amongst the tree roots? I can't be the only one who sees the potential for a highly likely disaster with this scenario.
aharbell
We had a similar bike seat for our kids 20 years ago. They were very secure and loved it. It needed a men's style bar to attach to. It was very much less expensive.