Reviews for Kettler Flipper child bike seat
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- 13
Not perfect but better than most.
Reviewer: Anonymous , Mission Viejo, CA
Date: November 22, 2007
I decided to start taking my 1 year son on bike rides and researched quite extensively on child seats. If you want a seat that will fit most bikes, then this is definitely the one to get. I tried the CoPilot Limo first, but the included Blackburn rack required specific rear dimensions and mounts on the bike frame to fit the rack. Most aluminum frame bikes or disc brake equipped bikes will not fit the Co-pilot. I actually gave away a Specialized Rockhopper because the bike didn't have the mounts at the rear to mount the CoPilot's rack. The Cannondale I bought as a repleacement has the rear screw holes, but the bike was actually too wide in the back for the Co-Pilot also, so I had to return the CoPilot.
I then saw the iBert seat and thought that will be my answer. I saw the thing in person and thought it was awsome the way it fits the stem and moves with the handlebar. But instead was disappointed to find out my Cannondale stem was too wide and short to fit what otherwise was an ingenius design, that was very cool when I saw it in person.
Finally, I found the Kettler and saw the mount sandwiched the frame and requires really nothing more. Although the plastic inserts said 28, 30, 32, 35 mm frame diameters, I'm quite certain most bike frames are made in those sizes, and even if you happened to have a frame 1-2 mm off, the way the frame bar is sandwiched in and secured by the 4 long bolts, the mount will still fit. Women's bike is another story. There nothing standard about a women's bike -- The middle bar is just too fat, and most are designed to be curvy for cosmetic reasons anyways.
So far, other people are right with how poorly the instruction is put together, but really there is not much to putting the thing together.
1. peel off 2 of the included inserts and place them inside the mount halves. Clip the halves on the frame and thread 4 long bolts with spacer. Before tightening, adjust the height and angles of the mount.
2. Follow the diagram to screw the seat on the plastic base. Adjust the seat belts.
3. Fit the footrest, put on some decal, secure the fabric seat with valcro.
DONE!
As for the complaint from another shopper about how removing the mount will take 10 minutes -- Not true. I doubt anyone takes 10 minutes to take off and replace 4 bolts......
But you probably will want a traditional rack under the seat because that will prevent the side to side motion that may happen with the suspension design of this rack.
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Can't be used on my bike!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Nashville
Date: May 27, 2007
I purchased the Flipper for my 40-lb. 2 year old because it has a higher weight limit than any other child bike seat I've seen. There was no clear warning from the manufacturer that it is incompatible with most women's bikes. (The terms "non standard" and "full suspension mountain bike" do not mean "women's bikes" to me.) When my son sits in it, the seat lowers so that it is resting on the wheel. We were very disappointed that we couldn't make it work on my bike. We otherwise liked the seat, so my husband has decided to use it on his bike. But now I have to spend another chunk of money to get a second seat.
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Kettler Flipper Seat
Reviewer: Grace , San Francisco, CA
Date: May 19, 2007
The installation directions are SO BAD. There are a few words and some awful diagrams. More plastic parts, screws and connector pieces than I had expected for the price. Other HUGE complaint is that this seat only works with bikes of frame diameter 28, 32, 30, 35, or 40mm at the point where the seat support connects. This ruled out installation on 2 of my 4 very standard street bicycles. Another problem I am having is that the seat's foot rest does not clear my brake housing on the bike it is installed on and so I am now changing it to yet a fourth bicycle. Because it is a bigger seat for bigger children it will pretty much only work with a bigger frame bike. If you have a smaller bike or a woman?s bike, check the specs VERY carefully (for example your rear brake cable must run down the center back of the seat stem and connect very low or you will have to disconnect it to install the seat). Safety complaints ?there is no horizontal ? right/left stabalizer and the seat will swing from side to side unless you have a rear rack. It doesn?t come with a rack and one is not required for installation, but the seat does rely on it to some degree for stabalization. Safety complaints: There is only one pin connecting seat to bike. Adjustment for position of seat on mount (horizontal back/front) is a plastic catch and a bolt, so to move the seat back (for example switching between two bikes with different frame) requires tools and a minimum or 10 mins. I would not buy this bike seat again.
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Kettler Flipper Seat Overview
Reviewer: Anonymous , Riverside, IL
Date: July 28, 2006
I never write reviews but this seat is amazing. Installed on my wife's 2005/2006?Ladies Schwinn Crusier Three.
1) DIRECTIONS are horrible as there are no words only pictures.
So plan to spend an 1 to 1.5 hours putting it together.
Once installed, it is worth every penny.
2) FEATURES I LOVED AND MAKE THIS WORTH THE $:
**A**The seat and bar attachment are easily removed (~2 seconds) so you can ride your bike without the seat or change from one person's bike to another (you need to buy the mounting attachement for the additional bike). My wife loves the fact that she can quickly remove the seat for her own biking and not have to tote around an empty seat.
**B**The optional lock accessory you can buy for the seat, so someone else doesn't remove the seat in ~2seconds as described above. (It fits into the mounting attachment. **C** The seat back extends upwards so the seat grows with a taller child. AND The foot rests move downward so it grows with the child as well. **D** the saddle bads are great and can hold bottled water and the like. They also don't stick out and are secured with velcro on the sides and a plastic tab into the seat. (Little worry that it will be lost). **E** My daughter LOVES the fact that the seat is more "bouncy" than riding on the forks.
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Nice child seat
Reviewer: Charee , Southern Oregon
Date: July 15, 2006
I looked around before purchasing this seat, and chose it because it sits on the frame, not the bar by the wheel so it has better shock absorbtion. I was a little concerned with the child harness, in that it only connects at the childs lap, and not at the chest also like a car seat. But i tightened it (my 15 mo daughter is very thin)and she cannot get out. I like the bar as well. I wasnt sure if it would be worth it to fork out over $120.00 for this, but it has been worth it! The only complaint i have are the pins that connect the seat to the attachment on the bike, there is only one, not one on each side. It still feels pretty sturdy, but i wish it had two. There is a hole for a second pin, but they didnt design it with one. I may call Kettler and ask them about this. Overall its a great seat, and we have gone on many hour rides.
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Great!
Reviewer: epinions.com , Web
Date: December 30, 2005
We originally bought a Fisher Price 123 Child Seat and hated it! I don't understand how FP advertised their 123 Child Seat as "easy to install" with a straight face. The bars that support the seat weren't long enough and didn't attach well to the bike's frame. Also, there was a ton of individual parts that had to be assembled.
We installed this on a Specialized mountain bike with no difficulty. Cost a lot more the the FP 123 but was so easy to install I thought I was doing it wrong. Seat was installed in 15 minutes and we were riding!
Only 1 point attaches to the bike. All tools are included. Seat has foot straps, for the child, to avoid rider getting kicked or thrown off balance. Has a 5 point safety harness. Lots of visibility for the child and a high back seat. Storage pockets. Hold up to 50 pounds.
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My Son love's it!!
Reviewer: Brett Hanson , Bohemia, New york
Date: December 30, 2005
I have A schwinn hybrid bicycle with the front forks and shock seat so I was kind of skeptical about it fitting on my bike. Well I have to say it was A breeze, it attached to my bike on the down tube below my bike seat so it didnt effect my seats suspension. This seat was very well made and very sturdy. We enjoy riding on dirt paths with lots of obstacles (of course) and the seat took all the bumps and breaks extremely well. My advice, this is the one youve been looking for!!
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Great quality, but DOES NOT fit most bikes!
Reviewer: BicycleTrailers.com User , Port Huron, MI
Date: December 30, 2005
Great quality seat! I like that it can hold more weight, since I have a 35 lb. 18 month old. The problem is that I went to purchase a bike and could NOT find one (TREK, Giant, Raleigh, Specialized) that the seat could mount to! It would mount to most MEN'S bikes, but not one woman's version. I just can not physically handle riding a man's bike, so the seat either goes on my husband's bike or not at all. Very disappointing! However, bicycletrailers.com is allowing me to exchange it for the Topeak brand. I'll review it soon!
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EXCELLENT bike seat
Reviewer: BicycleTrailers.com User , Denver, CO
Date: December 30, 2005
After LOTS of research I found the Kettler Flipper bike seat. I have a women's Specialized mountain bike and it fits my bike fine. My 2-year old son LOVES riding in it. At first I was tentative about riding with him but after a few minutes it was as if he wasn't even there. Bike is easy to steer, turn and ride with seat. I feel that the many safety features on this bike seat make it worth every penny!
You can also buy another "point of attachment" peice for another bike so you can transfer the seat quickly and easily from one bike to another. Great for long trips (when Mom gets tired!) or if you have multiple people that might like to take the tyke for a ride.
Great quality seat. I highly reccomend this seat!
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An absolutely fantastic bike seat!
Reviewer: BicycleTrailers.com User , Cambridge, MA
Date: December 30, 2005
This seat is just fantastic. It was comfortable for my child, with a adjustable back that can lean back for sleeping children. It was great that I could mount it to my bike (a European city-style bike) without changing anything --- I still have the back rack that was on it, and the seat comes off and on so easily, I could use the bike as always when my son wasn't on it. WIth an extra mounting system, it's easy to move from one bike to another. Plus it holds children at higher weights than most.
An added plus is that it is colorful and cheerful -- my son was in love with it from day one and would jump into it at any opportunity.
Enjoy!
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Excellent seat. Manual unclear. Great Kettler service
Reviewer: BicycleTrailers.com User , Chandler, Arizona (USA)
Date: December 30, 2005
Out of all bicyle seats we tested, the Flipper ranks as one of the best. It supports a heavier load (up to 50 pounds) than the others available in our area. And with the extendable backside it supports taller kids. Our daughter is 3, tall, and it fits her well.
Some other bicycle seats seem to be constructed from more rigid plastic, but the Flipper seems plenty strong. I trust the German engineers who designed it.
The fit to the bicycle feels secure. The seat fit easily to a women's 20'' suspension bike with a comfy seat, so I can not see what the trouble might have been for the customer who posted a 3 star review. The seat comes with pieces to adapt the seat harness to various bicycle frame tube sizes. I guess only with very funky bicycle geometry it might not work, but the seat harness just connects to a vertical tube and the seat sits over the back wheel.
My only gripe is that the assembly manual could be clearer. I attempted to assemble it prior to my morning coffee. After inserting the bolts in to the wrong side of the black frame harness, the bolts got stuck on the threaded nuts and would not come off. Very frustrating.
But Kettler has great customer service. I explained this problem and they sent me replacement bolts.
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Very nice seat, but install not as easy as described
Reviewer: BicycleTrailers.com User , Chandler, Arizona (USA)
Date: December 30, 2005
I purchased this seat with the intention of mounting it to my Gary Fisher hardtail mountain bike. The shape of frame made it nearly impossible to install the seat if you followed the manufacturer's instructions. The installation kit comes with some down-tube 'shims' that you place between the down tube and the bracket you mount the seat to. Because of the shape of the frame, I had to use thicker shims so that the holes on the mounting bracket would clear the frame of the bike, allowing me to use the quick on/quick off feature. My frame is not terribly short, but I could only place it at one exact spot on the down tube to get it to work and it will not work on my wife's bike as the frame is too short on her bike. The instructions are poorly written and I had to repeat several steps (and I'm usually quite good at stuff like this). Once the nightmare of installation was over, I put my 19 month old daughter on the seat and took her for a ride around the block. She absolutely loved it and it's been great. This is a great seat, but prepare yourself for the installation and don't be surprised if you have to make a custom fit for your bike. I think that with some minor imprevements from the manufacturer, this seat really would be universal.
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Great product, more features than Limo or Topeak
Reviewer: George , Sunnyvale, CA
Date: December 30, 2005
The seat, once installed, has been really good. My 1.5 year old can ride in it for more than a couple of hours, with a couple of short breaks.
My actual Flipper answered one main question I had and gave two surprises. After my experience with the Flipper, I would choose it again over the CoPilot Limo and over the Topeak Babysitter.
The answered question is that the "Natural Suspension" actually seems believable. The seat really does flex downward a good amount when I push it down. I can't tell whether that really means the suspension works well in practice, because I'm looking forward, but my boy doesn't cry or scream when I've hit small potholes, so there's no reason to doubt that the suspension is a good thing. By the way, suspension seems like an essential feature to me, because any child seat is directly over the rear axle, and without suspension, every single bump would go straight up to the child's spine. (In contrast, a bike rider's seat has the bike's tubes, and the rider's legs, to absorb some of that shock.)
The first surprise: the mounting kit comes with plastic spacers for a variety of seat tube diameters. I seem to recall that there were spacers for each of about 4 or 5 possible seat tube diameters. But what if your tube size is not any of the 4 or so diameters? The manual doesn't say. Also, I seem to recall that the manual does not teach how to measure seat tube diameter for the person who is without a measuring device and who is not familiar with the divide-circumference-by-pi formula. (Luckily, I happened to have a measuring device.)
Before buying this product, I would recommend measuring your seat tube diameter and calling Kettler directly to confirm which, if any, of the spacers can be used.
Second surprise: I wonder whether the Flipper would slam into the rear spokes (and damage the spokes) if the bike should tip over (e.g., tip over while on kickstand, or while leaning on wall). I wonder this because my bike has tipped over twice already (with no one on it, during my clumsy installation), and the Flipper has twice dented and bent the sides of my existing tubular-steel rear rack that is under the Flipper. So, I wonder, if I didn't have the existing rack at all, would the Flipper have bent far enough inward during the fall to hit the spokes and do harm? I would not bet against the harm. To be safe, I would recommend having a rear rack under the Flipper, if there's space. (I had to saw down the upturned prongs atop my Tubus rack to make it fit under the Flipper, but most racks don't have such prongs, and many or most bikes have taller seat tubes than the rear seat tube of my family's tandem bike.
I chose this seat over the CoPilot Limo and the Topeak Babysitter because the CoPilot Limo lacks at least the Flipper's suspension ("natural suspension"), and the Topeak lacks at least the Flipper's seat-reclining ability. Also, I read descriptions of the Limo as having 3-point harness, as opposed to the Flipper's 5-point harness, and 5-points seem safer than 3-points. Also, the Topeak seat's included rack is a cast metal type, and is aluminum, which makes me believe that it cannot be safely "widened" to fit the 145mm rear hub spacing of my tandem bike, as opposed to the standard 135mm rear hub spacing of a standard "mountain bike" that I'm guessing the Topeak was designed for. (In contrast, tubular steel racks seem safe to "widen".)
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