Selecting the Right Clubhouse for Your Family
Heads up!
This article mentions third-party child seats that are not manufactured by Tern. Please note that child seat designs might change, and that their manufacturers may choose to maintain the same product name even after the design has changed.
For your safety, always consult with your bike dealer, or with the child seat manufacturer or reseller, to make sure you have the right seats to safely carry your kid(s).
With an extensive ecosystem of accessories to suit your needs, Tern cargo bikes and electric cargo bikes help you tackle day-to-day tasks without ever needing to reach for your car keys. Now, if you’re looking to use your bike for school drop-offs or playground runs, you’ll also need a passenger system that includes seating, handhold, foot support, and foot and leg protection to safely transport the little ones.
Our line of Clubhouse carriers contribute to the framework for a reliable and safe passenger system. In this article, we’ll introduce the different Clubhouse models and their intended passenger setup, which bike models they are compatible with, and some useful accessories you may be interested in. Let’s get started!
Contents
- An overview of the Clubhouse lineup
- What other Tern accessories can I use with the Clubhouse carriers?
- And lastly, what are some ways to jazz up my Clubhouse?
An overview of the Clubhouse lineup
Our Clubhouse carriers are passenger rails that turn the upper deck of your bike’s rear rack into an enclosed, supportive cabin for your kids to enjoy the ride from. These carriers are made of strong aluminum tubings that provide a sturdy handhold for bumps and turns on the road, and are designed with extended side rails for added hand protection.
Our current Clubhouse lineup consists of two models: Clubhouse Mini and Clubhouse. Each is created to fulfill specific passenger-carrying needs, as we will explain next.
What is the Clubhouse Mini?
The Clubhouse Mini is the smallest among the Clubhouse family. With 400 x 400 mm of interior space, it’s the perfect-size kid corral for single-child families looking for extra support when carrying a younger child in a child seat. The Clubhouse Mini is compatible with a wide range of rack-mounted child seats, including Bobike GO Maxi, Urban Iki rear seat, Thule Yepp 2 Maxi, and Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi. When transitioning to a big kid (approximately 5 - 10 years old), the Clubhouse Mini is still a great fit, offering plenty of space and comfort when paired with the Clubhouse Backrest and Clubhouse Seat Pad. The Clubhouse Mini is ideal for our compact cargo bikes, such as the HSD (Gen 1 or Gen 2), Quick Haul, and Short Haul.
What is the Clubhouse?
The Clubhouse, now in its third generation, is especially created for families who wish to carry two kids on our 2-passenger electric cargo bikes like the GSD, Quick Haul Long, and Orox. It comes with an interior space of 600 x 400 mm that can be expanded by swapping the Flat Bar for the Child Seat Expansion Bar to support up to two rack-mounted child seats. Parents have the freedom to choose from a wide range of child seats, including Bobike GO Maxi, Urban Iki rear seats, and Thule Yepp Maxi (version 1), Yepp 2 Maxi, and Yepp Nexxt Maxi.
For families with bigger kids who have outgrown their child seats, the Clubhouse offers a convenient solution. You can easily swap out the child seats for the Clubhouse Backrest and two Clubhouse Seat Pads, creating a comfortable passenger cabin that’s perfect for big kids. Additionally, the modular design allows for mixing and matching seating configurations, such as using one child seat plus seat pad to carry a younger child and his/her older sibling.
What about previous generations of the Clubhouse?
While we no longer produce the Clubhouse Gen 1 or Clubhouse+, riders may still come across these discontinued Clubhouse models on the second-hand market and wonder if they’ll work with their Tern cargo bike or specific setups.
To help, here’s a quick summary of our past and current Clubhouse models, so you can easily figure out which one best fits your needs.
| Clubhouse Mini | Clubhouse Gen 3 | Clubhouse+ (discontinued) | Clubhouse Gen 1 (discontinued) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 
| |||
| Ideal for |
|
| GSD Gen 2 | GSD Gen 1 |
| Maximum number of passengers | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Compatible with 2 child seats | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Compatible rack-mounted seats for 2-kid setup | N/A |
| Thule Yepp Maxi | N/A |
| Recommended weather protection add-ons | 
|
| Clubhouse Fort | Storm Shield OR Sun Shield with Rain Shield |
What other Tern accessories can I use with the Clubhouse carriers?
As part of Tern’s vast ecosystem of accessories, all Clubhouse carriers are designed with a modular approach to allow riders to mix-and-match accessories and build setups tailored to their needs. Here’s a couple of accessory options you may want to consider to enhance the comfort and safety of your little passengers—or even a furry friend.
Clubhouse Mini only | All Clubhouse models | ||
|---|---|---|---|
The Doghouse Mini pet carrier lets you safely bring along a small to medium-sized dog on your rides. | Red Nitelight Rear and amber Nitelite Side bike lights enhance rider and passenger visibility on the road for added safety. | The Sidekick Seat Belt allows kids who have outgrown their child seats to buckle up for the ride with you. | The RidePouch bike bag attaches to existing bottle cage mounts, providing a handy place to stash snacks and ride essentials. |
| 
| 
| 
|
And lastly, what are some ways to jazz up my Clubhouse?
No matter which Clubhouse passenger bar kit you choose to go with, let your kids take part in decorating it to truly make it their seat of honor. With bar tape coming in all sorts of colors and patterns, stickers, attachable toys, and other trinkets made for bikes, there’s bound to be something that makes them feel extra special each time they climb into the Clubhouse. Or, get your creative juices flowing—like our clever GSD rider Max Elman, who designed a super fun Clubhouse-mounted bubble machine for his kiddo! Just make sure to keep safety on your mind and have everything secured so they don’t fly off during your ride.
We hope you found this article useful in helping you determine which Clubhouse carrier is right for your family—nothing makes us happier than seeing families creating lasting memories on bikes!
To learn more about setups for carrying passengers or using child seats on Tern bikes, check out our following guides:
Happy riding with the whole gang!
P.S. Our passenger-carrying accessories, including all Clubhouse models, are also perfect for hauling groceries or anything you may need for tackling errands when the kids are away at school. Check out the Tern Cargo Guide for some setup ideas!
Related Articles
