Using Child Seats on the Orox

One of the greatest things about the Orox adventure cargo bike is its versatility to switch between Explorer mode and School Bus mode. If you want to carry young children on your Orox, you’ll need a child seat or two. Read on to learn more about compatible child seats, necessary accessories for passenger safety, how to use child seats with panniers, and more!

Contents 

• Child seats we’ve tested
• Using 1 child seat
  • No additional accessories required for passenger safety
  • Adding panniers to the 1-seat setup
• Using 2 child seats
  • No additional accessories required for passenger safety
  • Adding panniers to the 2-seat setup
• Using 1 child seat + Clubhouse Seat Pad
  • Additional accessories ARE required for passenger safety
  • Adding panniers to the 1 seat + seat pad setup
• Weather-proofing your passenger setup
• What else should I know about using child seats safely on the Orox?

Child seats we’ve tested

We’ve tested and found the following rear rack-mounted child seats to be compatible with the Orox:

Thule Yepp Maxi  (version 1)	Thule Yepp 2 Maxi	Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi	Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi
Bobike GO Maxi	Urban Iki rear seat

Using 1 child seat

If you only need one child seat, you can choose from any of the compatible rear rack-mounted seats from the list above, or one that’s recommended by your LBS for the Orox. Most of the child seats we’ve tested can be installed on the Orox rear rack using either the forward position or the rear position. The only exception is the Thule Yepp Maxi (version 1), which can only be mounted using the rearmost position.

Child seat in forward position

Child seat in rear position

Child seat in rearmost position

Have plans to expand your family and need to add a second child seat further down the road? The first seat you choose may limit your options. Jump to this section to learn more about using two child seats on the Orox.

No additional accessories required for passenger safety

Good news! No additional accessories for the Orox are required to ensure your child’s safety if he or she is seated in a child seat that’s certified to EN 14344 standards.

The Sidekick Wheel Guard XL is compatible with any 1-seat setup, but is NOT necessary when carrying 1 young kid in a child seat. The Guard Panels that come with the Sidekick Wheel Guard XL are compatible with any 1-seat setup only when the Clubhouse Gen 3 passenger rails are installed, but are also NOT necessary when carrying 1 young kid in a child seat.  

Adding panniers to the 1-seat setup

To haul rear cargo while carrying a child seat, use the Cargo Hold 72 Panniers in Bucket Mode for a handy toss-in storage that fits all your stuff without getting in the way of the seat. Most of the child seats we’ve tested can be positioned on the Orox rear rack so that the front and rear Fidlock® magnetic buckles of the Cargo Hold 72 Panniers can readily be secured in Bucket Mode. But if your child seat happens to be the Thule Yepp Maxi (version 1), you’ll need one set of Pannier Adapter Gen 2 to secure the panniers’ rear buckles so that the straps aren’t left dangling.

Using 2 child seats

Installing two child seats on the Orox rear rack is a bit trickier due to factors such as rider heel clearance and limited space coming into play. We’ve designed the Clubhouse Gen 3 passenger rails with the Child Seat Expansion Bar to help our riders overcome these hurdles by expanding the available space on the rear rack to accommodate two child seats, in addition to providing an enclosed cabin and added support for your kids.
 

With the Clubhouse Gen 3 installed, you can fit two of the following child seats on the Orox:

• Thule Yepp 2 Maxi
• Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi
• Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi
• Bobike GO Maxi
• Urban Iki rear seat

If you’d like to skip passenger rails altogether, no problem! A pair of these child seats would still work, even without the Clubhouse Gen 3:

• Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi
• Bobike GO Maxi 

No additional accessories required for passenger safety

You’re all set! No additional accessories for the Orox are required to ensure your kids’ safety if they are both seated in child seats that are certified to EN 14344 standards.

The Sidekick Wheel Guard XL is compatible with any 2-seat setup—with or without the Clubhouse Gen 3—but is NOT necessary when carrying 2 young kids in child seats. The Guard Panels that come with the Sidekick Wheel Guard XL are compatible with any 2-seat setup only when the Clubhouse Gen 3 is installed, but are also NOT necessary when carrying 2 young kids in child seats.   

Adding panniers to the 2-seat setup

The ultra-roomy Cargo Hold 72 Panniers can be used in Bucket Mode to carry your groceries with two child seats mounted on the Orox rear rack. Depending on which child seats you choose, you may need one or two sets of Pannier Adapter Gen 2 to help secure the panniers’ front and rear Fidlock® magnetic buckles while in Bucket Mode so that the straps aren’t left dangling.

For more information on using 2 child seats with Cargo Hold 72 Panniers, refer to the chart below:

Using 1 child seat + Clubhouse Seat Pad

We recommend using this setup if you’d like to carry one young kid and one big kid. You’ll need the Clubhouse Gen 3 with the Child Seat Expansion Bar installed as the foundation. Your big kid gets the honor of being the front passenger, while your littlest perches on the child seat in the rear passenger position.

Additional accessories ARE required for passenger safety 

Your young kid’s child seat has the required elements for safe passenger carrying covered if it conforms to EN 14344 standards. But your big kid seated outside of the child seat will need a little extra help. The following are all the accessories needed in addition to a proper child seat to ensure this setup is safe for your little passengers:

• Seating: Clubhouse Seat Pad, placed in the front position
• Handhold: Clubhouse Gen 3, used with the Child Seat Expansion Bar
• Foot support: Stow Decks, deployed at a 90° angle
• Foot & leg protection: Sidekick Wheel Guard XL, used together with the included Guard Panels 
   

Adding panniers to the 1 seat + seat pad setup

As an alternative solution for foot & leg protection, the Cargo Hold 72 Panniers used in Bucket Mode protects your big kid seated outside of the child seat from the spinning wheel while providing massive cargo capacity. The panniers come with a pair of Guard Panels, and it’s essential for you to install the Guard Panels along with the panniers to ensure your passenger’s safety. No matter which child seat you choose, you’ll need one set of Pannier Adapter Gen 2 to help secure the panniers’ rear Fidlock® magnetic buckles while in Bucket Mode so that the straps aren’t left dangling.

Weather-proofing your passenger setup

Riding year-round with your little ones? Add a weather-proof system to your 1 child seat, 2 child seats, or 1 child seat + 1 Clubhouse Seat Pad passenger setup to keep them dry and shielded from the elements. Three accessories are essential for building this weather-proof system:

• Storm Shield
• Cargo Hold 72 Panniers
• Clubhouse Gen 3
   

The Clubhouse Gen 3 provides the necessary foundation for securing the Storm Shield all-weather canopy over your passenger cabin, while the Cargo Hold 72 Panniers used in Bucket Mode offer a waterproof compartment that will keep your kids’ legs dry.

What else should I know about using child seats safely on the Orox?

You should only ride on paved roads when carrying up to two kids in child seats. Passengers are not allowed when riding off-road.  

Children in child seats (or on any other form of seating) should never be left unattended on the Orox, even if it is on the double kickstand. Wriggling children can upset the balance of the bike, and a fall may result in serious injuries.

We recommend that all rear passengers, including those riding in child seats, wear helmets.

For more information on how to safely carry passengers of all ages on the Orox, check out our Orox Passenger Guide.