Using Child Seats on the GSD Gen 3

GSD Gen 3, the best family eBike from the Tern electric bike lineup, is designed to help you safely carry up to 2 kids—seated in or out of child seats. If you’ve got young ones to transport and want to know how child seats work with this bike, you’re in the right place.

Read on to learn about compatible child seats, how to use them with panniers and other Tern bike accessories, our recommended add-ons for passenger safety and comfort, and more!

Contents

• Child seats we’ve tested
  • For other child seats, check compatibility
• Using 1 child seat
  • Adding panniers to the 1-seat setup
• Using 2 child seats
  • Adding panniers to the 2-seat setup
• Using 1 child seat + seat pad
  • NO additional accessories are required for foot & leg protection
  • Adding panniers to the 1 child seat + seat pad setup
• Weather-proofing your passenger setup
• What else should I know about using child seats safely on the GSD Gen 3?

Child seats we’ve tested

We’ve tested and found the following rear rack-mounted child seats to be compatible with the GSD Gen 3 electric cargo bike:

Thule Yepp 2 Maxi	Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi	Bobike GO Maxi	Urban Iki rear seat (carrier mounting)	Bobike Evolve Maxi Reclinable Carrier

For other child seats, check compatibility

If you have a different child seat model you prefer, check the manufacturer’s guidelines and the GSD rear rack specs below for compatibility before purchasing.

Using 1 child seat

If you only need one child seat, any rear-rack mounted child seat we’ve tested for the GSD will fit, or one that’s recommended by your LBS. The Clubhouse passenger bar kit, which encloses your rear passengers to offer added support, is optional to use and not required for installing one child seat on the GSD. 
                  
However, if you have plans to grow your family and need to add a second child seat or a seat pad further down the road, you’ll want to head to our Using 2 child seats section or Using 1 child seat + seat pad section of this article to make sure the first child seat you select plays nicely with the others. 

Adding panniers to the 1-seat setup

Hauling rear cargo while carrying a child seat is super easy—simply use the Cargo Hold 52 Panniers in Bucket Mode for a handy toss-in that fits all your kid stuff and groceries without getting in the way. Just make sure to secure the panniers’ front and rear Fidlock magnetic buckles either in front of or behind the child seat, while in Bucket Mode so that the straps aren’t left dangling. 

Using 2 child seats

Wanna ride your family eBike with 2 child seats installed for the little ones? When you’re looking to add 2 child seats to the GSD’s rear rack, things can get a bit tricky as the child seats’ designs can affect things like rider heel clearance and interfere with accessory compatibility (such as panniers). We’ve designed the Clubhouse passenger bars with the curved 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 plus large panniers, in addition to providing an enclosed cabin and added support for your kids.
 

With the Clubhouse installed, you can fit two of the following child seats on the GSD:

• Thule Yepp 2 Maxi
• Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi (for smaller-footed riders only)
• Bobike GO Maxi
• Urban Iki rear seat

If you’d like to skip passenger rails altogether, no problem! The same pairs of seats would still work even without the Clubhouse, with the only exception being that there are now two options that are reserved for smaller-footed riders: Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi and Bobike GO Maxi.

Adding panniers to the 2-seat setup

The spacious Cargo Hold 52 Panniers can be used in Bucket Mode to carry all your kid essentials when two child seats are mounted on the GSD’s rear rack. But unless you’re a small-footed rider with a pair of Thule Yepp 2 Maxi seats, you’ll need to install the Clubhouse to be able to use these panniers with child seats. Before each ride, remember to check that the panniers’ front and rear Fidlock magnetic buckles are secured behind the front and rear child seats, respectively, while in Bucket Mode. It may take a bit of wiggling to get them in position, but you’ll want to ensure the straps aren’t left dangling. 

Using 1 child seat + seat pad

If you want to carry one young kid in a child seat plus his or her older sibling who has outgrown a child seat, we have two recommended safe passenger setups to meet your needs. Which one to choose will depend on whether or not you have (or plan to use) the Clubhouse passenger rails:

WITH Clubhouse	WITHOUT Clubhouse
Recommended if you have a big kid who has outgrown the child seat and can sit unaided, and want the added support of passenger rails for both kids.	Recommended if you have an older kid, approx. ≥ 36 kg (79 lb), or don’t need the added support from passenger rails.
Recommended accessories: Big kid seating: Clubhouse Seat Pad, placed in the front position (don’t worry—this won’t block the battery) Optional seat belt for big kid: Sidekick Seat Belt Young kid seating: One compatible child seat, placed in the rear position Handhold: Clubhouse, used with the Child Seat Expansion (“curved”) Bar Foot support: Stow Decks, deployed at a 90° angle	Recommended accessories: Older kid seating: Sidekick Seat Pad, placed in the front position (you’ll need to remove the seat pad to take the battery out, though!) Young kid seating: Thule Yepp 2 Maxi or Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi, placed in the rear position Handhold: Sidekick Joyride Bars Foot support: Stow Decks, deployed at a 90° angle

NO additional accessories are required for foot & leg protection

Your young kid’s child seat comes with integrated foot & leg protection if it conforms to EN 14344 standards and has not been altered. But what about your big (or older) kid seated outside of the child seat?

Don’t worry. The GSD’s got their back with a built-in wheel guard that prevents passenger legs, feet, and clothing from getting caught in the spinning wheel. 

Adding panniers to the 1 child seat + seat pad setup

If you decide to go for the setup that’s built around the Clubhouse, or have a Thule Yepp 2 Maxi child seat to pair with the Sidekick Seat Pad for your young kid + big/older kid duo, you can use a set of extra-roomy Cargo Hold 52 Panniers in Bucket Mode to bring along their toys and school bags.

Before each ride, just remember to secure the panniers’ front and rear Fidlock magnetic buckles by the rear of the seat pad and behind the child seat, respectively, while in Bucket Mode so that the straps aren’t left dangling, and you’re good to go!

Weather-proofing your passenger setup

The Clubhouse Fort is a complete weather protection system we created to help your kids stay dry and cozy in all sorts of bad weather. You can use the Fort with the 1-child seat setup, 2-child seat setup, or 1 child seat + Clubhouse Seat Pad setup.

A couple of accessories (each sold separately) are essential for building this weather protection system:

• Storm Shield (or Sun Shield combined with Rain Shield)
• Storm Box
• Clubhouse (installed with either the included Child Seat Expansion Bar or Flat Bar)
• Stow Decks

The Clubhouse and Stow Decks provide the necessary foundation for securing and supporting the Fort, while the Storm Shield (or Sun Shield plus Rain Shield) all-weather canopy offers your kids protection against UV rays and shelters them from the cold and rain. The Storm Box acts as a waterproof compartment that keeps your kids’ legs dry, and replaces your panniers for carrying cargo. Added bonus: Storm Box is great for catching anything that falls from busy little hands. 

What else should I know about using child seats safely on the GSD Gen 3?

• Ensure that the combined weight of the bike (including battery), rider, passenger(s), accessories, and cargo does not exceed the GSD’s maximum gross vehicle weight of 210 kg (463 lb).
• Do not exceed the GSD's 100 kg (220 lb) rear rack load capacity.
• Most riders can comfortably carry 80% of their weight. Determine if you are comfortable carrying that much weight.
• Check your local regulations to make sure carrying passengers on a bike is legal in your area.
• Helmets are cool! Rider and passenger(s) are advised to wear an approved helmet.
• Do not leave children unattended on the bike, even if it is on the locked kickstand.

For more information on how to safely carry passengers of all ages on the GSD Gen 3, check out our GSD Gen 3 passenger guide.