Using a Child Seat on the HSD Gen 3 Cargo Bike

This article refers to Tern HSD Gen 3 cargo ebikes. If you have another HSD generation, check out our Child Seat Guide overview.

Contents

• Child seats we’ve tested
  • For other child seats, check compatibility
• Using the Clubhouse Mini with your child seat setup
• Adding panniers and pannier baskets to your child seat setup
  • For the Cargo Hold 37 Panniers
  • For the Cargo Hold 28 Pannier
  • For the Kontti Basket
• Adding a double kickstand to your child seat setup
• Weather-proofing your child seat setup
• Other things you should know about when using child seats with the HSD

Child seats we’ve tested

The following rear rack-mounted child seats are compatible with the HSD Gen 3:

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 prefer using a different child seat, check the manufacturer’s guidelines and the HSD rear rack specs below for compatibility before purchasing. Whichever child seat you decide to purchase, make sure that it comes with the required elements for safe passenger carrying: seating, safety harness, foot support, and foot & leg protection.

Atlas H Rear Rack Specifications

• ◯ Round tubing
• ⌀ 16 mm tube diameter
• ↔ 144 mm rack width

But keep in mind, although a child seat can be installed on the HSD, it’s not guaranteed that it’s compatible with Tern panniers and baskets. Let’s go through the different setups.

Using the Clubhouse Mini with your child seat setup

While a compatible child seat can be used on its own, adding passenger bars is a great way to provide extra stability and safety for your child. For this, we offer the Clubhouse Mini Gen 1 and Gen 2 passenger bars.

Clubhouse Mini Gen 1 With fixed rails and rear bar	Clubhouse Mini Gen 2 With opening side rail and swappable rear bar

Both models fit a compatible child seat. However, if you want to use a reclining seat like the Bobike Evolve Maxi Reclinable Carrier, then go with the Clubhouse Mini Gen 2, which includes a Child Seat Expansion Bar for the necessary extra clearance. See the photo below.

Clubhouse Mini Gen 2 with Bobike Evolve Maxi Reclinable Carrier reclining child seat

Adding panniers and pannier baskets to your child seat setup

One of the most common questions we get is whether child seats can be used together with panniers or rear baskets on our bikes. To help answer that, we tested several popular child seat setups with Tern panniers and baskets.

For the Cargo Hold 37 Panniers

The Cargo Hold 37 Panniers are a great option if you need extra space for groceries, school bags, toys, rain gear, or other everyday essentials while carrying your little passenger. We tested the following child seats and confirmed that they can be used together with the Cargo Hold 37 Panniers:

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

For the Cargo Hold 28 Pannier

If you live in an area with unpredictable weather and prefer to have your pannier closed when the weather suddenly turns, the Cargo Hold 28 Pannier (sold individually) is another great option. While it is a tad smaller than the Cargo Hold 37 Panniers, it still offers plenty of room for everyday essentials.

For the Kontti Basket

You could also use the Kontti Basket to carry rear cargo. Based on our testing, we recommend using the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi if you want to pair it with one or two Kontti Baskets. We’ve found that some of the other child seats we’ve tested interfered with the HSD’s frame lock when used with the Kontti Basket.

If you’re considering a different child seat, we recommend testing the setup before purchasing and checking whether you can use the frame lock.

Adding a double kickstand to your child seat setup

The DuoStand double kickstand is a required element for carrying passengers safely. Its wide, dual-leg design helps keep your HSD stable and firmly standing on both legs.

Weather-proofing your child seat setup

Nobody likes arriving soggy and grumpy after a rainy ride, especially kids. That’s why we created the Clubhouse Fort Mini, which is a weather-protection compartment that surrounds your child seat setup to help keep your kid dry and cozy year-round.

Learn more: Clubhouse Fort Mini: All-Weather Kid Carrier for Compact Tern Cargo Bikes

The accessories you need to build the Clubhouse Fort Mini depend on whether you have the Clubhouse Mini Gen 1 or Gen 2.

Once your little passenger outgrows the child seat, you can swap it out for a Clubhouse Seat Pad and Clubhouse Backrest to keep using the Clubhouse Fort Mini. That way, your growing kid can continue riding along while being protected from the elements.

Other things you should know about when using child seats with the HSD

• Check your local regulations to make sure carrying passengers on a bike is legal in your area.
• We do not recommend using child seats that attach to places other than the rear rack (e.g., handlepost or seatpost-mounted seats). Learn more: How NOT to Carry Passengers on Your Tern Bike
• We do not recommend carrying two or more children on the HSD. The HSD is designed to carry one passenger and has not been tested for two or more passengers.
• Ensure that the combined weight of the bike (including battery), rider, passenger, accessories, and cargo does not exceed the HSD’s maximum gross vehicle weight of 190 kg (419 lb).
• Do not exceed the HSD Gen 3’s 80 kg (176 lb) rear rack load capacity.
• Never leave a child unattended on the bike, even if the bike is on a kickstand.
• Helmets for everyone! This includes the rider and any rear passenger, whether in a child seat or not.

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