Thule Yepp 2 Maxi Rear Seat Review

We were excited to get our hands on a frame mounted Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat and put it to the test out and about.

Our tester, Robyn and her family were about to embark on a summer of family bike adventures and nursery runs, so were keen to see how a rear bike seat enabled them to enjoy riding together as a family and get around town.

Thule are known for making top of the range cycling accessories, from front and rear seats to trailers and we are excited to put this frame mounted Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat to the test.

Disclosure: Cycle Sprog were sent the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat to review. We were not paid to write this review, and all opinions are our own. We do use affiliate links so may get a small commission if you choose to buy through the links on this page. This funds the website, and we thank you for your support.

About our reviewer

We started using the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat (frame mounted variant) with our little girl Robyn when she was 10 months old. We are both keen cyclists so we’ve been itching to be able to share the experience with Robyn. We wanted to make sure she had the neck and core strength to be able to sit up safely so when that time came around we were just waiting on the English weather to warm up a little to be able to trial the seat!

As a family we enjoy riding on quiet lanes and smooth gravel tracks around our home, as well as using the seat for the nursery run and getting in and out of town.

We chose the frame mounted seat as opposed to the rear rack mounted option. Although both of us have rear racks for our bikes, we preferred the option of fitting it directly to the frame and thought it might be a bit more comfortable for Robyn with the extra suspension from the frame mounted option.

From the first glance at the seat it looks like a pretty standard frame mounted rear seat, but when you look more closely and then install and use the seat you can see the well thought out features you’d expect from a brand like Thule. The mount and the seat itself look fairly robust and are a better quality than the cheaper seats used for my nephews over the years, without the penalty of significant (if any) additional weight.

Fitting the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat

Fitting the mount and the seat was really simple, and once this is fitted it stays on your bike so doesn't have to be repeated. The frame mount clamps around the vertical frame tube (called the seat tube) using 4 screws. Thule supply short and long screws to cater for different frame designs and e-bikes. The screws and mounts have nice features to make the fitment easy (plus less chance of thread damage when installing).

You have to consider setting the height for the seat to clear the wheel with a bit of margin for flex in the seat over bumps, without making the bike even more top heavy.

The mount has rubber inserts used to grip the frame and prevent it damaging your paint. We’ve not noticed any marking on the frame on removal and when tightened the mount is secure. One point to note is that the mount usually fits right where the upright bottle cage can be fitted, so you may need an alternative to carrying a second drinks bottle.

Inserting the seat is also very easy, simply sliding the two seat carry bars into the mount, with a positive click when fully engaged. One recommendation would be to apply some lubricant to the bars, it was a bit stiff to remove the seat before this. Thule have also added a lock to prevent theft, another nice feature.

Adjusting the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat to fit Robyn

The seat has a number of adjustments. You can move the seat forward or backward to get the clearance required between your bum and the child. This is quite simple to do, releasing a lever under the seat which allows the carry bar to be moved to a different index position. One criticism of the seat is that the lever can be difficult to fully clip back into place, but nothing significant.

The stirrups were also easy to move to best position for Robyn’s foot position. The most finicky part of setting the seat up for Robyn was moving the shoulder strap position to the lower of the two options. Unclipping the shoulder strap mount was a little bit fiddly, but nothing that should deter you from purchasing the seat as you will only have to change this once they have grown quite a bit.

Securing Robyn into the seat with the 5 point harness has also been easy. There are two separate straps that clip into the buckle on the seat individually, not requiring the clips to be located together before engaging. The strap tension can easily be adjusted once they are clicked in. The rubber pads on the straps that go over the child’s shoulder also appear to be soft and comfortable. A strap for each foot secures their legs into position easily and effectively, again looking comfortable. These clips and straps are easy to use in all weathers and when wearing gloves, which is essential for faff-free year round use. 

The range of adjustment in the seat means that it will take a lot of growing for the child to outgrow the seat and we feel Robyn is very secure and comfortable with the 5 point harness.

Thule Yepp 2 Maxi first ride

Robyn loved the first ride on the Thule Yepp 2 maxi rear seat, she was sat there taking it all in and making happy noises.

Ever since she always takes every opportunity to fetch her helmet to request a ride on the bike so the seat must be comfortable for her!

Since the first ride it’s pretty common to see her riding with her hands in the air like she’s on a roller coaster so she’s obviously enjoying it.

The seat itself is made from a slightly spongy material to make it more comfortable for Robyn and the mounting bar is flexible so the seat absorbs the bumps fairly well.

We recommend using the seat child free for a ride or two before you load your child in. You have to remember not to swing your leg over the back and it takes a bit of getting used to the weight change on your bike, so its best to learn this without a child on board. Strapping a backpack into the seat, or a bag of potatoes helps create a realistic practice!

We’ve been slowly trying to build up the miles with Robyn, predominantly using country lanes but have strayed onto off road cycleways and she still appears to be comfy with the flexibility of the mounting bar absorbing the bumps.

She has loved all of it and has never grumbled. We try to point out things to her on the ride to keep her interested, regularly stopping to view the animals in the field (she’s loved lambing season!), plus reaching back to shake her hand for reassurance, which again makes her feel part of the riding experience.

The seat is dark, with only a small reflective red strip as standard.

We added reflective tape to the back of the seat for better visibility, however it would be better if the seat had built in reflective material from the outset, including to the rear and side of the seat to improve visibility.

There is a built in strap across the back of the seat which allows a light to be mounted on it and we felt safe and seen with this light as well as all of our reflective tape. 

The seat is made out of a solid foamy plastic, (like a croc shoe) which makes it very comfy for the child, but most importantly easy to dry off if it gets wet. There are lots of ventilation holes if its warm, and nowhere for water to pool if its wet, as well as being easy to wipe down so your sprog doesn't get an instant wet bottom!

Thoughts from the Sprog

Being high up has meant that she can see so much and it’s no exaggeration to say that it has literally opened her world and her viewpoint of it.

We also like the fact that she is close to us on the bike - we are able to communicate with her, she is at a vantage point that is visible for motorists and she feels part of the riding experience, all of which are big advantages as opposed to being towed behind in a trailer.

The fact that the seat is not enclosed has also provided Robyn with many new experiences she had not had before using it – the rush of the wind on her face, the sun on her skin (on occasion, it is the Lake District after all!) and the smells of the local farms and farm animals, that she would not have been exposed to, or at least not to the same extent if the seat was enclosed.

Alternatives to the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat

With a lot of rear seats on the market we hope this review has highlighted just how wonderful we think the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat is.

We are currently testing a couple of other seats, so keep your eyes peeled for these reviews coming soon. In the meantime our best rear bike seats for toddlers and small children would be a brilliant place to see a few alternative options.

The Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat comes in either a frame or rack mounted option. So if you have a rear rack on your bike you might be interested in the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rack mounted rear seat option. This has benefits like a lower center of gravity and less bounce as the seat is firmly attached to your bike frame.

The Urban Iki rear seat is another very popular rear child seat. From our experience of fitting them both, and having them side by side, the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat is a softer and more comfortable and breathable seat for a child, but the Urban iki has more flexibility with mounting if one parent would like to use a frame mount and the other a rack mount, but with the same child seat. Unfortunately the Thule Yepp 2 Maxi rear seat doesn't have this option.

Other articles you may be interested in:

• Cycling with babies and toddlers: everything you need to get started
• Carrying kids by bike
• The best front bike seats for toddlers and young children
• Best rear bike seats for toddlers and small children
• Rear bike seats for older kids
• Best kids bike trailers
• Best cargo bikes for families
• Thule Yepp 2 Mini Front Bike Seat Review