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The Bicycle

Review of the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini Child Bike Seat

By June 8, 2020February 13th, 20236 Comments6 min read
The Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini bicycle child seat is the most popular front child seat in the Netherlands and for good reason. It’s well constructed with smart features and provides a comfortable ride for your toddler. Here is my full review.

First ride at 9 months old on Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini

First ride at 9 months old

Three years old riding on the Thule Nexxt Mini

One caveat with reviews is that they often critique the initial impressions of a product. My daughter had real aversion to being in a stroller, which meant that most of the time she was on the bike. We rode together nearly everyday which included trips to daycare during the week. As such, my review reflects the span of time my daughter was nine months old until just past the age of three.

Age of the child

The seat is designed for children between the ages of 9 months up to 3 years with a weight between 9-15 kg (20-33 Ibs). Never carry a child that is too young and consult a paediatrician if they under the age of one. Your child should be able to ride unaided, able to keep his/her head up for at least for the duration of the ride.

The construction of the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini

The Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini is compact and comes in a range of colours. The construction consists of durable water repellent materials, feels solid but is extremely lightweight at just 1.9 kg.

The shape of the seat gives the little one sufficient protection with the use of the five-point harness and adjustable shoulder straps. The locking mechanism is magnetic and child resistant. A click confirms that it’s on well.

Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini seat
Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini Harness clip
key for Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini
Releasing the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini

The height of the foot rests can easily be staggered for a precise fit. The foot straps work remarkably well with a simple clipping mechanism, ensuring your child’s feet are secure. This is one feature that I thought might wear out over time, but that didn’t happen.

Thule also provides a set of keys allowing you to lock the seat to the bike to prevent theft.

Mounting bracket

Assembly was easy, which involves mounting a quick-release bracket on the stem. The seat can then be removed within seconds, allowing you to ride the bike without the seat or transfer it to another bike that also has the mounting bracket.
Thule states that the mounting bracket will fit normal stems with a diameter of 20-28 mm and 21 mm of vertical space. It can work on threadless stems but you will need to do your homework to see if it can fit. There is also a threadless adapter available by Thule but note that you won’t be able to install the windscreen.
Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini Mounting bracket

Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini Mounting bracket

Observations and things to consider

The seat was mounted on to my 3-speed omafiets style Batavus. The bike was well suited for cruising the city with its upright style of riding. I didn’t feel like the seat was an obstruction at all. Though I would be cautious if using the seat on a bike with a low flat bar as you could be kissing the back of the seat.

My bike also has a front wheel lock on the stem. This ensures the handlebars and seat don’t swing off to the side. While not necessary, it’s a nice feature to have on a dedicated bike with a child seat.

Though I do recommend using a center mounted double kickstand. It keeps the bike upright and stable when strapping in your child or taking them out.




Riding impressions

Adjusting the shoulder straps was simple and quick. I was always confident that she was secure and comfortable. However, there were times when the straps would slide down her shoulders but I found this was more the result of what she was wearing. There is harness clip available by Thule to prevent the straps from sliding down.

Labeled as a shock-absorbing seat, it provided a smooth ride even when going over cobblestone roads in Amsterdam.

The seat also doesn’t get hot, even if left out in the sun. So there is no concern if your toddler is wearing shorts. If it happens to rain, a quick wipe down is all that’s needed to get it dry.

Add-ons for the Thule Yepp Mini

I initially thought the front windscreen might be a bit of an overkill. But it was immensely helpful in protecting our daughter against the wind and insects. I also found it useful when the rain happens to go sideways. There is some adjustability with the angle of the windshield.
Padded Miffy for Thule Nexxt Mini

Padded Miffy for Thule Mini

Rain cover for Yule Thepp

Rain Cover for Thule Nexxt Mini

The Thule Yepp Mini padded handlebar with Miffy is intended to help your child rest their head during the ride.While our daughter often fell asleep in the seat, there was never a time where her head could reach the Miffy handlebar. I would have to greatly loosen the shoulder straps in order for this to happen. It may work if your child is wearing an elongated helmet or if you’re carrying a baby llama. Otherwise, the padded handlebar with Miffy is an expensive distraction at best.
The rain cover is a practical add-on, especially with the unpredictable Dutch weather. It covers the seat nicely and will handle any amount of rain. It also comes with a storage pouch but note that it can only attach to the back of the Thule Yepp Mini seat and not the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini as there are no holes to snap into.

Conclusion

One of the reasons my daughter was in the seat past the age of three is because I was in denial.  I knew she had to migrate to the back seat but I didn’t want to give up the enjoyment of having her ride in front of me. Sharing observations, our conversations, kissing the top of her head were all priceless moments I didn’t want to lose.
Riding with the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini has been one of the my favourite biking experiences in riding with my daughter. I’m confident it’s a solid choice for you and your toddler.

Verdict

PROS

  • Well constructed, durable weather-resistant materials
  • Secure clipping mechanism
  • Seat can be removed quickly
  • Light at 1.9kg
  • Available add-ons

CONS

  • Shoulder straps sometimes slide down
  • Expensive

Disclosure: This article may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs, or otherwise.

Join the discussion 6 Comments

  • Kristal says:
    October 24, 2022 at 6:09 am

    Thank you for this great review!
    I am curious about child’s height limit of this seat. I am also in denial with my almost 4yo daughter but because she is very light at only 26lbs but 38.5″ tall I would love to know if it would make sense to get her this one to ride a bit longer with her in the front. She is currently on the Mini Bobike but she has obviously outgrew it by height and I want to keep her in the front if I safely can . I read the iBert might do it but I feel this Thule would make my ride feel more comfortable.

    Reply
    • Gus says:
      October 24, 2022 at 5:29 pm

      Hey thanks Kristal for your comment. As far as I can tell there is no height limit of a child for the seat. The weight will come into play first. The measurement from the bottom of the seat where the toddler sits to where the straps come through the backrest is about 10.5” and you have roughly 16-18” of slack for each shoulder strap before it connects to the harness. I say roughly because it depends on the length of the waist strap as well. Perhaps comparing those measurements to the Mini Bobike might give you a better indication. The only issue in terms of height might come from straps slipping, or comfort from the shoulder pads, but from what I gather there should be more play compared to the Bobike.

      I can’t commend on the iBert. I’ve never seen anyone use one here in the Netherlands. Thule is the most common followed by the Bobike.

      Reply
  • Kristal says:
    October 24, 2022 at 7:55 pm

    Thank you Gus for replying so quickly.
    I was not clear enough though.
    My daughter’s seat straps are still fine for her but it’s her legs that are too long to be accommodated on her Mini Bobike. She is still riding with me on it but it is definitely too tight. It looks like the Thule Yepp has more room to accommodate longer legs but what do you think?
    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Gus says:
      October 25, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      Ah, that’s a good point about the legs. I don’t recall an issue with my daughter’s legs being too long near the end of her tenure with the seat. The foot rest can be extended to about 11” which I can only guess is longer than the Mini Bobike. Dutch bikes typically have a long stem as well, so her thighs/knees were well below the handlebar. That might be something to consider, extending the stem if possible for a little more room.

      In terms of the size of the seat, the Thule looks wider as well with a more conducive shape for sitting, but there are no specific measurements for either.

      Reply
  • Kristal says:
    October 25, 2022 at 4:54 pm

    Extending the stem is a great idea I had not thought about, thank you! I will measure how long our footrest can be extended to compare but all the info you provided very helpful and for sure more detailed than what I could find so far.
    Thank you so much!!!

    Reply

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