Xtracycle Milk Crate Seat and Yepp Seat

When we got the new Edgerunner by Xtracycle, I made a milk crate into a baby seat and bigger kid back rest (aka two child seat).

Here it is with one child- the other sits in front and leans back onto the crate:

We have been using it quite nicely until the little one, who was sitting inside the crate, got tired. He would fall asleep in various positions, all of which looked extremely uncomfortable.  If he was alone on the bike, he would lean onto the front of the crate and sleep like that.  But then big brother couldn't get onto the bike without waking him, and he couldn't fall asleep like that if they were both on the bike.  He also fell asleep in mid-air, lurching back and forth.  This became more difficult as he has gotten bigger and less of his body is supported by the crate, and if he was asleep and I would stop the bike, he would lurch forward and back and not have anywhere to go (it's as if the momentum was keeping him steady somehow).

We needed a better solution if he was going to keep falling asleep on the bike (and he is a kid who wakes up when we try to transfer him while sleeping).

So we moved the crate forward so that Big Brother would still have a back rest and pockets, and so that each kid would have their own space.  Then we bought the PeaPod III and Flight Deck Adapter (though we bought them from amazon as the Yepp Maxi Easyfit and Yepp Easyfit Carrier Adapter because shipping is free and takes 2 days and they were slightly cheaper).  We took off the hooptie (just the sides- you see the mounting pieces are still attached).

The photo above is from our maiden voyage with the new setup.  Big brother was on the ride to our destination with us, then stayed there.  I took the little guy home alone on the bike and he fell asleep on the way home.  He still looks hunched forward, but not so lost in space.  He managed about 45 minutes like this, and looked infinitely more comfortable than in the crate (while sleeping). 

I am pleased that the Yepp seat is fairly lightweight.  I am also happy to have read that the piece you bolt onto the flight deck that the baby seat attaches onto is also compatible with Yepp's older/ heavier kid seats.  The Yepp Junior, for example, fits 40-70 lbs and has a lap belt. Had we not had the crate, I would have wanted to mount a second Yepp Easyfit Carrier Adapter and attach this to it for my older son, who likes to lean back, especially on rides more than about ten minutes long (ie most rides)-- holding onto something like the stoker bar or hooptie and nothing else would be a bit much for him.  I think the option of two of the Yepp Juniors is nice if you start Xtracycle life with two of the Yepp Maxi Easyfits- it's a nice progression as the kids grow.

Not my graphic but I love it!  Ride on!!

Note: The middle clip on the bags doesn't close because it is right where the baby legs go. Will need to try a grocery run to see how this impacts anything. Stay tuned...


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