A.M.
As a regular cyclist, I'm not for them. I think they're a safety obstruction for the rider. I did try a friend's before she returned it. For one, you need to have monkey arms to maneuver yourself around the kid. You can see tons of "happy customer" pictures where most riders are stopped or sitting in an unnaturally upright position. I have an 8 yr old and 4 yr old twins. I started with a Topeak rear seat. LOVE it and can't recommend it enough. I ride with cycling shoes locked in and never had any center of gravity issues or turning issues with her on the back, but was I was aware that I was carrying extra weight. After twins, we got a Schwinn trailer. I definitely like that less, but it was the only option for hauling two kids. And actually, I hauled 3 on a regular basis...1 twin in the Topeak and other twin plus big sis in the trailer. You can feel the trailer...it feels like you're dragging something when you turn and you need to take corners like a semi truck! For Lake Michigan trail riding, around the museum campus, that area, I think the Topeak is great. It's secure for the kid, has shocks, and a good helmet cut out area to accommodate their helmet. Plus, city riding is a lot like city driving...you really want your field of vision clear because you don't know who's going to jump, run, or ride out in front of you. I don't want my kid to be the first thing they hit. I didn't own the iBert, but like I said I tried it before my friend returned hers (and had a hard time returning). My arms weren't long enough and I felt like I had to hold an uncomfortable riding position. I rode only about a mile on her bike, and I know my body would've been sore from riding that way for very long. When my oldest was 2, I trained for the MS150 with her on the back for up to 4 hour/60 mile training rides. She was comfy, I was comfy, and it felt safe to me. I hate to be a downer. It does look like a good idea, and I was truly excited to try hers out, but it didn't feel right to me.
....Almost forgot to mention...her son was bigger than my kid and his knees were up against my handle bars in the iBert. Also, I didn't like the idea of a kid having easy access to my gear shifter & brake cables. My brakes are tight, but hers were not. One thing I pointed out to her was that her son kept putting his hand on the break lever and if I had to stop quickly, I was afraid I'd pinch his finger if it was in the wrong spot. That was another safety issue in my mind.
