Please also see the update to this piece eight months on...

Long before our daughter was born, my wife Kim and I began thinking about how to introduce her to a bike. Would we go for a trailer, which seemed safer than a child seat in some ways, but also more unwieldy and certainly more expensive; and if it was to be a child seat, would we do one in the front or in the back? While we haven't ruled out the trailer for longer-distance riding when she's older, in the end we decided to go with a child seat.

We really liked the idea of a front-mounted carrier since it would put her between our arms, which seemed both more secure and more social - it would also provide a better view. I know some critics of the front-mounted seats say that there's too great a risk of bugs or bits flying into the baby's face, but we thought the other benefits outweighed the risk.

When Gemma was a little over six months old, I couldn't resist any more and bought a Bobike Mini. She was already sitting up at that point, but we did want to wait until she was a little bigger and more comfortable holding her head up. (Many sources cite 9 months as a good time, but we were sure she'd be ready before then.) Didn't stop me from buying the seat, though!

Here's why we chose the Bobike Mini:

• It's front-mounted (see above)
• It's easy to attach, and the mouting bracket is barely noticeable when the seat isn't on (so Kim and I can both have a mount)
• It's adjustable, with stirrups that can be lowered as the baby grows
• You can buy a separate windshield to protect the passenger from the elements
• It's Dutch-made
• And it was recommended by The Bicycle Worshop in Notting Hill, where they really know about such things (and there's a trade-in programme for when we're ready to step up to the Maxi)

We did consider another front-mounted seat, the Centric Safe Haven. It's Canadian, and the company's website does a good job explaining all about it. Two things put us off: it seems to be difficult to attach, and reviews I've read say that the rider is forced into a bow-legged pedalling position. It's also more expensive than the one we chose.

When we were ready to give her a go in the seat, the first thing we did was find an appropriate helmet. The Met Buddy is one of many good quality helmets from reputable companies in the UK. The thing about this helmet is that it fits noggins as small as 46cm - others will fit 48cm or 50cm. Since our girl is a bit petite, the the 46cm size was just about right.

So when she was a little over seven months old, we strapped her in for the first time. She seemed comfortable straight away, and she didn't even gripe about the helmet (a marked contrast to most sun hats we try to get her to wear!). There were a couple issues with fit: the straps were a bit too long, so I tied a knot that shortened them up by a couple inches; and the elastic straps on the footholds don't keep her bare feet in (usually okay with shoes) - but nothing significant.

We started by walking her down to the corner to in the seat on Kim's bike, then once we were in a lightly-trafficked area, Kim set off! Gem seemed happy enough, smiling and singing. She's definitely a city baby, having been strolled all round London from her second week, and she may have become accustomed to cycling from the womb - Kim cycled to work until nearly the end of her eighth month.

Since then, we've taken her to Regents Park many times, and I've got a mount on my bike too. We also take her to nursery with it, which caused quite a sensation when we first turned up! We've only had one slight mishap, which was my fault when I pinched her poor little chin with the helmet strap buckle.

All in all, we really like our Bobike Mini, and we'd recommend it for anyone with a small child to carry. Please email me at andrew@puntino.com if you have any questions about our experience - we'd love to see more young families getting around by bike!