Bike Trailer Recommendations? Tips?

[47jennifer]

My husband and I are looking into buying a bike trailer. My son is going to be one next week (eek!) and we're actually contemplating going car-free. We're going to do a trial month without using the car, and want bike use to be a big part of that.

Does anyone have any recommendations regarding brand or style? What should we be looking for? Is it worth it to pay $500+ or can we go with one that's a couple hundred?

Also, any tips? I haven't been on a bike in a couple years. What differences are there with pulling the trailer? Do you ride on the road with a trailer?

[Plaid Leopard]

I got a Burley D'Lite off of Ebay a few years ago, and I really like it. I think I paid $200 and it was in very good condition.
Apparently they have improved the design, but here is what I like about our trailer:
It has a foldable aluminum frame and is pretty light. The wheels are removable for easier storage. It is easy to set up/fold down.
It can seat one or two children, and hold up to 100 lbs.
There is storage space in the back
It has netting in front, so air can get in, but not rocks or debris from the road, plus a rain cover that can be rolled up when not needed.

We don't have a car, and it is nice to be able to put the kids in the trailer, along with snacks, jackets, and whatever stuff we might need. Occasionally I will have to get out and walk up a hill, but overall I don't find it difficult to haul the kids around in the trailer.

I just looked at ebay and there are quite a few trailers on offer over there.

[marispel]

We just bought bikes after the beautiful weather we've been having. We opted for a bike seat/carrier instead of a trailer. DS loves it. This is a seat that actually goes up front in between the handle bars.

http://www.amazon.com/iBert-Safe-T-F...8941036&sr=8-1

[redvlagrl]

We are about to get a Chariot - the neat thing is you can also use it as a stroller, hiker and for x country skiing as well as a bike trailer.

If you're considering going car-free I would def get one with good suspension. Apparently the bumps are much greater for a child ebcause they are situation above the axel, whereas as adult is between them. So for a child, a 1" bump=1" bump but for an adult it might only be 1/2".

[mtbmomma]

We have been car free for the last 4 years, and have a 16 month old daughter. I would highly recommend getting a bike seat for the back of the bike instead. We had a burley solo before, which was a great trailer, but my daughter hated it, and it was really tough to pull a long ways.

We all love our Topeak seat, and I hardly even notice it when I'm riding. It is also so much easier to take out, and can go pretty much anywhere. We will not be going back to the trailer.

[zinemama]

Unless you have to, don't buy a new one. There are usually plenty to be found on craigslist and such.

We loved our Burley trailer. Not only for the kids but because we could haul groceries etc. in it, too. Definitely a consideration if you're going to give up the car.

[parje1]

I researched a lot before we bought one. I liked the Burley and Chariot best. We bought a used Chariot and we like it. Burley has more storage space which would be better if you are going carless. The new Burleys have padded seats and straps which are more comfortable for your kiddo. We couldn't find a used/newer Burley so we bought a used Chariot. We use it mainly for recreations so, storage wasn't as big a deal. Whatever you get, we found it helps to buy one with a recessed helmet pocket otherwise the helmet is always falling in their face. My 18 mos old tolerates the trailer. A bike seat is more fun for kids but I wasn't confident enough in my biking skills to not tip over ever.

[lilith1]

We bought a Burley Bee and are happy with it. Great on turns, light, seemingly comfy. We have the double one till'DS2 gets old enough to ride in it. DS1 loves it.

[Materfamilias]

I've used the behind-the-seat Copilot thing and would not recommend it. I think it makes the bike really unstable. I've been riding for years and done lots of mountain biking but I do not feel stable with one of those. I'm a trailer girl. Part of this is because I can hitch it to different bikes quickly, and right now the one I hitch it to most often is our tandem, which is set up with kiddie cranks so the 7 yo can stoke.
We bought our trailer used at our local bike shop and it works great. You have to be a little more careful about where the wheels on the trailer are when avoiding bumps and curbs. Sometimes climbing out of the saddle on a hill is a little awkward and herky-jerky, but nowhere near as bad as a Copilot.
I second the trailer being awesome for transporting groceries.
I think you can acclimate the child to the trailer by keeping first rides very short, and always going somewhere fun, like a park, and bringing a few toys (another reason I like the trailer better).
I like the looks of the Trek, but it looks tippy. Anyone have one?

[47jennifer]

Thanks for all the replies! It's good to hear what others have had success with!

I'm feeling kind of jealous right now though. I'm in Canada, and many of the well-priced trailers on ebay wont ship to me! So I'm much more limited in my options right now!

Anyways, I'm keeping my eyes open for used trailers locally. It's another couple weeks until I need it, so I will hold off on buying new for at least a bit longer.

[eleonrauis]

We got a Burley D'Lite for DS's first birthday (he just turned 2 a couple weeks ago). I'm not really much of a bike rider, so I've never used it, but both DS and DH love it. The most difficult thing was getting DS to wear a helmet, but he's fine with it now. The storage space in the back is great for shopping or bringing home take out.

DH prefers to have a friend ride behind the trailer if they are riding in traffic (drivers around here aren't always good about sharing the road), but he's done it on his own when needed.

[Peony]

If you are in Canada then check out a Wike. http://www.wicycle.com/child_trailers.php VERY well made, and more affordable then Burleys. The cheaper doubles are under $400.00. We've had our double for 4 years now and it looks practically new still despite lots of use. I'm in the US, so it isn't exclusive to Canada but I'm sure shipping would be cheaper there.

I've used trailers and then the bike seat that attaches behind me, I MUCH prefer a trailer. Room to store groceries, I used to be able to hit the library, park, and the store on the way home with everything I needed for an entire day away in my trailer. I agree with another post that said the gravity is really off with a child on her bike, I felt the same way. My town is very bike friendly, there are trailers all over the place, for many it is their main transportation. All the trailers are either Burleys or Chariots, there was one other family that had a Wike, I was buying a Burley until they let me test their Wike, and I never looked back.

[nolonger]

I love my Burley Solo and so does ds. There isn't as much room for hauling "stuff", but it's worth it for the maneuverability and being able to ride on the sidewalk when I absolutely have to.

[LaughingHyena]

We've only had ours for a couple of months but so far it's getting used quite a lot. I'm aiming to do at least one school run each day by bike.

I'm glad we got a double, even though it's a squash to get both kids in (51/2 & 3) it's useful if DD has had a particularly tiring day, falls off her scooter or whatever. It also give me a bit more room for luggage. With a younger child I would stick a cushion either side of them, I do this even for DS when I think he will fall asleep.

We also have a burley which was bought used. I would check out weights, this one was a lot lighter than the cheaper ones I looked at. While I haven't tried any of the others I think that will make a big difference. I also like that fact that we don't need a separate hitch for DHs bike and it only takes a couple of minutes to change it over.

As for towing it I have found it's OK (and I was not a confident cyclist). I did a few trial runs without DS, I especially wanted to make sure I could fit through a couple of gaps on our route. One I still prefer to get off and push as there is very little clearance. Other than that I did find it hard for the first couple of weeks, especially setting off. Now it just feels normal. I do ride on some quiet bits of road but for the most part I stay on the pavement (since most of ours are also cycle routes).

[LovnMyBoys]

I absolutely love our Chariot. We've owned a cheaper, mid-price and now the Chariot and it is well worth the money. If you are going to be using it a lot I totally second the suspension as a necessity. The Chariot is by far the easiest to pull and turn and my 2 and 5 year old fit nicely in it.
If you are planning another little one in the near future I would just go for the double right off.
The other benefit is that the Chariot has a great re-sale value.

[rcr]

We try to be car-free as possible, and are very bik-ey (I used to own 12 bikes!). I know that some mamas are really into bike trailers, and in some ways they make a lot of sense (rain and snow protection, child can sleep easily, you can tow a bunch of stuff...), but I would not feel comfortable with one in traffic (I am firmly an on-road bicyclist and will not riding on the sidewalk) in my area (there are some bike lanes, but most places do not have them).

I recommend an xtracycle (http://www.xtracycle.com). I would also recommend a bikefiat (http://dutchbikeco.com/_product_7709...Cargobike_2008) of madsen bike (http://www.madsencycles.com) - which I think are better than xtracycle, but a lot more expensive. I have an xtracycle, and use it everywhere, almost every day. I can fit a week's worth of groceries in it, and I love having DS close to me rather than far behind and down below in a trailer. Plus, it can hold two children or my husband.