Utility Cycling - Double Child Trailer, and the winner is???

Ok, so I have a single Chariot Cougar 1 that is great but we have two kids, got a MEC double but it was AWFUL! Really heavy and I was killing by the end of a day trip of as little as 30km.

Already sold the MEC double, have someone coming to look at the Cougar 1 tonight and will most likely have it sold.

Question is...

What should I get as a double?

I am leaning heavily towards the Cougar 2, has anyone here tried the CTX 2? Is there REALLY that much of a difference to warrant a ~25% price hike on the Chassis?

We can afford either of them, but I also don't want to waste money on a CTX 2 if it doesn't make a big difference.

Any other suggestions? Burley any good? Anyone tried both?

Thanks a bunch in advance.
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I've been using an older Burley double that I picked up used and have been happy with it. If I were going to buy one new, today, I think I'd get a Wike (http://www.wicycle.com/), but I haven't actually used one.

Well, the wike double is about 4lbs lighter than the chariot doubles, but has anyone tried both? What I like about the Chariot is that it is reasonably aerodynamic. The Wike doesn't seem quite as aerodynamic.

We have the Wike Moonlight Double and use it nearly every weekend instead of our minivan for trips around town with our two boys. The youngest is 16 months and the older is 3.5 years. They are both big boys and there isn't really extra space, but for the most part they get along well and really enjoy riding in the trailer.

I did some pretty extensive online research into the Wike, Burly, and Chariot when planning my purchase. At the end of the day I was looking for most interior space and most convenience in terms of carrying additional cargo (i.e. a trunk). Unfortunately none of the LBSes stock trailers (special order only) so there was no real way to compare in person. In any event, after exhaustively running through all the dimensions it became clear to me that the Wike was as wide (or wider) than the Burley D'Light and it was within an inch or so of the Chariot (don't remember which model right now but they are all pretty close). IIRC the Wike has more leg and headroom space than either, and this has been borne out once we got it in person.

Overall we really like the trailer. The trunk is spacious and allows us to carry quite a bit of stuff (food, toys, blankets, jackets, cable lock, etc.) It has towed great behind both my fixed gear Cross Check (with brakes of course) and my Xtracycle conversion. It's not particularly aerodynamic but I've done 30 mile round trip rides with it and I don't mind it at all. I have my wife ride in front if there's a headwind and that helps quite a lot.

Everything is really well put-together and thought out on the trailer. The only complaint, and this isn't a big one at all, but the nose gear wheel we added on as an option hasn't proven especially robust. Granted this has nothing to do with the trailer part of the equation, but we often detach it from the tug bike and use it as a stroller (the tow arm rotates up and back for the purpose) and the nosewheel, while adequate, could use a little bit of beefing up. It's also not especially convenient to convert, as you have to unscrew and then re-screw a bolt. Granted it's got a nice plastic handle so it's completely tool-free, but it just seems like there could be a better, faster and sturdier way to accomplish the same thing. Really a pretty trivial complaint. Only other "wish" would be some kind of parking brake so it can be parked securely, especially in stroller configuration.

Other than those two items, we are completely satisfied with our Wike. I don't consider the above showstoppers at all and would purchase the trailer again today if I had to replace it.

HTH,

Steve

I had the equivalent of today's Cabriolet and it was a success with the kids. There's actually more storage room in the Cabriolet than in the higher-end models, and I think it's a better option if you only or mostly want to use it for cycling. I think the Cougar and CX are better than the Cabriolet for activities other than cycling: for jogging or skiing, for instance, but you pay that convenience in cash and extra weight.

Between the Cougar and CX, the only three significant advantages I see with the CX are the drum brake, the parking brake and the adjustable handlebar. Whether they are significant for you depends on a few factors:
– Adjustable handlebar: May be useful if you are 6' 4" and your wife is 4' 10". Otherwise, the standard position might just be ok. And in either case, the handlebar is only useful when you walk, not when you cycle.
– Parking brake : May not be useful indoors, but quite useful if you park the trailer outdoors (especially with the child in).

– Drum brake : Not useful for cycling, but quite useful if you walk or run in a hilly environment.

P.S. In my case, I had a used trailer and used it only for cycling. My wife preferred to walk with the baby with a much more compact stroller and I preferred to carry her on my back. Easier in stores and in the bus.