Firebott

I have been searching for a bike trailer/jogger for about 2 months now. When I get to a point that I decide on one, I find a new one that I don't know much about. So I am turning to this forum for help. I am needing this to tool around the neighborhood with my 2 kids, take it to the local amusement park, go jogging (although I am not an excellent runner). The items that are important to me are: can be a jogger/stroller (all kits included); easy transfer from trailer to jogger/stroller; folds compact enough to go into the trunk of a car; confortable seat (prefer sling), 5 point harness; prevents the trailer from tipping if the bike does, and of course price. The brands that I have been looking at are InStep, Croozer 535 (goes for around $350 - $400), Dreamer Design Exec Wide (found this on sportliquidators.com). Does anyone have any advise or information about these brands, especially the last 2 brands. I would like to get it very soon with the nice weather finally arriving. Thank you

SaskCyclist

https://www.chariotcarriers.com/

Check it out. I have had two of these. We bought the basic one (Cabriolet) which was a more dedicated bike trailer and sold it (for a small loss) and moved up to a Cougar II. Although more expensive, I wouldn't change a thing. We have the stroller attachments and the jogger attachments. Youshouldn't use it as a bike trailer until your baby is about one and can hold his/her head up with the jarring that occurs when in use as a trailer. It easily converts to a jogger and back. We got a sling with ours for use when the baby was under a year for running.

caloso

A second vote for the Chariot.

Not cheap, but worth every penny. My twins have been in several 5Ks and 10Ks, and we've gone on long runs in the rain and they've been perfectly cozy and dry. Now that it's summer, we use it mostly as a bike trailer and we've had fun going to the park and to grandma's house.

I would definitely recommend it.

oldskoolboarder

Just got my chariot cougar 2. I agree, it's EXTREMELY versatile. The fact that it's a great stroller and good trailer is probably it's highlights.

That being said, as a straight trailer, the Burley is the best. I can carry 2 kids and 3 bags of groceries w/ no problems. The Chariot has very little storage space.

ashy92

i own a chariot cougar 2 also

if you want great quality, very versitile, and lots of options go with a chariot

gettingGoing

Are people using the Chariot's with road bikes or MTBs? I am in the market as well, and have wondered if people shy away from attaching to their road bikes, in my case a Cannondale not designed for touring.

Any issues or concerns to be aware of?

Thx

caloso

I don't think there's a major issue about the way it connects to the bike. It uses a ball and socket connector: the socket attaches to the rear wheel skewer. As I understand it, that's probably the strongest part of the bike since it already has to support your weight and resist the stresses of pedaling, braking, and turning.

Right now, I've got the twins' chariot hitched to an 80's vintage GT mountain bike but I've also pulled it with my carbon race bike and have had no problems.

I think the most important factor of the bike is that it have low enough gearing so you don't kill yourself going up a hill, that the brakes be strong and reliable, and that it be a stable enough ride. I think those factors eliminate track bikes, but almost anything else should be fine.

Phantoj

If you have a Cannondale road bike, the Chariot skewer is probably a better idea than the Burley hitch...

oldskoolboarder

Forgot about the hitch...

I actually prefer the Burley hitch, but all my bikes are steel. The chariot can get $$$ if you have multiple bikes because each needs a hitch. AND, it can be kind of a pain if you have solid axle wheels, especially if you don't have a lot of extra axle to add a hitch. The Burley just attaches to the rear triangle, which I liked.

I love the Chariot's versatility. As a jogger, it's fantastic, VERY easy to push, even w/ 2 kids. But, I went grocery shopping on Sat and it was hard to put even 1 bag of groceries into the Chariot. And that's after buying the extra cargo rack.

DynamicD74

Has anyone tried the Trek child trailer? I really like the look of the "cage," that completely surrounds the children's area, but I don't know anyone who has either tried or has one. Any thoughts....?

raisin

Here's another one for the pile:

https://www.wicycle.com/bdt.htm

Ours should arrive sometime this week. I'll let you know how it goes.

It's gotten good reviews, and has a hard plastic bottom and better seat width than some of the others.

reviews:
https://www.wicycle.com/bicycling.jpg
https://www.adventurecycling.org/reso...lerroundup.pdf
https://www.gearreview.com/wike_moonlite.php
https://www.epinions.com/bike-Trailer...splay_~reviews

PoorBehavior

I have a Burley, for about three years now I guess. You can get a skewer connection for the burley, ($40.00) for bikes that the hitch does not fit. I am not sure why I ended up getting the burley, but I am very glad that I did.
Over the past couple of years I have become a little paranoid with something so important riding behind me and with all the idiots on the road I have taken to using alternate paths while I trail my son and the Burley has not only held up but looks almost new. On the road it rides fantastic. I use it 2-3 days a week to pick him up from day care and he loves riding in it.

Fibber

New to this forum - inaugural post!

I purchased a Burley Bee trailer on Saturday, and hit a rail trail with my kids on Sunday. My 2.5 yr old in the trailer, 9 year old on her new Giant 225. I pulled the trailer with my Trek Navigator 200. We did a little over 10 miles total, and got back to the car exhausted (yes, I am a bit out of shape...), but we had a blast.

The little one loved the trailer. We stopped a few times to play, but she got a bit fussy the last mile. The unit is very nice, but could use some seat padding from the shoulders down to avoid the problems of her helmet pushing her head forward and down. I now realize what the 'helmet pocket' on the upper crust models is for!

Overall, for the price I paid (floor model discounted to $179), it is a well designed/built unit. It is not jogger/stroller convertable (all the other models are...), but we have no real need for that - just needed a bike trailer. I like the stock hitch as it attaches quickly, and flexes well.

willieb

We just bought one of the Trek Super Doodlebugs yesterday. So far I have to say that I love it but don't have anything really to compare it to.

bkrider

Hi, I'm trying to do some research on a jogger kit and found this thread. I have a Burley Encore and want to get the jogger kit so I can use it as a stroller as well when we go on vacation (love the room it has). Does anyone have this kit? I'm trying to figure out if it breaks down easily and if the kit stays intact to the frame or does it come apart in pieces? I'll need it to break down at a boarding gate and am curious if I need a bag to hold the tires/parts if there are a bunch. Thanks!

thelazywon

My LBS is ran by a 70 year old man who does it because he loves it and not so much as a super profit building business. He showed me a Topeak jogger/stroller that he can get for 160 bucks. He said he's ordered it for several people and they all like it. I am going to get it next week, so I'll let you know how it is.

bemis23

I don't have a trailer yet either, but I've done some research. The Dreamer Design is nice. It has the recessed helmet pockets so the helmet doesn't slide forward on kids, the seat is slightly padded and sturdy enough where two kids won't slide into middle of it (although it is not a sling seat). The mesh is good- small holes so no debris will fly through it, and it has decent storage in back and a decent floor to it. It is HUGE though! Very wide (easy to manuever, because it is light and swivel wheel with stroller) and long when swivel wheel is on it. So that makes it awkward. Also, it doesn't have the bars that go around wheel for extra protection. I like it a lot better than Schwinn Mark III. Seems higher quality, although bulkier.
I haven't done as much research on Instep- only one I would consider getting is the Rocket aluminum, but I can't find any info on them, and no one seems to carry them or have them as floor model. And I know nothing about the Croozer.