I have seen one in use by two people who were riding up Le Petit train du Nord (a very nice 200-km rails-to-trail bike route in Québec) and they liked it very much. They were 2 adults and two children of about the same size (twins perhaps) travelling with 2 adult bikes, one child bike and the Side Car. Children alternated between the Side Car and the single bike.
Prior to that sight, I didn't like the concept at all and I don't think I like it much more afterwards. Here are my comments – both positive and negative.
– The Side Car is wide. According to the website, the "door pass through" is 32 in., which is 0,5 in narrower than their 2-children trailer. However, when you ride with the Side Car, you need a little bit more elbow room on the left side whereas when you ride with a trailer, your elbows fit within the trailer's width. So practically speaking, your "vehicle" will be 36 inch wide; whether it is a problem or not depends on where you ride. BTW, I'm not sure that the "32-in door pass-through" is measured at the end of the left handlebar grip.
– I found the Side Car cockpit relatively small. I have visions of my children NOT fitting there when they were dressed in Winter gear. A quick look at their website reveals that shoulder width is 15 in for the Side Car vs 17 in for the single child trailer and 25 in for the two-children trailer. Most of their 1 and 2-children trailers also have lots room to carry stuff, whereas the Side Car has almost none.
– With the Side Car, the bicycle leans very well, so you don't need to dream of the sidecar flipping over in a tight turn. Still I am not sure I would have been able to do a few of the emergency manoeuvres I have done with the bike + trailer or even bike + trailercycle + trailer "road train". Before you ask, most of these manoeuvres were to avoid other "cyclists", and once it was a bear, but never a car (and yes, I ride with cars).
– Installing the Side Car is not a chore, but it takes longer than installing the trailer behind a bicycle. Think about it if you need to remove the side car twice a day to bring the bike inside your home.
– I noticed a few significant scratches on the bike where the Side Car was attached to the bicycle. Nothing serious; I woudn't mind them on my commuter, but wouldn't like those on my nice touring bike.
– Conversation with your boy might be a little bit easier with the Side Car than with the trailer. But then, I don't do conversation when I ride or drive. On the other hand, I had no problem hearing my daughter in the trailer and when I used the road train, my two daughters never had any problems speaking to eachother.
– Watching the kid. There isn't really a need for that, but since I ride with a helmet-mounted mirror, I just need to look up and see the child in the mirror.
– I have not tried the Side Car on ice or on bad trails, but I have done my share of all-season riding with the trailer and some off-road riding with the trailer too (very slowly, mind you). Now that my kids are too old for the trailer, I still use it fairly often to carry lots of food or bulky items.
Late addition:
One feature my 2000 Chariot carrier lacks is a meshed seat. With a good headwind, the trailer acts as a parachute.
Last edited by Michel Gagnon; 01-09-06 at 01:44 PM.