Kidy trailer! High end

mxc070

Hi

Just wondering if anybody has ever seen a high end kidy trailer?

I have seen a MTBing one, with one wheel and a shock, but thinking about a road version. There must be something out there?

ride_whenever

Chariot do some very good high end trailers, pm me if you're after a bit more info...

andrewc3142

We bought a Croozer Kid 1 last week. We did look at the Chariot models, but by the time you add on all the bits that come with the Croozer they work out at a fair old price.

Our youngest is just 4 months so we got the baby sling and the infant insert as well as the rain cover.

Not yet used on the bike, but first impressions are that it is well thought out and solid. My wife has used it a few times already for running along the (fairly hard and level) canal path and in the forest. Top marks from her so far. She did say that off-road running wasn't really on because it doesn't have suspension, although I have some doubt whether that on the Chariots would be good enough for running over rough ground.

Top marks from the kid, too. Fell asleep straight away. The baby hammock looks very comfortable.

It will be used on the bike, but probably not for another couple of months, when he's 6m and it's a bit warmer.

Hope that's helpful.

mrushton

Looked at trailers but the LBS advised me against one because they don't really work in so much as cornering etc. You can corner a bike by leaning over but obviously a trailer cant do that so we've gone for a bike seat. trailers are useful for long straight runs tho' so I wo't discount them. Chariot and Croozer both good plus have a high resale value so you may be looking at a 50%+ resale

andrewc3142

With all due respect to your LBS, bike trailers work very well, for kids, cargo, etc.

Pipster3

mrushton wrote:

Looked at trailers but the LBS advised me against one because they don't really work in so much as cornering etc. You can corner a bike by leaning over but obviously a trailer cant do that so we've gone for a bike seat. trailers are useful for long straight runs tho' so I wo't discount them. Chariot and Croozer both good plus have a high resale value so you may be looking at a 50%+ resale

Not sure of your logic there :?

The bike will still lean for cornering as there is a pivot point where the trailer connects which allows the bike to lean and corner ...most trailers have a wide foot print and to flip one over on a corner when loaded is very unlikley to happen ...

dynastarg9

I've got a chariot cougar 1 which my 2 year old daughter comes mtbing in with me. It's got big wheels so rolls really well and has a really nice suspension system (based on steel leaf springs). It's really good off road and just as good on road. You do have to alter your riding style a bit because it pulls you around a bit. I use it behind my mtb, but couldn't say what it's like on behind a road bike.
They are a bit pricey... £700 incl the jogging kit, but worth every penny.

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/cougar.php

(They are very hard to find though.. mine was the last one in the UK before christmas)

baudman

andrewc3142 wrote:

With all due respect to your LBS, bike trailers work very well, for kids, cargo, etc.

No respect to your LBS from me. I reckon they were told to move stock.

Agree with other comments re: trailers. Very stable, even at high speed cornering (not that I'd recommend that). And at the time, if I could have afforded it, I would have got a chariot. (Burleys have only been occasionally available here in Aus.)

White Horse

mrushton wrote:

Looked at trailers but the LBS advised me against one because they don't really work in so much as cornering etc. You can corner a bike by leaning over but obviously a trailer cant do that so we've gone for a bike seat. trailers are useful for long straight runs tho' so I wo't discount them. Chariot and Croozer both good plus have a high resale value so you may be looking at a 50%+ resale

I suspect your LBS doesn't stock trailers then? I've been advised by an LBS not to get a trailgator but to go for a tag-a-long instead. When I asked if he stocked trailgators - guess what....?

Trailers are great. We've got an Avenir one. Hard base and about £130-150. Had it years. When the smallest child grows out of it it will be used for shopping and carrying the stuff required for days out and picnics.

kevinharley

Hi - we had a Chariot Cougar 1 (for 1 child) and then changed to a cougar two when we got our second baby. They are expensive (but also high end, which is what you were looking for), but also very very good. Rolls very well, stable, confortable - we have done some minor off-road cycling (and running) with ours, also on road, although not with a road bike.

Def recommended.

If you get one, and need a baby sling or the small child insert, PM me - we have these to sell (but will be keeping our chariot for a couple of years to come!)

Cheers,
Kevin

zebra67

Does nobody plug the Burley D'Lite any more? When I looked into it (6 years ago) there wasn't much in it between Chariot & Burley. I got a Chariot Cougar 2 mostly because I could use US Dollars for the purchase, else I would have had a Burley, or maybe a Wike or a Dolphin (Danish make). The Cougar is not that great in wet weather (not proofed enough), we have mould on ours. I would look more closely at how good it was at dealing with wet, if I was buying again. Also, the Chariot Captain is (I think) their urban model with a solid base -- again, better for utility journeys than the Cougar is.

Drfabulous0

White Horse wrote:

mrushton wrote:

Looked at trailers but the LBS advised me against one because they don't really work in so much as cornering etc. You can corner a bike by leaning over but obviously a trailer cant do that so we've gone for a bike seat. trailers are useful for long straight runs tho' so I wo't discount them. Chariot and Croozer both good plus have a high resale value so you may be looking at a 50%+ resale

I suspect your LBS doesn't stock trailers then? I've been advised by an LBS not to get a trailgator but to go for a tag-a-long instead. When I asked if he stocked trailgators - guess what....?

Trailers are great. We've got an Avenir one. Hard base and about £130-150. Had it years. When the smallest child grows out of it it will be used for shopping and carrying the stuff required for days out and picnics.

Firstly the LBS that reccomended the child seat is just plain wrong, the rear mounted seats unweight the bike and feel awful to ride with, whereas even a cheap trailer handles much better and corners just fine.

As for trailgators, they are horrid , they feel like they are listing to one side all the time where a proper tag-a-long feels much more rigid and in control. I can't blame them for not stocking it, we don't stock them either because we don't sell products we don't believe in.

I have used loads of trailers over the years, kiddy ones, cargo ones, stock and home made. The Chariots are pretty nice as are the Burleys, I've not used the Croozers. I even used one for £80 from Halfords and it's only failing was durability. If I was to reccomend one on cost/quality balance it would be the Adventure AT1, available through Madisons from any bike shop for £230. It is rugged, stable, has a decent luggage capacity and reasonable weight , all for a sensible price, you can add a stroller kit for under £50.

baudman

Drfabulous0 wrote:

As for trailgators, they are horrid , they feel like they are listing to one side all the time where a proper tag-a-long feels much more rigid and in control. I can't blame them for not stocking it, we don't stock them either because we don't sell products we don't believe in.

YMMV. Installation error? And/or bike geometry(s). Ours works a treat. 13m now. Used twice a week or more.


I had a good look at a Burley on the weekend. Owned by a guy who runs a bike shop. He was tearing strips off it (figuratively) and, when compared with the Croozer that was also in our posse, I had to agree with him. Not sure what model it was, but just a lot of really annoying things. (It tracks 2/3 off the centre. Rear hood attachment very loose. Pads on straps fall off... lots of other complaints, but can't remember them. And yes, he does stock the Croozer, but he's happy not to stock the Burley, based on that one anyway.

oodboo

We bought an Adventure AT-2 from my LBS for a trip to Centre parks last year. I still use it most weekends in the local woods. My little fella (21 months) has cerebral palsy and has very low muscle tone in his trunk. This means he can't support himself in a sitting position. Once he's strapped in he's pretty comfortable in there and even over the rough trails in the woods he's comfy enough to sleep. It doesn't have any suspension as it's quite a basic trailer so I run the tyres quite soft to take the sting off the trail. These things aren't designed for speeding round so apart from the extra weight (especially on the hills) the handling of the bike is not effected.

We've now got number 2 due in a couple of weeks so I'll be looking to upgrade to something better in the future but for short trips out the AT-2 has been great.