Burley versus Thule Chariot trailer

[John_S]

Hi All,

I'm just wondering if anybody can help with any advice/recommendations when it comes to buying a bike trailer.

I have two children and the main priorities are the safety and comfort of our kids. Myself & my wife have saved up and we're willing looking to get something that will last and if it's a good trailer hopefully have some resale value as well once our children have outgrown it.

Our shortlist is down to the following:-

Burley D'Lite
http://www.burley.com/page_308/dlite.html

Thule Chariot Cheetah 2
http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products...d-carriers/thule-chariot-cheetah-2-_-10100819

and the Thule Chariot Cougar 2
http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products...arriers/thule-chariot-cougar-2-red-_-10100936

In terms of the bikes that they will be towed by I have a circa 2003/4 ish (I'm not certain of its age because I bought it secondhand) Trek 7.1 hybrid which is a derailleur geared, v-brake equipped bike and my wife has a Specialized Globe Daily step through internal hub gear (Shimano Nexus) bike with calliper brakes. My long term aim is to save for a steel framed disc brake equipped bike with internal hub gears for my daily year round all weather commute but for now buying the kids trailer will wipe me out financially but the kids & keeping them safe is the priority and so my new bike takes second fiddle and will have to wait. However a consideration is that the trailer would need to be capable of being towed by the bikes that we currently have and fingers crossed in the future by a disc brake equipped bike.

Thanks in advance to anybody who has any thoughts, tips or advice!

John

 

[Dan B]

Can you borrow one first and see if the kids actually like it? We have a chariot cx2 but we haven't used it more than once or twice for cycling because kid #1 really didn't like being so low to the ground and unable to talk to mum/dad.

(We get a lot more use out of it for skating, so it wasnt wasted. But ...)

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I had a Burley trailer 10 odd years ago for the 2 youngest. Riding with them in it in Heaton Park being towed by my Birdy folder I got my front wheel caught in the mini railway track and jacknifed, chucking me off and flipping the trailer.

The trailer was on its side, completely undamaged, the kids were hanging happily in there still safely strapped in, laughing like drains and asking me to do it again.

Dont know if that's what you want with safe but I was exceptionally impressed with the robustness of the whole set up and the tow hitch was adaptable to all of my bikes, including the Birdy with its less than standard shaped rear wheel section

 

[John_S]

Hi Dan B, thanks for the tip and I will ask LBS as well friends and work colleagues to see if anybody has one that we could try to see how the kids like it.

Hi shouldbeinbed, thanks for this message as it's really great real world use feedback and gives me confidence in the safety of the Burley trailers.

Thanks,

John

 

[Puddles]

I had a Burley trailer 10 odd years ago for the 2 youngest. Riding with them in it in Heaton Park being towed by my Birdy folder I got my front wheel caught in the mini railway track and jacknifed, chucking me off and flipping the trailer.

The trailer was on its side, completely undamaged, the kids were hanging happily in there still safely strapped in, laughing like drains and asking me to do it again.

Dont know if that's what you want with safe but I was exceptionally impressed with the robustness of the whole set up and the tow hitch was adaptable to all of my bikes, including the Birdy with its less than standard shaped rear wheel section

The father managed to roll the Skiiddii attached to his electric bike... Maggots response was similar... upside down all firmyl strapped in laughing her head off shouting woohoo woohoo again Papa again!

 

[User482]

We have a Burley D'lite and it's superb. Very stable and robust, big boot, and reasonable room for 2 kids. It's also not much wider than a Croozer single trailer, which may be important if you need to negotiate pinch gates and narrow paths.

 

[Jayaly]

Another thumbs up for the Burley here. Nice to pull and Smallest Boy thinks it's great. I learned the hard way not to inflate trailer tyres to the same pressure as my own bike, though. Boom.