bike trailers for small children

[Jacob Layer]

Hello,

A friend of mine wants to transport his toddler by bike in a trailer.  Does anyone have recommendations?

Best,

Jacob

[Ted Shwartz]

Plus 1 for Burley

One day I was hit twice by the same elderly woman on a bike path (long story). Both times I was knocked off my bicycle. My boys, strapped in the Burley, thought it was hilarious. They of course felt nothing, strapped in and secure in their Burley

Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul

All the best,

Ted Shwartz

On Sep 8, 2024, at 4:57 PM, Jacob Layer <jvl...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello,

A friend of mine wants to transport his toddler by bike in a trailer.  Does anyone have recommendations?

Best,

Jacob

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[Andy G]

I have a Burley Bee and a Weehoo and much prefer the Weehoo. That's got a single wheel, recumbent seat, sits a bit higher up, and has pedals for them. I had good luck with one kid up to about 7 years old and the younger one now enjoys rides to preschool on it. I like that it's a more active and open seat where we can still talk, rather than the Burley where they sit inside it and have to have a cover over it to not get blasted by dirt. I only attempted to put two kids in the Burley one time but found it too cramped to be enjoyable.

I tried a top tube seat also, but the kid didn't like it. I can't say I enjoyed having them there either.

Andy in NH

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[John Buten]

We had a "Chariot" more than a decade ago... but from what I've seen the design hasn't changed much.  It was super solid with real 20" wheels and solid hubs, good nylon strapping for securing the kiddos, etc.  Reasonably easy to break down for transport.  At the time, it was a lot better built than the Burley... which would be fine for getting to and from school, but less for a 5-10 mile road ride.  I used to take our kids from our aunt's house on the cape to the beach  Never took a spill in it. I've seen people convert them to a ski pulk as well.  It was the priciest out there, but I got it as a hand-me-down.  Is it worth the $?  Not sure.  But another data point.

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[gvoysey]

I've never been happy with trailers.  Something about carrying a load/child/pet close to the ground and behind me just gives me the willies -- and it's a bit more annoying to have a conversation, point things out on a ride, etc.

If you have the coin and the storage, I cannot recommend a cargo bike highly enough; particularly the dutch bakfiets style.  They handle like normal city bikes, they have center stands for easy loading, they can haul truly absurd amounts of weight without batting an eye, they are generally impervious to the weather (at least for the passenger!), and you can keep an eye on your cargo (or give them snacks) with ease.

I got mine (a workcycles kr8) from bicycle belle https://www.bicyclebelleboston.com/ in 2020 and it's seen daily use since.  I have seen fit to relube the chain twice in that time, and otherwise it's required no maintenance.

On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 4:57 PM Jacob Layer <jvl...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Adam Shire]

We have a Wike double and are very happy with it. https://wikeinc.com/collections/child-trailers

Customer service is excellent. Made in Canada. 

[David Lafferty]

Kid hauling continued...

My little stoker was in a Chariot trailer from age 1-5; Hamax Caress rear seat from 2-4; Weehoo Turbo trailer 3-6; and tandem stoker from 5 to 10 (and counting). 

For the Chariot, we had all the accessories for skiing, biking, and running. Winter fatbiking with the ski trailer is a cherished memory from those first few years. The trailer was great for keeping the kiddo warm during cooler months. Our trailer didn't have suspension, but it would've been a nice upgrade.

The Hamax Caress was awesome for portability, kid comfort during warmer months, and on-bike speed. We never tried a top tube seat setup. 

None of us were too crazy about the Weehoo. It was really bulky, heavy, and slow compared to the tandem or single bike with rear seat. Towing the Weehoo behind our tandem was a great way to keep the family together, though.

Our tandem is a custom Chinook all-road tandem with huge range of stoker seat heights, crank lengths, and bar positions. We've used it for school commuting most days from kindergarten to 5th grade.

On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 4:57 PM Jacob Layer <jvl...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Jacob Layer]

Thanks to all for your suggestions!  My friend is looking at all these options now.