Child Bike Trailer?

Redgirl82

Looking for options for Children bike trailer. Already have a bike seat for 1 child, she is nearly 2 and loves it but now have 2 and looking at options.

I was thinking a bike trailer. No idea where to start so googled and halfords came up. The website says they have special offers on but no sign of what original price was. Just wondering is this any good? I know halfords bikes are s**t

http://www.halfords.ie/kids-zone/kids-bike-accessories-helmets/child-bike-seats-trailers/halfords-double-buggy-child-bike-trailer

What other options are available? recommended? Thanks

jethrothe2nd

Can't really fault that trailer from Halfords. For us it has been worth every penny. Kids love it (3yo and 1.5yo) and it's light and easy to pull.

tomasrojo

The Chariot Cougar is excellent. But it's expensive. First-rate stroller too (albeit a bit big and slow to fold down). And a pretty handy trailer for odd-shaped cargo (other than children). I've used it every day for over five years (mostly as a stroller, but a fair bit as a trailer, including bringing a kid's bed from Ikea to Dundrum) and it's still going fine. Very sturdy, handles well, low centre of gravity.

martyc5674

I had a trailer kids didn't like it preferred to be up on the bike.
I have 1 on a seat on the crossbar and 1 on the back in a hamax.
I prefer it too as you occupy less road space and less likely to be hit.
Marty.

tomasrojo

If you're looking to carry two kids in the trailer, the Chariot Cougar 2 does that -- very well from what I've heard, though I've no first-hand experience. But I think it's much too wide to use as a stroller, so it didn't suit me. I just kept going with the single-child model and added a kiddie board to the rear axle (for use as a stroller, not a trailer).

kenmc

Redgirl82 wrote: »

Looking for options for Children bike trailer. Already have a bike seat for 1 child, she is nearly 2 and loves it but now have 2 and looking at options.

I was thinking a bike trailer. No idea where to start so googled and halfords came up. The website says they have special offers on but no sign of what original price was. Just wondering is this any good? I know halfords bikes are s**t

http://www.halfords.ie/kids-zone/kids-bike-accessories-helmets/child-bike-seats-trailers/halfords-double-buggy-child-bike-trailer

What other options are available? recommended? Thanks

other options... cargo bike? I bought a bullitt a few weeks back, its super. #2 still a little small to ride in it, but a couple of weeks...

barrabus

Redgirl82 wrote: »

Looking for options for Children bike trailer. Already have a bike seat for 1 child, she is nearly 2 and loves it but now have 2 and looking at options.

I was thinking a bike trailer. No idea where to start so googled and halfords came up. The website says they have special offers on but no sign of what original price was. Just wondering is this any good? I know halfords bikes are s**t

http://www.halfords.ie/kids-zone/kids-bike-accessories-helmets/child-bike-seats-trailers/halfords-double-buggy-child-bike-trailer

What other options are available? recommended? Thanks

croozer for kid 2 is a good midrange option. I have one and have used it a lot with no issues other than the stock tires being pretty average..

Redgirl82

Thanks all for the replies, does anyone know if this is actually on special? I dont really need for a while so would rather the 125 sitting in my pockets, will buy and store if this is decent price?

Redgirl82

kenmc wrote: »

other options... cargo bike? I bought a bullitt a few weeks back, its super. #2 still a little small to ride in it, but a couple of weeks...

I never actually knew what they where called, seen one the other day and thought it was great idea. Only other time I had seen them was in Holland years ago....

Just wondering, how do you store them? they look big and bulky...

Where you buy? Thanks

Polar wizard adventure

The Halfords trailer is good value and well put together. You need a bit of practice to get the confidence to go out on the roads with it but once you have that then its great. Very important to "own the lane" when pull it, to stop gob****es trying to squeeze past.

kenmc

Redgirl82 wrote: »

I never actually knew what they where called, seen one the other day and thought it was great idea. Only other time I had seen them was in Holland years ago....

Just wondering, how do you store them? they look big and bulky...

Where you buy? Thanks

Mine goes in the garage, the bullitt is narrow enough that it's only as wide as the handlebars of a regular mountain bike, so where a mountain bike can go, a bullitt can too.
It's about 70cm longer than a normal bike.

I got mine in ThinkBike in Rathmines, they're the agent for the Bullitt. It's expensive, but worth it I think as I'll be doing creche run for the next couple of years. You can get cheaper alternatives - slightly cheaper or much cheaper, depending on your preference or spec, but I went with the Bullitt because of the rain canopy primarily.

They take a few mins to get the hang of but once you get a few kilometers under your belt it's a doddle.

Other options are Dutch Bike Shop in goatstown (sell workcycles, christiana, maybe baboe), GreenAer off pearse street (bakfiets, milano, trio).

Personally I don't like the idea of a trailer, because in my mind (which may or not be true)
- they don't have brakes, so if you suddenly hit the anchors it could jacknife
- because they are attached to one side of the frame they would almost certainly stress the frame asymmetrically, which can't be good.
- when cycled empty they would probably bounce around the road a bit.
As I said, that all might just be in my head, I've never used one nor indeed researched it. I would be ok using one on say one of the greenways, where it's (almost) all off-road, but not keen on a dublin commute.
Each to their own though

Redgirl82

kenmc wrote: »

Mine goes in the garage, the bullitt is narrow enough that it's only as wide as the handlebars of a regular mountain bike, so where a mountain bike can go, a bullitt can too.
It's about 70cm longer than a normal bike.
.........

Thanks for info. I actually found ThinkBike after a bit of googling, suppose I should have googled first and then asked but it feels like Monday morning and was being lazy

It's a bit steep at the moment. Really I want an easy way to travel with 2 kids on the bike. Just for going around Phoenix park and enclosed parks etc like that. Will be limited road travel.

We are thinking of changing creche and plan would be to cycle to new creche so if that happens I would invest. At the moment too much money for something we might not use on regular basis

The current creche is on back road and I would not even cycle the road on my own. Way too dangerous.

I see your points on the trailer. I would take it on & off when not using it.

tomasrojo

Another cargo bike used by some people on this forum:
http://www.bear-bicycles.com/bike-shop/15-delivery-bike.html

Will probably get this if I can save enough money. Not going well so far though.

pmcc1

Redgirl82 wrote: »

We are thinking of changing creche and plan would be to cycle to new creche so if that happens I would invest. At the moment too much money for something we might not use on regular basis

Don't be dissuaded on cost. I got a lovely 2-wheeler cargobike last year from this online German shop (Google "fahrrad ass bakfiets", had to Google translate every step). Total cost inc. delivery ~€800, within 2 weeks.
The boy adores it. Thinks he is Lord Muck.