New parents don’t want to miss out on cycling despite having a baby and are looking for a way to take their little darling along as safely as possible. A bicycle trailer is just the right thing and especially practical if you have two children because both can fit comfortably in it. When buying a bicycle trailer, there is a lot to consider. It must not only offer maximum safety but also be comfortable to pull.
We have summarized all the important criteria for buying a bike trailer in a checklist for you. You can find a selection of great bike trailers in our product recommendations.
- There is no official specification. However, your child should be at least 1 year old.
- The child should be able to sit independently to be transported in a bike trailer.
- In Austria, helmets are mandatory for children under 12 years of age.
- However, children should always wear a bicycle helmet in the bicycle trailer.
- Reflectors and lighting ensure that the bicycle trailer is more conspicuous in road traffic.
- Bicycle trailers for children should be equipped with a test seal from TÜV or GS, for example, to ensure maximum safety.
- Some bike trailers can be used as strollers. They are especially popular for trips on uneven paths and for jogging.
- For these models, a 3rd wheel is often mounted on the front of the bike trailer to provide additional stability.
- The easiest way to attach is through a quick release. Here, no additional tools are needed.
- Another option is attachment by a wheel nut on the rear wheel.
- In addition, a safety rope should always be attached and thestability of the coupling should be checked before each ride.
Table of contents
Recommended Bicycle Trailers
We have compiled the best and most interesting bike trailers. You can find the list with our product recommendations here.
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The Best Sellers Of Bicycle Trailer
In a list of bestsellers we have compiled the most popular bicycle trailers for you.
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Current Offers Of Bicycle Trailers
You can find the best current offers on bike trailers in this list.
Bicycle Trailer Advice
I have presented five great models in my bike trailer test, all of which differ in terms of features, dimensions, and also price. To make it easier for you to decide which bike trailer is right for you and your baby, I have collected helpful information about the individual models.
The Thule bike trailer Chariot Cougar 1
At the price you flinch of course first, but I have thoroughly researched and my conclusion is: it’s worth it. The Cougar 1 is not for nothing the most popular bike trailer on the market and is characterized by its particularly sleek design. It can be used both as a bike trailer, stroller or jogger and in winter with runners like a sled. The disadvantage, however, is that the accessories must be purchased in each case, while it is already included in other models.
The Chariot Cougar 1 bicycle trailer offers space for one child. Who wants more space is well advised with the Thule Chariot Cougar 2. In Stiftung Warentest 2010, the Cougar 1 scored best in terms of harmful substances.
The Cougar 1 offers a high level of safety. The leaf suspension can be adjusted to the weight of the child and reliably absorbs shocks. During the ride, children sit comfortably in the padding and are secured by a 5-point harness.
For visibility, the Thule bike trailer is equipped with luminescent light strips on both the upholstery and the trailer, which charge during the day and start to glow when it gets dark.
While safety is paramount, how does Thule’s bike trailer ride? Very well! The lightweight is very pleasant to pull and due to the small width, you can also sometimes drive over narrow paths and enjoy the maneuverability of the bike trailer.
The Thule Chariot Cougar 1 is really worth the money and a top recommendation for all who want to be on the road more often and especially safely and comfortably with the bike.
The Burley D’Lite Bicycle Child Trailer
The D’Lite bike trailer is also very light, because it has a flexible fabric floor. This also makes it particularly easy to fold and very handy.
It has room for two children, who can comfortably fit under the waterproof canopy with sunshade. The canopy has windows to look out of and is free of harmful substances. The wider shoulder area makes the interior of the bike trailer very spacious.
Depending on your needs, the Burley bike trailer can also be easily converted, but here too extra available sets are required. Especially practical is all the storage space that the bike trailer has to offer. Thus, neither many purchases nor long trips with lots of provisions are a problem. However, since it is a two-seater, you sometimes have to be especially careful with obstacles and decelerate sufficiently in curves.
I find the handling on the suspension particularly great. The D’Lite’s suspension can also be adjusted to the weight of the occupants, and it’s as simple as can be. On both sides of the spring, a lever is simply set to one of three preset strengths, either one person, two small people, or two “big” people. It couldn’t be simpler! The brake is just as easy to operate. It simply has to be pushed from one side at the rear to the other and the bicycle trailer is reliably secured against rolling away.
In general, I find that the bicycle trailer from Burley shines with a great finish and super-easy handling. I’m really excited and can recommend the purchase of the Burley D’Lite bike trailer to everyone.
Queridoo Sportrex 2
Right from the start, the Sportrex 2 bike trailer impresses with its simple and quick assembly. The bicycle trailer from Querido looks high-quality and is well made. However, you need your own tools for the assembly.
Also in this model, care is taken that only pollutant-free materials are used. But why is the bike trailer comparatively so cheap and do you notice that? The materials are not as high quality as in more expensive models, but still, make a very good impression.
The interior is designed for two children and has 5-point harnesses. In general, the Querido Sportrex 2 bike trailer looks very safe. It has a handle that serves as rollover protection, safety pennants and reflectors, and a good suspension. This is individually adjusted to the weight of the passengers and reliably cushions bumps.
Although the price is so low, even a pneumatic buggy wheel is included, so that the bicycle trailer can be easily converted as needed. However, the conversion is not quite as simple as with other models.
I find that Querido offers a very good bike trailer for a reasonable price. Such a good suspension and good workmanship are otherwise only found in more expensive models. Who would like to spend not so much and still looking for quality, is exactly right with the Sportrex 2.
Burley Cup
The assembly of the Burley Cup bike trailer is done within 20 minutes. The instructions are illustrated and easy to understand. The bike trailer makes a high-quality impression and a very good suspension, which can also be adjusted individually here.
Thanks to the great spoked wheels, the bicycle trailer from Burley rolls quite smoothly over the ground. Due to its compact shape, it can also be maneuvered well past obstacles or through narrow alleys.
The interior is still very spacious thanks to the widening in the shoulder area. Children sit in the comfortable ergonomic seat with extra recess for the helmet. Really very well thought out. The backrest is also adjustable. The materials used are free of harmful substances and the canopy has UV protection.
For maximum safety, the Burley Cup bike trailer has a safety flag for good visibility and a good rollover protection.
The small space miracle can be folded quite easily and stowed compactly. Also, the conversion to a stroller goes smoothly. Especially nice is that the small bike trailer still offers plenty of storage space.
The Burley Cup is a high-quality and well thought-out bicycle trailer with very easy handling and a good price-performance ratio.
Croozer Kid for 2
The Croozer Kid for 2 is particularly practical if you often want to switch between bike trailer and stroller. The conversion to a stroller or jogger is particularly fast – a push of a button is enough. Folding the buggy is also quick and easy. Just because of the great handling I had to include the Kid for 2 from Croozer simply in my five recommendations.
The bike trailer from Croozer is also free of harmful substances and has a 5-point harness system so that children are kept safe in the bike trailer. The bike trailer is made especially safe by the height and width markings, so that other road users can see the Kid for 2 well, even in the dark.
A major drawback of the Kid for 2 is the lack of suspension. If you want to make babies with you, the matching Croozer baby seat is therefore recommended, which compensates for unevenness with a hammock function. On the other hand, the Kid for 2 has very good aluminum bumpers and large pneumatic tires, so that shocks on normal bike paths or sidewalks are sufficiently cushioned.
But the lack of suspension is already limiting, because long bumpy trips are not recommended and could harm your child’s spine.
Due to the lack of suspension and the simple conversion, the bike trailer from Croozer is, therefore, more suitable for parents who want to do everyday trips by bike and do not want to buy a stroller extra. But then the bike trailer is definitely recommendable and a good alternative to other models.
Bike Trailer Info
Why do I need a bicycle trailer?
Parents choose a bike trailer for a variety of reasons. Parents who like to ride a bike also want to get in the saddle as soon as possible after birth. A bike trailer, in combination with a baby seat, makes this possible as early as the second month of life. With a bike trailer, you can start riding with your baby much earlier than with a normal child seat for the bike. Bicycle trailers are also much safer than child seats.
The advantage for bike parents is that most bike trailers can be easily converted into a stroller or jogger. This is great because for many parents who mostly travel by bike, buying a stroller is not worth it. So with a bike trailer, you get both in one and also a lot of storage space, which is very convenient on longer trips or shopping.
Children also usually feel more comfortable in a bicycle trailer. Especially on longer trips, it is so more comfortable because a bike trailer offers more freedom of movement. So they are also protected from strong sunlight and wind and can still look outside.
What You Should Consider When Buying Bike Trailer
I would like to summarize the most important criteria for the purchase of a bicycle trailer.
- TÜV or GS mark
- Good coupling
- Good suspension
- foldable
- large pneumatic wheels
- easy
- 5-point harness system
- UV protection
- free from harmful substances
- Storage space
- if necessary: convertible to stroller or jogger
Another small tip: The bike trailer must not be wider than the door through which it must fit at home! This is often forgotten, but especially bike trailers for two children are sometimes too wide.
Safety For The Baby / Child
The most important aspect of the purchase decision is of course the safety. If you want to take your baby with the bike trailer at an early age, then please only with a high-quality baby shell.
If you buy a bike trailer, then you should make sure that it has the GS sign and the TÜV-Proof seal because that is already half the battle.
The bike trailer should have a 5-point harness and safe rollover protection. Your child should always be strapped in when you’re out and about. If it comes to an accident, then your child can not be thrown out of the front of the bike trailer. Also, it should not have the opportunity to move much in the trailer, otherwise, it could get out of balance.
A safety leash is a great extra that provides more safety because with a lot of bad luck it can happen that the trailer hitch fails. Because the trailer hitch does fail, it happens quickly that the drawbar falls to the ground and the trailer rolls over. With a safety line, you are on the safe side.
I also recommend a bicycle trailer where the suspension can be individually adjusted to the weight of the child. If you only want to ride shorter distances from time to time, then the suspension is not a must. But you should keep in mind that especially with babies the spine is not yet so well developed and should be protected as best as possible. Especially if you often go on trips over uneven ground, then you should definitely pay attention to a sufficient suspension.
Especially if you like to ride your bike for a longer time, you should pay attention to suitable weather protection. The hood should definitely have UV protection and also be waterproof so that your child is protected all around.
Also important are reflectors when it is dark and for daytime a flag or a pennant. This is because the bike trailer is much lower than the cyclist and is therefore easily overlooked by motorists. The reflectors should be both in the back and in the front. Some models also have a border around the entire trailer, so that other road users can see where the trailer begins and where it ends, even in the dark.
The wheels should be as large as possible and also not too thin. A low center of gravity is advantageous to reduce the risk of the bicycle trailer tipping over. There should be additional brakes on both wheels so that the bicycle trailer cannot roll away if it is ever parked.
Processing and Material
There are either trailers with a hard bottom shell or a flexible bottom unit. The flexible, of course, weighs much less, so the trailer is also generally lighter. Bicycle trailers with a flexible bottom unit are usually also easier to fold. The hard bottom shell, on the other hand, has the advantage that it is more robust and, above all, better protects against rain.
The canopy of the bike trailer should be fully closable, as well as water-repellent and with UV protection. Good quality is shown by double stitched seams, which provide more stability.
What does a good bike trailer cost?
For a good and high-quality bike trailer, you can expect prices of up to 1000 euros. How much you should invest depends, of course, on the degree of use. If you want to be very often on the road with bike and bike trailers and also sometimes want to ride bumpy routes, then it is definitely worth a little more money for a high-quality and well-equipped bike trailer in hand to take. Such a trailer offers more safety and comfort, has better suspension and is easy to pull.
If you only want to do smaller trips from time to time, then a cheaper model is also sufficient. Test marks and sufficient suspension, as well as the secure attachment, are not to be neglected here either.
FAQ About Bicycle Trailers
Although there is no official age specification, it is recommended that children are allowed to ride in the bike trailer from about 1 year. However, the manufacturer’s age recommendation should be followed in any case.
The same regulations apply to a bicycle trailer as to trailers for motor vehicles, which is why bicycle trailers can never be too big in principle. The maximum width is 2.55 m, the maximum height is 4 m, and the maximum length is 12 m.
Baby seats should be used for children who are not yet able to sit independently. In principle, however, it is recommended that children should not ride in a bicycle trailer until they are able to sit independently, which is around 1 year of age.
Common models are attached to the rear tire either by quick release or by wheel nut. A safety rope should also be used.
The maximum permitted weight for bicycle trailers is between 30 and 70 kg. However, it should be noted that the braking distance is increased, especially with a heavily loaded bicycle trailer.
A helmet should always be worn in the bicycle trailer. In Austria, helmets are compulsory up to the age of 12.
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