Experience with Bike Trailer/Stroller combos?

sfeitler

Member
Thanks, Sarah. I may just end up sticking with what I have. DH will throw a fit if I ask for htta kind of money for a new bike trailer.

I totally understand. I couldn't stomach the $300 for the Burley--got lucky and found it at a garage sale for around $125. We ride some with the girls, but not enough to justify a really nice trailer. Of course, if the trailer was really nice we might ride more, but.... probably not. The rest of our lives would still be just as busy. ;)

-Sarah
 
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Jewels

Senior Community Member
So glad to read this! We're thinking about plunking down money for a Chariot... :eek:.... :D. So I'm glad to see you guys like it. I went to REI and fiddled with it and it seemed so much better in terms of suspension than the other one they had (Burley, maybe?). Have either of you tried it with the infant sling (in stroller mode)?

I haven't but I have considered gettting one to use in stroller mode with this baby for in the summer when ds wants to ride as well. The seat back isn't super straight and if your little one can sit or is close to it then I wouldn't worry about using the infant sling :twocents:

Jewels how much do these run?

The classic line is a bit cheaper then some of their other carriers. I have the Corsaire which is at the top of the classice but I only got that because I was quoted the wrong price and it ended up only being $50 more then just the basic. I then spent another $120 for the walking kit. I bought it when I started baby sitting in my home and wanted to walk with 2 children (we only have 1 vehicle so in order for me to go anywhere I needed a double stroller for two 1yr olds) and I also wanted a bike trailer so we could bike in the evening as a family. This way I got both a double stroller and a bike trailer in one item. Sometimes I have squeezed 3 small kids in there and have been pushing close to 100lbs and still it has been incredibly easy to push. I have had it almost 3 years and have used it almost daily (except in the frigid temps we have) and totally feel it was worth the $600 we put into it.

We had looked into buying used and they were still going for $350- $400 for a 10yr old trailer with a jogger stroller.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
The classic line is a bit cheaper then some of their other carriers. I have the Corsaire which is at the top of the classice but I only got that because I was quoted the wrong price and it ended up only being $50 more then just the basic. I then spent another $120 for the walking kit. I bought it when I started baby sitting in my home and wanted to walk with 2 children (we only have 1 vehicle so in order for me to go anywhere I needed a double stroller for two 1yr olds) and I also wanted a bike trailer so we could bike in the evening as a family. This way I got both a double stroller and a bike trailer in one item. Sometimes I have squeezed 3 small kids in there and have been pushing close to 100lbs and still it has been incredibly easy to push. I have had it almost 3 years and have used it almost daily (except in the frigid temps we have) and totally feel it was worth the $600 we put into it.

We had looked into buying used and they were still going for $350- $400 for a 10yr old trailer with a jogger stroller.

For your situation I think it was a great buy! I would only use it as a bike trailer. Probably one a week. So right now I can't justify buying one.
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
For your situation I think it was a great buy! I would only use it as a bike trailer. Probably one a week. So right now I can't justify buying one.

Yeah, that is understandable :D

I know they are expensive and I had to justify buying it when we got it. It was also DH's fathers day present :whistle:
 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
BTW, if you buy a quality child carrier (that's what a Chariot IS) then you'll get a good 75% of your value out of it--maybe more, if you use the coupon--when you're done with it and re-sell it. Other carriers will likely have to be trashed after a few years' use. The Chariot seems like better value, in that sense.

-Nicole.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
BTW, if you buy a quality child carrier (that's what a Chariot IS) then you'll get a good 75% of your value out of it--maybe more, if you use the coupon--when you're done with it and re-sell it. Other carriers will likely have to be trashed after a few years' use. The Chariot seems like better value, in that sense.

-Nicole.

Very true. This is the one I really want! It runs around $500 give or take. I doubt DH will let me get one though.
 

Morganthe

New member
I have to say, I REALLY like the Chariot Side Carrier. DD's too heavy and my feet too long to put her on the back of my bike, but I've also experienced trailor tip over when I was carting our dogs around. Scary. :thumbsdown: I also don't like the aloneness of her being so far behind, so I might splurge for the side car version.

Anyone ever try it? I'm not looking for any more strollers, so I don't mind that it lacks that ability.
So $380-20%+ $30 for shipping from REI. Hmmmm. Something to think about. :whistle:

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azgirl71

CPST Instructor
I have to say, I REALLY like the Chariot Side Carrier. DD's too heavy and my feet too long to put her on the back of my bike, but I've also experienced trailor tip over when I was carting our dogs around. Scary. :thumbsdown: I also don't like the aloneness of her being so far behind, so I might splurge for the side car version.

Anyone ever try it? I'm not looking for any more strollers, so I don't mind that it lacks that ability.
So $380-20%+ $30 for shipping from REI. Hmmmm. Something to think about. :whistle:

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1146616.jpg

I like that one too, but I get concerned about having DD to the side of me when there is a narrow shoulder. I will kep my eye out on this one too :whistle:
 

miraclebabies

New member
In my previous post I said we used the jogger/stroller combo when my DD was a infant. She was about 6months old and fit perfect in it. She sat up just fine at the time and she fit really well with the 5pt harness. We only used it in our housing addition and never went very fast. She loved it and I read that it said any child younger than 1yr shold not ride in it. She fit fine and we probably only used it maybe 10 times last summer. I usually used my jogging stroller to walk around the neighborhood. I don't see any problem in her using it at 6months old..
 

southpawboston

New member
I also don't like the aloneness of her being so far behind, so I might splurge for the side car version.

that's another reason i went for a bike-mounted carrier... they don't get that much closer to you than that, and you can hear them when they have something to tell you, above the roar of the wind and other environmental noises! i don't how much better a side-car setup would be over a rear trailer in terms of being able to hear them talking.
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
Anyone use the seats that go in front of you rather than behind you? We had one with DS was smaller and used it briefly then gave it away. I seemed to be better able to balance it with the weight at the center of the bicycle than behind me. I hear that they're more common in other countries -- I know I got alot of strange looks in our neighborhood when we were out and about. :)
 

southpawboston

New member
We only used it in our housing addition and never went very fast. She loved it and I read that it said any child younger than 1yr shold not ride in it. She fit fine and we probably only used it maybe 10 times last summer. I usually used my jogging stroller to walk around the neighborhood. I don't see any problem in her using it at 6months old..

i guess as a stroller, that would be fine, but no matter how careful you are using it in bike mode, it's not good CPS practice to bike around a child younger than one year in *any* bike carrier.

that would be the equivalent of saying that it's okay to tote a baby around in a carseat improperly because someone is "just going down the street to the store, right in my own neighborhood".
 

lovinwaves

New member
I have no real input, but if I was getting one tomorrow I would definitely get the Chariot. I have heard so many good things about it here on the forum from members like Jewels :love:

I spoke with DH about this last night, and once we move he would like to get one :) :thumbsup: We were avid bike riders before having kids. We did 15-20 miles each riding session. So we would love to get our old, out of shape rumps back on the bikes :D

Now, do we get two singles ones? or get one double? :shrug-shoulders: Will I be able to save money since I don't need it to convert to a stroller/jogger?
 

southpawboston

New member
Now, do we get two singles ones? or get one double? :shrug-shoulders:

that depends! do your children enjoy being together or do they rip each other apart? i think that would be the question for us... i would imagine it gets very lonely back there, you're pretty much removed from any human involvement.
 

lovinwaves

New member
This is what I picture SPB> Dh hauling both of them in one trailer. Me, getting impatient because I want to FASTER! I hate leisure riding(I know, I know, I have to get over that with two kids now), so I am wondering if we each only have ONE child we will stay more together in riding, and neither one of us will want to pull ahead of each other?

Guess I will need to break out my hybrid instead of my road bike, huh? :p
 

southpawboston

New member
you might also want to check, some trailers aren't recommended for any style of bike other than a mountain bike or hybrid. also, if your bike has any sort of rear suspension, a trailer may not be able to be hooked up. best to check with each trailer and see their restrictions. :twocents:
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
Now, do we get two singles ones? or get one double? :shrug-shoulders: Will I be able to save money since I don't need it to convert to a stroller/jogger?

If you had a double then you would be able to bike with the kids by yourself when DH isn't around or the other way around.

With the Chariots you can buy different kinds. The Classics come with a bike attachment and you buy the conversion kits seperately. I believe they also have others available where you buy just the unit and you buy the accesories and everything that you want (ie. bike, stroller kit, jogging kit etc) seperately depending on what you want to use it for.


And as for communicating, ds and I can still talk and hear each other of course if he is talking really quietly I can't but for the most part don't have any problems hearing him.
 

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