Choosing the perfect child trailer for your family

Getting Started:

You've seen them around town, and they look like a lot of fun, for both you and your little one(s). But there are so many options, it's hard to know where to start. That's what we're here for! Although there is a lot to choose from in bike child transportation, it is definitely good to have options. The three most common options are bike child trailers, trailer-cycles, and bike child seats. There are pros and cons to each mode of bike child transportation, so it is important to consider what type of riding you plan to do with your child and which option would make you all the most comfortable.

As far a bike child trailers are concerned, there are a few important factors you should consider before you purchase one. The first, and most important, factor to consider is the age and development of your child. For all modes of bike child transportation, we highly recommend that your child wear a helmet. However, infants (from birth to about 12 months) who are not old enough to support their own heads should not wear a helmet. Also, children under 1 year may not be physically suited to withstand riding in a bike child trailer. So consult with your child's pediatrician to determine when he or she is ready to wear a helmet and thus be ready to ride safely and comfortably in a bike child trailer. But don't worry if you want to get started immediately, most bike child trailers have stroller conversion options, so you can use the stroller feature until your child is old enough to join you for a bike ride.

The second factor to consider is what type of family cycling activities you would like to do with your child(ren) - both in the present and in the future. These days, the term bike child trailer is almost a misnomer, as nearly all of the models that we sell can be converted to a stroller or jogger. There are even hiking and skiing kits available for some of our bike child trailers. The options are endless and the potential for fun family adventures is high! To that end, we recommend selecting a bike child trailer that caters to your favorite activity and expanding your options from there. For example, the Chariot Cheetah, Cougar, and CX trailers are sold as a chassis only and you can pick your favorite conversion option(s) to start from: cycling, strolling, jogging, hiking, or skiing. On the other hand, Burley child trailers come ready-made for cycling, and you can choose from strolling or jogging kits. Meanwhile, Croozer child trailers come ready made for cycling and strolling, and the Croozer Kid 1 & Kid 2 trailers also come ready made for jogging.

The third factor to consider when selecting a bike child trailer are the features and accessories you would like to make your bike child trailer comfortable for you and your child. Our line of bike child trailers are all very easy to customize to your personal preferences and needs. All of our trailers also meet and exceed all ASTM standards for testing and materials, so you can be certain that your little ones will be safe inside the trailer you choose. Additionally, all of our bike child trailers are two-wheeled trailers, which have little impact on your bicycle's handling characteristics. The main difference you will notice when pulling a bike child trailer is the increased weight and width of the trailer, but because the load of a two-wheeled trailer is distributed between the trailer's two wheels and the hitch arm helps to keep the trailer level as the bicycle moves and turns, you will not notice much of a change in handling.