Bike Trailer / Child Carrier Suggestions

[ZeroGravity]

Looking to draw on the experience and knowledge on the parents and bike shop employees of beyond...

I'm looking to get a bike trailer / child carrier type of unit to tow behind the bike. I suppose the obvious and most expensive brand would be the Thule Chariots. Then there's the MEC ones and In-step ones at Costco.

Any experience or suggestions as to what features I should look for?

I need the double ones, or ones that can seat two. I'm pretty sure my son who has ridden on a bike mounted child seat would not like it, but with a second child in fall, bike mounted seats will no longer be feasible in the future.

[JRSC00LUDE]

I went through this a couple years ago and went with a Chariot. It's hands-down been worth every cent.

I wouldn't even waste my time with anything else. The plus side is, try and find a used one. It's hard to find one as they sell almost instantly and they hold their value. When you're done with it, so long as you've kept it in good condition, it'll be easy to recoup a good chunk of your cost.

[ZeroGravity]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
I went through this a couple years ago and went with a Chariot. It's hands-down been worth every cent.

I wouldn't even waste my time with anything else. The plus side is, try and find a used one. It's hard to find one as they sell almost instantly and they hold their value. When you're done with it, so long as you've kept it in good condition, it'll be easy to recoup a good chunk of your cost.

Yeah, that's what I've found when looking at kijiji. Did you get the models with suspension? I suppose only the most basic one doesn't have suspension.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Yes, I got the "Cougar". I figured it epitomized what I was looking for as I was out for a stroll with my little wing-man! :rofl:

[blairtruck]

i aso have a chariot cougar. bought my first one used. sold it for 10$ more then i bought it for a year later. then bought a new one and ran that thru my wife health spending account at work.

use it everyday. im not sure of the costco ones and such but do they switch between bike/walk/ski like the chariots do?

[ZeroGravity]

Originally posted by blairtruck
i aso have a chariot cougar. bought my first one used. sold it for 10$ more then i bought it for a year later. then bought a new one and ran that thru my wife health spending account at work.

use it everyday. im not sure of the costco ones and such but do they switch between bike/walk/ski like the chariots do?

for the chariots, i'm looking at the Cougar 2 as well, good idea about getting it through the health spending account, need to wait till August though.

Just looked at costco.ca again, no more In-Step brand trailers, but MammaCangura... http://www.costco.ca/MammaCangura-B-Taxi-Bicycle-Trailer-for-Two.product.100099831.html

Just bike attachment only it seems.

[sputnik]

Buy a Chariot on Kijiji.

Don't bother spending MSRP on something you can buy used in mint condition for half the price new.

MANY people buy Chariots thinking they will use them everyday, but like a gym membership they get used once a week/month and sit in the garage until the kid outgrows it.

[Unknown303]

I have the cougar 2. Awesome carrier.. I use it behind my bike and just as a stroller for the two kids. The suspension is amazing and really smooths out the ride for the kids.

[atgilchrist]

I just picked up the ibert seat. It sits over the handlebars, but you don't actually even notice the kid's weight on the bike.

[phreezee]

I would just get the MEC one. For the amount of use, it's the right price.