Hi Moms,
I am looking to buy a bike trailer (new or used) for my kiddos - I was at a bike shop yesterday and my son sat in the Burley d'Lite and it seemed like he was kind of cramped in there . . . he is very tall for his age, and I wonder if any of you use a trailer for a tall or older child and what you would recommend or not recommend. I would also like it to easily convert to a stroller. thanks!
I bought the Schwinn Trailblazer from a neighbor who was moving and did not want to take it with them. I love it. It makes a great jogging stroller, which is what I primarily use it for. It easily converts back and forth, has plenty of room for two, and leg room to boot. Like someone else mentioned, if you can, I would try it out before you buy to be sure your son will fit comfortably.
We have the Chariot Cougar and we love it. There are different models with different features (and prices). You purchase the main chassis (seat, cover, 2 wheels) and then get the conversion kits you want - they have strolling, jogging, biking, hiking and skiing. We have the jogging and biking kits and they both work well and are REALLY easy to switch. The cockpit part is really nice with a good amount of room and a generous height allowance. It seems to ride really smoothly and has a good suspension system.
I researched these quite a bit before buying and the Chariot seemed to be the best choice for us - great quality (the Burley by comparison seems very cheaply made, especially the cockpit part), versatile and it got great parent reviews. It is pricey, but when considering the price of a double jogger and separate bike trailer, it is totally worth it. We compared to the BOB Revolution dbl jogger and it is actually lighter and the dimensions are smaller, even though the seating room is larger. I was really surprised by this.
We purchased ours at REI during their recent sale (20% off all Chariot products) and they had them in the store to check out. However, I recently moved from Chicago to Utah so I'm not sure about the local REI store stock. You can call to find out if they have them to test.
Also, for what it is worth, the first time we took it out on the bikes to a popular local trail we saw sooo many other Chariots. There were a few other trailer brands but the Chariots by far outnumbered them. This is a very active area and it seemed to be the most popular choice with other parents here. The REI reps said they sell a ton of Chariots, as well.
My 18 month old loves sitting in it and going for rides (we have another on the way).
We have a Kidarooz(?) that does both. I have exactly the same = a 1 year old and a tall 4 year old. I didn't but it even considering it for my 4 year old but of course now he wants to go in it too. He does fit. I wouldn't say that he looks like he has room to grow with it but he fits enough that he still wants to go in it. When I turn it into a stroller it pushes like a dream, btw! I didn't realize that when I bought it so that was a nice surprise!
Just wanted to say be sure what ever you buy you can test it out with your older son first. I have found that a lot of the ones that convert are cramped.
