Bike Trailer/jogging Stroller

I love my Instep trailer! The only thing I don't like is the stroller handle attachment is hard to get on tight...I mainly use it behind my bike though.

There are so many different kinds. I bought ours at a garage sale and have seen others at Once upon a child or play it again sports for great prices as well. Schwin makes one, target even sells one. The biggest things to look at when buying one is to make sure they have something safe for the kid(s) to be buckled into, that they were a helmet and that the connection onto the adult bike is strong. I wish I would have bought one with a front wheel that turns down to also use as a stroller. When you bike someplace and then want to get out and walk around you have the stroller right there.

I have a Zooper Boogie & I love it. Got it for half-price on eBay, with only slight wear. Took me a long time to decide on one though. Good luck!

We have two Instep trailers for our daughters - kudos to the mom & dad who both pull 2 kids in their Burleys!! I'm too much of a wimp to do that; after having one Instep trailer for about a month, we bought a second one.
What I heard about Burley is that they are slightly smoother when you're pulling them. The Instep has a bit of a jerk, which is really most noticeable when going up a hill.
However, I really, really LOVE our trailers. This will probably be the last season we use them for our daughters, but I plan to keep them for any future kids, as well as for grocery store runs. I have found them to be very roomy, although they are a little snug with two bigger kids in them.
The ones we have came with a "trunk" space, which is great when we're going for a picnic or to the store with the girls. They fold down flat very easily, and we've taken them with us when we go on road trips. The wheels detach and the top folds down into the base - we can get both trailers and our luggage in our trunk with no problem.
I found one of these trailers in a resale shop for $50. It didn't come with a stroller attachment and there was a rip in the netting, so I ordered those things online. The second trailer was purchased new and came with the stroller kit, and I got it on sale for about $80. I think they're a great deal and work very well for our purposes. I'd recommend the Instep to anyone.

Hi. We have an instep and LOVE it. It is ver easy to attach and de-tach. It folds flat and ports well with the bikes. We only pull our one sone in it, and it is plenty roomy for him. We have had him and a neighbor kid and it is a little tight, but I think that is the case with all.

Linda

I am selling my bike trailer at my garage sale in June. It is almost brand new. I got it at a garage sale where the people only used it a 1/2 dozen times and we only used it 2 times. I cannot remember what brand it is but I will let you know if your interested in knowing. I will be selling it for $70.00.

K.

Hi C.,

I love my Burley, I looked at several different brands thinking the same thing. I went with Burley due to the safety of my child. the trailer is on a swivel so if your bike falls over or you fall over the trailer will stay upright & 5 point harness. I love it, many great memories and I was able to use it until my son was 6yrs old.

We have an Instep that converts to a stroller and I love it. It attaches to the bike in seconds and you can even buy a second coupler on their website so you can put it on another bike for quick hook-up. This trailer is very reasonable and high quality about $120.00.

For most of this stuff, you get what you pay for. If you're going to have this thing for a long time and use it a lot, I'd invest more. If it's going to be an occasional thing, then I'd probably not spend a ton. We were given an old Burley and LOVE it. Very light and easy to use. Smooth ride. And easy to find replacement parts. The hitch on the old thing atually snapped and our son was flipped. He was perfectly fine in the thing with the straps on...amazing. Found Erik's bike shop was able to order a new hitch very quickly. Also, this thing has been out in all weather and you'd never know. I'd not hesitate to buy a new one for full price, but finding a used one is probably the most economical. I would automatically replace the hitch though! If you want new and only plan to use it on occasion, then go a cheaper route! Have fun!

I have an Instep. I like it alot. It has gotten me out of alot of pinches when the car would not start. However I am not a jogger and I don't really ride a bike that often. So it works for what I needed it for. A way to get my kids from point A to point B when we had car troubles. It rolls smooth. Swithces back and forth from bike to stroller very easily even with kids in it. My only issue with it is that it does not fold down like a Burley would. You can not take this in your car very easily. This trailer is one you start at home and end at home. The bottom is all one peice and very large. It would be very difficult and cumbersome to try to put this into a trunk. It does SAY you can fold it down but I have never tried. Also I noticed the other day that my neighbor has a Burley (she just bought one) and something the Instep does not have that the Burley does is an extra space in the back for the kids' things. Like Diaper bag and such. The Instep you have to put your diaper bag on their laps or if only one child it would be ok cuz you would have extra space next to them. But with 2 kids there really is not that much room. If you DO buy a USED one make sure everything comes with it. My neighbor bought hers used on craigslist and she did not get the parts to convert it to a stroller. Its just a bike trailer. ALso the rain guard on it shrank from the sun or something and will NOT close. Make sure you can close the front peices and also that you get all the parts. Oh and make sure it has two shoulder straps per kid AND the lap belt that goes across. My sister in law bought one used and hers does not have all the straps. Hope that helps. Good luck in your search. You also may want to check online at the different brands and check Weight limits. You may end up getting one that your child is soon to outgrow. But one child I am sure would be ok compared to 2. My 2 are too big to ride together now. However I will not be riding a bike this summer as I am due with a third in July and don't think a bike ride is in the near future. LOL. BUt I do plan to use it for my 2 youngest later on after the baby is a year old. Well hope this helps. Talk laterz. J.

Hi,

We have only used Burley's with our 4 children. My husband pulls 2 and I pull 2. We also have the stroller attachment--awesome. ages 6,5,3,and 1. It's great having the storage in back for jackets, diaper bag. There's pockets in the front for the kids snacks, water bottles etc. I even take it as a stroller to garage sales. People stop on the road wanting to buy my Burley when I am at someone elses garage sale.

My husband says the reasons that Burley's are better are because...
1. They have a better attachment mechanism
2. Tires, bearings, rolls better
3. Full roll cage and 5 point seatbelts (ours tipped over to its side once--kids stayed put and were fine)
4. Easy to transport (folds up easy), switch to stroller, attach/detach to bike, put in and out of van(I can do it all--mom)
5. Better resale value.

Any more questions let me know. Hope this helps.

R.

Dear C.,
We have a Cannondale trailer and have been very happy with it. Our girls are now bike riding age and we do not need it anymore. We have since bought a wonderful tandem attachment for our 4 year old. Our trailer is yellow and rear facing with room for two kids or one kid and some groceries etc. The safety straps are over the waist and also criss-cross across the chest. We have used it for around the neighborhood and on local bike paths in our city. I have seen a variety of these and a variety of prices. I wonder if you might look at consumer reports for safety standards and durability. Are you planning to use it for around home or does your family do biking events that would call for a more heavy duty trailer? I would buy what is appropriate for your use. Buy a heavy duty if you are a serious long distance biker and perhaps a consumer grade if it is just for your neighborhood. Don't buy the Cadillac if a good safe Ford will suffice. The time you need one is short lived. Just be safe! Good luck to you!
J.

Hi,
We just bought a Columbia brand trailer that comes w/ the conversion wheel so that it is also a jogger stroller. It's big enough for 2 children, and we bought it new at Sports Authority in Roseville--it was only $140. Also, it came with the orange safety flag and a rain cover up. We really really like it, and our little guy seems to enjoy riding in it. We too heard that Burleys are great, but we just didn't want to spend so much $$$. Take care,
A.

Hello, I would say there is nothing wrong with the INSTEP brand, my dad bought one to use on his bike with my son and it worked fine.
The only reason why I got rid of it was because when it got left out in the rain all the metal hardware rusted and I couldn't snap the top to it and I needed a new tire. So, if you get an INSTEP, don't leave it out in the rain like my parents did.
And of course, make sure your boy has a helmet that fits and he's buckled in!

I don't think Burley trailers are the "best". We have a Chariot trailer/stroller and LOVE IT!!
The best thing I think is the way it hooks to your bike, you don't get the really jerky movements that I noticed when pulling a friend's child in their burley. My daughter moves around to reach for books, water, etc. and I hardly know she's back behind on the bike.

The website is www.chariotcarriers.com
They are definitely more than the burley's but so worth it! I've been using mine since my daughter was 6 months...as a trailer and as a stroller!