Kids Bike Trailer: Buying Guide
How to Choose the Best Kid’s Bike Trailer
Kids’ bike trailers have tons of features to consider when you’re trying to find the best trailer for your family’s needs. After testing over a dozen trailers in the last year, here’s a quick summary of the features we’ve found to make the biggest difference in your riding experience.
1. Trailer Type
Do you want a bike trailer that’s only a trailer, or would also like to use it as a stroller or jogger as well?
Many bike trailers have the ability to convert to 3-wheeled or 4-wheeled strollers, joggers, and even ski strollers!
Trailers that include or have optional upgrades for strolling and jogging are perfect for active families that want to use their trailers for multiple activities. Other families prefer to have dedicated bike trailers and a separate stroller or jogger. We love using trailers as strollers because the front cover keeps whatever your child wants to bring along for the ride contained in that trailer!
2. Budget, Quality, and Durability
The best trailers are easier and smoother to pull, offer more comfort features for the kids, can convert to a stroller or jogger, and are much higher quality and more durable. They are also more expensive.
If you’re looking for the highest performance and durability, bike trailers by brands like Burley, Thule, or Hamax really excel. From smoother performance to thicker fabric covers, these trailers have refined designs and components, and are built to last the long haul. With trailers, you really get what you pay for. If you’re going to be riding often, you should spend as much as you possibly can.
If you’re on a tight budget, there are still solid options from brands like Allen and Schwinn. Although they are made with thinner fabric and more basic components, they are solid options for families who will be sticking primarily to paved neighborhood trails.
At the very least we always recommend that you find a trailer with 20″ wheels on metals rims. Many budget trailers have 16″ wheels on plastic rims which are lower quality and make for a bumpier ride.
The best quality trailers on a budget are made by Allen.
3. Capacity — Single Bike Trailer or Double Bike Trailer?
If you’re only ever going to have one child, a single trailer is probably the way to go. They are narrower and lighter than double trailers, making them easier to pull. If you are carrying just one child in a double trailer, they must be loaded on one side, not in the middle, so they end up being more cramped than necessary.
Double trailers are best for growing families, or families who want the flexibility of bringing along a friend or storing things along for the ride.
4. Seat Type
Basic trailers generally have what’s called “hammock-style” seating, which consists of a thick piece of fabric stretched across the frame of the trailer. These seats usually sag in the middle and don’t offer a lot of support.
Higher-end trailers have a true bench-style seat. When you have two riders, a bench style seat makes a huge difference in comfort level for those little riders. If you can afford it, bench seats are certainly worth the upgrade!
5. Weather Protection
Rain covers can save you from being stuck inside due to weather. They protect from rain, wind, and frigid fall and winter temperatures. Sunshades are a lifesaver in the scorching summer heat.
We’ve found that well-functioning rain covers and sunshades allow you to get out in almost any weather in stroller and jogger modes, and in biking mode as long as you are in safe riding conditions.
UV windows also help protect little ones’ skin, and allow you to get out without having to slather on the sunscreen.
While rain covers can be found on many basic trailers like Schwinn, InStep, and Allen, you won’t find UV windows or sunshades on those brands.
Thule, Burley and Hamax are your best bet for the best weather protection.
6. Storage
How much room you have to store items you need to bring along for the ride really comes down to personal preference. We like to err on the side of more storage than you think you might need! We’ve found ourselves hauling scooters, balance bikes, helmets, basketballs, lunches, and a family’s-worth of jackets. Higher-end trailers tend to have better storage options. Burley trailers have the most storage capacity of any other trailer brand.
7. Folding
How easy it is to fold a trailer can make the difference between you getting your trailer out on those trails, or just not wanting to bother because it’s such a pain to load it up in the car.
Once again, you get what you pay for. If you want a trailer that’s easy to fold and unfold, stick to Burley, Thule, or Hamax.
If you’ll only be riding in your neighborhood, you don’t need to worry much about this feature.
BONUS: How old does a baby need to be to ride in a bike trailer?
You cannot safely pull a baby in a bike trailer until they are 1 year old. However, if you are using your trailer as a stroller and you have a young infant, you can stroll with your baby as young as 6 weeks old.
If this is the case, you will need a baby insert so your baby’s head and neck are supported properly. These inserts can be used until your baby is at least 6 months old, if not longer.
Not all trailers have baby insert upgrades. Thule and Burley trailer/strollers are your best bet if you want to use your trailer as a stroller with a young baby.
