child bike trailer - which is best?

[Dreaded squirrel]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this.....I'm new to the world of cycling with kids, and am a bit bewildered by the choice and price range of trailers. Would really appreciation any recommendations and whatever the opposite of a recommendation is. Cheers.

 

[Night Train]

I've only used one type of childs trailer, the sort available from Argos but for two really small kids a bit like this one. I had a 12 year old disabled kid in it.

It was ok to pull with a hire bike on a fairly level route but it was a killer on steep slopes and access ramps especially with a kid who shouts 'Slow down!' at anything over 2mph. It tracked fine and wasn't really too noticable behind except for the weight.

I don't need a kids trailer so I haven't looked any further into the options but I am planning to build a cargo trailer.

Oh, welcome to the forum. Its good here.

 

[punkypossum]

This might be worth reading, a few recommendations in there amongst all the pro's and con's...

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2274&highlight=child+trailer

 

[Arch]

Hi Dreaded Squirrel. I know who you are... Like the name...

Hope this lot can help out. And welcome!

 

[funnymummy]

Hi Squirrel - I am a trailer tower!!
I wanted to get back into riding when my youngest was about a year, so did a huge tour of shops selling trailers - I was on a very lmited budget of £200 & all the ones that bracket seemed filmsy & insubtantial. The ones I really like Burley, Chariot were right out my range so I looked on Ebay to see if i could get a decent second hand one, but still found them going for silly money there.
But I did find an Ebay shop business based in Germany & bought one from them, it only cost me around £50 inc P&P (but I suppose the price deepend on who' bidding at any given etc)
It's steel framed with a real sturdy waterproof cover - yes it is a tad heavy at 16K but it's built like a tank & can tackle just about any terrain.
I've had it since Nov 06 & apart from scrapes on the wheel guards (from the shool gates) it's still sound, its max weight load is supposdly 45kg, but my boys together have hit that & it's showing no signs of affecting it.
I mentioned the weight - but to be honest once movin its not noticable on the flat & I can manage moderate hills easily enough - I can do big ones but only if carrying just my youngest lol!
This is like the one I have
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHILDS-BIKE-T...ryZ98932QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Silly me - I meant to include...
I have used my friends Phillips Avon trailer once & it scared the bejesus out of me - Really small, light & flimsy, my boys complained it was cramped & ery bumpy, rough bumpy, not bouncy bumpy.
Compared to my trailer it was aslo very low to the ground & I really wasn't confidant about its safety, so much so that after about a mile on road i actulay moved onto the pavement & pushed!
I wouldn't reccomned this type of trailer for anything more than a Sunday ride round the park.

 

[Night Train]

This is like the one I have
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHILDS-BIKE-T...ryZ98932QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's the sort I have used. I went to a bike hire place while on holiday ant it was the sort thay were hiring out along with an MTB.

 

[Dreaded squirrel]

Thank you all very much for the advice.

I've now been given a very secondhand Halfords trailer, but without the vital bit to attach it to my bike! Halfords don't sell spares but are trying to find out if they can get one.

Punkypossum - checked out the link from your reply and seems that Halfords is not an ideal first choice but it will at least give me the chance to see if my little boy actually likes being in a trailer.....

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Hello Mr. Squirrel
I have a big heavy steel trailer like the one Night Train mentioned, but I fitted a Carry Freedom hitch to it, instead of the friction grip thing it was supplied with. They can be a bit tricky to get hold of, but I picked mine up at Velorution in London. They don't seem to have it on their online store, but they may have one if you ring them up. They cost £15, and come with two fitting brackets.

 

[Night Train]

This thread might be helpful. Talk to Mickle as he may be able to help with trailer parts.

 

[Dreaded squirrel]

thank you prettyboytim and night train, will check those links out.

And prettyboytim - it's Mrs Squirrel to you!

 

[Arch]

This thread might be helpful. Talk to Mickle as he may be able to help with trailer parts.

And if you want an intro to Mickle (not that you'd need it, he's a lovely approachable chap), let me know. As part of the York Cycling Mafia, I know 'im well... Only this very morning, he was lubing my extremely long chain... Ooo er!

The trick of course, once your little 'un is a bit older, is to find a trailer big enough that he can pull YOU along. I've seen Mums freewheeling and propelled very well from behind by enthsiastic youngsters on trailer bikes - gotta make use of all that excess energy they seem to have!

 

[Dreaded squirrel]

Arch, you read my mind! Although am considering just ditching the Halfords trailer and trying my luck on ebay, nice weather I just want to get cycling!

 

[Arch]

If you can, keep the old trailer anyway. Sooner or later some sort of hitch will get sorted for it, and you can use it for cargo (apples for the next juicing session perhaps? ) if it's not good enough for the little 'un.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

thank you prettyboytim and night train, will check those links out.

And prettyboytim - it's Mrs Squirrel to you!

/ Lifts Hat

My regards to Mister Squirrel!

 

[funnymummy]

Morning Gang
After a manic phone call from my SIL last night & having to dash to her aid, I thought i'd add a bit about hitches -
Tim has already supplied a link to the similar kind of hitch I use - Cheers Tim.
My SIL has been in awe of my trailer for a while now, her kids which are younger than mine love getting taken for a toodle along the beach path in it. So yesterday she decided to pop into Halfords & buy one, she rode it home (empty) no problem.
She thought that she'd ride it along the beach path for a couple of miles before actualy attempting roads with the kids on board - quite sensible really, but within a couple of mins the clamp gave way, luckily there is safety strap, so the trailer didn't get left behind, but it did drag along the wheel tearing the fabric. She retightened the clamp, but another couple of mins later it came off, this time pushing into her wheel & mucking up the spokes - Thats when I got the call to beg 'bring van come rescue us'
So Squirrel when looking for yours please don't go for the 'clamp to the chain stay' type use an axle hitch, or if you do, change it for the one in Tims link