When my wife gave birth to our little one a couple years ago, I couldn't wait for him to be old enough to ride in a bike trailer for kids, but I had one huge worry:Safety.
These trailers are so light that they look as though they'd bounce up and down.However, nothing could be further from the truth.This is a very durable product, and while it is light, it is no "lightweight."It's very rugged, and after over a thousand miles on it, the treads on the tires are still holding up really well.
Most importantly, it connects to the rear triangle (near the dropouts) with a coupler that's built around a U-joint, so that if the bike flips over, the trailer will stay upright.I have put this to the test (with an empty trailer, of course), and the trailer stayed on both tires with so much as a nudge.
My kid fits snugly in the trailer, and during sunshiney days, the smoke-tinted side windows keep him from overheating, when used in tandem with the venting mesh front panels.He gets a lot of breeze back there, and if he drops his sippy cup, it conveniently rolls around on the floor until it comes back to him to pick up.
Speaking of tandems, this trailer is towable not only with my Bianchi road bike, but our Santana tandem my wife and I ride.It makes for one long total vehicle, but is very easy to manuever.
I notice I have to go up a gear on my rear cogset to pull this trailer with my single bike, which slows me down a little, but it doesn't feel like that much extra weight when climbing hills.This is a very efficiently built trailer and doesn't create a drag on me.When pulling with our tandem, my wife and I notice almost no slowing down, and just zip along as we always have.
The Burley Encore comes with an orange pennant and a long pole, for great visibility for other vehicles.I recommend getting a "slow moving vehicle" orange/yellow triangle for the rear for added safety, to let drivers know you're pulling precious cargo.
As for my little boy, he has a blast riding around in it, and points out birds, trains and pedestrians while travelling in style (though, with a helmet on, of course).Like a kid's car seat, this trailer is also the best thing to lull a kid to sleep when nap time is due.After five minutes, my boy is out like a light, and doesn't wake up until we're back home again.
As for me and my wife, this is an indispensable piece of exercise equipment:It has added hundreds of hours of needed exercise time to our lives, gotten us out into the great outdoors, and all without sacrificing quality time with the little one.Since she's now going to deliver another munchkin within a month, it ought to double our pleasure like Doublemint gum, as it can seat two, with plenty of elbow room.
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Burley Design Encore Child Bicycle TrailerProduct Description: Providing the ultimate in comfort and safety for children, the Encore child bicycle trailer from Burley Design is the perfect trailer for families making short distance trips and around the town rides. The soft, pliable seat with removable cushion and passive suspension protects against even the biggest bumps in the road, while a roomy interior space and large windows give plenty of capacity for up to two growing children. This trailer with 2-in-1 cover features drum-tight fabric.
The Encore easily attaches to the Burley Stroller or Burley Jogger Kit for use on the go. With a brake, handlebar, and safety strap, the trailer is easily converted to a stroller or jogger, allowing you to walk around parks, markets, and city streets without leaving or disturbing sleeping children. When you're done, the quick-release stroller wheels folds up neatly. Perfect for two bags of groceries, the large rear storage compartment makes it possible to run car-free errands, and interior storage pockets hold toys, blankets, and snacks. The Encore has a capacity of 100 pounds.
Feature Details:
Total trailer weight: 19.45 pounds (8.8 kg)
Length: 35 inches (89 cm)
Width (overall): 30.6 inches (78 cm)
Height (from ground): 37 inches (94 cm)
Folded dimensions: 38 x 28.25 x 14 inches (96.5 x 71.8 x 35.6 cm)
Comfortably seats 1 to 2 children
Capacity: 100 pounds (45.5 kg)
Interior storage pockets for toys, blankets, snacks and more
Adjustable sunscreen protects sensitive eyes and young skin from the sun
Tinted side windows
Adjustable vents for comfort in any weather
Flow-thru mesh seat keeps air flowing through the trailer and cools off the ride
Padded front seat cushion holds child comfortably
Meets and exceeds all ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) standards
About Burley Design Burley Design has been the leader in child bicycle trailer design for nearly 30 years and has earned a strong reputation for high quality, superior design, safety, and trailer strength. Burley's testing and safety standards are among the most rigorous in the industry, and their designs provide a high level of child comfort in an aerodynamic and lightweight trailer. Burley's trailers are all made from lightweight aluminum tubing and covered with a stain-resistant, mildew-resistant, and water-repelling polyester, high-quality fabric. The geometry of each trailer is specifically tuned to reduce the weight on the connecting hitch, while at the same time providing an even balance point over the trailer wheels. This minimizes the load on the bicycle to maximize handling and ensure an extremely stable and secure ride.
The stylish designs are also functional with large windows, a comfortable suspended hammock-style seat that minimizes the bumps in the road, and a generous storage compartment to enable you to do it all and enjoy time with family, exercise, and run errands all at the same time. Burley trailers store easily with a quick fold and easy-to-remove wheels. You can store it in a garage, hang it indoors, or put it easily into the trunk of a car. With easy-to-use jogger or stroller options, Burley trailers can convert for a run, a stroll in the park, or a cycling adventure.
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Maybe 3.5 stars.We have used our new Tailwagon on mountain bike and paved bike trails daily for a week now.Our 6 month old pup jumped out at first (he was able to squeeze through the cover) so we bought one of those dual dog leads, a dog halter, and a D-ring.There are some loops to attach the dog lead inside the trailer.We attached the D-ring between the ring where you would normally attach a leash and the chest part of the pups halter.We adjusted the lead so he was able to move around the trailer a bit, turn around, sit, and lay down.He whined at first so we removed the outer cover which comes completely off, which helped a lot. The kick stand came off during the ride because the bottom clearance isn't adequately high enough for trail riding.The wheels are also not adequately large enough (for trail riding) either...my husband had to get off his bike and lift the trailer a few times.There are some trailers out there with a higher clearance which one might consider if you are biking on trails.The platform the dog sits (or stands) on has no cushion whatsoever.We haven't used the stroller part yet and might not ever but I got the Tailwagon just in case we would, plus I liked that it had a rain shield.After realizing that he hates it with the cover on, the rain shields don't matter anymore-for now anyway (however, the fact that you CAN completely remove it is a bonus).After a week of using it, for our purposes, I think I would buy the Rover or perhaps another brand instead.Overall though, it did the job and our pup was able to go with us rather than stay alone in a unfamiliar place while we were on vacation.I think it is also important to note that we have been satisfied Burley customers for many years.We used the heck out of a kid trailer (through 3 kids)...all said and done, there was no wear and tear and we were able to resell it for just a little less than what we originally paid.
