# Now I'm confused! Burley, Chariot or Trek trailer?



## jenniel73

Thanks to all who responded in the other post! I had my husband read the response and we decided to try the kids out in some before rushing off to buy the 2006 Burley craigslist for $300 and eliminated the Yakima for $150 altogether (he thought it didn't look sturdy enough?). We tried the Trek Go Bug (seemed a bit narrow which has it's + and -, kids looked a bit confined but it would better for riding on crowded paths/sidewalks and it seemed more like a carseat with structured interior), the Burley d'lite (kids seemed to fit well much more loosely constructed, seemed like it would give more room to grow) and the Chariot (seemed to be the midpoint of construction between the other two, I liked the seperate storage although it wasn't as big and area to expand if needed and of course being the most expensive I had to like it the best . Of course I could only get the kids in for about 30 seconds before they were off wanting to climb all over the bikes in the store. That is something that should change once we get on the road, right? I hope *crossing fingers*

So my question is does anyone have experience with the chariot or trek? It seems that you see more burleys around. resale is definately a concern for me. Soemthing I find funny is that in all my scouring of craigslist I haven't seen a single trek or chariot. 

We are thinking of renting a trailer this weekend to see how it goes before making a big purchase. Good idea?

thanks again!!!!!!!!!


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## filtersweep

I recommend using structured seats. Ours in unstructured, and our 2 year old has trouble staying in place--- usually ends up slumped down.


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## MB1

No question the Burley is going to have the best resale value.

More expensive does not always mean better.

They all have plusses and minuses, which ever one you get the kids will quickly adapt to it and it will become the correct choice.

I have always rated the Burleys #1 (and I have sold lots of trailers).

BTW the key to your kids enjoying riding in a trailer is to have fun destinations that aren't too far away. Start them out on short rides to the park or for ice cream and they will soon become big fans. 

Start them out on long rides on a busy, bumpy highway and they will hate you for life.  well, not really but you catch my drift......


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## Plum

*Chariot Info*

My wife and I have a Chariot Cougar 1, single kid model. Pretty expensive, but really nice construction, very sturdy. Folds for transport a little, but not a ton. I purchased a cordura grill cover to put over it (think car cover) while it's locked up outside.

The seats have enough form to hold a wiggly kid, the harnesses are better than any other trailer I've seen, even when the kid is on their side (ask me how I know). When they're in there, they're 100% secure.

Ours sees mostly (95%) bike duty, some strolling, very little running duty. From what I've seen, I would expect the resale on them to be very good, maybe 75-80%. We're actually in the market for a double (January) but we're considering keeping the single as well, just because it's so conveinient for use around town. Sure, the double has more room, but it's also a hassle to get in and out of doorways and around inside stores.

I use our single almost every day, either dropping our daughter off at daycare or picking her up, as well as local milage around town. It's not really showing any wear and tear and I would expect it would hold up for several years at this usage rate. I've used it a little on mild single track, but the width of it is restricting. The suspension is pretty nice, our daughter will sleep in it for hours if she's not disturbed, moving or not.

Plum


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## superjohnny

filtersweep's comment above is a good one. We have an older Burley and our 21 month old still slumps in it. Not as badly as he used to, but it still happens. Anymore he prefers to ride in the bike seat rather than the trailer. He's closer to me and has a much better view. The trailer still has its place when we need to haul groceries, cans/bottles or the swim bag, but if I can fit what we need in my pockets (diapers, wipes and a change of clothes lol) then we roll the fixie with kid seat.


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## weltyed

chariot. best money i have ever spent.

im not sure if burley had upped their harness system, but the chariot had the best harness system when we bought it last year. the versatility of the chariot is second to none, and the construction is very high. made in canada, too, if that matters to you.

it also has the best system for attaching to your bike. easy to set up, puts very little stress on the wheel, and doesnt clamp on teh chainstay. it also pivots great. i took a fall once and The Kid had no idea anything happened. I think the wheelbase might be wider(we have the cougar2) than the burley. the only thing i didnt like was the wheels are exposed. the old cart we had used wheels that attached using standard QR skewers. there was a bar around the wheel, which kept the wheel safe from hitting objects. also, the wider wheelbase means you have to watch your turning radius. its not a big difference, but its there.

i found it had the best ventilation, too.

dont fret over the back-end storage. that was a concern for us, too. we just pack wiser. we can get enough for a nice picnic, swimsuit, change of clothes, and more. we only have the on kid (now), but i have pulled two in it and there is enough room. they both get their own little net pocket to keep drinks/snacks/toys in.

The Kid loves it. calls it "That Fun Bike." and it is a nap magnet. when he wont take a nap, sometimes i just take him out for a 2-3 hour ride. he usually falls asleep after ive been on crushed limestone for 2 minutes.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rlKgThB4ionXEcFFYxbrdA"><img src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/weltyed/SB5h1PpcQuI/AAAAAAAAAGw/mKhSb-ITE_8/s800/IMG_4523.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/weltyed/FirstMayRide">First May Ride</a></td></tr></table>

here is a link to the gallery of when we took the bike fishing. we had a lunch, fishing gear for two, a swimsuit, and a change of clothes. there was still room for more in the back.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9atzYZRT8jN33BThKngM4g"><img src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/weltyed/SDtrYeZit2I/AAAAAAAABRY/r7p11xxGiZc/s400/IMG_4835.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/weltyed/MemorialDayFishing">Memorial Day Fishing</a></td></tr></table>


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## weltyed

forgot to mention that getting him in and out of the chariot is super easy. half the time he does it himself now. the entire front panel peels back to allow easy access. the old one we had was a bit tricky. you had to pull the entire top off and then drop them in.

also, we have the stroller kit but not the jogger (yet). it is amazing how easy it is to push in the stroller setting. when #2 comes along, we might just use this for the stroller. it is big, but very easy to manuever.


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## jenniel73

*Thank you all for your responses!*

I'm having such a hard time justifying the cost of a burley or chariot! What makes one trailer $200 and one $600???? Is there away to get away with a lower cost trailer? What is the difference between this schwinn http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/bab/837234756.html and a $600 burley or chariot?

My father who is helping with this purchase loves the trek go bug because of the roll bar. I'm not a huge fan of the overly structured seats because the kids looked uncomfortable. Plus, I'm a bit concerned about the resale value of a go bug. 

Thanks for the feedback!


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## weltyed

trust me, i had the same problem when it came to cost justification. especially when i sat back and realized the bike that would be pulling the chariot didnt cost as much as the trailer (bike assembled from ebay parts)! i almost went with the instep model that used the axle mount. i knew i NEEDED an axle mount, as my chain stay had been chewed a bit by the old trailer i had that used a clamp attachment. even after looking at the burley and the trek (the older treks were made by chariot, but the bug was designed and built in-house i was told, or so i was told). 

ten reasons the chariot won out:
1) the lap and shoulder straps were much nicer. nice padding, easy to attach and adjust
2) easy of child loading/unloading and comfort. while there is no roll bar on the front (makes it very easy to get in and out), the entire thing is a roll cage. lots of airflow, but also seemed as though it could stay warm (especially compared to trek). i have had it out in 90 degree temps and 25 degree temps.
3) bike-trailer interface. the chariot has a very sturdy ball hitch design. plus extra skewers are easy to buy. and changing a rear flat is no problem. i've done it twice. and as mentioned before, i took a fall and The Kid didn't notice anything
4) hand built in canada. i wanted to keep it in north america
5) adjustable suspension system. with leaf springs, not coils or rubber pucks
6) many accessories. from the stroller kit to an extra handlebar bag, there were things we knew we could use. they even have baby buntings!
7) easy to fold. it doesnt get as small as others out there, but it is easy to fold and set up
8) lots of reflective material for visibility
9) the thing is pretty light and rolls very easily.
10) designed, built, and sold by people who know and use the product. these people really care about child transporation. the website has nice short movies about the products.


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## singlecross

+1 for the Chariot... We've had our for Cougar 2 for 4 years and it is great for all the reasons the Weltyed mentions... not to mention the hiking and nordic skiing attachments that we use all winter with our two kids... if you think biking is hard pulling 60+ pounds, try nordic skate skiing pulling the kids!

singlecross


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## jenniel73

*Thanks!*

I can't thank you all enough for your help! I'm hoping to pick up a chariot soon...now to find a bike and trailer for my van!


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## weltyed

best of luck. it is a big jump to take, but we have never regretted it.


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## morryjg

It's a little late....but +1 on the Chariot. We have the Corsaire (I think) which is awesome! The only problem is our kids have just about outgrown it.  Now to convince the wife that we need two Co-Motion Periscopes.


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## A4B45200

*GoBug*

Chiming in ever later...we chose the Trek GoBug specifically for the two individual seats. We have twins and they cannot sit together on a bench type of seat. They will end up fighting for sure! The Trek works great...like you said, its like having two carseats in there. 

As far as I can tell, the Trek is the only one with two sectioned seats. Hence the only choice for us. Everyone has a Burley (so did we for our first child), but the GoBug is slick.


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## jh_on_the_cape

we have a chariot cougar 1 and 2. so happy with it.

look for a sale at REI. they happen all the time.

ditto on what everyone else said. 

i think i must have over a 1000 miles on the chariot 1.


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