Burley Trailers? Are they that good?

[Yammer]

Our first child is 7 months now and I want to be able to bike him around this summer.

I've been watching Craigslist for months now and Burleys are still really expensive! Are they worth it compared to other cheaper more available brands? How do you decide and why would I want to pay double for a used Burley rather than get a Target special?

Thanks, Patrick

[mn_ultra_guy]

Patrick,
Yes I feel that they are. I have two trailers, one a Burley and the other a Equinox. If you would like I could let you borrow one for a bit to test it out.
Devin
Our first child is 7 months now and I want to be able to bike him around this summer.

I've been watching Craigslist for months now and Burleys are still really expensive! Are they worth it compared to other cheaper more available brands? How do you decide and why would I want to pay double for a used Burley rather than get a Target special?

Thanks, Patrick

[berrywise]

Car seat and a bob trailer. Nuff said.

[Yammer]

ok.
So what about the Burley do you find to be better?
Are they safer? Easier to fold up? Easier to connect to a bike?
Roll better? I have no idea.

Thanks, Patrick

[berrywise]

ok.
So what about the Burley do you find to be better?
Are they safer? Easier to fold up? Easier to connect to a bike?
Roll better? I have no idea.

Thanks, Patrick

A more serious response is that Burley trailers are made to last and are extremely safe. A lot of the cheaper trailers on the market miss out on small things like keeping your kids hands out of the wheels (push on the inside walls of the trailer to see if you can touch the wheel or spoke). Other things like comfort, are the seatbelt straps made of a comfy material or will they be rough on your childs skin?

Most have a weight limit but that is more intended for what kind of bike you are using to pull the trailer. I can sit in a Burley trailer and I weigh 190 lbs. The problem is if you have some cheap K-mart bike with bad brakes you are not going to be able to stop on a hill in time to avoid something like a car.

And like you've already found out, Burley trailers hold their resale value. So when it comes time to sell it you should be able to recoup some of your money.

[Paul Swenson]

I bought a Burley Delite last summer and so far I really like it. It's really comfortable with mesh seating and a special helmet shelf that prevents the helmet from being shoved forward. It also fits nicely in my trunk and breaks down super quick. Yes driving to bike trails is stupid but I just don't feel safe dragging it traffic.

They say the child should be a year old before you put them in. I took my daughter out a week after her first birthday. Rachel is on the small side and bounced around way to much. Even though were were cruising the Gateway trail the ride was too much for. I think it's best if the passinger has a little heft.

[Ish]

Are they worth it compared to other cheaper more available brands?

How do you place value on the safety of your child? That is part of what they are playing off of. However, as others have said, they are really good quality and have a high resale value so that makes the cost more reasonable.

[nigel]

Burley Trailers!
-Awesome construction, great materials.
-Storeage space in the back
-Can adapt for job/stroller kits
-Mount for bike is very stable, safe and bike friendly
-They hold their value better than anything else bike related (thus the high craigslist prices)
-Decent weight capacity
-Fold up for easy transport and storage
-Great ventilation
-Easy to clean
-Fits a pony keg no problem
-Gets your kids out rather than watching tv!

[Tex]

Burley is by far the best brand out there, they've been in the game the longest and it shows.
My son is about two and a half now and he loves his Burley. Last summer/fall he would sit in it and play while I did work around the lawn. He's already insisted that I take him around the neighborhood a couple times this spring.

[bike>>rider]

They say the child should be a year old before you put them in. I took my daughter out a week after her first birthday. Rachel is on the small side and bounced around way to much. Even though were were cruising the Gateway trail the ride was too much for. I think it's best if the passinger has a little heft.


Sorry for the minor hijack but this is still relevant to OP's situation.

I have also seen the 1 yr. recommendation. Has anyone researched this or asked a doctor for an expert opinion on when it is safe to first start using one with your kid? My kid is a big 9 month old now (22 lbs or so) and is pretty strong so I'm thinking he'd be okay and I'm itching to start, but obviously this is not something to rush. He has his 9-mo. checkup/shot-fest tomorrow so I'll tell my wife to ask the doctor if he has any insight.

[manual63]

There was a saying about a bike rack I saw a long time ago. It said, do you want to be putting your $1500 bicycle on a $30.00 bike rack?

Take that saying and apply it to trailers. Do you want to be putting your, in my opinion priceless, child in a crappy $200 trailer?

I sold Burley trailers for many years. They are worth what you pay. They are worth your childs safety. Good construction and pretty much the best there is. I am sure there are some decent competitive brands, but whatever you do, stay away from the cheapo trailers or the ones that attatch to the seat post and face rearward.

Besides, the resale on Burley's is amazing. I have seen used ones sell for only $50 to $100 less than new.

[Tex]

I took my son on the crushed rock trails out West of Hopkins and Mtka well before he was a year old. I put a couple pillows on each side of him and covered them with towels, so if he leaned to one side or the other he would have some support. Which might explain why, even to this day, he pretty much falls right to sleep when we go for a ride - even when I take him to his daycare in the mornings.

[Wolfchimp]

Giant's child trailers are nice too. The only thing that is really different is the attachment to the bike. They had to work around Burley's patent.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/partsaccessories/familycycling/70/24776/


http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_upload_us/bikes/models/zooms/2005/PEAPOD_TRAILER.jpg

[Paul Swenson]

They need to have the neck strength to wear a helmet comfortably. I think my wife said that the AAP recommendation was 1 year 20 lbs. She's a pediatrician so she's pretty strict about enforcing the AAP recommendations with our daughter.

I'll ask her when I get home and post up.

[jeffgude]

We strapped our kids' baby carrier into the burley. She was riding in there at 6 months. The kid carrier uses the shoulder straps to hold the kid in place securely. As long as the carrier is securely attached to the burley, seems like the kid is pretty safe. I recall strapping in the carrier (without baby!) turning the burley upside down and shalking it, and the carrier did not fall out.

I agree with the other posts, child trailer probably not the place to compromise on cost.

[bike>>rider]

They need to have the neck strength to wear a helmet comfortably. I think my wife said that the AAP recommendation was 1 year 20 lbs. She's a pediatrician so she's pretty strict about enforcing the AAP recommendations with our daughter.

I'll ask her when I get home and post up.


Now that's what I love about these forums - an expert opinion is oftentimes only a click away! thanks.

[bike>>rider]

We strapped our kids' baby carrier into the burley. She was riding in there at 6 months. The kid carrier uses the shoulder straps to hold the kid in place securely. As long as the carrier is securely attached to the burley, seems like the kid is pretty safe. I recall strapping in the carrier (without baby!) turning the burley upside down and shalking it, and the carrier did not fall out.

I agree with the other posts, child trailer probably not the place to compromise on cost.


I could see myself doing that. January wouldn't have been good in our case though

[Ish]

FWIW I remember starting at less than 1 year old as well.

[wavlngth]

I'll probably get blasted by the Burly believers, but depending on what you are using your bike trailer for you might want to look at cheaper alternatives. I purchased a trailer at Target on sale a couple of years ago for $79.99. I only use it to haul my kids around on paved neighborhood trails and it works perfect. If you are looking for long rides you might want to invest in a Burly, but for me the $79.99 model was just right.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-4/qid=1175655518/ref=sr_1_4/602-8316139-8989444?ie=UTF8&asin=B00006JHVN

[Paul Swenson]

I'll probably get blasted by the Burly believers, but depending on what you are using your bike trailer for you might want to look at cheaper alternatives.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-4/qid=1175655518/ref=sr_1_4/602-8316139-8989444?ie=UTF8&asin=B00006JHVN

I think there's probably some truth to that. Part of the reason I got the Burly was that it would allow me to do longer rides.

Alice didn't remember the exact AAP recommendations. The main concern is that the kid's neck is strong enough to support a helmet which is usualy around a year old but can be younger. Kids are different and it's hard to apply hard fast rules to them.

[Lezgo Cycling]

[quote=berrywise;207664]A more serious response is that Burley trailers are made to last and are extremely safe. A lot of the cheaper trailers on the market miss out on small things like keeping your kids hands out of the wheels (push on the inside walls of the trailer to see if you can touch the wheel or spoke). Other things like comfort, are the seatbelt straps made of a comfy material or will they be rough on your childs skin? quote]

When our littlest was ready for a trailer I went with a used inexpensive brand and true it does work.....but after about 3 months I went and bought a burley. Proud to say it is still being used by friends almost 5 years later now. It took a beating but is still solid :cool:
Gus

[SKullman]

I purchased a 3rd owner burley. Mine does not fold and is all aluminum tubing. Aluminium rims on decent hubs. I'm on my 3rd set of tires and my daughter is 3. We started at 5 weeks.

We put a car seat in the trailer with all the normal setup that was in the car. We found that she got bounced around just as much in our SUV.

3 times a week I picked her up from daycare in it, from spring to fall. We put on 600 miles the first summer, a few more miles for the next 2.

My buddy bought a Chariot (sp?) from REI, it folds, is good for running. He Bikes with it and In-Line skates behind it. That Model has a sling in it and a better sun shade, but is much heavier. He started his kid around 6.5 weeks and did just over 500 miles the first summer.

Now at 3 we've been out 5 times this year. She sees it sitting in the garage and asks to go for a ride, she climbs in grabs a book and her juice box and is good to go. Think of it like this...They have to nap, why not have them nap while you're riding? The wife likes it cause she get's her time, I like it cause I get a ride in. Double bonus points.

Oh, towing machine is either my road bike or my fixed gear winter bike. My old Burley won't work with discs.

Our record ride it 3.5 hours, with one 30 minute break to strech our legs and run around.

Moral of the story, if you can find a family willing to part with their trailer, offer them a fair amount. It's worth it for the safety and longevity of the unit.

[jkalla]

Does everyone here make their child wear a helmet in the trailer? Last summer my 1-year old wouldn't wear it. Maybe she will this year now that she is a little older but you can't reason with a one-year old.

[berrywise]

Does everyone here make their child wear a helmet in the trailer? Last summer my 1-year old wouldn't wear it. Maybe she will this year now that she is a little older but you can't reason with a one-year old.

Having never been a parent I might be speaking out of place here but I would think a helmet would be mandatory. Maybe time to say well if you don't wear the helmet you don't go for a trailer ride.

[bike>>rider]

Does everyone here make their child wear a helmet in the trailer? Last summer my 1-year old wouldn't wear it. Maybe she will this year now that she is a little older but you can't reason with a one-year old.

I know I'll be fighting this battle because my little guy hates having anything on his head. I got him a cartoony Giro me2 helmet and my plan is to have the helmet "talk" to him before each ride --> "Carson, are you ready to go for a ride? Look, Daddy's wearing a helmet, but his doesn't have animals on it like I do" That sort of thing. I figure that plus having it bounce around a little while talking should do it.

[jms]

Does everyone here make their child wear a helmet in the trailer? Last summer my 1-year old wouldn't wear it. Maybe she will this year now that she is a little older but you can't reason with a one-year old.

Hey J,
yes the kids always wear their helmets in the trailer. my 3 year old likes to wear her helmet, (it's a just like dad kind of thing). my 1 year old doesn't seem to mind the helmet. i put hers on in the house before we went for a ride a couple weeks ago, she protested a little, but after two blocks she was sleeping, well, like a baby :eyeroll: .

Peace,
Joe

[Homegrown]

Last year I purchased a Schwinn trailer from Target. I am not a big fan of how it attaches to the bike, it does not hurt the bike but just figure there are better attachment options. Other then that - I love the trailer…and it does the job. I do not think I will wear it out but we will see. Here is what I struggle with a burley will cost 3-4 times as much….is it really worth it or is it a bike culture thing.?.?

My daughter started riding in it at about 7 months and I also packed pillows around her to add some stability, but could not find a helmet small enough for her. Basically when she grew into a helmet she started wearing one.

Because I do not want to hijack this thread I have started a new one: http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?p=207876#post207876 But I am wondering what do you all think about the WeeRide.

[Konaboy]

Does everyone here make their child wear a helmet in the trailer? Last summer my 1-year old wouldn't wear it. Maybe she will this year now that she is a little older but you can't reason with a one-year old.


I've had varied success getting my 3 1/2 year old to wear one. When he was younger he simply would not wear a helmet. At least not in the Burley. :crazy: He would sometimes wear it to get going but then remove it once he knew I wasn't going to be looking for a while. :mad:

As he's gotten older he has gotten used to wearing one. A couple of things that seemed to help: Getting a helmet that he liked and adjustable enough so it would fit comfortably on his head, me being a good example (I'm wearing my helmet), and the no helmet/no Burley ride rule.

[dejorn]

I know I'll be fighting this battle because my little guy hates having anything on his head. I got him a cartoony Giro me2 helmet and my plan is to have the helmet "talk" to him before each ride --> "Carson, are you ready to go for a ride? Look, Daddy's wearing a helmet, but his doesn't have animals on it like I do" That sort of thing. I figure that plus having it bounce around a little while talking should do it.

I have seen this excuse before pertaining to seat belts. Make sure your kids know that they do not have a choice. For example my car doesn't move unless everyone has their seat belts on, end of story. Helmets are the same way, if they want to ride their bikes they wear a helmet. This might be a little strong but parents need to be parents, do not play a popularity contest with your children.

[Ish]

Does a helmet really help? I don't have my kids wear their helmet in the car. Is there more risk in a burly than a car? With that said, I always had my kids wear one, but I often wondered why in a Burly, but not in a baby jogger, stroller, car, etc.

How about rollerblading? Playing hockey? They wear one when on the hockey team, but when it's open ice/pickup hockey at the local outside rink most kids don't have helmets on. I think it's a balance between keeping your kids in a protective bubble and letting them be kids.

[wavlngth]

I haul both of my kids in my trailer. I think a helmet is very important because they have actually banged their heads together before. With the helmet on they thought it was pretty funny ... without a helmet ... not so funny.

[qa_bugfinder]

Get the Burley! Ours is 8+ years old and works as well as the day we bought it. We are on our 3rd kid with it. I've had as much as 90 lbs of kids in it. Makes for a good training ride, but watch the downhill portion! The weight really pushes you.

I've pulled one cheap trailer before (6 years ago) that my sister-in-law bought. it had a big spring in the coupling area and caused a harmonic push/pull action when climbing hills unless you pedaled extremely smoothly.

Only drawback is it will wear the paint on the frame and disk brakes won't work.

Helmets are a must! Teach them young and then they never know different.

[bike>>rider]

Burley has an adaptor that allows connection to a bike with disc brakes. It costs about $40 and includes a skewer and an extender piece.

[Paul Swenson]

Here's a pic of my daughter and her friend Charlie riding in Charlie's trailer last weekend in Davis CA. Davis has to be the most bike friendly town in America.

[jonbodin]

I've had a Burley since my daughter was born 5 years ago and believe it was worth every penny. With 2 kids (5 & 2) they love it and actually are excited to wear their helmets. We made it seem like it is 'cool' to wear one (I know that will wear off soon!). I also bought the attachment for disc brakes so it works just fine.

[noise_is_life]

Not to crap on the Burley love, but I actually went with a chariot because the burley design seemed pretty dated and not all that flexible. I also wasn't that happy with the attachment options.

The chariot connected to my disc brake bike with a minimum of fuss. It can switch from bike trailer to stroller (steerable front wheels) to jogging stroller (fixed front wheel) in just a couple minutes. You can even put skis on it and I think there is a pull harness for hikng. It comes with a stroller handle that is height adjustable.

It is at least as expensive as the burley however and the attachments aren't free.

[soupboy]

Get the Burley. There are always places to skimp but for me that doesn't include what I put my kids in.

Edit: The Chariot products are indeed nice but just as spendy, if not more so, and harder to source on the secondary market. I suspect they'll also not sell as well used as they don't have the brand value (yet).

Get the QR attachment.

Make your kids wear helmets if riding behind a bike. If in jogging/strolling mode don't worry about it unless you don't use the tether on hills.

[Paul Swenson]

The Chariot is way cool and I would have gotten that except that I have a dedicated jogging stroller and I wanted something she could take a friend with her.

[berrywise]

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/productImages/1/0/00000116710-ChariotSideCarbicycletrailer-large.jpeg

I always thought this was pretty cool. Be able to have a conversation/keep an eye on the littlins while riding.

[Paul Swenson]

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/productImages/1/0/00000116710-ChariotSideCarbicycletrailer-large.jpeg

I always thought this was pretty cool. Be able to have a conversation/keep an eye on the littlins while riding.


Those are cool but bike usage is severely limited. Front wheel clearance is the issue from what I understand.

[soupboy]

Those are cool, unless you have a...

http://i.treehugger.com/files/Slingshot-bike.jpg

...which I don't. Also makes it impossible to ride single file. I love the sidecar set-up, just probably a sub-optimal choice as a practical matter.

CAUTION: THIS VEHICLE MAKES WIDE RIGHT TURNS.

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/productImages/1/0/00000116710-ChariotSideCarbicycletrailer-large.jpeg

I always thought this was pretty cool. Be able to have a conversation/keep an eye on the littlins while riding.

[Morrie]

They need to have the neck strength to wear a helmet comfortably. I think my wife said that the AAP recommendation was 1 year 20 lbs. She's a pediatrician so she's pretty strict about enforcing the AAP recommendations with our daughter.

I'll ask her when I get home and post up.

A few years ago I read an article about putting infants in bike trailers. The article's main point was that an infant should be at least one year old to support the weight of the helmet while moving. The extra weight of the helmet is amplified with the g forces of braking, accelerating, cornering and bike movement. This puts a greater stress on the head aneck area for an infant. The article reported that this can cause some pretty severe damage to a baby with whipash, brain damage and even death.

I'm a professional engineer, so let me explain this a little differently. Think about the adult person who gets whiplash when they get rear ended by someone driving at 25 mph. What about the race car driver who has their helmet(head) securely fastened to the car, or use the neck collar, to keep their head from being snapped in a sudden change of direction or slamming into the wall. That's how Dale Ernahardt Sr. died at Daytona a few years ago. Hit the wall and his neck snapped because his body was strapped in tight, but his head could move like a bobble head doll. Now, think about a baby in the trailer: stopping, accelerating, cornering or being bounced around when you are pedaling between 15 and 20 mph. Hopefully, you aren't crashing when you pull the baby.

Back to the baby in the trailer. As a new father and knowing that babies grow at different rates, I would use the one year or 20-25 pounds rule. I would also make sure their head is securely held on the sides and in back. Find a head support similar to the one used in car seats or make one with a towel and use it when you haul the kid around.

My wife and I own a Chariot stoller. We bought it because it can be used as a stroller, as a jogger, as a bike trailer, and you can x country ski with it. You get 5 or 6 options with one main body purchase. If you don't do all of those things, then get the one that meets your budget and requirements. We also like the chariot because they had two options for infants, one was a baby sling, good for 2 months to one year. The second one is a Chariot baby supporter which has side padding and a head support/rest.
You can see them at: http://www.chariotcarriers.com/html_english/accessories.htm

Hope that helps or gives you a different insight in what to look for or consider.

[Morrie]

They need to have the neck strength to wear a helmet comfortably. I think my wife said that the AAP recommendation was 1 year 20 lbs. She's a pediatrician so she's pretty strict about enforcing the AAP recommendations with our daughter.

I'll ask her when I get home and post up.

A few years ago I read an article about putting infants in bike trailers. The article's main point was that an infant should be at least one year old to support the weight of the helmet while moving. The extra weight of the helmet is amplified with the g forces of braking, accelerating, cornering and bike movement. This puts a greater stress on the head aneck area for an infant. The article reported that this can cause some pretty severe damage to a baby with whipash, brain damage and even death.

I'm a professional engineer, so let me explain this a little differently. Think about the adult person who gets whiplash when they get rear ended by someone driving at 25 mph. What about the race car driver who has their helmet(head) securely fastened to the car, or use the neck collar, to keep their head from being snapped in a sudden change of direction or slamming into the wall. That's how Dale Ernahardt Sr. died at Daytona a few years ago. Hit the wall and his neck snapped because his body was strapped in tight, but his head could move like a bobble head doll. Now, think about a baby in the trailer: stopping, accelerating, cornering or being bounced around when you are pedaling between 15 and 20 mph. Hopefully, you aren't crashing when you pull the baby.

Back to the baby in the trailer. As a new father and knowing that babies grow at different rates, I would use the one year or 20-25 pounds rule. I would also make sure their head is securely held on the sides and in back. Find a head support similar to the one used in car seats or make one with a towel and use it when you haul the kid around.

My wife and I own a Chariot stoller. We bought it because it can be used as a stroller, as a jogger, as a bike trailer, and you can x country ski with it. You get 5 or 6 options with one main body purchase. If you don't do all of those things, then get the one that meets your budget and requirements. We also like the chariot because they had two options for infants, one was a baby sling, good for 2 months to one year. The second one is a Chariot baby supporter which has side padding and a head support/rest.
You can see them at: http://www.chariotcarriers.com/html_english/accessories.htm

Hope that helps or gives you a different insight in what to look for or consider.

[Yammer]

Great thread, guys.
Ok so I got a Burley off of Craigslist and now I'm wondering, what if you want to pull it with a bike with rear disc brakes?

This is an older Burley D'Lite, blue and yellow with the quick release wheels. The hitch grabs in the very rear of the left rear triangle, so if you have discs if won't work. Is there an adapter or something?

I have another older hardtail that it works on, but I'd love to be able to pull it with any of my bikes...

Thanks, Pat

[Wolfchimp]

http://www.burley.com/products/accessories.html

They make an adapter for that.
http://www.burley.com/images/products/standardhitchQR.jpg
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="315"><tbody><tr><td>Standard Hitch

</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Keep all your bikes ready for trailering with the Burley standard hitch. Every trailer includes one standard hitch. Purchase another to keep all your bikes Burley ready! Works with disc brake and full suspension. Does not work with Breezer style dropouts. Available for QR axle or nutted axle.
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>


Great thread, guys.
Ok so I got a Burley off of Craigslist and now I'm wondering, what if you want to pull it with a bike with rear disc brakes?

This is an older Burley D'Lite, blue and yellow with the quick release wheels. The hitch grabs in the very rear of the left rear triangle, so if you have discs if won't work. Is there an adapter or something?

I have another older hardtail that it works on, but I'd love to be able to pull it with any of my bikes...

Thanks, Pat

[Nickel]

Does anyone use these trailers to pull cargo?

[stoneage]

Does anyone use these trailers to pull cargo?
How do you think 1on1 gets their pastries and lunch supplies to the shop every day? They work great for hauling stuff. When I was steward I used a B.O.B. trailer to haul all the Wirth tools. Here's a link I found with a lot of info about bike trailers (http://www.mikebentley.com/bike/trailers.htm).

[Nickel]

I know many shops in town use them, but I didn't know if they modified the child ones or had DIY jobs. thanks for the link!

[Chug]

I don't think anyone pointed out that Burleys are the only kid trailers made in the US.
Chariot claims to be made in Canada but after doing some talking with their reps I found out that most everything is made and stitched in (insert 3rd world country name here) and then everything is shipped in pieces to Canada for the final assembly.

Good choice in the Burley.

[bwsmithcom]

Does anyone use these trailers to pull cargo?

i bought a used burley from craiglist last year and use it all the time to haul cargo. when they where ripping up lake street last year, it worked great to bike down the road, stop and collect any nice rocks/granite/interesting iron pieces. once even found and loaded a 100lb rock.

and then there's going to our local nursies and hauling back dirt and whatever else my wife picks buys.

works great to bike to BBQs too! it fits two folding chairs and a cooler full of beer.

i think of it as strength training. :)