Author Topic: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?  (Read 3606 times)

Cornelia

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Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« on: October 09, 2015, 07:57:54 AM »
All right, so we've moved into town from the country, and are walking/biking everywhere- the only problem is we have a single stroller (a BOB, which is great), and a single chariot trailer (a steal find at the thrift store for $50!).... and I have two kiddos, 2 and 5. Plus, I need space to haul groceries, etc and haul the little guy at the same time. 

I've been haunting kijiji, (I'm in Hamilton/Niagara region, Ontario), but am finding nothing good. This trailer/stroller will get daily use for the next 3 years, so I hoping to find another chariot or a burley trailer.. I've also looked for Wike trailers too.

So, any help?

Should I just suck it up and buy new? Should I wait til I can find something second hand? 

Thanks!

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2015, 02:40:07 PM »
What about Craigslist? I scored a hard-to-find item (a Burley Piccolo) by setting up a Craigslist alert, so I got an email as soon as one became available. You can also, I think, set up alerts for ebay.

If you're super-impatient, well, Burleys and Chariots have good resale value, so you could buy new and then sell it when they outgrow. My casual observation is that Burleys have more cargo room, a disadvantage that could be easily overcome with Wahl baskets. I find that I can put a few grocery bags in the "trunk" of my Burley.

Another option: Your five-year-old is getting a little big for a double trailer. My two, ages 3 and 4, complain often and loudly about being squished. Plus, double trailers generally have a weight limit of 100 pounds for kids and cargo, so now that the two of them together are 80 pounds, I'm running out of grocery room (so I shop when Big Brother is at preschool). You might consider getting a trail a bike instead of or in addition to a double trailer and towing the trailer behind that. It's long, but a lot of people do it. I wanted to, but I am too short (seat is too low) to attach one to my seat post.

And why are you looking for a double stroller? If you really walk too far for the kid, can't you get something like a buggy board to go behind it so the kiddo can stand if he gets tired? I'm picturing this kind of thing: http://www.amazon.com/Englacha-Plastic-Board-Rider-Black/dp/B0045Y1F4W. I have never used one, so I guess research carefully :-).

Good luck with the search and have fun walking and biking :-).

Christof

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2015, 03:26:31 PM »
Might be obvious, but have you published any search requests?

Jeremy E.

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2015, 05:08:49 PM »
For a crazy awesome and crazy expensive option,
http://yubabikes.com/spicy-curry
You can also attach a front rack and bike trailer if necessary. There are pictures of 2 kids on the back of one of these crazy cool bikes. It's even electric powered.

Another great option, you could just get a bike trailer on a normal bike with a bike rack, put your youngest in the bike trailer and groceries on bike rack, then get your other kid their own bike to ride next to you, 5 yrs old is more than old enough.

Cornelia

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2015, 08:19:41 PM »
What about Craigslist? I scored a hard-to-find item (a Burley Piccolo) by setting up a Craigslist alert, so I got an email as soon as one became available. You can also, I think, set up alerts for ebay.

If you're super-impatient, well, Burleys and Chariots have good resale value, so you could buy new and then sell it when they outgrow. My casual observation is that Burleys have more cargo room, a disadvantage that could be easily overcome with Wahl baskets. I find that I can put a few grocery bags in the "trunk" of my Burley.

Another option: Your five-year-old is getting a little big for a double trailer. My two, ages 3 and 4, complain often and loudly about being squished. Plus, double trailers generally have a weight limit of 100 pounds for kids and cargo, so now that the two of them together are 80 pounds, I'm running out of grocery room (so I shop when Big Brother is at preschool). You might consider getting a trail a bike instead of or in addition to a double trailer and towing the trailer behind that. It's long, but a lot of people do it. I wanted to, but I am too short (seat is too low) to attach one to my seat post.

And why are you looking for a double stroller? If you really walk too far for the kid, can't you get something like a buggy board to go behind it so the kiddo can stand if he gets tired? I'm picturing this kind of thing: http://www.amazon.com/Englacha-Plastic-Board-Rider-Black/dp/B0045Y1F4W. I have never used one, so I guess research carefully :-).

Good luck with the search and have fun walking and biking :-).

Thanks for all the advice :-)

Kijiji is canada's craigslist. Craigslist's around here is barely used at all, kijiji is the best place for second-hand everything. I've been looking, so far not too much available. 

I've noticed lack of cargo room with our chariot, I wasn't sure how normal that was.. good to know!

My 5yr old is pretty petite at 35lbs, and little bro is 26lbs, I don't foresee the weight being an issue for awhile- we do have a trail a bike for her that attaches to the dh's bike. I'm pretty short as well, and though I haven't tried it on my bike, I know my seat post is at the bottom too... hmm. My daughter sort of likes the trail a bike, but isn't crazy about it, maybe by next summer? We lived in the country her entire life, so she's really not used to navigating all the traffic, curbs, parking lots etc, it's a bit scary for her to be on her own bike when she's not used to the surroundings.

As for the stroller, what I'm looking for is a convertible trailer that doubles as a stroller. I like walking more than biking tbh, but the dh likes biking- so we need something that works for both. I doubt I will be pushing my 5 yr old around in it as a stroller, but when I walk to the grocery or farmer's market, I want the extra space a double provides for cargo. Although, if in the middle of winter, my dd wants to snuggle in there with her bro on the way home from school the option exists.

Clear as mud? :-)

I've been looking at the Instep rocket 11, it has good reviews but the price difference between amazon.com and amazon.ca is nutso crazy. $215 on .com, $700 on .ca !!?!!




 

Cornelia

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2015, 08:23:54 PM »
Might be obvious, but have you published any search requests?

Of course ;-)  What kind if INTJ would I be if I didn't search first, research like crazy, then ask!

I decided to ask not just for general advice but hoping maybe a Canadian or even someone relatively local might have some info or leads, as a lot of the specific info I found was for US folks.   


« Last Edit: October 09, 2015, 08:34:41 PM by Cornelia »

jengod

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2015, 08:24:52 PM »
We have a Baby Jogger City Mini that has served us very well. It will work for our big kid (5yo) for at least another couple years if he gets tired at a zoo or whatever.

I did find it on Craigslist. $200 used.

wallet

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Re: Help me find a double bike trailer/stroller?
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2015, 01:58:12 PM »
We have an old MEC double trailer. We use it all the time and particularly love that it has a huge trunk for groceries and such. It really is a re-branded Croozer which can be found at various sporting stores. Burley is also a good brand as is Chariot and Thule.

That said, I found mine on Kijiji as well for $200 in great condition - I just set up automatic alerts for "bike trailer" "MEC Trailer" "Croozer" "biketrailer" "Thule Trailer", etc. They pop up like crazy in the spring, but you might be able to find a good deal now that the season is coming to a close.

My basic criteria was that it was a double, have spoked wheels (not plastic) and have a trunk. Condition dictated price.