Bike trailers are an excellent product if you enjoy riding your bike and want to continue to do that while your kids are too little to ride their bikes with you.
Bike trailers can fit kiddos who are much younger than those that can sit in an attached bike seat like infants and newborns, and they can often fit more than one child as well.
Finding the right bike trailer for your family and situation can often feel confusing with the multitude of options available. The best bike trailer for a baby in one family may not be the best in the next. Lucky for you, we’ve done the leg work for you to find some of the best bike trailers on the market.
Keep reading to find out our top three bike trailers, which trailer works best for adventurous families, which is our favorite overall, which bike trailer is great on a budget, and our runners-up.
What to Know Before You Buy
If you’re not sure where to start when looking for a bike trailer, let’s go over some basics. You’ll want to know the following before you start shopping:
- The primary type of terrain on which you plan to bike.
- How many babies you’d like to fit in your trailer.
- If you want to continue using the trailer when your children are older.
- If you need the bike trailer to do double duty as a stroller or jogger.
- Your budget.
Roads, Trails, or Both
When choosing a bike trailer, it’s important to know where you intend to use it. If you live in a paved neighborhood, the city, or near a paved bike trail, then you can get almost any trailer without trouble.
If you plan to bike on hilly or uneven terrain, you’ll want a trailer that comes with heavy-duty tires and a hitch system that allows the trailer to remain upright if the bike tips over.
Protecting your child or children from the elements is also vital when you’re pulling them behind your bike. Because of this, you’ll want to consider the material or materials on your bike trailer.
Number of Kids and Continued Use
Bike trailers typically fit either one or two kids and have weight limits from 85 to 125lb on average. If you have more kids, you may want to consider getting a trailer for each parent’s bike or buying a baby bike seat in addition to the trailer.
If you intend to pull an infant in a bike trailer, note that you’ll likely need to purchase an additional piece to make it safe for them to ride along. For instance, Burley offers a baby snuggler to keep younger babies safer. Thule offers both a baby supporter attachment and an infant sling so that even younger babies can ride along.
Bike Trailer Transformations
Many parents don’t realize that bike trailers can often convert to joggers or strollers with the purchase of an additional conversion kit. This feature isn’t available on every trailer, but it is common enough that it might be something you want to consider.
If you go for a bike trailer with a conversion option, you will want to consider whether or not it can all-out replace your typical stroller. If the bike trailer doesn’t fold up, it isn’t an option for most parents because it can’t fit in the car for trips to the store, etc.
You should also consider that you may need separate conversion kits to transition the bike trailer into a jogger and again into a normal stroller. Some bike trailers come with conversion kits out of the box too, which is great if you’re on a budget and don’t want an additional piece to purchase.
Best Bike Trailer for Baby
Although there isn’t one perfect bike trailer for every family and situation, there are certainly some that shine brighter than the rest. Read on to see our top picks for various situations, including our overall pick for the best bike trailer for babies.
Comparison Chart
Best on a Budget: Burley Bee
The Burley Bee is an excellent choice for a bike trailer if you’re on a budget. Its high-end features will make you feel like you won the lottery, especially for the price. This bike trailer is available in single or double options.
It comes standard with safety features like a visibility flag and reflective material on the sides and top. It also features an aluminum roll cage and recessed headspace so your babes can wear helmets without being uncomfortable on their ride.
Best for Adventures: Hamax Outback
If you are an adventurous person and want to take your kids on those adventures with you, you may want to consider the Hamax Outback. Not only is this a bike trailer, but it can also convert to a stroller, jogger, or even ski trailer! The Outback is incredibly versatile and also available in single or double options.
The safety features, all-weather protection, and storage on the Outback are almost unbeatable. This is truly a must-see for active families.
Best Overall: Thule Chariot Cross 2
Although the Thule Chariot Cross 2 is by far the priciest option on our list, it comes with so many features that we couldn’t possibly choose another as the best bike trailer for baby. This trailer was voted the best bike trailer by Runner’s World magazine, and it also converts in so many ways that it’s the only item you’ll need to buy for your baby.
Like the Hamax Outback, the Thule Chariot Cross 2 can convert to a ski stroller. It also converts into a jogger and stroller, and it comes standard with the stroller package right out of the box. Conversion is quick and straightforward, as is folding this trailer up to fit it in any vehicle. There’s even onboard storage for the bike, stroller, and jogger options for easy swapping on the go.
The Thule Chariot Cross 2 is comfortable for your kiddos as well, with reclining seats and extra cargo space. You can purchase the additional baby and infant safety seats and then watch your children grow in this trailer as the max weight for the double version is 100lb.
