Where to buy Trailers?

MJohnston

As the stay-at-home dad of the house, I'm desperately missing some cycling time, especially as I'm at home every day now, so I'm looking to purchase a decent bike trailer for the kid. Not interested in a discussion of their merits as I've already read plenty on the topic (I'd be buying a cargo bike if I had that kind of money, but alas) - however I am finding it rather difficult to locate places that sell decent ones.

Halfords has a couple of cheap looking yokes that I'm not sure about considering the value of the cargo, but I was hoping someone might know anywhere (or anyone I suppose) selling any of the Thule Chariot range, or something similar?

wench

The Dutch Bike shop have a decent looking one
http://dutchbikeshop.ie/kidscab-bicycle-trailer/

mr spuckler

cycle superstore in tallaght and fitz cycles in stillorgan both sell the croozer kid for 1 / kid for 2. i got mine in CSS and find it excellent - they tend to have 1 or 2 in stock i think whereby fitz will order them on demand.

where are you based? if north / central dublin you could have a look or try of mine to see if you liked it.

the croozer is probably 1 step below the chariot but as i said i love it - i've used it extensively in the 3 modes, buggy, trailer and jogger.

edit...see your location now. i'm in D5 if you do want to check it out.

tomasrojo

I bought a Chariot Cougar 1 at activekidsgear.co.uk, but it's closed now.

The Cloughjordan Cycle Co-op used to sell them, but it's website seems to be gone too.

Someone must be selling them though, as I've seen a few recently that looked new.

mr spuckler

tomasrojo wrote: »

I bought a Chariot Cougar 1 at activekidsgear.co.uk, but it's closed now.

The Cloughjordan Cycle Co-op used to sell them, but it's website seems to be gone too.

Someone must be selling them though, as I've seen a few recently that looked new.

these guys do both the croozer and chariot. i've bought accesories from them and found them to be excellent to deal with.
http://www.action-kids.com/m1b0s32p0/Trailers-For-Kids/Thule-Chariot-Trailers

tomasrojo

mr spuckler wrote: »

these guys do both the croozer and chariot. i've bought accesories from them and found them to be excellent to deal with.
http://www.action-kids.com/m1b0s32p0/Trailers-For-Kids/Thule-Chariot-Trailers

Compliant UK versions are now available to purchase.

This sounds like some foreshadowing of Brexit, but I think it's that in the UK strollers have to meet the standard for inflammability that applies to furniture, and the older Chariot models didn't meet this standard, despite, in one mode, being strollers. I got an email about it from activekidsgear.co.uk a few years after purchase.

Tigerandahalf

The Chariots/Thule are a crazy price - over €1,000.

Have a look on Amazon. There are a few options with reviews.

Depends on how much cycling you will do with it and on what type of terrain and whether you want to convert it to a stroller or buggy.

tomasrojo

The Chariot Cougar 1 is about £600 in that link. Not cheap, but not over €1000 either. More like €700.

It's a lot, but it's both an excellent trailer and an excellent stroller (albeit quite a bit of work to fold up for buses and car trunks). I got years out of it, and still use it as a goods trailer for carrying flatpack furniture and things like that.

doozerie

tomasrojo wrote: »

The Cloughjordan Cycle Co-op used to sell them, but it's website seems to be gone too.

We bought our Chariot Cougar from them. They changed name when they moved out of Cloughjordan, they are now called velo.ie (http://velo.ie/), I don't know if they still sell trailers but they are certainly worth a try.

I agree completely with you on the value of the Chariot Cougar, that trailer was worth every cent we spent on it.

Chuchote

tomasrojo wrote: »

I bought a Chariot Cougar 1 at activekidsgear.co.uk, but it's closed now.

The Cloughjordan Cycle Co-op used to sell them, but it's website seems to be gone too.

Someone must be selling them though, as I've seen a few recently that looked new.

Would it be worth contacting the Eco-Village and seeing if there's anyone doing it in Clough without a website? http://www.thevillage.ie/ Oh, and the Cycle Co-Op number is still in the Golden Pages - (0505)42871 Also on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cloughjordan-cycle-co-op

Tigerandahalf

http://www.mycycle.ie/Adventure-AT6-Alloy-2-Seater-Bicycle-Trailer-p/adbat6.htm

The above looks a real nice trailer. Can be a stroller too.

But look at the price on that Irish site
€479

On Amazon it is £292.

Granted there might be delivery charges but much better value buying on the sterling sites.

cdaly_

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

http://www.mycycle.ie/Adventure-AT6-Alloy-2-Seater-Bicycle-Trailer-p/adbat6.htm

The above looks a real nice trailer. Can be a stroller too.

But look at the price on that Irish site
€479

On Amazon it is £292.

Granted there might be delivery charges but much better value buying on the sterling sites.

Looks like Amazon will ship to dublin for a tenner.

Tigerandahalf

Not to take your thread off topic but what would people recommend re trailers.

The Halfords double trailer is about €125 with very good reviews. Misgivings that the base is fabric and may get wet plus I think the restraint straps are just lap belts instead of a 5 point system.

Does it fold down ok and will it stay rust free?

I only want it for paths and greenways but could be regularly used.

I would want one that could be fully covered from rain - sides and top.

Thanks

tomasrojo

The Chariot Cougar 1 would meet all of your requirements, including the five-point harness (and a roll cage, no less). But it's pricey, of course, as you've noted!

You can get an extra rain cover for it, and then it's really dry for the child. Occasional oiling of exposed parts is all that's required. Even if you didn't do that, I don't think it would ruin it in the time frame you'd be using it; it would be mostly a cosmetic issue.

MJohnston

I'm actually leaning towards the Croozer now after having looked a bit more, it looks to be a good balance between safety, aerodynamic design, features, and price.

If anyone has any experience with the cheap-y Halfords deals though, I'd be glad to hear them!

Tigerandahalf

Can the wheels be taken off the Halford's one via quick release and can it be folded flat?

I might call into Halfords to check it out. I think they have limited choice though with that one and a Bellelli type that is twice the price but can only take half the weight!

The Bellelli does have a hard base but I am not sure how important that is as I can't see the bottom getting wet unless you end up in puddles or potholes.

Bottoms of buggies don't get wet.

Mr. Grieves

Watching this thread with interest, I have a general question. Does anyone know of a trailer which folds up as easily (or nearly as easily) as a regular buggy? Or, failing that, does anyone have experience of locking a trailer outside on a regular basis?

MJohnston

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

Watching this thread with interest, I have a general question. Does anyone know of a trailer which folds up as easily (or nearly as easily) as a regular buggy? Or, failing that, does anyone have experience of locking a trailer outside on a regular basis?

The Croozer seems to fold up pretty neatly:

mr spuckler

the croozer folds up relatively neatly but not as easily as a buggy. you have to remove the wheels and the handle, which then also need to go somewhere.

of all the various reasons i'd recommend buying a croozer (and there are several), convenience of storage would not be one! it's also quite wide (as i think the chariot is too) this is great for sturdiness but not so much for narrow doorways or general storage.

tomasrojo

I think, given that they travel at high speed and get a lot of road vibration and pothole jolts, no trailer
will collapse easily like a buggy, and that's as it should be.

The Chariot Cougar folds down by pulling out some stops, but you have to remove the wheels to get it into a car trunk, and a small car might not take it.

A Cougar 1 will get through any normal doorway. A Cougar 2 is much wider, but it's for two kids.

The bottom of the buggy can get some spray thrown up by the rear wheel, but not as much as the front and top. Remember to keep the cover closed when there's water on the road, or else fit a rear mudflap to your bike.

I never locked the trailer outside, as such. It was always easy enough to bring it in as a stroller, or to leave it parked outside, but in eye line. It has a foot brake and someone unfamiliar with it will take a short while to figure out how to unlock the rear wheels. It also can't be used as a getaway vehicle, unlike a bike.

Tigerandahalf

Do many of these come with a full waterproof cover?

I see waterproof covers for trailers on Amazon and I guess you could use them with the Halford's trailer.

mr spuckler

FYI OP there's a second hand chariot cougar 1 going on the Buy & Sell MTB Ireland facebook page here in case you're interested. a good few people here and on previous posts on this subject have strongly recommended them.

you have to join that group to view it but that only involves a click and you can leave again if it doesn't take your fancy...