I’m looking to buy a trailer for the little guy to use off road – I’ve narrowed it down to either a Croozer or Chariot Cougar.

Hopefully he’ll have a brother or sister in future so I’m leaning towards a 2 child trailer; the croozer seems better value for money but it’s quite wide (~90) cm. whilst I’ll plan sensible off road routes there will inevitably be some narrow gates (I’ll take a tape measure out next time I ride) .

I’m interested to hear opinions / experiences from owners of 2 child trailers and how you find them off road, particularly negotiating gates and narrow tracks?

I have managed to take a Chariot Cougar XL round GT red route, so it’s doable.

After a while you develop a second sense to what gaps you can fit through with your trailer. Those gates that are too narrow you can usually get off the bike and wiggle the trailer through. But be mindful that the trailers are still pretty easy to tip over (especially at speed on uneven ground). I know as I talk from experience. 😳 Nothing happened to the occupants, thank God…in fact they quite enjoyed it!

we have a double croozer and it fits through the green motorcross gates on cycle paths round here fine. have to adapt routes with narrow gates to get round but so far not a real problem as found good alternatives now. off road i’ve ridden all sorts from rocky land rover tracks in scotland to singletrack in local woods and its been stable with no real worries of it flipping over. as stated above after a while you’ll have a sixth sense what you can ride through with it on without hitting it, get some funny lools when i’m riding along singletrack with the nipper chilling out back! also you have to ride with a wide entry/out of corners to avoid cutting it too much with trailer but get used to it. quality wise both are good. we really like the double for the massive boot for shopping/baby stuff/picnics & opportunity for second kid in there too which we’ve done a few times with friends kids

Used to own a second hand Chariot Cougar 2 and did take it round parts of Bedgebury – seemed pretty stable although remember following someone with a one seater Chariot who had it up on one wheel for some parts. They are pretty quick to collapse partly down and then open back up if you really get stuck. Usually you can just unhitch, which occasionally had to do when I took the trailer behind our tandem…

If you do want to do some serious off-roading then one of these is very good.

Costs as much as a decent bike though.

CX1 here, awesome bit of it, whether you need a double depends somewhat on the gap between children, my wee man is three and already much prefers riding himself on his runner bike than being towed, by the time his little sister is big enough for off roading in the trailer I imagine he’ll be riding alongside.

The plan was always to trade it in for a double (always an option as chariots hold their value so well) but now we’re not so sure, may just keep the CX1. If you’re having twins or two in swift succession then it’ll have to be a double.

The trouble with the single wheel trailers is that if you crash, they crash I.e. fall over, with the chariot the hitch is flexible enough that even if you loose the front end and have to lay the bike down the trailer just sits there, did this at Swinley last year and the wee man just sat there laughing at me. You can flip them onto their sides if you really try (only done it once) but they essentially have a full 5-point racing harness so the kid just dangles there looking confused until you tip them back upright.

I have a mate who’s selling a cougar 1, e-mail in profile if you’re interested.

I have the croozer 2 and really rate it. Gets through most gates and down most single track with practice. We only have one child at the moment (2 years old) and he has been in it since he was 1. We have another due soon and they will go in the cradle that goes with the croozer. The advantage to me is the suspension system and the space you get. His push along can also go in the boot compartment..

Potentially interested in the cougar but leaning towards the two child. Does the croozer have a ball hitch so that if the bike falls into its side the trailer remains upright?

^^ – does the Croozer have suspension now?

When we looked at options we looked at the Burleigh, Chariot Cougar II and Croozer options – and the fact that the Cougar II had a proper suspension swayed it for us – that and the fact that we found one in decent nick second hand.

Used it from 5 months old with the kid in the sling attachment and now just in the seat. Works very well.

Has been flipped twice – luckily not by me! and the kid was unharmed.

It is quite wide – but you can take the wheels off/collapse it to fit through narrow gaps if needed.

The croozer kid plus has 45 mm of suspension (some kind of polymer setup)

Hi, I’ve got two small children 11 months and 3 years. I’ve already tried a few trailers but have yet to find one i like.

I’ve had:
chariot cougar 2 (old one) – the boot is too small
cheetah 1 (old one) – It didn’t have any suspension and became too small when we had our second child.
Burley D’lite – I loved this trailer, great boot space and a nice ride and very light but as I run it was pretty annoying that its didn’t have any of the running bits.

I’m currently borrowing a Burley cub, again a good size but it weighs a ton, it does ahev great simple suspension, the wheels are on a swing are with elastimer dampers. This gives a really smooth ride.

Ive been quite interested in the Croozer trailers as they seem to be everything im looking for (barr the suspension) I havent yet seen one at a decent second hand price, but what I have seen is the XLC Duo – this appears to be a copy of the croozer made under licence for a lot less. Has anyone use one? I’d love to know if they’re any good?

I’m traying to work out whether its better to get a seocnd hand croozer or a brand new XLC Duo?

The croozer has a sprung hitch mount type thing so if the bike falls it remains upright and I have tested this out…. The suspension is as suggested – a polymer block. It does however work very effectively. Each seat is also like a hammock so pretty easy going on the cargo …

The XLC duo looks just like the Croozer, other than being a bit heavier any idea what the main differences are? It looks good value at just over £220 from bike discount.

wurzlecube could you share a link for where you found it at £220 as the cheapest I’ve found so far is £287 plus shipping.

I’m really tempted by the XLC but the lack of reviews has put me off a bit.

It’s bike discount de; but the price seems to have changed to £260… Which is odd as it was £222 when I looked earlier.

There are some reviews on the German Amazon site; using google translate the main complaints seem to be the strap mounting point and the trailer smelling of plastic (disappears after a few weeks)

Have any of you ever come across the brand Qeridoo? I think they are anther European brand. I started looking on ebay.de and amazon.de after you’d said about the reviews.

Qeridoo make two trailers a speedkit and a sportex. Both look interesting and well priced, about £250-£280 delivered. One is slightly bigger than the other. Both have suspension and a jogger/ stroller attachment. seems like you actually get a bit more trailer for your moeny that the XLC/ croozer copy. I looked at some more German reviews for the XLC the inside doesn’t seem as good as on the croozer – the seats on the XLC look pretty basic.

The Croozer Kid Plus have suspension the standards do not. The Croozer come as standard with stroller and buggy kits in the box. Chariot they are extra add ons

Whilst the Croozer is a little heavier & wider than the Cougar from a value for money perspective I think I’m going to take the Croozer kid plus.

I’ve been offered a great deal on the Croozer and also a good deal on the Cougar 2 (£550) but like for like including the jogging wheel and stroller wheels there is a ~£200 price difference.

my chariot is of a much higher quality all round than my mates croozer.

you get what you pay for, and the leaf springs in the chariot win.

I got mine from americaland, where they’re half the price.

Bookmarked

We had a Chariot for several years and used it every weekend. It was a quality piece of kit and kids were very happy in it off road. We have 3 kids, each two years apart but just used it for the youngest; so it was a single. Used a tag along from 3 and they rode on their own from about 5.
I never tried a double but imagined they would be heavy to shift when laden as the kids grow, and perhaps a bit unweildy.

Burley D’lite – I loved this trailer, great boot space and a nice ride and very light but as I run it was pretty annoying that its didn’t have any of the running bits.

It comes with the towing arm and hitch, but you have to buy the stroller wheel separately.

I love mine, it’s incredibly stable and it has adjustable spring suspension. It’s also noticeably narrower than the Croozer double which makes it much easier to manage on narrow cycle paths.

I’m interested to hear opinions / experiences from owners of 2 child trailers and how you find them off road, particularly negotiating gates and narrow tracks?

Not significantly worse than a 1 manner, if that helps.

I bought the cheapest Madison one, and treated it as disposable. Been through 3 boys in various combinations and still working, without being given a gentle life in anyway, and been perfectly adequate.

Chariot CX1 here – amazing bit of kit. There’s over 4 years between our 2 though, so never felt we needed a double (tagalong and then bike. I have pulled a double (Burley) with a pair of 3 year olds though – it was heavy!

They all work pretty well – you get what you pay for, but whether you need what you pay for depends on use. CX1, with suspension and serious weather protection, meant I kept riding more right through winter.

I need to sell it actually – little is now 5 and hasn’t been in it for well over a year I think.

chariot cougar here. gets used every day for commuting to nursery in London. gets locked up outside during the day. no issues apart from the flag is on the wrong side and the pre2012 brake is a bit rubbish and broke on ours. mainly due to me being a bit rough with it. you can roll it but you really have to try hard.

I looked the cougars years ago when I had little ones but I decided I was unlikely to use the ski attachments or to skateboard over ramps or whatever their attachments are doing these days.

In the end I ended up just buying a 99 quid job from halfords and it did the job perfectly, lots of bridleways and wider singletrack (we had twins so needed a 2 seater from the off).

We still use it for taking stuff to the beach on holiday and the kids want to use it for overnight biking / camping trips too, only now the kids are riding beside me showing off their no-hands tricks or wheelies.

Good luck.

I bought one of the Qeridoo ones from Germany last year. Good value as couldn’t find anything comparable 2nd hand at a decent price.

Was out at weekend, stashed Eldest’s bike on back with straps when he got tired so could still carry both.

Does also fit 2 dogs and 1 child on way to trails

review

Thanks to those who have recommended the Qeridoo Sportrex’s. I was intially looking at the XLC Croozer copy but for a little more money the Qeridoo seems much better value, with suspension, a rigid base and what seems to be a much better seat. I like how the trailer arm folds out from the frame too so doesn’t have to be attached/re-attached.

http://www.kidscab.be have it for about £277 (359eur + 25 eur postage) incl. postage to uk (Bike24.de are cheaper list but charge a 90eur bulky goods surchage at checkout).

Good video on the Sportrex 1 here too (In German) Youtube

To add to my previous post, Qeridoo Sportrex1 also available on eBay (if you want a bit more security).

ebay from Germany £270 + £13.50 postage (Or £248 + £13.50 postage if you dont mind violet colour ebay from Germany)

Or from a UK Seller on ebay (only 55 feedback though) in violet again ebay UK £260 incl. postage

I’ve just made my purchase for the Qeridoo – I’ll let you know what its like when it arrives.

Has it arrived yet?

Interested to see what the deal is with the rain cover/front cover