This might be a bit backward but I’m looking at getting a utility bike; one of the key activities will be to take sweajnr to nursery in a chariot or similar. I don’t have either bike or chariot currently but bike will probably be first. So before commiting to a new wheel size just checking the bigger wheels don’t interfere with the workings of the Chariot. Any experiences much appreciated.

I have had no problems putting my Chariot and any of my bikes. The trailer attachment hangs off the axle anyway. If you have a bolt through rear axle that will probably give you more problems and Chariot trailers are now Thule trailers.

As long as it is one of the newer Chariots that attach to the axle you will be fine. The older frame clamped ones won’t reach around a 29er wheel.

It is not a big modification to get the hitch to fit on a 12mm through axle either.

I run my Chariot off my 29er with no problems, the standard hitch fits Q/R and nutted axles, they also do rear axle adapters for Hub gears and 142 x 12mm screw-thru axles so they fit pretty much everything.

And like Roter said, they’re Thule now, not Chariot and Madison are bringing them in.

Thanks all – good to know. I’d have hated to get a bike and then discover it didn’t work for one of the main purposes within a year..

By utility bike are you thinking something like a Kona Ute? We have one and although our very old trailer won’t fit on a 700cc/29er it will fit on the Ute as it can attach to the pannier racks which are the same diameter tubing as a chainstay.
Family bike packing trip, lightweight it was not!

IMAG1084 by neil.d.cox, on Flickr

If you do end up with a 12mm axle this might be a better option than my bodge of boring out the hitch and spacing with a washer (to clear my crabon frame) which has left me low on threads engaged on the axle:

http://www.robertaxleproject.com/

I have just ordered one now as I have lots of big adventures planned.

Fargo and three year old Chariot work just fine. 😀

I’d heartily recommend the Fargo though a Steel Jones, a Surly Ogre or ECR would no doubt be equally as good. The Fargo works really well loaded with a seat on the back too.