Compare Bike Trailers

What To Look For

Bike trailers come in different styles. Purchase a trailer that matches your intended use. Trailers come built to carry children, animals and gear. Using a trailer for anything other than its intended use can cause safety problems. For example, only kids trailers come equipped with seat belts, and pet trailers come designed to prevent animals from leaning their weight into the trailer's wheels.

Common Pitfalls

Make sure the trailer is compatible with your bike, and know the trailer's weight capacity. While trailer attachments fit most bikes, even a universal fit comes across compatibility problems. Before you purchase your trailer, take your bike to the trailer retailer and install the trailer attachment to your bike. Also check the weight limit on the trailer to be certain it will carry your kids, pets or gear. Some trailer models come in different sizes to accommodate a range of weight capacities.

Where To Buy

REI, bike shops and other sporting good stores stock trailers so you can see them and try them out before you make a purchase. Seeing the trailers lets you compare different brands up close. Choose a retailer that does special orders, should they not stock your choice trailer, but make sure they have a good return policy in case the trailer does not work out for you. Ask if the retailer has an in-house repair shop that can help you with repairs, like flat tires, during the lifetime of your trailer.

Cost

Prices reflect the trailer's carrying capacity, number of features and quality of materials. Expect to pay around $200 for a small pet carrier, between $350 and $600 for a child carrier and around $300 for a cargo trailer. Be aware that some brands come with the cycling attachment to connect the trailer to your bike while others do not. This is typically only the case with child carriers, as they are made to accept different attachments to convert the trailer into a stroller or jogger and each attachment sells separately.