The best kids bike trailers

Buying a bike trailer to pull your baby or child behind you is a big decision - you want to make sure that they'll be safe, secure, and comfortable during their ride.

Thankfully, there are a number of brands that have spent years working on these aspects of child bike trailer design.

In this article we'll look at the best kids bike trailers and help you choose the correct one for your family.

The best kids bike trailers

In this article, we'll be looking at the standard features of a number of different brands of trailer.

Most brands do single and double versions of their trailers, and we've tried to cover a range of different price points to suit all readers.

Some kids bike trailers can also be used as strollers, which may be handy if you are cycling into town or want to cycle somewhere and then go for a walk.

Do please remember to check the manufacturer's age and weight guidelines and fitting instructions to ensure that the trailer you choose is suitable for your requirements. 

Cycle Sprog is a reader-supported website. When you buy through links on this page we may earn an affiliate commission.

What to look for when buying a bike trailer

Safety is every parent's prime concern, especially when cycling in traffic.

At the premium end of the child trailer market you'll find that your child will be protected by an integrated roll cage.

The frames are very rigid and designed to provide a reasonable level of protection for your child in case of impact and these trailers are robust enough to carry heavier children and luggage.

This photo shows what a roll cage looks like and you can see your child is sat well within the protective struts.

These premium trailers also usually come with reflective materials, 5 point harnesses and have additional accessories available to allow babies and younger children to travel in comfort and safety.

They are also easy to fold down and compact for storing and transporting.

They make excellent choices for daily, year round commuting, or long distance adventure riding.

best kids bike trailers - roll bar

How trailers hitch to your bike

How a trailer attaches to your bike can often be an afterthought, resulting in you getting lost in online forums and trawling through websites that aren't specific to your bike or your trailer.

There are a lot of complicated variables when it comes to hitching a trailer to a bike, we're here to let you know that hitching the trailer might require some research and thinking and may require purchasing an additional part that doesn't come with the trailer, so please do bear this in mind when budgeting for your new trailer.

We have busted the jargon and created an easy-to-follow guide for working out how a trailer will hitch to your bike.

cube trailer folded
Two twin girls laughing and smiling in a bike trailer
trailer with a rear red light

Cheaper kids bike trailers

Cheaper bike trailers tend to cost between £150 to £250 new.

These provide families with a cost effective way to cycle with their child and tend to be popular for gentle bikes rides on smooth traffic free surfaces.

However, loads of families (ours included) commute successfully on a daily basis with a cheap trailer. Just don't expect them to last as long, have a high resale value, or be quite as easy to use.

To put things into context, we wore out two cheap trailers during the three or so years we were using them on the daily commute.

As cheaper trailers don't have the roll cage, they don't provide the same level of protection to your child if they overturn or are involved in an impact, which is something you need to make your own risk-based decision on.

An alternative is to try and find a good deal on a well maintained premium trailer.

Should you rent a trailer before you buy?

If you're not 100% certain a trailer is right for you and your child, or you're struggling to choose between models, then renting can be a great idea.

There are two main ways to rent a kids bike trailer:

1.  Lease a kids bike trailer for several weeks

Lease from Kids Bike Trailers for between 2 and 12 weeks and benefit from their "try before you buy" service.

If it's not for you then you arrange to send the trailer back at the end of the rental period.

They have a wide range of trailers available and deliver nationwide in the UK so you can try out the trailer on your daily routes.

2.  Rent a trailer for the day

It can be a good idea to rent a trailer from a bike rental location and use it for a day.

Unless you live local the downside is you won't be able to ride on your daily routes if you're planning to commute and they're only likely to have one make/model to choose from.

However, this can be a quick way to check whether a trailer is something you're going to enjoy using before you make your purchase.

The best kids bike trailers

These brands of kid's bike trailers and their accessories all make great choices for getting out cycling with your young family.

We hope you find the perfect trailer whether you're buying new, secondhand or renting.

 

Burley child trailers

Burley is an American company who have an extensive range of trailers for different purposes. All Burley trailers come with impressive safety and usability features, the most important of which are:

  • a "flex connector" which allows your bike to lay flat while the trailer remains upright - very useful whilst stopping to sort your child out;
  • a full internal aluminium roll cage for protection in case of an accident - hopefully never needed, but designed to protect your child and means many parents choose not to have their child wear a helmet when inside a Burley trailer; and
  • if you decide your child needs to wear a helmet, there's a recessed helmet pocket for extra headroom.
  • Some Burley models have suspension, and larger volume tyres that can be added for additional off-road comfort.

If you are based in the UK it's possible to rent a Burley trailer on a "Try before you buy" scheme.

Burley have a support for babies called the Snuggler, although do be aware of the age restrictions Burley state around this. "Snuggler may be used for towing your child behind your bicycle if your child may sit upright unattended while wearing a bicycle helmet". It is therefore up to each family to make a risk based assessment as to when they wish to start cycling with their child.

best kids bike trailers

Burley have several different trailers in their range:

The Burley Bee is their popular entry-level trailer and is available in single and double options. It doesn't have some of the more advanced features that the other trailers in the range have, such as suspension or conversion kits

The Burley Encore is their mid-range double trailer with additional features such as suspension as well as the option to upgrade with conversion kits to allow you to use for strolling and jogging

The Burley D'Lite X is their premium kids bike trailer which has the additional benefits of adjustable suspension and reclining seats which are worth considering if your child is going to be spending a lot of time in the trailer. This is available in both single and double sizes.

The Burley Cub is built for more challenging terrain or very frequent use. It's often used for rental purposes and is only available as a double trailer. It's heavier than the D'Lite due to having a solid base, but is otherwise similar.

If you're buying secondhand then you may find the Burley Minnow, which was a budget trailer discontinued in 2019.

All Burley trailers come with the same safety features, it's the functionality that varies.

Buy New Hire Buy Used

Cube double bike trailer

Cube released the Cube CMPT double bike trailer in 2023 and it can seat two children comfortably. The trailer converts between stroller and bike trailer mode and an additional jogger mode allows you to use it for running.

The interior of this premium double bike trailer is comfy with padded headrests and adjustable shoulder straps, and the seat back reclines.

The trailer is designed for year-round use with full protection for both cold, wet and sunny conditions. The CMPT trailer has 20" wheels and adjustable suspension and comes with a 70 litres storage space.

Read our review of the Cube CMPT double bike trailer.

Buy Now

best kids bike trailers - Thule trailers

Thule child bike trailers

Thule are one of the most popular and readily available bike trailer manufacturers here in the UK.

They originate from Sweden and aim to create quality products to get families active, whilst meeting the highest safety standards.

Thule trailers come with a roll bar that provides structural protection for your child whilst they are inside, which is something missing from the much cheaper trailers available.

This means some parents choose for their child not to wear a helmet inside these trailers, although this is entirely your choice.

The Thule Single Seat trailers are designed to be bike trailers and strollers and you can buy additional conversion kits for jogging and skiing.

Buy New Buy Used

best kids bike trailers

Thule also offer a wide range of additional accessories and spare parts you can adapt the trailer as your needs change.

One of the most popular accessories is the infant sling which attaches inside the trailer and is for use by babies who cannot sit unaided between the age 1 - 10 months old, weigh less than 10kg, and are shorter than 75cm.

(Please note that the Thule safety disclaimer is to only use the sling for the strolling function, so each family must make their own decision on when/if they wish to start cycling with their baby).

kids bike trailers - Thule baby support

For slightly older children (aged 6-18 months) there is the Thule Baby Supporter which has padded sides and head support to ensure your baby sits comfortably upright.

The head support adjusts upwards as your baby grows, but can also be totally removed if you prefer to have your child wearing a helmet inside the trailer.

Hamax kids bike trailer - one of the best kids bike trailer brands available

Hamax child trailers

Hamax are a Norwegian company who are particularly renowned for their wide range of kids cycling accessories.

They a range of single and double seat multifuntional child trailers with various safety and utility features.

The premium versions come with suspension and an optional stroller / jogger conversion kit.

All have the integrated roll cage as standard.

Buy New Buy Used

Decathlon kids bike trailers

Decathlon often have a good range of budget and mid-range kids bike trailers.

Their stock does vary, but it's worth checking them out to see what's available.

We've seen good value double trailers, including ones with larger wheels than tends to be found with some cheaper trailers, meaning you get more ground clearance.

Buy Now

 

blue trailer with orange flag
Halfords kids bike trailers

Halfords Trailer

Halfords have a range of own-brand kids bike trailers which are quite possibly the most popular entry level trailers in the UK, and you can often find great bargains secondhand.

The Halford trailers don't come with all the features of more expensive brands, but this makes it a much more affordable option.

There's obviously no suspension, anti-roll mechanism, reclining seats or additional comfort and storage features that you get with the more expensive trailers but it does come with a high visibility flag.

Buy New Buy Used

Croozer kids bike trailers

Croozer are a German company who have been making some of the best kids bike trailers for decades. They are now hard to find in stock in the UK, but are a good option second hand.

As with the other trailers featured so far in this article, the Croozers come with an integrated roll bar plus a wide range of in-built features and additional accessories.

Over the years different models or Croozer trailers have come with jogger conversion kits and varying number of adapter hitches.

If you're buying secondhand it's well worth checking out what accessories the particular trailer comes with.

Buy Used

Croozer Kid Plus for 1 single child bike trailer

WeeRide Classic Trailer - DISCONTINUED

WeeRide are very well known for making front bike seats and tagalongs, and in the past, they have had a single-seat bike trailer called the WeeRide Classic, which has a full aluminium roll bar and 5 point harness.

The WeeRide Classic single seat trailer is now discontinued, but it's worth keeping an eye on eBay just in case one comes up.  

Buy Used

Weeride bike trailers

More advice on kids bike trailers

Keep up to date with the latest Cycle Sprog articles

Sign up to receive our newsletter straight to your inbox.

Comments

Liz

Hi.
I’m desperate to get my hands on a reasonably priced single trailer with a reclining seat. Is there something you can suggests? I like the solo but it’s £600 at most stockists! I doubt there’s anything much cheaper but was wondering if you’ve heard of anything.
Cheers liz.

Penny Millar

Hi Liz
Thank you for your comment. We’d recommend asking your question on the Family Cycling UK page on Facebook. They have hundreds of members who are very helpful at making recommendations based on personal experience. We hope this helps! Penny

Hammer

Hi,

You might want to revisit some of these. The Thule and Burley models are all out of stock at the retailers you suggest (and many others).

Penny Millar

Hi there
Yes, we’re currently we’re seeing a lot of items flying out, thanks to Covid-19! Sales volumes are very high at the moment, as you can imagine. We do check the pages and try to make sure we are showing where a bike or trailer etc is available but unfortunately it’s not always possible as they may be out of stock nationwide. Stockists are working very hard to ensure they get items back in as soon as they can though so it’s always worth keeping an eye on a page if there is something in particular you are looking out for. Many thanks, Penny

Sara

This is a great resource. Wish it had been around 2 years ago.
In the Burley section though, the Minnow isn’t just a renamed Solo. The Solo sits between the two they currently make with adjustable suspension, the ability to convert to a stroller, padded seat, break, and adjustable sunshade.
Probably a moot point as it’s not manufactured any more but you include other discontinued lines so I thought it might be relevant.
Thanks for your work on the site, I’ve found it helpful on several occasions.
?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.