🚀 go-pugleaf

In <3558BE2E.47DB8DD0@nc.com> Jim Fulker <fulker@nc.com> writes:

>Anyone know what the scoop is here? My wife and I want to ride
>with our 10 month old, but I'm not sure what the safest/best
>thing is. I didn't find anything in consumer reports...


>3) Trailers
>   I want to have more control and flexibility than I think
>   these contraptions will afford. Plus, they're low and trail
>   behind the bike, and as a result, at risk of being driven
>   over by impatient car drivers not expecting a trailer.
>   Seems like Cannondale's is the best.


I used a trailer with my son from when he was 5 1/2 weeks old until
he graduated to the back of the tandem at age 4.  Since I don't drive, I
rode many thousands of miles with the trailer, including several tours
of a week or longer.  I found that car drivers gave me much more
room than they give a single bike.  Trailers are quite visible, and
more importantly they are perceptually salient (i.e. drivers not only see 
you, they notice you).  

I chose a trailer over a bike seat for several reasons.  First, 
trailers are difficult to roll (not impossible, but difficult), and
if the bike goes down, the trailer stays up.  Second, the trailer
has a cover to protect the child from sun and rain.  Third, trailers
have cargo room, to carry the diapers, toys, books and spare clothes
that seem to go along with young children.

There is no doubt that it's harder to pull a trailer than to ride
a bike with no trailer.  It's not the handling that's the problem, 
though--  a bike handles well pulling a trailer, but trailers are heavy
and catch the wind.  For me, the extra safety, comfort and carrying
capacity outweighed that disadvantage.

In my opinion, the best child trailer on the market is the Burley. 

-- Anne Paulson