Bicycle Trailers
- Bike trailers: a wide range of solutions for your needs, on HiFi-Tower
- Bicycle trailers for kids: safety features and other aspects to consider
- Bike cargo trailers: comfort and safety to carry your stuff with you at all times
- A special bicycle trailer to transport your pet
Bike trailers: a wide range of solutions for your needs, on HiFi-Tower
Bicycle trailers are the perfect solution for parents who lead a healthy and active lifestyle. One of the great pleasures of parenthood is sharing the funniest moments of everyday life with your children, and bicycle trailers can be handy for taking your children to school, running errands or doing sports in your free time. Also, other types of models can be convenient for carrying pets or for transporting your luggage, skis or any other equipment you may need while you are on the road.
All models you can find on HiFi-Tower are quick and easy to install, and you can find models with different designs and multiple functions. Some of these models are so versatile that they are even adapted for use as a jogging or skiing trolley, to carry pets or luggage. Read on to find out which are the main versions of this essential accessory for your outdoor living, and find out which features you have to pay attention to in order to always guarantee maximum safety when you ride your bike carrying your children, pets or objects.
Bicycle trailers for kids: safety features and other aspects to consider
There are two systems for taking your child with you on your bike, and these are the child seats and bicycle trailers already. Whichever solution you choose, however, make sure that your child always wears a protective helmet if they are old enough to do so. In this section, we will focus exclusively on the bicycle trailer.
Bicycle trailers for kids look at first glance like small sidecars attached to the bike frame and are designed to carry children from 1 to 6 years old. Some models are simple and single-seater, others can easily accommodate two children together. Each model, however, has a certain weight limit that it can support, ranging from 38 kilos to 54 kilos, above which it will risk breaking.
In general, children can sit inside the trailer, as they would in a sort of pram. Then it is clear that some elements of the structure can change, such as the presence of the protective cover of the trailer. In some cases, these products resemble simple trolleys to be installed behind the bicycle. In any case, even if the cover is present, know that it’s recommendable not to use them in traffic, for an obvious safety reason.
As far as the coupling system is concerned, here too there are different solutions, depending on the bicycle trailer you choose. Usually, the best models have a fixing system that will keep the accessory stable. Other bicycle trailers can be folded up to make them easier to store at home. Let's now have a look at this table, listing the main features to consider when byuing a bicycle trailer.
| Main aspects to consider when buying a bicycle trailer | |
| Safety harness system:It is essential that a child bike trailer to be mounted on the back of your bike is equipped with a safety harness system, and that it is, of course, adjustable according to your needs; this is the only way to ensure passenger protection. Besides, if it is a two-seater bicycle trailer, there should be two harnesses. In some models, you may also find a safety crossbar, which is similar to those on carnival rides. | Fixing system: some trailers are secured using a support that is attached directly to the bike frame. Others use a seat post attachment, which in turn uses a quick-release clamp and an adjustment system. It is important to assess the quality of the safety mechanism, which should always be present. |
| Safety system: the attachment element of the trailer is designed to leave the trailer in place, in the unfortunate event of the bike falling. In some cases, this is made possible by special springs which rotate in such a way as to compensate for the falling movement of the bike. Other mechanisms with the same purpose are the accessory hooks with a rotating ball, which are equally effective in terms of fall protection. The child bicycle trailer must be fitted with a side covering or wheel fairing, to prevent children from sticking their fingers into the spokes of the wheels. Also, a triangular flag, approximately two metres high, must be present to make the trailer as visible as possible. | Trailer to stroller conversion: many professional bicycle trailers include accessories to convert the trolley into a stroller for jogging or trekking. Some models even allow you to convert them into pushchairs for cross-country skiing. |
| Materials and construction: in most cases, the structure of the bicycle trailer is made with a tempered steel core, while in the more expensive models there are different alloys, really resistant but also lighter. In any case, what matters is that the frame is sturdy, to protect the child in case the bike trailer should tip over, despite the safety system. | Wheels: usually the wheels of children's bike trailers are made with stainless steel rims, therefore not subject to rust, or with aluminium, which is lighter in comparison. The size of the wheels is important; large-size wheels handle the impact with obstacles on the ground better but are less manoeuvrable than the smaller ones. It is always worth finding a good middle ground. |
| Reflectors: they are crucial to ensure maximum visibility of the bike trailer during the night, and contribute significantly to increasing safety | Seats: there can be one or two seats, depending on the model, but there should be enough space to accommodate the legs comfortably. Secondly, the padding of the seat and other solutions, such as the possibility to recline it, is also important to ensure maximum comfort. |
| External cover and venting: many trailers are equipped with a dome-shaped plastic protector, reminiscent of ordinary pushchairs. They are essential because they protect the baby from debris and stones that rise up from the road, and of course, from wind and rain, as well as the sun. Of course, you have to make sure that the cover can guarantee the child adequate ventilation. | Weight: weight is always an important aspect, which you will always have to evaluate during the purchase phase, and to which you will have to add the weight of your baby. Expensive trailers are usually lighter, due to the materials, so they are preferable. |
Bike cargo trailers: comfort and safety to carry your stuff with you at all times
Sometimes bicycle carrier bags are not enough, and on the market you can also find trailers for transporting goods, much simpler than those for children, for obvious reasons. In these cases, in fact, they are more or less advanced trolleys for the transport of objects, luggage, clothes and so on. We are faced with handy accessories, especially if you are a cycling or trekking enthusiast. A cargo trailer allows you to take anything with you, from tools to camping tents to grills and outdoor cooking equipment: in this case, the elements to be assessed change compared to those of child trailers.
However, we’d like to point out that even these models can sometimes be converted into something different, as in the case of trolleys for those who go shopping at the market. Their structure is designed to unload the weight of the load on the wheels of the trailer, to make pedalling on the bike much more comfortable and lighter. They are also straightforward to hook and unhook, which means you almost won't even notice you have them with you.
If you're planning to take bulky tools and things with you on bumpy roads or trails, you should definitely consider this purchase. Cargo trolley suspension helps to preserve the integrity of the items you have stored inside your trailer. This doesn't mean that you'll be able to take fragile things with you, but at least you'll know that bumps and potholes will be smoothed out as best you can.
Bike cargo trailers can be categorised as single wheel trailers and two-wheeled trailers. Single-wheel trailers cost less, but they are also less resistant than other trailers and therefore more susceptible to shock and vibration. Two-wheeled trailers, on the other hand, are better performing in terms of stability, because it is easier to keep them in position, even when travelling on very bumpy roads. They are heavier, and this can also be felt when pedalling, but they generally have a higher load capacity. This means that you can cram more things inside them, and count on an accessory that will make things easier for you when unloading and loading material. Finally, you don't have to worry about balancing the load, which you'll have to do with a single-wheel trailer.
A trailer for the bike, especially for cargo purposes, may have certain accessories or special features, such as tool bags. These tool bags, if included, are designed to fit perfectly into the truck and protect your tools. Secondly, certain models may have systems to make the hooking mechanism to the bike universal. In this case, these are hooks useful for attaching the trailer to any rear axle.
A special bicycle trailer to transport your pet
Some bicycle trailers for sale on HiFi-Tower are specifically designed to transport dogs and cats. Trailers for dogs have approximately the main characteristics as those for children, the only difference being that there is a doghouse and not a seat.
A bike dog trailer has, therefore, a structure consisting of a passenger compartment supported by two wheels with protective bumpers and usually made of materials that resist the weather and are easy to wash. The whole structure consists of a frame that can usually be folded, and generally, the cover includes a transparent nylon hood to protect the dog or pet you carry by the weather and insects. The structure of the trolley, to allow the animal to be transported safely, must be equipped with reflectors and front and rear lights.