Best kids bike trailers 2024

Pulling your children along behind your bike in a trailer can be a really fun way to enjoy cycling together as a family, especially when they’re not ready to pedal themselves for long distances. There are lots of things to consider before investing in one of the best kids’ bike trailers, so we’re here to help you narrow down your options.

Whether you’ve come here from filling out our carrying kids by bike survey, or you’ve already decided a trailer is the solution for your family, you’re likely here because there are so many different trailers to choose from, and the choice can seem overwhelming.

So we’ve listed our top picks of the best kids’ bike trailers, based on our hands-on experience with individual models and brands, and the feedback we regularly get from parents. We’ll only recommend products we think are safe, high quality, and offer good value for money, so you can trust that there’s bound to be something that works for you here.

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. 

If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to browse the entire list, we’ve rounded up our top three quick picks to suit every budget, to save you time. We’ve also provided a brief but helpful list of our top tips to consider before making a purchase. If you’d rather do some deeper research, you’ll find our list of trailer recommendations, and below that we’ve got some in-depth buying advice for those who need a bit more guidance before making a decision.

Contents

If you're in a hurry, here are our top picks for the best kids bike trailers, covering a range of budgets.

• Quick picks: for parents in a hurry
• Top tips: things to consider before buying
• Best kids bike trailers
• How to choose from the best kids bike trailers

Burley Bee

Best for everyday use

• Price: from £324.00
• Capacity: 34kg (single), 45kg (double)
• Weight: 9.8kg (single), 10.2kg (double)
• Stroller mode: No
• Accessories: Snuggler for transporting babies*

Buy if: You want a workhorse that’ll do the school run, weekly shop and everything in between.

If you’re planning to cycle with a trailer on a daily basis, and don't need a stroller mode, then the Burley Bee is our go-to suggestion. It’s affordable, really well-made, and comes with both single and double options. Just be aware that it doesn’t come with the more advanced features that the other trailers in the Burley range have, such as suspension or conversion kits.

All Burley trailers come with a flex connector that allows your bike to lay flat while the trailer remains upright, 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. If you decide your child needs to wear a helmet, there's a recessed helmet pocket for extra headroom.

*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 can sit upright unattended while wearing a bicycle helmet". Therefore it’s up to each family to make a risk-based assessment as to when they wish to start cycling with their child.

Buy single new | Buy double new | Buy secondhand | Hire single | Hire double

Halfords Double Child Bike Trailer

Best budget option

• Price: £150.00
• Capacity: 36kg max load
• Weight: 10.8kg
• Stroller mode: No
• Accessories: Flag (included)

Buy if: You don’t need all the bells and whistles.

If you don’t want to spend much and only need something very simple, then Halfords does a cheap and cheerful double bike trailer that gets the job done. It doesn't come with all the features of more expensive brands, but this makes it a much more affordable, entry-level option, and sometimes you can even find them cheaper secondhand.
There's obviously no suspension, anti-roll mechanism, reclining seats or additional comfort and storage features that you get with the more expensive trailers, so it’s worth bearing this in mind when you’re choosing where to ride with it. Anything other than smooth tarmac might make for a bumpy ride. It does come with a high visibility flag included.
It’s also worth noting that the Halfords trailer is only compatible with quick-release skewers, so if you ride a bike with bolt-thru axles, you’ll need to look for an adapter.

Buy new | Buy secondhand

Cube CMPT Kids Trailer

Best carrying capacity

• Price: £699.95
• Capacity: 42kg (double only) + 70 litres storage capacity
• Weight: 18kg
• Stroller mode: Yes
• Accessories: Jogger kit

Buy if: You need some extra storage space on board.

If you’re in need of lots of storage space (because let’s face it, kids come with a lot of stuff), then the Cube CMPT double bike trailer comes with a whopping 70 litre capacity for cargo in addition to your passengers. However it’s important to bear in mind that the overall weight capacity is 42kg, so it does depend on the combined weight of your passengers just how much you can carry.

It’s designed for year-round use, with full protection for both cold, wet and sunny conditions, and has adjustable suspension so you can fine tune the comfort levels of your passengers. It comes with a comfy interior with padded headrests and adjustable shoulder straps, plus a reclining seat back, which is a nice feature. Our reviewers were particularly impressed by the size of the windows and the amount of visibility it provided as well.

It easily converts to stroller mode, and there’s an additional jogger kit you can purchase separately if you wish to. 

For a more detailed look at this trailer in action, check out our Cube CMPT bike trailer review.

Buy new | Buy secondhand

Thule Chariot Cross 1

Best lightweight trailer

• Price: from £949.99
• Capacity: 22kg per child + 12kg cargo capacity
• Weight: 13.8kg (single), 14.5kg (double)
• Stroller mode: Yes
• Accessories: Skiing kit, jogging kit, infant sling**, baby supporter**, storage cover

Buy if: You want the lightest option to make your ride easier.

Thule is one of the most popular bike trailer brands in the UK, and their Chariot Cross (available as single or double) is one of the lightest on the market. 

While it’s more of a financial investment, for the money you’re getting a high quality lightweight trailer with extra storage capacity to carry school bags or shopping, plus 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 Chariot Cross is designed to work as both a bike trailer and a stroller, and you can buy additional conversion kits for jogging and skiing. They also come with a wide range of available accessories and spare parts so you can adapt the trailer as your needs change.

These include 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.

For 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.

**Please note Thule’s safety disclaimer is to only use the infant sling and baby supporter for the strolling function, so each family must make their own decision on when/if they wish to start cycling with their baby.

Buy new | Buy secondhand

Burley D'Lite X

Best for light off-road riding

• Price: from £769.00
• Capacity: 18kg per child + 9kg cargo capacity
• Weight: 13.8kg
• Stroller mode: Yes
• Accessories: Baby snuggler, jogger kit, walking/hiking kit, stroller kit, 16+ wheel kit.

Buy if: You’re heading down canal towpaths or on light gravel.

The D’Lite X is Burley’s premium bike trailer that’s suitable for heading off the tarmac, thanks to its adjustable suspension, reclining seats, and optional 16+ wheel kit that makes it suitable for gravel. It’s available in both single and double options, and like the Bee listed above, it includes the Burley flex connector and aluminium roll cage protection.

The trailer is lightweight, and also features an extra cargo hold for carrying other items. While it’s certainly not designed for more challenging terrain, the D’Lite X would be perfect if you’re planning to ride along light gravel tracks and canal towpaths, as the suspension will smooth out the bumps and provide a comfortable ride for your passenger(s).

It can easily convert to become a stroller with a single front wheel, or you can purchase an additional two-wheel stroller kit to make it even easier. Other accessories include a jogging kit, a hiking kit, and the Baby Snuggler, a support for babies. Please do be aware of the age restrictions that Burley state around this: "Snuggler may be used for towing your child behind your bicycle if your child can 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.

Buy single new | Buy double new | Hire single | Hire double

Hamax Outback

Best for carrying babies

• Price: from £774.99
• Capacity: 22kg per child + cargo
• Weight: 17kg (single), 20kg (double)
• Stroller mode: Yes
• Accessories: Baby insert, rain cover, jogger kit, skiing kit

Buy if: Your passenger is as young as 6 months old.

Hamax is a Norwegian company particularly renowned for its wide range of kids’ cycling accessories, including bike seats and trailers. They have a range of single and double seat multifunctional child trailers with various safety and utility features, while the premium versions come with suspension and an optional stroller / jogger conversion kit. All have the integrated roll cage as standard, to protect your children in the event of an accident.

The Outback is a great mid-range option that’s multifunctional and comes with adjustable suspension and reclining seats, for a super comfortable ride. There’s also extra storage space at the rear if you need to carry additional cargo, and you can also drop the seats back completely to use it for cargo only if that’s something you might need.

While many bike trailers can accommodate children as young as 6 months old, this is only in stroller mode, and generally you need to wait for your child to turn one before you can start towing them by bike. With the Hamax Outback, however, you can cycle with them from 6 months, and use it as a stroller from newborn, with the additional baby insert accessory.

All Hamax trailers come with a ‘Safe Connection Point’ feature, which makes it easy to switch between bicycle arm, stroller wheel, jogger wheel and skiing towbar. These are all available as additional accessories.

Buy single new | Buy double new | Buy secondhand

Wike Special Needs Large Bike Trailer

Best for older children with special needs

• Price: approx. £1,200 (Euro conversion)
• Capacity: 56.7kg per child (single only)
• Weight: 15.4kg
• Stroller mode: Yes
• Accessories: Jogging kit (included), special needs accessory set

Buy if: Your child is older than 7 years and would still benefit from being towed.

Most kids bike trailers are designed to be used between the ages of 1 and 7, and then it’s generally expected that they’ll be pedalling on their own. However not all children are ready to pedal at that point (if indeed they ever will be), but it doesn’t mean their bike rides should come to an end.

Dutch company Wike offers a trailer specifically designed for older children with special needs who would benefit from continuing to use a trailer. They even produce an XL trailer for adults, though this is currently sold out at the time of writing. 

It comes with a jogger/stroller kit included, and there’s an additional accessory set available should you need it, which includes a head stabiliser, recliner seat cushion, recliner back cushion, and two side bolsters, to help keep your passenger comfortable and secure.

It’s worth mentioning that Wike trailers are only available directly from the brand’s website, which only takes payment in Euros, so the GBP price will vary depending on the conversion rate at the time of purchase. However they do offer free shipping to the UK, and if your child would benefit from this type of trailer, we highly recommend them.

Buy new

How safe is a bike trailer for children?

Safety is every parent's prime concern, especially when cycling in traffic. At the premium end of the 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 to secure them safely, and they usually have additional accessories available to allow babies and younger children to travel in comfort and safety. Please note that with the exception of Hamax trailers, all other bike trailers are designed for a minimum age of one year when being pulled by a bicycle.

How do you attach a trailer 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, so 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 included, so please do bear this in mind when budgeting for your new trailer.

To make things easier for you, we’ve busted the jargon and created an easy-to-follow guide around how to hitch a bike trailer.

Are cheap kids’ bike trailers safe?

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 bike rides on smooth, traffic-free surfaces.

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 second hand 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 2–12 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.

However, unless you live locally, 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 brand or model to choose from.

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