# Best baby carrier: Chariot vs Burley



## 41ants (Jun 12, 2007)

I am trying to figure out what is the best overall carrier between the two? On my searches it seems like these are the two most common. Is there one that is better than those two that I have overlooked?

He's almost 11 months old. I ride 29" Hard tail and would like to be able to pull him with that or I may covert my fixed gear bianchi pista to a free wheel / brakes and pull him with that. Would like the flexibility to do both. Obviously I would like to spend less money over more money, but for safety and quality, I won't put a cap on that.

Thanks..


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

just started towing my lil' guy around in a Chariot CX1 with a S-Works Tricross......he likes it...i like it....it's pretty fun actually

The Chariot is pretty easy to configure from stroller, to jogger, to trailer....and most of the bits store on the trailer itself....plus i really like the tunable suspension......


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## Dr.Preroll (Jun 2, 2009)

*Chariot all the way*

I have both a CX-1 and a Burley. THe Chariot is by far the nicer of the two. We bought the CX-1 for our first and with our second, got a Burley just for around town. On any family rides, my eldest (3 1/2) will ride the trail-a-bike and our yongest ( 3 months ) goes into the Chariot....The quality and fit and finish is far nicer in the Chariot than the Burley.


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## 41ants (Jun 12, 2007)

Sounds good and looking forward to getting back out there again... I might just go for a cx-2 just in case my wife "accidentally" gets pregnant again. Time to cough up some dough! $1,400!


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## scottb32 (May 14, 2009)

We have put 1,000's of miles on our chariot behind the bike and 100's of miles on walks. It has been towed behind me skiing (I have the ski accessory) and has endured rain and snow and everything in between. I have towed it behind our full suspension tandem offroad on singletrack and gravel roads. I even flipped it while skiing - my son loved it. The poor thing is faded, the velcro crusty, and nylon starting to wear from over-use. I put flat-proof neoprene tires on because the original set wore out. The burley may be a good product, but the Chariot is a product I would recommend 100%. Even though this is an expensive stroller, this is one of those few products that exceeded my expectations.


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## jessekgoddard (Mar 16, 2010)

The chariot is excellent we've used it for a couple years with my son and he loves it and it tows well so both the wife and I dont mind pulling it


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

We have used a single Chariot since our son was about 6 months (9 months for bike use). He is now 4 and we have used it for everything from wide singletrack and dirt roads to 70 mile road rides. Also almost daily for commuting to work and daycare. Overall our son prefers to be higher up (rack seat or trail-a-bike) but the weatherproofness and saftey of the Chariot is hard to beat. We got ours at REIoutlet.com for 50% off and it has been worth every penny.


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## Broccoli (Jun 11, 2008)

I have a double Burley, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it except that my son flat out refuses to ride in it as he prefers iBert seat.

This evening we all went for a ride in a local park - it has an area near some dam with large dirt rollers - so I went around then for about twenty minutes. Boy was absolutely thrilled as usual - you can not do that with a trailer (or a rear seat). I am riding some mild singletrack with him since he was around 10 months. I only regret I did not get such a seat with my daughter. Currently it is on a TransAm frame with 150mm fork.

So my advice would be to get iBert for the next year, and get a runner bike in half a year.


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

I'm about to make the same purchase, and compared exactly what you are comparing. I've decided on the CX2. In addition to what everyone else has said on here, here is an interesting comparative review:

http://www.roth.net/kids/BikeTrailer/


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## _tom_ (Jun 18, 2005)

41ants said:


> Sounds good and looking forward to getting back out there again... I might just go for a cx-2 just in case my wife "accidentally" gets pregnant again. Time to cough up some dough! $1,400!


Keep your eye on Craigslist, tons of 'em on there.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I had the Chariot and loved it.


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## UCLAallDay (Mar 15, 2009)

what are the differences between the CX and Cougar Chariots and is it worth the price difference?


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

UCLAallDay said:


> what are the differences between the CX and Cougar Chariots and is it worth the price difference?


Their website has a very nice comparison feature which breaks down all of the features of each.

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/product_comparison.php

The short answer is I hope so! My CX 2 should be in this Saturday.

I think I also read a personal review of the cx somewhere where they mentioned some good reasons to go for the cx.

Chris


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Just got a Burley Solo today and it is really nice but I have nothing to compare it to. I was impress that except for the additional weight I didn't even notice the trailer was there. Best part is I only paid $200 for it  Gotta love Craigslist sometimes. I cannot for the life of me see what could be so much better about a bike trailer to warrant a $1000+ price tag. The Burley I have seems very sturdy and was very stable today on the trail with my 35 pound son and we hit speeds probably as fast as 20mph and that thing didn't miss a beat.


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## rjf165 (Nov 17, 2005)

I think the biggest difference between the CX2 and the Cougar is the CX2 has SIDE windows that will open. I just bought the Cougar and still have yet to figure out all the details, but our first 2 rides have been awesome.


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## mtbhead (Jun 17, 2004)

*1st baby*: I got a Centric Safehaven front-mount bike seat (now sold as the "Weeride"). My son and I both loved it, but I had to ride a bit bowl-legged. After a year, I ended up getting an iBert shortly after seeing one for the first time. No little front table, and it mounts to the stem which make steering a little more trickier (not bad though), and I had to use a spare camelback waste strap behind his shoulders to make it fit better, but the difference in legroom was well worth it. Between those two seats, we've done a fair amount of real single-track mountain biking. Advice: avoid anything where you need to stand to climb or stand to deal with the rough features. If a loop is one you can do the whole thing while seated when riding by yourself, then it'll most likely be fine with the Weeride or iBert.
*2nd baby:* got an Adams trail-a-bike for my older son (now 5), and my younger son (now 3) is now in the iBert. The three of us will go out together like this for 1-1.5 hour rides. 
*3rd baby:* my daughter is now 7 months old, and I've been trying to decide how to bring her along. I ended up deciding on a trailer, and through a lot of the same investigating process that others here have done, including this thread: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=6708785 and including going down and seeing one at REI, I ended up choosing a Chariot Cougar 2 and ordering the color I wanted from REI. I was tempted by the Corsaire and the CX2, but I don't think I'll need the additional room of the Corsaire, and the upgrades of the CX just weren't worth the additional cost for me (the main one in my mind was the removeable side windows). BTW, REI is running a 20% off coupon right now for 1-item (need to be a member, but membership is only $20 if you'er not a member yet). Another place I saw great prices: o2gearshop.com.


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## Broccoli (Jun 11, 2008)

mtbhead said:


> After a year, I ended up getting an iBert shortly after seeing one for the first time.


If you still use the iBert - order the new shoulder straps (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=571088).


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## mtbhead (Jun 17, 2004)

Nice! I didn't realize that they updated the straps, as well as added a pad - I'm going to order both.:thumbsup:



Curmy said:


> If you still use the iBert - order the new shoulder straps (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=571088).


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## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

chariot. all the way, man.


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## jmontgomery (Jun 24, 2009)

41ants said:


> Sounds good and looking forward to getting back out there again... I might just go for a cx-2 just in case my wife "accidentally" gets pregnant again. Time to cough up some dough! $1,400!


Check out the MTBR classifieds :thumbsup:


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## induction (Apr 12, 2010)

The wife and bought a chariot cx2 a little over a month ago. She researched trailers for weeks before making the purchase and came to the conclusion that the chariot was the better product. It was definately more expensive, but we do not regret the decision at all. The baby loves it too. She has the extra padding, tinted windows, and side windows that can be removed for extra ventilation. Comes in perfect since we live in phx, az. I haven't ever owned or used anything other than this trailer, so I cannot comment on the burley, but am impressed with this trailer. The cheapest we found it was at biketrailershop.com. That was 1-2 months ago so not sure now, but they also had free shipping.


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## Dr.Preroll (Jun 2, 2009)

UCLAallDay said:


> what are the differences between the CX and Cougar Chariots and is it worth the price difference?


 Totally worth the extra $ dough $. Not only to you get blingy wheels, but the drum brake is the bomb, It's really helpful going down stairs or running down hills....works great in the rain. The frames are the same, just a brake upgrade with nicer wheels and a bit fancier fabric. But that brake sure makes life easier....


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## Traildawg (Aug 11, 2008)

We just bought a Chariot for our 3 month old baby and we LOVE IT.. I work in the industry and see lots of products daily but the quality of this trailer is impressive. We ordered the CX1 because we really needed the ventilation in the Florida sunshine. Secondly, I have yet to see a better baby supporter than what Chariot offers. My son looks like a Nascar driver strapped in and ready for the big race... and he is STILL HAPPY !!. We also bought the jogging kit, stroller kit and other accessories. We had purchased a top of the line stroller and car seat from Chicco. After my wife took 10-15 long walk we noticed the wheels on the Chicco had wore down already. When we contacted Chicco we were told the stroller was not meant for fitness but for mall type use.. that’s $300 down the drain and a new set of wheels. My wife has put 35 miles on the Chariot so far. The time we are putting in together as a family has made the Chariot well worth the price..


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## confusedxx (Mar 17, 2011)

Is the Chariot safe to use on a Carbon full suspension frame? I have a fear that the extra force and tension would harm the frame.


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## 41ants (Jun 12, 2007)

These things are not heavy and shouldn't be a problem, unless your kid is grossly obese. I wound up finding an insane deal on the CX2 for $500, so I just went with it.


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## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

confusedxx said:


> Is the Chariot safe to use on a Carbon full suspension frame? I have a fear that the extra force and tension would harm the frame.


i doubt that, really. the chariot attaches via a hitch that replaces your rear quick release. i would be more worried that you lose a of torque and power through the rear suspension.


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## blt2drg (Apr 27, 2011)

I just got a used Burley Solo and love it. Its my first trailer so i cant compare it to anything else, but its very well made. I got it with the stroller conversion kit and baby snuggler in like new condition(still had nipples on the original tires) for $300 so i couldnt pass it up. My daughter fits perfect with the snuggler addition inside. 

Im sure the Chariot line is well worth the money especially if you happen to find one used.


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## T.R.A.V.I.S (Dec 2, 2010)

41ants said:


> These things are not heavy and shouldn't be a problem, unless your kid is grossly obese. I wound up finding an insane deal on the CX2 for $500, so I just went with it.


where did you find one for $500? 
im about to buy one at rei for much more.
thanks


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## 41ants (Jun 12, 2007)

T.R.A.V.I.S said:


> where did you find one for $500?
> im about to buy one at rei for much more.
> thanks


I got VERY lucky on this deal. Your LBS, should be able, and hopefully willing, to give you a better deal than REI. Good luck...


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