Customer Reviews

Burley Bee Bike Trailer

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

WANNA SKIP THROUGH MY REVIEW AND GET A PROS AND CONS LIST? IT'S AT THE BOTTOM!

Out of the box, this trailer is a hex key away from taking it for a night on the town. The only thing needed to be attached is the wheel guards and Burley is kind enough to provide the perfect sized hex key to accomplish such a task.

First of all, I want to touch on the specifications. The wheels are made of a strong plastic and come equipped with pneumatic 20" wheels that detach with a simple push of a button. These don't seem to come off easy unless you are fully pressing the button. Of course, what can I say, I just received the bike trailer last night. The inside (which I plan to get a photo of for the customer images) is wide enough to fit two children but as mentioned in other reviews, it seems a little tight for my 2 children and the stuffed giraffe to tag along. The Bee's straps seem cheap when compared to the more expensive models and I guess I don't see 5 thin straps that are likely the same make up of those found in a shopping cart as a FIVE POINT PROTECTION HARNESS (Grr! SO tough). Of course with a little know how and a little DIY spirit, it can be improved significantly. My biggest gripe, (quite petty but still a factor) is that there is only one mesh cup holder on one side. As you can imagine, this can get a kid all fired up and ready to argue. (ex. "BUT DADDDDDDDDDDDDDD, I WANT A PLACE TO PUT MY JUICE TOOOOOOOOO") Of course, maybe I have extraordinarily bratty kids.

As for the storage space, it is small but it is nice. I can fit two good sized reusable bags when I shop with my kids at the co-op. If I only have one with me he can befriend a third bag on the hammock seat.(Of course, that would require him to leave the stuffed giraffe home)

In all, the biggest question you probably have is, "Will my child(ren) like it and how protected are they?" The first time I took Jonah out, he was very wary of the "bike car", but once he got in and saw that it moved his eyes lit up with excitement. We got him dressed (It's winter here still) and pack hot cocoa and a couple blankets (all of which fit comfortably) then headed on our way. It was a little awkward at first but after a few blocks all I heard beckoning from the Bee was "Faster! Faster!". So yes he enjoyed it. The latter question seems to be an easy one. Yes, the roll cage is sturdy. I dropped it from the upper story to be sure. It survived. It may collapse if it is being dragged under a car but let's hope no one is in that situation.

OVERALL, compared to the Schwinns in your local Wal-Mart and the Insteps of your local Target, this trailer is terrific. I would rather pay the extra $100 if I am assured that my kids are safe and I feel they are safe in my Burley Bee. Price-wise, I feel it presently is worth $200 easy but with a few improvements like duel seat belts, shoulder pads, two cup holders, and maybe if it were wider by 3-4 inches, it would live up to the $250 price tag. But of course for a name like burley, you will pay that extra $50 for nothing. If you can't afford a Chariot or high-end Burley, buy the bee. It's a good trailer.

PROS AND CONS FOR THE LAZY:

Pros//
*Great visibility on the road
*Sturdy, the materials seem to be long-lasting and durable.
*Snugly fits two kids and a stuffed giraffe
*Great storage space for grocery runs and picnics in the park.
*Safe, the roll cage is more than strong.
*Reputation for good customer service.
*Collapsible
*Pneumatic tires

Cons//
*Only one drink holder.
*Inability to attach any stroller kit
*Flag seems cheap, almost an after thought.
*Safety harness seems weak.
*When I said fits two kids snugly, snugly is a bad thing.
*Only one belt for two kids. Seems like a higher-profit sorta corporate shortcut.

OVERALL//
Spend more on a higher-end model from Burley or Chariot. If you can't Get the Bee. Ignore the cheaper versions and brands. They aren't worth it. If you want safe kids, get safe products.

(IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MY FACEBOOK IS LISTED ON MY PROFILE. MESSAGE AS NEEDED. IF THERE IS INFO I LEFT OUT, COMMENT BELOW AND I WILL ANSWER.)

***UPDATE 10/09/11***
We have abused this trailer, left it outside locked to a post, exceeded the weight limit, and spilled every possible liquid all over it. It has stood up the test of roughly 5 months. So far, so good.

At first we were considering a less expensive trailer (around $99) but, after reading reviews of the others and how several returned theirs and got a Bee, decided to get the Bee. Being our first trailer, we didn't know what to expect, but we are very happy with it so far. It was super easy to assemble and the pneumatic tires are a big help when going over gravel in the road. I do wish there were a few more inches of room in the seat since we have a 2 1/2-year-old boy and a 1 month old girl (no, we do not put the newborn in the trailer). Our boy takes up a lot of room when sitting in the middle. I can't imagine when she is old enough to ride that both will fit comfortably.

That aside, our boy loves going for rides, especially since daddy is the one doing to the work :)

Well worth the upgrade in cost, in my opinion.

We spent a lot of time reading reviews before purchasing a bike trailer and opted to spend the extra money on the Burley Bee based on other reviewers comments. It is definitely money well spent! The Burley Bee is essentially fully assembled out of the box and there are easy to understand videos available online if you have any questions about attaching it to your bicycle. Pulling the trailer is a breeze too! I haven't ridden a bike in years and our kids are too young to keep up when riding through the neighborhood, so this is the perfect solution. I can barely tell they are behind me unless I am going uphill, so don't be afraid of the trailer weight! The seating is tight for two kids (ages 2 & 4) and it is a combined seat/seatbelt system so they slide into each other in the middle. They didn't complain too much but said it was hot but still fun!

we love it. we purchased it for our granddaughter's first birthday. we did alot of reasearch before we bought this one. after all, our most precious person is inside. it's more expensive than the other ones, but alot of the reviewers had said they wished they had bought the bee. also, we wanted more than a year in it, and room for a second child. so far the only thing is, when you have to strap her in the middle, the straps are harder to set. the instructions are vague, so i told the kids to contact the company.

I've had this trailer about a month now an generally like it. Easy to pull with 2 small kiddos riding. Smooth ride for them. Easy to set up and use. The only thing I wish it had is a brake. When you have to park on a hill the trailer wants to pull the bike backwards. Also, the helmet pocket is too high for my 3 year old (and he is average height). This makes his head tip forward a bit while riding.

We were very excited to get this trailer and take it for a spin, but when we put our (average-sized) 13-month-old into it, we started having second thoughts. The harness system seemed really flimsy, the seat doesn't offer much support, and the webbing cuts into the neck of our apparently too-short passenger. Oh, and also, because he was slouched down in the seat, the "helmet pocket" was useless (because he was below it), and his helmet just slid forward into his face and made him angry.

One thing I will say is that Burley's customer service is fantastic -- when I called to ask whether we should try the Snuggler insert to make our son more comfortable, the customer service rep suggested rolling up a towel for lumbar support and another to act as a booster (if need be). I was impressed that she didn't push a product on me, but rather, a practical solution. Anyway, we found a used Solo that works WAY better for smaller passengers (though the seller said his kid rode in it until she was 6 or 7) because of the padded, reclining seat and padded harness, so the Bee went back. As usual, props to Amazon for quick shipping/easy returns.

We decided on the bee after reading hundreds of reviews both on amazon and other sites as well as visiting product sites. Our daughter was 9 months old when we purchased the bee. We had the bee shipped to my grandparents to meet us there. My grandparents were able to assemble it using the diagrammed instructions and my grandfather is almost blind. As my daughter is so little, we also purchased the snuggler. With the buckles done up tightly she looked safe and didn't fall forward or slide to one side. But you definitely have to tighten the straps up or they tilt.

The last time i was on a bike was three years ago when i last visited my grandparents. With the bee behind me, i barely noticed it! The only time it was difficult to pull was in the wind going uphill. The wind makes a huge difference. My daughter loved it tho! No fussing when she was being put in the bee. We would go for 1-1.5 hour long rides everyday. We only got to use the bee for 10 days but i can't wait for my grandparents to bring it home so we can use it this summer! The straps to sit her in the middle were easy to adjust and disassembly took minutes! I didn't have any trouble turning or braking and i never worried about my daughter's safety. I would absolutely recommend this product to any of my friends or family.

The only wish i had for this product would be that when the trailer is disassembled that there is a bag or velcro or something to keep all the parts in the trailer. The sides don't button down when disassembled and the wheels can fall out when on its side. But for an entry trailer from Burley....it's awesome!

Our Bee just arrived. It was the cheapest and most convenient way to get a trailer in Sydney, Australia. Most shops don't stock them, and the ones that are available are either scandalously expensive or edging towards disreputable.

Burley brand was recommended by two shops who also said they could not get it in. So bought one online and it was shipped the next morning and arrived six days later to my doorstep. Handy.

So far only one trial ride, with twins on board, It pulls brilliantly on flat and uphill. Braking is not much heavier than my bike on its own (tho obviously I am riding slower than usual for safety).

The only issue is that the seat is a sling with no cushions at all. The kids' helmets are pressed forwards by the back of the seat. They don't like that, and spent a lot of the ride pulling their helmets up and complaining. I will try to insert some cushions that will give somewhere for the helmets to go, so the kids can sit more upright and watch the scenery also.

I'll preface by saying that this is the first bike trailer I've ever used or purchased.

That said, I think it's a pretty decent trailer for what I paid. The wheels and trailer frame are both quite light and the trailer rides smooth and quiet and is a snap to pull. The styling is also more appealing than many others in this price range.

One detail that is not so neat however, is the front wind screen. It folds quite awkwardly onto the top front of the trailer and there seems no good way to fasten it in this position securely. The elastic bands in the top corner locations would seem meant for this purpose, but are woefully inadequate.

Initial assembly was not easy. There are only a few loose parts and most, especially the wheels, are simple and quick to put together. Joining the top aluminum rails though, proved much more difficult. It took some strength to snap these pieces, one underneath the other, into the provided casters due to binding tension in the canvas. But, as I've continued to fold and expand the trailer since then this task has gotten progressively easier.

While I would have to try a few other brands in this price range before I could strongly recommend this trailer, I am happy with my purchase and look forward to many more hours of enjoyable use.

We decided to pull the trigger on this particular model because of the safety reviews after investigating several of our options. The trailer feels solid, its very simple to hook up, and the price was decent. It glides nicely behind my bike, even over bumpy terrain. My only complaint is the seat is not the most comfortable for smaller children wearing helmets. I suppose thats what makes it the 'thrifty model'. The structure is identical to the rest, just the comfortability is compromised. Its something we can deal with, and we're happy with our purchase, we just need to stick a couple sweatshirts behind my daughters back so she's not slouched in her seat with her helmet being pushed over her eyes.