Customer Reviews

Columbia Bike Buggy Trailer and Stroller Combination

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great buggy! I looked around for some time. Going to the local bike shops in the Boulder/Denver CO area, my wife and I got sticker shock. I look at several models closely and didn't understand what the pricing was about. Coming home, we looked on the net and were dismayed with the variety of choices. I also found some low-end models locally that for various reasons would not work well (and looked potentially unsafe).

After reading reviews and doing some research, I settled on the Columbia Bike Buggy. Columbia has a reputation for having good stuff at a good price. Conversely, Instep had one model at the local retailer that is akin to a toy. Schwinn and Instep appear to be the same although who makes what for who is somewhat confusing from what's on line. Schwinn is also all over the map lately with quality so that also had me concerned.

When I saw the reviews, I was convinced the Bike Buggy was a quality product at a reasonable price. That has turned out to be the case. It's actually much better built than I expected. There is the issue others have mentioned about the Velcro not lining up but, with a bit of adjustment, you can get it to work. The big plus for the Bike Buggy over Schwinn or Instep is it DOES provide shade for the little passenger. The seat is also very comfortable. The straps easily accommodate one or two kid. The rolling resistance is minimal. In fact, when I first took it out with my legs being fresh, I didn't even know it was attached. It has a patented attachment that allows the bike to be laid on it's side while still attached. This also is critical if the rider falls over as it drastically lowers the chance of the buggy rolling. I believe this is only a feature on the Bike Buggy. It also uses a pinned quick release so, once the hitch is added to the bike, the buggy can be quickly attached or removed.

As a runner it might not be the best. The small wheel in the front sticks out quite a bit. This is definitely not fit for toting the kids around the mall or taking the kids into crowded areas. We have a large park near our house and it works fine on the walking paths. It is very stable and again has low rolling resistance.

Over all I think this is a great product. This is not for rugged mountain biking. I would look at some of the high end Trek models for folks that are that daring. That said, this is on par with the lower end bike shop models that cost over double the price. My only real complaint is I can't find an extra hitch to set my wife up to quickly attach the buggy.

I can say all I want but the best testament is the passenger's experience. On my son's first trip of an hour and a half, he only cried once...that was when we tried to take him out. He then sat at the front door and threw a fit (something he rarely does). We let him go and he went straight for the buggy! My kid is 14 months old and has not had that kind of reaction to anything else he's done - this was an instant hit.

With the help of the other reviews, I purchased this bike trailer. This was mainly going to be used by my wife and baby girl (10mo.) On our maden voyage my daughter was a grin from ear to ear! She loved it and enjoyed every minute!!

It's easy to assemble, very low rolling resistance and spacious and great looking!!

It folds up nicely for easy storage and assembles quickly!! The rear storage area is super handy and just a great overall pickup!!

We did have an unfortunate mishap (user induced,) where a Replacement part was needed. I called up the 800 number for columbia, and their bike division goes through Iron Horse Bicycle Co. LLC.

The part I needed was intergral to a bigger part, one that unless replaced rendered the bike trailer useles...

I called the 800 number, explained the situation and without hesitation they not only sent me the part i needed, but sent me the WHOLE Sub assembly!! That in my book is A+ customer service!!!

Buy with confidence!! We Love ours!!

This is exactly what we were looking for!!! Switches SO easily from trailer to jogger. Plenty of storage space, jogger VERY lightweight. Perfect for siblings close in age or twins. No drawbacks whatsoever. Definitely worth the money.

This is a great trailer. It is the safety one I've seen and I looked around for a long while before I purchased this model. It doesn't have the turn over problem some of my friends models have. Goes over dirt and gravel with ease. Perfect for an avid bike rider who wants to take the kids along for the ride. The only thing I can suggest to the manufacture is to make it a zip top instead of velcro, but other than that its an awesome product!

This trailer has mostly been a fantastic buy. I bought it because of the great reviews, the good price, and the safety features. It was fairly easy to assemble and attaches nicely to my bicycle. It is lightweight, and I am over the moon about the feature that keeps the trailer upright even if the bike falls over. It is also attractive and comes with safety flag (which the Amazon description does not specify).

The only thing I have not absolutely loved about the trailer is the safety straps (seatbelts). I would prefer something more like a carseat restraint.

In our experience, when we first started using the trailer, my son would love it at first and smile at me proudly through his window. However, once we got going he would lean to the side or forward too much and was unhappy. I ended up folding up a blanket to place behind his back before tightening the safety straps. This gave a little more space for the back part of his helmet and seems to provide a more snug fit so he doesn't lean.

My son loves to have a couple of small toys with him which he takes in and out of the elastic storage pockets on the inside of the trailer.

The trailer also holds a good number of groceries when we bike to the market!

All in all, a highly recommended bike trailer (we have not tried the stroller feature yet).

Overall, I think this is a great product, so rather than bore you with the good details that you can read elsewhere, I chose to get to the dirt.... and the dirt is my concern...

The cover is not mesh, it is non vented plastic, so my child has a problem with a big plastic screen in her face. You can take it off, but then there is the dirt and road debris... so I think I will need to create a mesh cover somehow... this is major to me since I don't want to make my kid feel trapped in a plastic greenhouse...

Product is GREAT!!! Holds our almost 1 year old twins great! They love to look out the side windows, which are right at eye level. The all weather cover is wonderful too. It can be solid, or mesh for all kinds of weather conditions. Easy to assemble, fun to use!

After reading reviews of this and many other similar products, I purchased this great little pull-behind trailer. As has been stated many times, it is great for the price, but definitely not for the serious mountain / trail terrain.

I have taken my two-year-old on a number of rides in what he refers to as his "car", and he still begs to go for a ride every time he sees it in the garage.

The ability to lay the bike on its side while the buggy is attached is a great feature that I couldn't find anywhere else. The two-layer screen/wind guard enables you to use the trailer in a variety of climates.

The only reason I rated this a four and not a five is because the push bar to convert to a jogger is frustrating to attach (not difficult, just annoying). It has a bracket for each side that bolts into place. Everything else on the trailer attaches by lining up the holes and using a safety key to hold it in place. It would be nice if the jogger handle was as simple. We rarely use this as a jogger though, so this is a small complaint. It just isn't quite perfect, so I couldn't give it five stars.

Although the written directions were confusing, the actual assembly of the trailer was intuitive and only took me 20 minutes.

I don't even know how to change my own bike tires, but I was able to install the hitch joint all by myself.

I have a very small trunk, and this trailer packs so small that I can still fit my stroller with space to spare. The wheels come off and on so quickly and easily. In general, the set up and take down is quick enough for that my son doesn't fuss.

The trailer moves very lightly and easily, even for a weak rider like myself. On the flats I hardly feel the weight at all!

Negatives:
The seat is not very comfortable for my toddler. I knew I was sacrificing comfort for portablility... I wish there were more supports and more convenient harnesses. I don't think my son would be willing to stay in there for long. If you're planning to do any serious touring I would recommend using a different trailer, or inserting some home-made pads. I purchased a child support that was designed for a car seat, and this helped some.
I have not yet tried putting two children in the trailer, but I can tell that the kids will be riding very close, most likely leaning into each other.

The other major flaw is the trailer cover. The velcro wasn't attached properly, so it doesn't fit very well over the trailer, then the gaps can allow road debris in.
Also, beware of the greenhouse effect! The trailer has very little ventilation, so on hot days I can't use it. I'm planning to replace the cover when I find a suitable alternative.

This trailer is wonderful. A great value for the price. I bought one from my local sports authority because it was on sale and good name brand. I have found it to be a steal. The size of the tires keeps it rolling easy even with 2 children, 4 year old and a 2 year old. My 2 year old can't get enough of it. He always wants to go for a ride. The screen/plastic covers work great and aside from some misaligned velcro are easy to open and close. I only wish I could find another hitch for my wife's bike. Also the stroller option is so much more than just for jogging. Say you want to go to the store and you decide to ride there. Just take the stroller wheel with you and when you get there put it on and use the stroller for the kids in the store. Lock up your bike and away you go. I would definitely reccomend this to everyone.