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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice quality, easy to assemble, but very similar to the 525., May 21, 2009
This review is from: Croozer 535 Double Child Bicycle Trailer (Green/Grey/Black) (Sports)
My wife wanted a trailer for her bike, so I looked at different offerings from Burley, Chariot, and Schwinn before stumbling across Croozer. I wasn't looking for the cheapest trailer I could find, but I was also hoping to keep things under $1,000.
Since I hadn't heard of Croozer before, I did some research online and tried to find one in a store before buying. That was probably the hardest part of the purchase -- many of the stores listed on Croozer's site (at least, the ones near me) didn't have a floor model to look at. Eventually, I found one that had the Croozer 525 Double Child Bicycle Trailer, and ended up liking it. So, I figured I'd go with the upgraded model to get the advertised five-point harness and a little more cargo space.
I ended up ordering from Amazon, and the trailer arrived unscathed. Putting the trailer together was reasonably easy, because I had the required tools. You'll need an allen wrench, Phillips screwdriver, and an 11mm wrench to put this together at minimum. Having a ratchet with a Torx bit, an 11mm socket, and an 11mm wrench helped tremendously. The instructions leave a lot to be desired, and have very grainy pictures, but fortunately, there's little "real" assembly -- you just put reflectors on the front bumper, and put the front bumper on the trailer. The wheels snap in with a pushbutton release in the center, the stroller arm goes in with a couple of pins, and everything else is basically pre-assembled. (But yes, the front bumper is a big enough pain that it warranted some griping)
What really surprised me was that the trailer itself was basically the same as the 525. Although Croozer lists the 535 as having a five-point harness and doesn't list that as a feature of the 525, their harnesses looked the same to me. The 535 has two arm / leg loops and a center strap which comprises a five-point safety system that actually snaps together as three pieces. The top of the straps have some nice padding on the shoulders and back, which I didn't see on some of the more expensive trailers from other brands.
The trailer arm has a rotating spring mechanism, which makes the trailer move fluidly with the bike, while at the same time, keeps the trailer upright if your bike isn't. Croozer uses an axle post with a pin-and-retainer mechanism to attach to your bike. If your rear wheel has a quick release, installing it takes about five minutes, tops. One thing I was especially happy about, was that Croozer includes two axle posts, so I was able to put one on my bike too, without spending more money.
The stroller wheel looks a bit cheap, but works well (note: if you do buy this, make sure the strap that holds the pin for the stroller wheel is under the bumper when you assemble it!). You don't have to remove the trailer arm to use this as a regular stroller (but you probably should, if you're planning to walk around town with it). As a stroller, this thing glides wherever you push it, and the rear brakes are super solid.
The jogging wheel is surprisingly secure, but since I'm not a jogger, I can't really say much about it beyond the build quality.
In terms of overall build quality, this looks and feels every bit as good as the more expensive trailers. In the research I did, a few people were calling the 535 a "Chinese (Chariot) Cougar 2". Having actually seen a Cougar 2, I can certainly see the comparisons. I wouldn't go as far as saying they're identical, but I don't think the Cougar 2's materials are nice enough to justify the price difference of several hundred dollars. In any case, I didn't find any part of the trailer that left me concerned about our child's safety (which was not the case with some of the InStep and Schwinn trailers I had looked at previously).
If you're not planning to go jogging, you may want to save some money and go with the 525. With the exception of the jogging wheel and a few 10cm (about 4") differences in width and height, the 525 and 535 are basically the same. One notable place where that difference may matter to you is the height of the stroller bar (the 535 bar is about 4" higher, making it much more comfortable for me to push at 6'1"). Despite being disappointed that this was so similar to the 525, I didn't regret the purchase at all, and would absolutely buy this again if I had it to do over.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great bargain for quality, June 14, 2009
This review is from: Croozer 535 Double Child Bicycle Trailer (Green/Grey/Black) (Sports)
Assembly: I am not very handy, so I had some trouble putting the light reflectors on (minor issue), but otherwise, I was able to assemble everything with little effort. At one point, I couldn't get the arm for the bike trailer attached, but then I realised I had put it on upside down.
Quality and value: It is well made and comes with everything you would need if you are looking for this kind of trailer/jogger/stroller combo. Unlike more expensive brands, you do not have to buy the additional attachments. What's more, it comes with 2 attachments for the bike trailer so you and your partner can switch off pulling the trailer during a ride. My child seems well secure in her seat and is very safe. None of her limbs can come of out the trailer.
General comments: It is about 30lbs and with a child or children it becomes even heavier. It is very hard to pull up on hills. Keep in mind that I am a novice biker and I bought it mainly to ride flat rail trails. In order for me to put it in my car, I have to take the wheels off, but again, this is a minor issue as they are meant to come off easily.
Summary- I would recommend this trailer if you are looking for something with quality above a $200 or so trailer/jogger/stroller combo, but can't quite fathom paying $500+ for the basic trailer and having to add all of the pricy attachments bringing the cost much higher.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Perspective of an owner of 4 years, December 18, 2009
This review is from: Croozer 535 Double Child Bicycle Trailer (Green/Grey/Black) (Sports)
I don't normally review stuff but I've been so pleased I just had to spread the word.
For the money (and it was Benjamin less 4 years ago) this trailer is five stars and unbeatable. We use the stroller weekly for jogging, biking and as a regular stroller. Here are my +/-:
Plus:
-Bucket seats: Don't know another stroller that has it and it's a God send.
-Jogging/Biking/Stoller for one reasonable cost (unlike Chariot)
-Strong, light, tons of storage, easy to tow on a bike
-Packs up thin and easy to dis/assemble
-Rain/debris covers
-Super durable for 4+ years of getting kicked around and having it's configuration changed constantly.
Minus (these may have changed in subsequent years and should not be a deterrent):
-Chinese build quality. Some rumor this to be a division of Chariot but made in China not Canada.
1)The jogging attachment requires some fiddling to get the front wheel to track straight
2)The handle bar is usually a bear to get in. We try to leave it. What helped was sanding the handlebar tubes a bit to remove some material
3)The stroller wheel wouldn't rotate at all new. WD-40/Liquid Wrench helps.
-After 4+ years our gigantic 4yr old 47" tall daughter's head is smooshed against the roof.
It truly is a five star trailer but the niggles must be docked from the tally. Hope this helps. Don't waste your money on a Burley or Chariot unless you cross country ski or find one on Craigslist.
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by Lynn Clark
