Instep Bike Trailer: Burley Tail Wagon Bike Trailer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My wife and I have a 35lb Corgi/Heeler mix that we wanted to bring with on our longer (20+ miles) bike rides. The longer rides are just too much for the poor dog to keep up with (especially with her stubby corgi legs) so something like the Walky Dog Bicycle Leash just wouldn't work (although I am considering getting one to exercise the dog on shorter bike rides).

So, we decided that the best solution would be some sort of a trailer that we can pull behind out bikes. We looked at the much less expensive Solvit trailers (Solvit 62341 HoundAbout Bicycle Pet Trailer, Large) but wanted something solidly built that would last us preferably through this dog and the next one. The Burley Tail Wagon fits the bill perfectly. The construction quality is top-notch, and it looks much better than the other cheaper trailers as well.

Assembling it was very easy, despite the instruction manual being EXTREMELY vague. Our dog is already kennel trained, so as soon as I had the trailer put together she got right in. Hitching it up to the bike wasn't an issue either and within about 30 minutes of taking the trailer out of the shipping box, the dog an I were off on a short 4 mile ride to test out the new setup. Needless to say, the dog LOVED it!

Pulling a trailer behind the bike doesn't affect handling at all, but it does make the bike feel heavier so accelerating is a bit more work. One also has to be mindful of turns and such (just like when pulling a trailer with a car), and make wider turns.

The Burley Tail Wagon offers MANY options in terms of riding configuration, going from completely enclosed, to completely open with everything in between as well. For our first ride, I had the top cover closed so that our dog was completely enclosed - just in case she had any thoughts about jumping out. As she gets more used to it, I think we will be able to ride with the cover open so she can stick her head out. However, even with the cover closed, there is plenty of mesh so that the inside of the trailer never really gets warmer than the ambient temperature.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied with our purchase, and I think that spending the extra money on the more expensive but better built Burley trailer was well worth it.

Some extra info:
The bike I use to pull the trailer is a Trek 7.3FX and the trailer works fine with 700mm wheels.

I also think this trailer would work fine for carrying cargo (much like the Burley Flatbed Bike Trailer) since it has a flat, hard floor. So as a bonus to having a trailer to bring the dog with, we also have a trailer that we can take to the grocery store, etc.

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Product Description:
Your furry family members definitely deserve to get in on the Burley action too.Whether you have a go-lucky lab or brazen little wiener dog, the Tail Wagon can be adjusted to comfortably carry your most loyal companion.Features include a flip-down tailgate for quick loading and a suspended, removable floor for easy cleaning of mud or snow-induced paw prints.