Instep Bike Trailer: Croozer 535 Double Child Bicycle Trailer (Green/Grey/Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)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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Product Description:
New parents know that baby items take up quite a bit of space. So why make things harder on yourself by buying a bunch of separate items when one will do the trick? Enter the Croozer 535 double child carrier, which combines a stroller, jogger, and bicycle trailer all in one. The Croozer 535's body remains the same regardless of the use, with a two-in-one integrated cover that protects against insects and the weather, along with a comfortable seat area that holds two kids. However, the front of the unit varies depending on the use. As a bicycle carrier, the Croozer 535 offers a sturdy bicycle hitch arm with two axle-mounted hitches. Once your bike ride is complete, you can attach the 8-inch stroller wheel and walk your children to the grocery store or around the block. And when it's time to burn a few calories, you can swap the 8-inch wheel for a larger 16-inch front wheel, which offers sturdy front arms for added stability while jogging. Not only can your little ones be with you wherever you go, but you won't have to make space in the garage or basement for three different child carriers.
The Croozer 535 is extremely safe thanks to the low center of gravity, which will keep your children from tipping around turns. And parents will love the spacious storage area behind the seat, which is ideal for toys, groceries, and other smallish items. Best of all for space-challenged parents, the trailer offers a patented quick fold system for easy storage in small rooms. Other features include reflective tape on the sides and rear, a safety flag for use as a bike carrier, 21.5 inches of leg room and 24.5 inches of head room, a 100-pound weight capacity, and 20-inch spoked wheels in the rear.
The Croozer 535--which meets or exceeds all ASTM trailer standards--measures 34.5 by 38.5 by 42 inches (W x H x D) with the handle and weighs 36 pounds.

The Croozer 535 converts from a bike trailer to a stroller or jogger.