If you’ve ever wanted to carry your kid on a bike, you’ve usually had the same two choices.
The first choice was the standard mounted children’s bike seat which sat above the rear wheel while you pedaled.
The second choice has always been a seemingly unwieldy bike trailer that is at least a little safer for you young one.
Each option has its benefits and drawbacks, but the bike trailer, such as the Schwinn Trailblazer, is generally superior for several different reasons.
What Is A Bike Trailer?
Just like the name implies, a bike trailer is a detachable trailer system, usually enclosed, that fastens behind the rear wheel on the axle and mounted below the spoke posts of your bicycle.
Not only good for hauling children, there are multiple bike trailers available for carrying everyday goods and groceries or even a cat or dog.
The Schwinn Trailblazer was made to carry passengers, specifically children, safely and in a manner in which they could enjoy the natural surroundings that you ride through.
If safety is your number-one concern, then a bike trailer is generally a more preferable choice due to the inherent stability and robust metal frame.
The two wheels that are always found on bike trailers are what provide it a larger footprint, allowing it to be far more resistant to flipping, rocking, or even being bumped around.
The Schwinn Trailblazer will remain upright even if the parent takes an unfortunate tumble, which is more than could be said about a rear-mounted seat.
If something similar were to occur with a child in that attachment, there’s a far higher risk for serious injury.
Although there are many different aspects to bike trailers to consider before making a purchase, there are a few key factors that are universal in making the final call.
By breaking down these features and why each is so important, you’ll be able to see how this item might just be the perfect bike trailer for you and your little one.
What Features Matter Most?
Just like you wouldn’t buy a two-seater convertible in order to carry four people, you wouldn’t want to purchase a bike trailer without the proper number of seats for the number of children you’re going to be hauling.
Typically, most bike trailers will come in models featuring one or two seats, but it’s the arrangements of said seats that vary the most.
The most common are in-tandem seats and then side-by-side seats.
Even if you only have one child, sometimes the stork brings another one day and that’s a time when having a pair of integrated seats will be needed; rather than investing in a whole new bike trailer later on, most parents find it best to err on the side of having more options.
The Trailer’s Capacity, Design, and Size
The Schwinn Trailblazer is an innovative double bike trailer manufactured from aluminum in order to be both durable and not heavy at the same time.
This trailer measures 61.5 inches long, 32.5 inches wide, and 42.25 inches high. It can accommodate two children (or one child and some groceries) and has a maximum recommended weight of 80 pounds.
It was engineered with the idea that any parent could use it as their ideal means of transporting their child by bicycle regardless of how much pedaling experience they had.
It’s incredibly easy to attach to the rear of any sized adult-sized bicycle, and it can be fastened to seat posts on both men’s and women’s frame designs.
The aluminum will help decrease the level of “road noise” that the children riding will experience.
Road noise is cyclist lingo for the amount of vibration and jostling that a passenger or active ride experiences while on their bicycle or inside of an attached trailer.
There’s nothing worse than having several grumpy children who are angry from their ride; it’s also helpful to eliminate road noise in case the children are trying to eat or drink in the bike trailer.
The intuitively-styled seats are padded, so that your children will have extra butt protection from the road noise, and a deluxe harness fastens them in as snug or as loose as needed.
Hence, the trailer will provide a smooth experience so that your kids won’t want to wait for the next time mom or dad wants to squeeze a cycling trip into the day.
Canopy
The Schwinn Trailblazer features a two-in-one canopy system that provides a bug screen against annoying insects and a durable weather shield in case the clouds turn against you.
The bug screen is designed in order to be fine enough to prevent small nuisance past such as mosquitoes from penetrating the mesh and biting your children while still being airy and breathable enough to allow proper cooling circulation for your children’s well-being.
The weather shield is an all-encompassing protective system that is entirely waterproof and highly rip or tear resistant. It still allows the proper circulation, although not as efficiently as though just using the anti-insect mesh.
After all, the objective is to keep your little ones from shaking in their bike trailer, so the water-tight nature is paramount.
Using the weather shield will also provide you with a wind-blocking advantage on chilly, breezy days.
There isn’t anything worse for a child than an ear infection or head cold; don’t worry about it once the weather shield is up and running as it’ll stop the worst of the wind’s edge from buffeting your children’s cheeks.
The canopy can be undone fully as well and used as a place to sit in the sun to enjoy the day.
Innovative Tires
The large tires feature quick release handles that allow for easy storage and easy changing.
Specifically textured to be adaptable to any surface, the rubber on the trailer’s tires features a relatively aggressive knobbing so that it can properly grip even off-road or on otherwise sandy surfaces.
These tires also feature a great degree of impact resistance which also reduces road noise.
Compatibility and Convertibility
The Schwinn Trailblazer is significantly different from previous Schwinn designs.
This is a specifically engineered trailer that comes with a universal coupler to fasten the trailer to almost any bicycle.
A smartly-designed release bracket controls the ability to adjust the tightness of the support arm’s fastening and requires zero additional tools to be carried around by the adults in case the need arises to remove or attach the trailer quickly.
The coupler is engineered to be flexible and diameter and to provide non-abrasive support for the bike trailer that won’t damage the lead bike.
Nothing is worse than chipping the nice paint job on your bicycle unnecessarily; don’t settle for garbage couplers from inferior providers.
There are several styles of bike trailers that can be converted into strollers when not being used on the rear of a bike to push children around in a non-cycling friendly area.
The Schwinn Trailblazer is a bike trailer with this very feature, allowing even more versatility for your family outings.
Instead of needing a bike trailer and baby jogger, you’ll save money in the long run by only needing to invest in the single bike trailer.
As a stroller, this trailer provides an included kit that gives it a front wheel and an easy-grip handle to aid in the conversion process.
This particular design is also integrated with Schwinn’s dual-beam suspension system which purports to reduce the amount of vibration while in stroller mode.
Being able to be converted so easily also has the benefit of lowering the amount of excess room that the bike trailer occupies in the home.
Many bike trailers can take up an obscene amount of space, even ones that claim to collapse into smaller footprints when not in use.
Most parents choose to opt for the convertible bike trailer as there’s already enough children’s items littered about the home!
What Are Others Saying?
After reviewing numerous customer feedback and reviews about the Schwinn Trailblazer, we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s generally a highly-successful model that has highly impressed parents.
Typically, users will rave about its compatibility and the ease of use when converting from bike trailer to stroller.
Several have commented on the durability of the aluminum and the dual-suspension system, pointing out that they anticipate several years of durable use from the product.
There was one common concern however that did stand out for parents of larger or older children.
The floor of the trailer isn’t rigid; children with larger frames who have feet that could reach the floor could potentially push the bottom low enough so that it could drag on the ground while in motion.
This is alleviated by ceasing use of the product once the children become too large or heavy for the recommended weight capacity of 40 pounds per seat.
Similar Bike Trailers
While I have very little doubt you won’t love the Schwinn Trailblazer, it’s good to know what options are available to you. Here are a few for you to compare it to.
Instep Bike Trailer
The Instep Bike Trailer is a slightly less expensive option, this is similar to the Schwinn in that it provides two seats and has a maximum weight recommendation of 40 pounds per seat.
However, it comes with a slightly inferior spoke system and thinner tires.
Buyers tended to object most often to the tires, as they would pop off often and the spoke and rim system did nothing to hold the tires in place.
The tires would pop off and shred the tubes if there was a small bump in their way.
Parents who are looking to save a little cash are best to check this one out.
Retrospec Rover Kids Bicycle Trailer
The Retrospec Rover Kids Bicycle Trailer is specifically designed with the elements in mind; it has a recommendation of 40 pounds per passenger and features a five-point safety harness.
People generally disliked the color pallets available, but enjoyed the weather vent and wide-visibility windshield so their kids could see outside easily.
There were also some general complaints relating to the fastening arm such as that they were not properly aligned and could potentially damage the rear wheel of the parents bicycle.
Another common complaint was durability, although this issue was not as frequently mentioned by reviewers as concerns about the arm alignments.
Parents looking for a more minimalist design regarding seats and aesthetics should give this bike trailer an investigation.
Burley Design “Bee” Lightweight Two-Seater Bike Trailer
The Burley Design “Bee” Lightweight Two-Seater Bike Trailer is very popular for its robust spoke and tire system which is similar to that of the Schwinn.
The aesthetics are popular as well; the wide variety of colors allow for customization with the paint of the lead bike.
However, the seats do not come with padding, and this has caused many parents to complain about the high price in relation to what they’re missing out on.
The helmet slots were useless to many due to the awkward positioning, and there isn’t enough sun shade provided for kids who would easily roast inside of the black-colored material.
Parents who are looking for a rival similar to the Schwinn Trailblazer and aren’t a fan of Schwinn would do best seeking out more info about the Burley.
Final Thoughts
The Schwinn Trailblazer is certainly more expensive than most of its competition, but it simply features a more robust build with extra thought and design behind each included asset.
Schwinn really leads the market in providing the best children’s trailer; they allow for a truly high-quality experience that guarantees the well-being of your child and the comfort of your outing while being able to be active with your children.
It allows you to have many more outdoor adventures than you’d normally have, and the trailer allows you to utilize the range of your bicycle to the utmost.
By protecting your kids with the best, they’ll be able to one day share in the same kinds of adventures with children of their own.
