Yes, "for the price". As with all my reviews, I want to qualify "what it is" vs. "what it isn't" so that potential buyers can put it in a frame of reference.
What it is:
Cheap, incredibly easy to assemble, solidly made. It'll last for a couple of years - enough for 2 or 3 kids to go on semi-regular bike rides. It's comfortable for one 3-year-old or two smaller kids.
What it's not:
Not made of heavy canvas or burlap, not going to last as a hand-me-down for three, five, ten families to use, not good for applications other than pavement, gravel or smooth packed earth. With the super-simplified hub assembly and plastic wheels, it's not likely to last you a million miles.
Impressions:
The wheels "snap in" to the hub assembly so there's no magic to this; there's no solid axle, no suspension, just two greased necks that slide in, 'lock in' to metal apertures, and that's it. The axle 'nub' is metal; but it's not going to have heavy wheel bearings. It assembles unbelievably easily, so while I am a fairly mechanically inclined person and work on my own cars, plumbing and HVAC, I was impressed how simple this would be for a non-mechanically-inclined person to assemble.
I've taken about half a dozen rides with my 3-year-old son seated in the center in the back. Every time I make a 2-mile loop around the lake in the near-by city park, I get two to four comments/compliments from joggers with kids in strollers, other bikers, etc. One guy on a bike paced me and said that the trailer looked great and asked all about it - where I got it, how much it cost, how well it works. It's not cheap junk, so you can put that out of your mind. For $80 it's a steal; I paid about $20 more and that was easily worth it.
However, the seating and sides are all plastic or polyester. Heavier kids will 'ride low' so if you go over rapid bumps or high roots, things you wouldn't really notice on a bike with 26" wheels, the kids could bump their bottoms. My son fits fine by himself, but when my daughter turns 1, it might be a bit of a squeeze to get a 1 year old and a 3 year old in there together. Realistically, I'm not sure I'd want to be dragging around something that's roomy for 2 kids anyway.
Finally, based on the mechanical construction, I would surmise that this one is good for occasional rides for 2-3 families with 2-3 kids. At most. That depends, too, on how big the kids are that you're carrying around, and how the trailer is stored (outside vs. in a garage). I guess that means, I wouldn't really expect to get any more than 1000 miles out of it, maybe double that if the rides are primarily with smaller kids, over smoother surfaces, and the trailer is stored in a garage.
Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows. My kids will probably retire before I actually accumulate 1,000 miles on my bike so... take it for what it's worth. Maybe this super-simplistic hub assembly will last longer than my old cars. :)
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 32.3 x 27.5 x 5.5 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 12.38 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 32 x 6 x 27 inches |
| Item Weight | 23 Pounds |
| Brand Name | Instep |
| Warranty Description | 1 year limited |
| Model Name | Instep Bike Trailer for Kids |
| Color | Blue |
| Material | nylon |
| Suggested Users | unisex |
| Manufacturer | Pacific Cycle, Inc. |
| Part Number | 12-QE127A |
| Style | 2 Seats |
| Included Components | Bicycle Trailer |
| Size | Double Seat |
