At a certain age, kids get sick of sitting in a bike seat or trailer. They want to be a part of the action and bike too! Unfortunately, they are still too little to bike long distances without getting tired and they can be painfully slow.
A trailer cycle, also known as a tag along bike or trailer bike, is a great solution. It turns a regular bike into a tandem bike! Kids get to pedal but mom or dad do the bulk of the work.
Here I offer my recommendations for which bike attachments for kids you should buy (“the 5 best”). If you keep reading to the bottom, I also offer suggestions on what to look for when shopping for a trailer bike, and a handy-dandy comparison chart to help you choose.
Weehoo Trailer Cycle
The Weehoo is unique in three ways: 1) it is recumbent, 2) thanks to a five-point harness it can be used with kids as young as 2-years-old, and 3) it comes in a double-seat version so you can use it with two children.
The only thing we don’t love about the Weehoo is that because it’s so close to the ground, kids get dusty and dirty. Just make sure your kiddo has glasses on and they should be fine.
It comes in both a single seater and double seater version.
Our Rating: Highly Recommended
Read Our Review: Weehoo
Price: Price not available (Last updated: 2023-05-25 at 12:59 – More Info)
Burley Piccolo
Among parents in the know, the Burley Piccolo is consistently a top-pick. As expected from a brand like Burley, the quality is high.
Because the Piccolo attaches to a rack (included), rather than the seatpost, stability is WAY better than other trailer-cycles. It doesn’t wobble and it is lightweight.
One word of caution before you buy though: bike compatibility can be an issue so make sure to do your research to make sure the rack can be mounted on your bicycle.
Our Rating: Highly Recommended
Read Review: Burley Piccolo
Price: $399
Tout Terrain Streamliner
Note: As of 2021, the Streamliner has been discontinued. We’re leaving it on here in case you’re lucky enough to find one used.
For serious mountain bike and adventure families, the Tout Terrain Streamliner is a dream come true. This trailer-cycle has 160 mm of suspension (!!!) and its own rear brake, so no trail is too rough to share with your little one.
It also works well for long touring trips where comfort day after day is key. The only downside is the price–but if you can afford it, you won’t be disappointed.
Our Rating: Highly Recommended
Burley Kazoo
Like the higher-end Burley Piccolo, the Burley Kazoo comes with a rack to attach to which helps with stability compared to seatpost-mounted trail-a-bikes.
In fact, the construction of the Kazoo has many of the same features of its more expensive sibling. The price, however, is kept lower by using a single-speed drivetrain rather than offering gears.
Our Rating: Highly Recommended
Price: $379
WeeRide Kazam Co-Pilot
The Weeride Co-Pilot is really light and REALLY affordable. This isn’t my top choice for heavy use, but if you want a trailer-cycle for occasional family bike rides, the Co-Pilot is a great choice.
Our Rating: Recommended With Reservations
Price: $315.01 (Last updated: 2023-05-20 at 20:05 – More Info)
Adams Trail-A-Bike Folder One
The Adams Trail-A-Bike Folder is THE original bike attachment for kids. It is probably also the most popular trailer cycle around.
The Trail-A-Bike is also durable (it has a lifetime warranty) and easy to find at your local bike shop. Just be aware that it’s not as stable as some of the Burley rack mounted options listed above.
Our Rating: Recommended With Reservations
Price: $320
Things to Consider for When Shopping For A Bike Attachment For Kids
Ease of transport and storage
Different families have different needs. If you have a three-car garage for all your toys, storage space probably isn’t an issue. If you live in a walk-up apartment in the city, it obviously is.
Our Weehoo takes up quite a bit of space in our no-garage home. Similarly, if you plan to DRIVE to your biking destination, this is also something to consider. Trailer-cycles are notoriously difficult to transport.
Weight
Let me tell you, hauling a 40-pound kid is no easy feat. If your child is like mine, they will put up their feet and sing a song, and let you do the hard work.
The last thing you want is to pull EVEN MORE weight. For this reason, I’d urge you to look at the weight of the trailer bike you are picking—especially if you will be riding up a bunch of hills.
Gears
Some trailer cycles are single-speed (just one gear), and others have a rear cassette and shifter (multiple gears). Having multiple gears is nice for two reasons: 1) it makes pedaling easier for kids, and 2) it allows kids to practice shifting so that they begin to develop that skill prior to having to learn it on their own bike. That said, a trailer bike with gears is certainly not necessary, and it also increases the required maintenance and price.
Price
Expect to spend a minimum of $100 on a trailer bike(although as mentioned, you might find a WeeRide Co-Pilot for less than that). A good trailer cycle like a Weehoo or a Burley Piccolo will also hold up well second-hand, so you can look on Craiglist or other local classifieds. Like almost anything, the higher cost trailer-cycles tend to have better quality and more nice-to-have features.
Seatpost vs Rack Installation
Most trailer-cycles attach to the adult’s seatpost, but some attach to a rack installed on the adult’s bike. These rack-installed trailer-cycles tend to have better stability and less sway (a major downfall of trailer-cycles).
For this reason, we really like the Burley Piccolo. That said, installing and uninstalling a rack requires tools, and you may not want a rack on your bike when not riding with your child.
Another thing to keep in mind is the type of bike the adult has. A rack requires frame eyelets in order to install. Some bikes don’t have eyelets—check this out first.
Also, you don’t want to attach a seatpost mounted trailer bike to a carbon fiber seatpost.
Age
More traditional trailer bikes require the child to be tall enough and mature enough to sit up and hold on. In our experience, this usually happens around age 4.
If your kiddo is younger than that, consider the Weehoo instead. It has buckles so that your child is strapped in. This allows the little one to fall asleep if they need to, and also means they won’t jump off!
Trailer Cycle Comparison Chart
So how do these options stack up against each other? Use the comparison chart below to figure out which option is best for you.
| Trailer-Cycle | Type | Mount type | Geared? | Weight | # of kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wehoo iGo Two (Double) | Recumbant Trailer-Cycle | Seatpost | No | 40 lbs | 2 |
| Wehoo Turbo (Single) | Recumbant Trailer-Cycle | Seatpost | No | 27 lbs | 1 |
| Burley Piccolo | Upright Trailer-Cycle | Rack | Yes | 18 lbs | 1 |
| Burley Kazoo | Upright Trailer-Cycle | Rack | No | 16.5 lbs | 1 |
| Tout Terrain Streamliner | Upright Trailer-Cycle | Seatpost | Yes | 19 lbs | 1 |
| WeeRide Co-Pilot | Upright Trailer-Cycle | Seatpost | No | 24 lbs | 1 |
| Adams Trail A Bike Folder One | Upright Trailer-Cycle | Seatpost | No | 23.5 lbs | 1 |
You Could Also Consider A Tow Rope Or Tow Bar Instead
Another alternative to a tag along bike is a tow rope (like the TowWhee) or tow bar (like the FollowMe Tandem) that’s designed for hauling kids. This allows you to tow your child on their own bike. These devices can also help you save on weight and are more maneuverable in situations like biking on singletrack trails.
More Stuff You Might Like
- Child Bike Carriers: 7 Ways To Haul Kids By Bike
- The Ultimate Guide to Bike Commuting with Kids
- 5 Best Kids Bikes Helmets & How To Choose!
About Us
The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared. Over the years, we’ve tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.
Kristen is a USA Cycling certified coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. Parker is our resident tester and inspiration.
If you see us out on the trail, make sure to say hi!
My husband and I ride a Rans Screamer recumbent tandem, with a rear rack. Ironic that the one recumbent trailer-cycle, WeeHoo, cannot be rack towed by a recumbent bike or trike. Guess we will have to stick to the trailer until granddaughter is old enough to ride distances on a traditional bike seat. Major design miscalculation WeeHoo. Bummer.
You forgot to mention the Tout Terrain Streamliner. the only full-suspension trail-a-bike and suitable for off-road trails.
Perhaps you should go back and read the article again (hint: it’s the third one listed in the review).
Autism often means kids need someone else to do the Steering for them, and when they get to 100 lbs at 9-10 years old, options disappear.
Really a dearth of Information for us, and what we do find has an incredible lack of detail. Very few trailers, they’re ugly and have sides that don’t come down, plus they’re double the cost for that extra 25 lbs. A couple of two wheel pedal behind trailers like this in the article with single wheels, but no way to see or compare them, and if you want the better quality Mission Piggyback over the Morgan Caboose, you have to buy it with No Returns since it ships from the UK. Morgan mostly makes Pedal Cars, not Bikes, much less those for kids with Special Needs.
Some cities are having events now where you can try out bikes made for kids with Special Needs, but to date they don’t seem to understand that Physical Disability and Cognitive Disability are not the same, so they don’t offer Cycling Solutions for Parents to Pilot their Kids, which for us, continues possibly forever… we don’t know.
It would be great if there were an Info Site dedicated to showing Video of Special Needs solutions and pitfalls for each machine.
I’m hoping to attend an adaptive expo in Boston in a few weeks. I have to agree, many of the bikes I’ve seen would not be safe for my SN daughter (87lbs). Hoping to see something new & promising at the expo. I miss being able to take her out in her little trailer which she outgrew.
Jason, thanks to your comment I was able to point some parents in a better direction for a bike trailer . Have you considered doing your own comparison/website as this issue is very common in the special needs community.
Take a look at Kivo, https://bike-on.com/van-raam-kivo-tandem.html They will most certainly have something to fit nearly any special needs child/adult. Their tandems are steered by the person in the REAR position looking over the head of the person (special needs) in the front! In addition to that there are here pedal modes the captain can choose from for the special needs individual: standard pedaling as any regular bike, the person in front can pedal when they feel like it thus adding power to the team and third mode is person in front can simply freewheel. They even make a trike model and have adaptive accessories. They are large, heavy and cost a small fortune but they are built like a Mercedes.
I’m buying a Burley Piccolo as a gift for a relative because it can be converted to a traditional bike. When my cousin’s daughter outgrows it, it’ll have a higher resale value to pay for her next bike.
My suggestion for my cousin for the post-Piccolo bike is a 20″ folder with a Sunrace 9-36 11-speed cassette so that the bike will grow with Molly and she will have the option of taking it to college with her in fifteen years.
Very smart!
I am interested in the 7-Speed Piccolo trailercycle but I already have a rear rack on disk breaks. Would it work?
It depends… many modern disc brake calipers sit inboard enough for a traditional rack to be used. Ride to your local REI or LBS. They will be happy to let you look at a traditional “non-disc” rack and see if it will fit your bike.
Any idea if the Burley ones would work with a Retrospec Venus? They do come with a rack already.