Why I Had to Buy a Bicycle Trailer: a Review of the Croozer 737

I should start with a story, one about biking and my little newborn, Chloe.

Think back with me . . . the first weeks with a newborn in the house.  Picture it.  Picture your newly shaken up lifestyle.

You know that one night when, after doing that same routine every day since you came home with a baby? Say she's just three weeks old and you're just about bonkers because on this one night you've tried all the tricks to calm the wailing child.  You did the swaddle right, you rocked, you sang, you swung, you bounced, you hummed, you passed her over to mama for a shot of nipple, you tried the car-seat-on-top-of-the-dryer trick, and you never stopped trying to quell the poor thing.  Despite your effort, and like she's preparing you for her adolescence already (how thoughtful . . .), she put you through the wringer for a good hour at least.

Alright I see you understand.

And you probably recall what goes on in your head: "Hey kid, please, please, please.....take it easy.  Meet me half way here.  I'm just as new at this as you are."

Yet on this one night, I swaddled her up into a pink blanket, placed her in the car seat, buckled her in, strapped that into this rather corny kid bike trailer made of plastic and nylon that we'd aquired along the way.  On that August night, Chloe and I rolled down the driveway, me on my bike, she in the trailer, and Brooke watching from the front porch covering her mouth with her hand.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"We're out of ideas aren't we?"

I hadn't even pedaled past our property line when Brooke jumped. The only sound coming from Chloe was her little round eyes blinking.  She looked up, had totally stopped crying, and stared at the sky and the world zipping by us.  I turned back toward the house and Brooke whisper-yelled, "Don't stop!  Keep going, keep going."

And I was thinking, "Go light some candles, turn on Sarah McLachlan, put some cucumber slices on your eyes, and sit in a bubble bath or something. We'll be back before your breasts burst, don't worry."

Following that night, that secret breakthrough on what-to-do-with-a-baby-who-can't-stop-crying, I set out to find a more adequate bike trailer, and found it in the Croozer Designs 737.  Check it out.

Croozer Designs 737 Bike Trailer

Towing the Croozer bike trailer on the White Rim Trail
Croozer Bike Trailer also converts to a jogger and a stroller
Chloe sure likes it, eh?

What's great about it?

The Croozer has this low profile, making it easy to tow and super stable.  In general, it's made of decent lightweight materials like aluminum and ballistic nylon.  Full protection for the kid inside, front and rear reflectors, reflective striping on the sides and back, and cavernous cargo space in the rear of the trailer.  It's seriously cool.  I love it.

Like most modern bike trailers, this one also converts to a jogger or a stroller, yet comes with all the hardware to do so.

Troubles:

• Road riding is harder on tubes than consumers realize, so I'd get tube liners or use slime to help keep the flats to a minimum
• The seat inside already has a rip, likely from collapsing it for travel - but I'm not certain.
• It's not the best jogger because the handle isn't adjustable, but it is a nice and stable one

Croozer 737 Details