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review

Thule Chariot Cross Double Bike Trailer

8
£1,099.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Very well made with a mostly excellent design, and extremely versatile. If you're very active it's worth it
Great build quality
Lots of accessories
Reclining seats
Easy to convert
Adjustable suspension
Expensive
Stiff folding arms
Hitch can be awkward with chunky frames
Weight: 
14,500g

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The Thule Chariot Cross is a fantastic piece of kit - as well as being a bike trailer, it's a jogger and a pushchair too. You can even fit skis! It's well made, well thought out and offers a lot of features that boost comfort and versatility. It still has niggles, but if you're in the market for a do-it-all and money isn't really an object, this is the one for you.

Available in both 1-seat and 2-seat versions, the one we have on test is suitable for two children up to 22kg each, with a max carrier weight of 45kg. The recommended age range is six months to four years, and the maximum height is 111cm. You can also buy a Chariot Infant Sling (£99.99) for babies of 1-10 months.

The ease switching from trailer to pushchair is one of the great benefits of the Chariot Cross. The pushchair wheels store on board when in trailer mode too, allowing you to ride the kids to school, unhitch, switch the wheels over and take the pushchair through to the nursery drop off. It also means you don't have to think about taking a separate pushchair in the car if you're travelling somewhere.

To convert to trailer mode, you just unclip the front pushchair wheels and pop them back in the other side, facing up out the way. The trailer bar is stowed away on the side, ready to be installed.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - detail 1.jpg

Folding the Cross should be easy: hold the blue buttons on either side and push forward on the frame. However the buttons are very stiff, and it takes some force to get the arms to lock into place.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - folded 2.jpg

Once folded all the accessories and attachments fit inside, and it latches closed. This is a big help during transportation. At 14.5 kg the Cross is light for the features it offers, but not as light as some other trailers.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - folded.jpg

The 'door pass through' width is a narrow 80cm, which means you can get it into most shops and cafes – it's similar to a big modern buggy or travel system, and it helps your confidence when riding close to the curb or between narrow gate posts.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - stroller mode front.jpg

The Chariot is stable and sturdy and performs very well, offering a smooth ride whether on the road or venturing off it, bumping down curbs or over tree roots. The adjustable leaf spring suspension – something cheaper trailers often lack – is incredibly easy to adjust, too. You simply slide the latch up or down based on the child's weight.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - rear wheel.jpg

I have a short two year-old and a tall four year-old, and at 110cm the latter is now right on the limit for head space when wearing his helmet. Thule's recommended maximum is 111cm (sitting height: 68 cm). If you have tall children or want to eke the most out of your investment, you may want to look at the Hamax Outback instead, which accommodates a claimed 117cm.

Thule uses a ball and socket-type hitch which mounts onto a specific rear axle. It feels very secure, offers a great range of movement for navigating your bike and trailer around tight spaces, and keeps the trailer nicely in line with the back wheel. However, I did find that it wasn't very compatible with my mountain bike's chunky frame welds, and I found it hard to get the pin into the hitch without loosening the quick release first.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - bike attachment.jpg

The hitches are available separately if you want to leave the mounts attached to multiple bikes.

The frame is strong and light and, just as with along with the tough fabric cover, the build quality is noticeably high. The 20in wheels are easy rolling over uneven surfaces and curbs.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - stroller mode.jpg

The reclining seats are one of my favourite features, especially for longer adventure rides with the whole family.

My children don't fall asleep at the same time, then inevitably end up lolling onto each other and getting annoyed, so the ability to recline one and not the other helps compartmentalise them and keep them happy. This is primarily useful for biking, because the boot space needs to be open to do it, and that gets in the way a bit for walking and jogging.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - back detail.jpg

The Cross has comfortable padded seats – which are removable and easy to clean – and the five-point-harnesses are very easy to adjust and buckle. Vitally you can operate them one-handed, which only makes it easier to strap in wriggly children.

Behind the seats there is a mesh vent, and there are more vents by the feet to stop the cabin steaming up. Inside there are also a couple of mesh pockets for snacks and small toys.

The main storage area is in the boot, which is separate from the body of the trailer and has an elastic cover. It folds up flat when not in use, latching to the frame for greater legroom for walking and jogging. It is a decent size for spare clothes, toys, inner tubes, pump, a lock and what have you, but it is only certified up to 4kg; that's easy to exceed during the weekly shop or cycle touring.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - storage bag open.jpg

The mesh door zips down easily and snaps into place at the bottom, and has the dual benefits of keeping flying debris out and my children's possessions in... alternatively, it can be rolled up and tucked neatly out of the way.

2023 Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit - seats.jpg

The rain cover is not integrated, which gives a cleaner look, but for a British winter you're probably going to want it permanently attached anyway. It does a good job of keeping the trailer dry and warm as it doubles as a windshield.

There's also a detachable shade cover, which is large. This can be both good and bad, as it can block out external distractions if your child is wanting to go to sleep, but it can also cause frustration if your child wants to stay engaged with the outside world.

There is a vast array of additional accessories, from storage covers to a kit to add skis, should you be inclined to go fat biking in the snow.

Value

So that leaves the big question: is this worth the price? It is a fantastic piece of equipment if you are going to get the full use out of its potential. If you have an active lifestyle and good cycling infrastructure around you, it's a worthwhile investment.

If you're thinking of much lighter and more occasional use and prefer something cheaper, the Halfords Advanced Double Bike Trailer is £299. It lacks fancy features like suspension and reclining seats, and at 19kg it's quite a bit heavier. With a max height of 1.05m, it can't take such large children either, but if you make them get out and walk the £800 you saved buys a lot of earplugs.

Alternatively, the Burley Honey Bee will set you back £449. The Honey Bee is lighter and has a very similar interior capacity to the Cross, but once again it lacks features like suspension and reclining seats. Also, some reports say it's not as well weighted and doesn't perform as well as a buggy.

The Hamax Outback I mentioned earlier (along with its additional headroom) is £862.59 via Hamax's Amazon shopfront, but has its own drawbacks. It weighs more still at 20kg, yet has a maximum load weight that's 5kg less than the others at just 40kg.

Overall

The sheer versatility that comes from the excellent design and build here – and the welter of official accessories – makes this a worthwhile investment for an active family. It's not quite perfect, especially when it comes to collapsing the whole thing as it could usefully take a lot less (awkward) force, but overall it's very good. Less enthusiastic or regular users, however, will probably be better off missing out on some admittedly great features and spending far less elsewhere.

Verdict

Very well made with a mostly excellent design, and extremely versatile. If you're very active it's worth it

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Thule Chariot Cross 2 child carrier with cycling and strolling kit

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Thule says this is an "All-round trailer, jogger and pushchair, offering comfort and flexibility for families with an active lifestyle, giving you the freedom to enjoy almost any outdoor adventure with your child.

"It is designed for active families who want a versatile, tough and stylish bike trailer, and who love being outdoors all year round."

Available in both 1-seat and 2-seat options, the one we tested is the 2-seat version and is suitable for children up to 22kg with a max carrier weight of 45kg. The recommended age range is 6 months to 4 years, and the maximum height recommended is 111cm. You can also buy a Chariot Infant Sling (£99.99) designed for babies 1-10 months.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Multi-activity: cycle, jog, stroll and ski (jogging and ski kits sold separately)

Weight: 14.5kg

Capacity: Single child 22kg; total weight 45kg

Seats: Two

Sitting height: 68 cm, Door pass through: 80 cm

Hitch system: Thule ezHitch cup and skewer

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

The Cross performs beautifully as a trailer, giving a smooth ride for adult and child alike whether in town or on trail. I did have some issues when hitching up and folding down the trailer, though.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Everything appears high quality and very durable.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10

At 14.5 kg the Cross is light for the features it offers, though not as light as some other trailers.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
9/10

The Cross has comfortable padding, adjustable suspension, individually reclining seats and large (20in) wheels.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

It is one of the most expensive bike trailers on the market, but you're getting a good return for the premium.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

The Cross performs brilliantly well as a trailer, giving a smooth, confident ride for both myself and the children whether we were on the road or the trails. It's spacious and comfortable for the passengers. With one bike in particular it proved hard to get the pin into the hitch without loosening the quick release, however, and when folding it all away the buttons and folding arms felt unnecessarily stiff.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The build quality, easy conversion process, adjustable suspension, reclining seats and the range of accessories.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

This hitch is not very compatible with certain mountain bikes, the folding arms are stiff and the price is high.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

This is one of the most expensive bike trailers you can buy. If you're willing to compromise on features, there is value to be found elsewhere. For instance the Halfords Advanced Double Bike Trailer is £299 and the Burley Honey Bee is £449, though features and weights are not necessarily at all comparable.

The Hamax Outback, however, is £862.59 even though it's heavier and can carry less weight.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, once the children got used to it, we had many happy rides

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, if I knew they could afford it

Use this box to explain your overall score

This is a very good piece of kit that's excellently designed and made. However it is very expensive, and for the price I would like to have absolutely no niggles with the setting up and collapsing down of the trailer - to score higher that needs to be slicker.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 0  Height:   Weight:

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Novice

I regularly do the following types of riding:

Victor found his way over to road.cc from Cycling Weekly where he was the marketing manager for eight years. Most of the miles he covers are on the mountain bike exercising his cocker spaniel, but every once in a while he jumps on the road bike for a local coffee ride with friends or a trip across the channel to ride on flat canal-side cycle paths. 

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3 comments

Avatar
Oldfatgit | 2 months ago
0 likes

The reflectors on the rear do not comply with UK Regulations; as a trailer, these should be a triangle not rectangular.

Triangle reflectors should only be used on trailers as it helps drivers to differentiate between trailers and prime movers.

AFAIK, there is no legal difference between a trailer drawn by a bicycle and one drawn by any other type of prime mover.

Avatar
andrew@amnewton... | 2 months ago
1 like

Why compare with the Burley Honey Bee? The Burley D’lite is still cheaper than this trailer and does have suspension and reclining seats.

Avatar
HaveLegsWillRide replied to andrew@amnewton.co.uk | 2 months ago
0 likes

Agreed, the D'lite X was the other one I considered vs this Thule as its the most similar. Went with the Burley & have no complaints, it only struggles with ruts & when the path gets narrow off-road. The roll cage passed the test too! Would definitely recommend

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