Review of Burley TAIL WAGON Pet Bicycle Trailer

Burley TAIL WAGON Pet Bicycle Trailer
By: Burley Design Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 3
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It's a Splurge... But Alot of Fun

On: 2009-11-24

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RRPCYFKDX8S7U I picked this trailer up so I could get my exercise in while hauling my dog a few miles to a beach where she gets her workout. The purchase of this unit was a complete splurge, but I am happy with it. The quality of construction and materials used is very good. The assembly manual is not so hot, nor is there much information around on how to acclimate the dog to it. For example, there is a flap at the back of the trailer that folds down and allows the dog to merely step in. It took me a while to recognize all of the great features on this trailer. The video is a short clip, but shows how nicely the trailer tows. It fits behind both the hybrid shown in the video and my touring bike that has 700mm tires. The manual could have had better pictures about how to connect the trailer to the bike, and how to remove the front stroller wheel from the trailer tongue and reconnect the safety tow-strap. It took me a while to figure out.

There are D-rings inside of the trailer that I tie her leash to. It took some trial and error. Basically, I needed to shorten her leash so she wouldnt jump out of the forward end of the trailer. The dog likes to have the front cover rolled-up rather than rolled-down. She would paw at the front canopy when it was in the rolled-down (closed) position.

There are some pouches on the rear exterior fold-down flap that get covered by the rear exterior roll-up cover. The pouches are small and wont hold very much.

The trailer came with a flag on a pole but I dont use it. I also dont use the stroller attachments (the front wheel and the push-handle).

There is a brake that "jams" the rear wheels. It works fine but I think Im going to take it off to get rid of the weight (even though the weight savings would be minimal).

There is a kickstand on the front end of the trailer that works great. I was thinking of taking it off too but it is pretty convenient.

The trailer does not rattle objectionably. My riding speed is slower, but thats ok because my wife can now keep up with me comfortably. I get a great workout from it. It works fine on paved roads, gravel roads, and on decent "easy" trails. I have not tried it on "moderate" trails yet.

The dog in the trailer is around 35 pounds. She will grow to around 45 pounds, but there will be plenty of room for her. A big lab or golden would fit pretty well. It would be a no-go imo for a medium German shepherd or medium Rottie.

I thought my wife was going to kill me for spending the money, but her first reaction was "that is soooo cute". It really is. She is not very happy about the fact that the trailer, with the dog in it, is a "babe magnet". Thats not an advertised feature that may be beneficial to some users!

The only downside to me about the product is its cost, which is legitimate due to the high quality of construction, but it is a splurge.

Great!!!!

On: 2009-09-24

The trailer is simple to assemble and easy to carry. The dog loves it. We made her feel confortable in it before we took her out for a ride. For a couple of days we left it in the house with her bed in it, and she loved the idea. When we saw she liked it enough, we pushed her around a little bit so that she understood the whole process. The day we took her on the bike she felt safe enough to enjoy it. We take her out every week with us and its great! When she sees that we are getting the bikes and the trailer ready she cant contain her happinness and wags her tail vigorously. She jumps in and out of the trailer easily and runs along with it with joy, so it is still a fun way for the dog to exercise. As a stroller it feels really big! I dont think Ill ever push it around, but the small wheel is really useful when you want to stay outdoors and not have to park the trailer along with the bike, for it is easier to push it around.

Adequate trailer

On: 2008-07-29

Maybe 3.5 stars. We have used our new Tailwagon on mountain bike and paved bike trails daily for a week now. Our 6 month old pup jumped out at first (he was able to squeeze through the cover) so we bought one of those dual dog leads, a dog halter, and a D-ring. There are some loops to attach the dog lead inside the trailer. We attached the D-ring between the ring where you would normally attach a leash and the chest part of the pups halter. We adjusted the lead so he was able to move around the trailer a bit, turn around, sit, and lay down. He whined at first so we removed the outer cover which comes completely off, which helped a lot. The kick stand came off during the ride because the bottom clearance isnt adequately high enough for trail riding. The wheels are also not adequately large enough (for trail riding) either...my husband had to get off his bike and lift the trailer a few times. There are some trailers out there with a higher clearance which one might consider if you are biking on trails. The platform the dog sits (or stands) on has no cushion whatsoever. We havent used the stroller part yet and might not ever but I got the Tailwagon just in case we would, plus I liked that it had a rain shield. After realizing that he hates it with the cover on, the rain shields dont matter anymore-for now anyway (however, the fact that you CAN completely remove it is a bonus). After a week of using it, for our purposes, I think I would buy the Rover or perhaps another brand instead. Overall though, it did the job and our pup was able to go with us rather than stay alone in a unfamiliar place while we were on vacation. I think it is also important to note that we have been satisfied Burley customers for many years. We used the heck out of a kid trailer (through 3 kids)...all said and done, there was no wear and tear and we were able to resell it for just a little less than what we originally paid.