Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

First off, I have owned and tested many bike trailers. The [$] In-Step you get at the department stores, Chariot Sidecarrier, 2008 Burley Solo, and the 2008 Cougar 1. The Cougar is the best because:1. The adjustable leaf springs are about 1000% better than Burley's elastomer "shocks" as they actually work, and can be set soft for strolling/hiking and set higher for biking and carrying cargo in the trunk (we jump curbs and ride down stairs during our daily commute). 2. The seating area is more ergonomic, less of a hammock and more of a reclined chair. Much more comfortable for my boy, and less "floppy head" when he falls asleep on those long rides. 3. It pulls and tracks much better than the Burley Solo, which was way off-center.4. The versatility of the carrier. Stroller, jogger, and cycling kit all being carried on board make it simple to park the bike and go shopping or hiking without waking a sleeping kid. We use the bike kit to get places and the stroller kit to cruise around when we get there. Plenty of room in the trunk for a daypack or grocerys. 5. Designed for functionality: Everything works as it should. rain fly, window screen, side vents, sunvisor, inside pockets for kid's toys/books, easy change attachments.CONS: sticker price, and price of attachments.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

I use this chassis as a trailer, jogger, and stroller. I can definitely say there isn't another chassis worth considering if you can afford this one. The CX is a bit overkill because you essentially get all it offers with this one save the handbrake and zip down windows, which can be added to the cougar. I have used it for a month now and it's been a lot of fun putting our 4 month old son into it and watching him giggle as we go over bumps and stare at the trees as they go by. Get the head support for the littler babies, we did and we're so glad for it. The sling is pretty much useless as is the bunting bag, kids that tiny probably shouldn't be on a bike ride yet! Buy this with confidence. The accessories are great and the trailer is built extremely well. Takes a little getting used to breaking it down, but it's easy thereafter.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

How I use it:My wife and I received a Cougar 1 after the birth of our first child. We stored it away until she was 18 months old, then began towing her to day care in it. We occasionally use the trailer for weekend day trips as well. Between April 2007 and September 2008, the trailer saw an average of 35 miles of urban riding per week, plus about an additional 100 miles total of jog stroller use.The Pros:The Cougar 1 is very comfortable for kids, and tows exceptionally well. It is easy to hook up in trailer mode and converts readily to stroller mode. It is a superb jog stroller, with very smooth bearings which require little impetus to roll. The trailer is structurally sound, and well-engineered. My daughter loves riding in the trailer or the stroller.The Cons:The fabric cover and attachments for the Cougar 1 is poorly designed. In the 2005 model, at least, the cover is held down with velcro tabs. After 18 months of use, the velcro tabs are worn out and the cover flaps in the slightest wind (i.e., every time I tow it). Child Chariot has no warranty policy that I can find, and their customer service employers are unhelpful in the extreme. Their response to my query about fixing the velcro: "Blow it with a hair dryer." [...] Additionally, the towing attachment for the Cougar 1 has some material flaws. It relies on a ball and cup hitch with a cotter pin/rubber sleeve back-up. The ball and hitch work very well, but the cotter pin/rubber sleeve back-up wore out in a period of about 12 months. The rubber sleeve broke and the pin will not stay in. Again, neither Child Chariot [...] seemed terribly interested in fixing the broken safety system. I ultimately had to track down a retailer who would dig up the Chariot catalog and order me a new rubber sleeve. Summary:The trailer rides nicely, but wears poorly. You would be better served by paying slightly less for a Burley. A fellow commuter in Washington, DC, has been using his Burley D'lite for 7 years and three kids with no problems. Go with the Burley. [...]

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

Overall great product, however I was really disappointed on purchase to find the Chariots are fitted with Kenda tubes/tires, which I know from my experience as a cyclist are about cheapest quality on the market. Sure enough, within 3-4 rides all 3 tires (including the jogging attachment) had gone flat from thorn punctures. I have since upgraded tires and tubes and am happy with the experience. The Cougar seems to be otherwise well built (frame, fabric, etc.), but it still remains to me a mystery why such an expensive stroller is fitted with such cheap tires/tubes. Probably still worth the cost, but in addition to the price of the various attachments, be ready to drop another [$] on some quality tires/tubes.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

I read a lot of reviews before purchasing this bike trailer and, after having used it for two years, am happy to report that I'm still pleased with my purchase. The competition was the Burley D'lite - I never used it or tried it but did look at it.

It's solid and easy to use and made in Canada. I've taken it on Cycle Oregon weekend for 25 plus mile rides and my son did well in it. He can sleep quite soundly in it. It has side pockets for all his do-dads and his own air vents. I take him around town in it and it's easy for me to get him in and out of it. I bought an extra lock and cable to keep it secure when in the city.

It tracks nicely behind my bike, though, I wish the tire pressure were a little higher to reduce rolling resistance. I was having some problems with the tires (not because I was over-inflating them!) and had several flats - maybe glass, or bad luck?

Grocery/ cargo trailer - I also use it lug groceries to and fro. It can hold a bit of weight.

Accessories are a little pricey, but we have them. The stroller wheels rock - very, very smooth and excellent tracking. The bike trailer set up is what I use it mostly for - very good. We also have the jogger attachment - works fine but takes some practice if you plan to attach it to the back of the trailer, bike somewhere, then convert it to jogger. It would be cool if you could store the jogger set up ( with forks mounted to wheel) so you didn't have to do that part...oh, well...it's a pretty amazing piece of engineering.

Long term - having another child? You'll be getting another trailer and accessories unless you start out with the Cougar 2 as the accessories aren't interchangeable. They do seem to hold their value in high biking communities very well, however.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

My wife and I recently bought a Chariot so we could start riding again. Our son is now 10 months-old, and we are excited about finally being back on our bikes after a year-long hiatus. I thoroughly researched all the available trailers (Chariot, Burley and the department store brands), and everyone recommended the Chariot. Now I can see why. It is so versatile, and when you add the jogger kit, it becomes even better. Very easy to pull on both my racing bike and my cyclocross bike. Great safety features, and our son falls asleep and stays asleep the entire time. Superb suspension system, it has a rain fly and wind cover, lots of storage both inside and out, and he stays warm even in spring riding here in Alaska (usually about 40 degrees if we are lucky). The jogging kit is well worth the money, and it actually attaches to the Chariot so you can easily and quickly switch from one to another. As much as we love our BOB stroller, the Chariot has overtaken it for first place on our list of great purchases for our son. I can not recommend this trailer enough. It is well worth the extra money, and even though the kits cost extra (between [$]), I believe both the cycling kit and jogging kit are must-haves.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

I have the single Cougar 2008 and have acquired the infant sling, jogging wheel, bike and ski attachments. My son has been comfortable in in since he was 2 weeks old- he was born in November and we live in the mountains in CO. He is never cold in the winter, wind or rain. It is nice to have a raincover attached- works well in driving snow!! The sling is great because he rests like in a hammock and sleeps well. I frequently use the ski and jogging wheel in 1 day so it is easy to change out. I like that versitlity and not cluttering my garage or car with seperate devives- another sled or bike carrier. It would be nice if it had a larger sun shade, mors vents and if it were not so expensive. It is great for running- even on dirt/ rocky roads- we did a half marathon (some dirt road and pavement) at 6 months old and it was AWESOME! It is a graet product- if only is was less pricey!!

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

I purchased this stroller because I needed to get back into shape after I had my son. I purchased the running module, as well as the infant sling. My son just loves to ride in it. I love the fact that there is a rain guard. We live in Seattle, so this was a big selling factor for me. Training with the Cougar Chariot has been great so far. The only problem I had was when I ran in race with the Cougar. I decided to push my son on a 5k, and I found that the front wheel on the running module protrudes a bit too far out. I tripped a poor woman who was running in front of me, and I had to constantly warn people that I was coming up from behind. People with the BOB (which does not have the large running front wheel), did not have this problem. Overall, I still recommend this product. It's been a great purchase and investment. My son has been a passenger since he was 3 months old (with the infant sling). In this photo, my son is 3 and a half months old.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

I have been using the Cougar 1 for a month; it is now my preferred stroller. At 6'4" the handle height is perfect for me in the more upright position. The price is high but if you don't have a jogging stroller and you are thinking about using it as a bike trailer it makes initial cost not hurt as much. One major benefit over the Cheetah is the suspension, not a huge deal if you are just using it as a jogger but as a bike trailer, it's worth the extra $125. One drawback is the size of the stroller when it's folded up. The jogging wheel and handle bar needs to be removed to fit in a small SUV. All the wheels have to come off along with the handle bar to fit in a midsized car trunk, and the gate agent will have a stroke when you ask for a gate check tag.

Comments about Chariot Carriers Cougar 1 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

Got this when my wife started training for a triathalon and we can't live without it now. Just had our second and we are going to buy the CX2. Have the bike, jogging, running, stroller, and hiking attachments. Our 2 yr old loves riding in it. Biggest problem was her falling asleep on long paved bike rides then crying when a bump woke her up. She tolerated some pretty rough trails too, including riding across creeks and lots of tree roots, but not for a long time. Works great with the stroller attachment too. Keeps the kids out of the wind and relatively warm for those winter walks too.