Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

First let me start by explaining why we chose the CX 2 over the Cougar 2. Here's a list of features the CX 2 includes that the Cougar 2 does not:- Fleece lined interior (not huge, but it's nice)- Deluxe sun shade (much nicer than the Cougar)- Removable side tinted windows (not available on the Cougar)- Zip down front window (not available on the Cougar)- 5 position handle bar (I'm tall and this is a MUST for me)- rear drum brakes (not available on the Cougar)- handle bar lever brake (the add on brake for the cougar doesn't even compare)- handle bar bag includedNormally the CX 2 is $250 more than the Cougar, but REI was having a [$] off sale so the price difference was $200. We thought the extra features and accessories that came with the CX 2 were worth paying an additional $200. We got the burgundy color and it is a nice deep burgundy. It's a very attractive color.We have a 1 1/2 year old boy and when I brought the carrier home from the store he immediately climbed right into it, sat down, and new he wanted to go for a ride. Little kids amaze me! He has always loved going on walks, jogging, and bike ride in this carrier. Our 2nd boy is due next month and soon we'll have 2 little boys that will always want to go on walks/bike rides.The deluxe sun shade has been SOO nice. The summer sun can be searing in Utah, but the darkly tinted sun shade keeps him comfortable. I love how you can just roll up the different cover options and use just one or all of them as the weather requires.The Five Position Handlebars are AWESOME! I'm tall, and the higher grips on the handlebars are the perfect height. My wife is shorter than I am and she prefers the lower grips.If you want the absolute best carrier out there the Chariot CX 2 is the way to go. We recommend it to all our friends.

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

We have a 2007 model with both the jogger and the bike attachments. The caveat for this review is that we bought this primarily as a bike trailer, plus we haven't used another bike trailer, so we have nothing to compare it to. At any rate, here is the criteria that I was shopping for: (1) 2 passenger potential, but if only 1, then, they sit in the middle for stability and best protection. (2) Safe/durable/lightweight construction. (3) Good ventilation w/ sun shade. (4) Good ventilation w/ rain cover.

Our experiences with this trailer:
Nice: (1) Setup/storage is quick and simple once you figure the initial setup (i.e. read the manual). (2) Good handling where the trailer is centered behind the bike and doesn't fishtail. (3) Great storage in the trunk and gear pack. (4) Quick/easy/secure configuration of the sunshade or raincover. (5) Baby is super excited whenever he sees the trailer and always attempts to crawl inside before we're ready. (6) Removable and easy wash seatcover.

Not so nice: (1) Big and not much else fits into the trunk of either our sport wagons (Subaru/Volvo). (2) Reclined seat doesn't work so well with some helmets.

As that we do have a 2007 model, here is our current condition for the chassis: The various elastic bits that store the sunshade and rain cover are getting tired. The elastic for the main and trunk covers are still as tight as a drum. For the bike attachment: there is an annoying tick somewhere with the left wheel that we still need to track down the source. Jogger attachment: Barely used since we have a Bob stroller and hardly run. Yeah, that was too ambitious on our part.

Happily, this one fulfills our current and future needs so we don't have to shop for another one. Yay! Happy shopping and hope you find something that you love!

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

We did a lot of research before purchasing the CX2 due to the price. We are very glad we opted to buy it. We thought that if we invested upfront then we wouldn't have to buy another bike trailer in the future. We are still happy with our decision. The CX2 is very easy to attach to your bike, it is very sturdy and safe. It really gives you piece of mind when your little one(s) is back there. The reflective strips on it and the glow-in-the-dark parts work great. We attach red flashers on the back and sometimes a head lamp on the handle bars if using it as a stroller in the dark. We purchased several attachments and extras. We got the bike kit which works great. We also got the extra e-z hitch so my husband and I each have one on our bikes. We got the jogger wheel which comes in handy when using it as a stroller off road. We also got the stroller wheels which aren't really for use on the trail but they are handy when biking to the store or in a city so you can just flip them down and switch it from a bike trailer to a stroller. We bought the head support which came in handy when our daughter was younger. We also got the additional rain cover which we really don't use that much. We live in Florida and it rains a lot but the rain cover that is attached seems to work just fine. We plan on getting the roof rack in the future. Our only improvement to the CX2 would be a reclining backrest. We have taken the CX2 on mountain bike trails (not single track - they need to be wide) and on rail trail type trails and it pulls great on either.

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

Our children are now 3 and 1. We bought this on sale (2007 model) and have had it for three years. At first we tried to find a used one but when we noticed that used ones were hard to find(sold before we could look at them). Then we saw a sale and decided to spend the money to upgrade from our Cougar 2 that we had purchased used. We were able to sell our Cougar for the same amount we bought it for even after using it for a year. This model is a little wider than the Cougar by about 1-2 inches because it is a little roomier inside. I will simply agree with the positive things others have said about this being well worth the extra money over the Cougar. We use the stroller wheels mostly, even for jogging for easy one handed operation. If you can only afford to buy one accessory kit, I would get those first. Then I would buy the bike kit next. We use this a lot for walking, jogging, and biking, in all kinds of weather. The rain shield does well even in a downpour but I wouldn't go longer than one hour because it will start to leak a little if it is raining hard. The drawbacks to this stroller are that it is a little bulky, but it fits nicely in our station wagon. You must also leave to front plastic cover down when biking or dirt will get inside and possibly in the kids' faces. A big plus is the handbrake which makes it so easy to go down even the steepest of hills. I would not recommend getting the hiking kit because it doesn't work well when going down hills in my experience unless you have someone else operating the brake for you. One example of how this performed well for us was on a trip to Multnomah Falls. I pushed it all the way to the top and coming back down was a breeze thanks to the handbrake! I would never have expected a stroller to perform so well on such a steep incline but the multi-position handle came in very handy on the uphill and downhill. This is by far hands down the best outdoor related purchase we have ever made. I know someone with a larger child who is not able to walk due to a disability and usually has to use a specially adjusted chair for going anywhere. They tried ours to see how well it worked and the five point harness performed beautifully! We have these kits/attachments: Stroller wheels, Jogging kit, Bike kit, Roof rack (very handy for trips to the grocery store), and Infant sling (useful for infants until about 6 months old). The previous poster who mentioned the helmet problem is on of the reasons we switched to the CX from the Cougar. If you fold the fleece liner down behind itself as noted in the manual, this provides a little more headroom for the helmet and works much better than the Cougar. No more heads slumped forward and helmets pushed over the eyes! I also suggest carrying a small bike pump and some extra tubes as well as a quick patch kit. It usually isn't a problem with flat tires, but we were glad we were prepared when it happened! We have had to use it several times. We eventually invested in some thicker tubes and haven't had a problem since. I hope all these details help. Bottom line: Well worth the extra money since we don't need another stroller or bike trailer taking up space in our garage and it holds value well.

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

We have had this for a little while and really love it. It is easy to push and there is plenty of room for extra stuff to take to the park. We have used it at least twice a day for walks and runs and it works well for that. One downside is there is no devider so the kids sometimes get upset with one another.The reason it gets two stars is for one reason alone...[...] Chariot [...] needs to adjust the brakes on these. That or one of them need to take credit for not doing it. It's a safety item and the dang thing costs nearly $1k?!? Ours came not even close to being setup. One side didn't even brake and the locking portion didn't even work right. If you bumped the cart it unlocked on it's own. On top of that, the locking nuts on ALL the adjustments were so loose I could turn them just by running my finger over them, I didn't even have to grip them. This is unexcusable on an item that is directly related to kids safety. Sure the manual says to check it but it also says it should've been done for me already. Why should I have to take a 2 hours out of my day to take it back for them to fix or take the time to do it myself? Who knows what could've happened had I not even check it. [...] the brakes I'd probably give it 4 out of 5 stars. It really needs a devider option for the kids. My 7 month old won't leave my 2 year old alone so I have to stop in the middle of a run.

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

I purchased this chassis in 2010, and have enjoyed it for about a year now. I purchased this along with the following kits: Jogging, Stroller, Hiking, Biking, Infant Sling, Baby supporter, and the hydration cage.

I am very impressed with the chassis itself - it has a solid feel and looks like it will last for ages. The material is strong and looks great - the wheels are smooth, and the adjustable shocks are great (especially now that I have a different-sized child on either side of the carrier requiring different settings).

The wheels are very smooth, and the drum brakes are awesome - this upgrade alone prompted me to spring for the extra cost involved. The UV protection is off the charts on this model, and I am able to protect my kids from the sun for hours at a time while they enjoy the scenery without getting sunburned. The rain cover has performed amazingly through many unexpected storms - there have been no leaks and water rolls off of the chassis. The padding is great - very comfortable for my girls.

I really like the versatility of this carrier - my newborn is able to hang out next to my 2 year old, and they are both very comfortable. When biking it has a low center of gravity, and we haven't been in any serious danger of flipping despite some risky maneuvers and unexpectedly sharp turns (as well as a collision or two :D). The chassis tracks very well and I am constantly surprised at how well it fits into tighter spaces along the trail.

It works well as a jogger, and the stroller kit is a must-have if you are going to use it for shopping or anywhere requiring tighter turns and maneuverability.

The Good:
1) Beautiful Chassis - a real head-turner
2) Great as a bike trailer jogger and stroller- seamlessly modifies from one to the next
3) CTS system is great - very adaptable
4) Very well-padded and comfortable for the kids - fold-down padding allows for helmet use while biking
5) Light-weight
6) Quality construction - very durable
7) Love the handle/hand brake combination. Definitely the most comfortable out there.

The Bad:

1) While I like the 5 point harness system, the cheaper models have the ability to be clipped in and out - the 5 point harness system is a little more cumbersome when changing from one child (middle) to two children, as you have to thread the straps through. It would be nice if they included a clip system to remove/adjust the shoulder straps.
2) The tubes in the tires are too light-weight (good for weight, bad for punctures/staying inflated). I have to pump up the tires every week, so I will be looking to replace with thicker tubes.
3) Too darn expensive. You have to pay top-dollar for the chassis, and then turn around and pay even more for the accessories. Chariot should consider including at least ONE kit with the chassis (maybe the strolling kit).
4) The quick-release jogging wheel has to be perfectly placed or it will rub against the canvas - not a deal breaker, just annoying
5) Handlebars are "reversible" but they don't tell you how to reverse the ergonomically shaped rubber grips - we ended up twisting them around, but now they feel loose (our fault, but clearer instructions would be nice - we still don't know what the actual solution should be)
6) Cargo area is great, but annoying when you have the jogging wheel stored on the back - Jogging wheel drags unless you have the cargo area stowed in the upright position.

Overall, we love our CX2, and would purchase it again. The trick is to find a really good coupon before taking the plunge - it is infinitely superior to the other carriers out there for quality, weight, versatility, and comfort.

Comments about Chariot Carriers CX 2 Stroller / Trailer Chassis - 2009:

The stroller is very easy to use, switch between attachment, and our daughter loves it. It tracks great behind a bike, and roller smoothly when used as a jogger. It is by far the nicest multi use stroller on the market. Worth the extra money.