InStep Take 2 or Sync Kids Bike Trailer, Single or Double Seat, Universal Coupler, Folding Frame, Quick-Release Wheels, Canopy with Bug Screen and Weather Shield, Bike Trailer for Kids

Such a great bike trailer for our daughter! Easy set up, smooth ride. A lot of room to grow. She loves it.

I bought this trailer to take my 14 month old daughter on bike rides. Knowing nothing about bike trailers I did some lengthy research. While I found MANY trailers priced well over a couple hundred dollars, this one fell right into my budget.I was considering purchasing a used more expensive trailer but the more I researched, I found that the more expensive ones offered features (larger tires, different canopy system, different color schemes, brand name price inflation, etc.) I didn't need or thought were silly (like a tire for the tow arm to convert the trailer into a walking/running stroller).After all the researching, review reading and expert consulting I decided to buy the InStep Sync Single Bicycle Trailer. Amazon had the cheapest price and with 2-day free shipping I didn't hesitate to order.The assembly was very simple. There was nothing really to it really as the carriage is already assembled with the canopy already attached. There were only 3 other parts that needed to be attached: tires (which snap right in), tow arm (which slides in and safety cotter pin holds in place) and the caution flag (again 2 second pole construction and slide into frame).Bike connection might have been the most difficult task, which wasn't so difficult for me since I'm very familiar with how my tire/axel comes apart. If you have a quick release axel shaft on your bike, the installation of the hitch will take you less than a few minutes. If you have a bolt style axel, it will be slightly more difficult as you will have to remove the bolt, place the hitch assembly on, replace the bolt and reposition your tire to it's original location before tightening. TIP #1: If you have a bolt style axel, outline the bolt on the frame before removing it. This way you can reposition it to the same location before tightening it. TIP #2: Watch a youtube tutorial on installation will definitely help. I did that and didn't even have to consult the manual!Before taking off on your voyage, do make sure the tires are at proper inflation before setting out. I found that the tires were significantly under pressure. And also tighten all the straps on the carriage that hold the canopy on the frame. Many were loose but a quick pull of the straps made everything fit better.The side window panels are flexible plastic and do not have an option to open for ventilation. Both the front and back have a roll-up plastic that expose a screen for air flow-thru. Velcro hold the plastic window in place if you choose to keep it down. The front entry flap and entire back panel is secured by a long velcro strip and buttons on each side. didn't find any issue with that, however it would have been nice if the manufacture provided extra material after the velcro to overhang and provide a flap to grab to unvelcro and to also provide more of a air stopper from going through areas that weren't as secure.Connecting the trailer was a cinch after the hitch assembly was on. TIP #3: this might sound weird but positioning your bike perpendicular to the trailer allows you to very easily insert the trailer arm into the hitch assembly on the bike and slide the secure pin through both piece without difficulty. If you don't do it this way, you will be bending the spring while trying to insert into the trailer hitch which is very difficult. don't worry, the moment you pull off the trailer will align correctly.Pulling the trailer wasn't as noticeable with my 14 month old daughter as it was for my 5 year old 50lb niece! It required a lot more effort in peddling when my niece was in the trailer! You really couldn't tell the trailer was connected if it wasn't for the drag of a heavier passenger. you have full operation of your bikes turn, cornering, etc. as the spring between the bike and trailer create that nonexistent trailer feel.I took my 5 year old niece for a ride and got some feedback on trailer from her perspective. She said when the windows are down (no flow-thru) the cabin stays nice and warm. We went for a right in 50 degree weather so the cabin staying comfortable was preferred as I didn't want her getting cold. She also noted that she could feel the slightest bumps. You might be able to deflate the tires slightly to hep with that, although with no shock system, the passenger will always feel the imperfections of the ground. Riding on smooth payment would eliminate this concern. Over all, she enjoyed the ride so much that she fell asleep!Overall, very please with the purchase and would recommend to anyone wanting to take your little one for an excursion!

Yes, "for the price". As with all my reviews, I want to qualify "what it is" vs. "what it isn't" so that potential buyers can put it in a frame of reference.What it is:Cheap, incredibly easy to assemble, solidly made. It'll last for a couple of years - enough for 2 or 3 kids to go on semi-regular bike rides. It's comfortable for one 3-year-old or two smaller kids.What it's not:Not made of heavy canvas or burlap, not going to last as a hand-me-down for three, five, ten families to use, not good for applications other than pavement, gravel or smooth packed earth. With the super-simplified hub assembly and plastic wheels, it's not likely to last you a million miles.Impressions:The wheels "snap in" to the hub assembly so there's no magic to this; there's no solid axle, no suspension, just two greased necks that slide in, 'lock in' to metal apertures, and that's it. The axle 'nub' is metal; but it's not going to have heavy wheel bearings. It assembles unbelievably easily, so while I am a fairly mechanically inclined person and work on my own cars, plumbing and HVAC, I was impressed how simple this would be for a non-mechanically-inclined person to assemble.I've taken about half a dozen rides with my 3-year-old son seated in the center in the back. Every time I make a 2-mile loop around the lake in the near-by city park, I get two to four comments/compliments from joggers with kids in strollers, other bikers, etc. One guy on a bike paced me and said that the trailer looked great and asked all about it - where I got it, how much it cost, how well it works. It's not cheap junk, so you can put that out of your mind. For $80 it's a steal; I paid about $20 more and that was easily worth it.However, the seating and sides are all plastic or polyester. Heavier kids will 'ride low' so if you go over rapid bumps or high roots, things you wouldn't really notice on a bike with 26" wheels, the kids could bump their bottoms. My son fits fine by himself, but when my daughter turns 1, it might be a bit of a squeeze to get a 1 year old and a 3 year old in there together. Realistically, I'm not sure I'd want to be dragging around something that's roomy for 2 kids anyway.Finally, based on the mechanical construction, I would surmise that this one is good for occasional rides for 2-3 families with 2-3 kids. At most. That depends, too, on how big the kids are that you're carrying around, and how the trailer is stored (outside vs. in a garage). I guess that means, I wouldn't really expect to get any more than 1000 miles out of it, maybe double that if the rides are primarily with smaller kids, over smoother surfaces, and the trailer is stored in a garage.Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows. My kids will probably retire before I actually accumulate 1,000 miles on my bike so... take it for what it's worth. Maybe this super-simplistic hub assembly will last longer than my old cars. :)