My wife and I have a 35lb Corgi/Heeler mix that we wanted to bring with on our longer (20+ miles) bike rides. The longer rides are just too much for the poor dog to keep up with (especially with her stubby corgi legs) so something like the Walky Dog Bicycle Leash just wouldn't work (although I am considering getting one to exercise the dog on shorter bike rides).
So, we decided that the best solution would be some sort of a trailer that we can pull behind out bikes. We looked at the much less expensive Solvit trailers (Solvit 62341 HoundAbout Bicycle Pet Trailer, Large) but wanted something solidly built that would last us preferably through this dog and the next one. The Burley Tail Wagon fits the bill perfectly. The construction quality is top-notch, and it looks much better than the other cheaper trailers as well.
Assembling it was very easy, despite the instruction manual being EXTREMELY vague. Our dog is already kennel trained, so as soon as I had the trailer put together she got right in. Hitching it up to the bike wasn't an issue either and within about 30 minutes of taking the trailer out of the shipping box, the dog an I were off on a short 4 mile ride to test out the new setup. Needless to say, the dog LOVED it!
Pulling a trailer behind the bike doesn't affect handling at all, but it does make the bike feel heavier so accelerating is a bit more work. One also has to be mindful of turns and such (just like when pulling a trailer with a car), and make wider turns.
The Burley Tail Wagon offers MANY options in terms of riding configuration, going from completely enclosed, to completely open with everything in between as well. For our first ride, I had the top cover closed so that our dog was completely enclosed just in case she had any thoughts about jumping out. As she gets more used to it, I think we will be able to ride with the cover open so she can stick her head out. However, even with the cover closed, there is plenty of mesh so that the inside of the trailer never really gets warmer than the ambient temperature.
Overall, I am extremely satisfied with our purchase, and I think that spending the extra money on the more expensive but better built Burley trailer was well worth it.
Some extra info:
The bike I use to pull the trailer is a Trek 7.3FX and the trailer works fine with 700mm wheels.
I also think this trailer would work fine for carrying cargo (much like the Burley Flatbed Bike Trailer) since it has a flat, hard floor. So as a bonus to having a trailer to bring the dog with, we also have a trailer that we can take to the grocery store, etc.
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When we were looking for a dog-specific bike trailer, I first went to Burley's product line because I had previously owned their Nomad cargo trailer. I was impressed by the design and quality of that trailer, so I knew this Tail Wagon would be no different. Burley's aren't cheap, but in my experience, you always get what you pay for with their products. Still, I wanted to shop around. A friend at my local bike shop suggested that I look at a few different product lines that also make dog trailers, and they were indeed much cheaper, but the reviews were all over the map plus I just didn't care for the look of other brands' offerings. In the end, I bit the bullet on the Burley, and couldn't be happier.
The construction is characteristically top-notch Burley. Right out of the box, all you have to do is pop up the frame, attach the quick release wheels, slide on the hitch, and you're ready to go. Mine was already on my bike within 20 minutes of first opening the box. There is ample ventilation for your dog, and the bottom floor is rigid and removable for cleaning. Also nice is the roll-away clear vinyl covers for the front and rear windows. The side battens are stiff and reinforced with dowel rods to prevent your dog from leaning into the sides and causing the material to rub against the wheels. I like the wheel protector bars that keep the trailer from snagging violently on any obstacles. The tail gate features two different configurations for the safety of your dog. One option allows you to keep the tail gate attached and allows quicker entry and exit, but may allow smaller dogs to push their way out through the opening. Our dog did this on his very first time in the trailer. Fortunately, Burley planned for this and suggests the 2nd option where you attach the tail gate on the outside of the main cover, which prevents the dog from escaping out the back. The only drawback is that it takes just a few seconds longer to get your dog in and out this way.
As for size, we have a 25 lb. mini Aussie and the trailer interior is perfect for him. I'd say this trailer would work well for dogs up to about 40 lbs, but to me it looks like it would be a bit too small and cramped for dogs much taller than 18" at the withers (shoulders). The reason being, the way the top tapers down at the front and rear, there's actually only a very small portion of the interior that is at full height. Our other dog, who is 75 lbs and about 22" tall would definitely NOT fit in this trailer. I'd say dogs roughly the size of average border collies would be maximum for this... dogs as big as labs or shepherds would probably be much too large for this trailer. If you have a large dog, you may want to consider a different trailer, or different option altogether.
My only issues with this trailer have to do with the little accessories that come with it, versus the ones that are offered separately. First off, the instruction manual talks about the included blinky light and light mount, but mine did not actually come with that... not sure why not. Maybe it was just an oversight when they packed it. Also included is a safety flag (which I suppose is nice if you don't mind those), and the detachable handle for when you convert the trailer into stroller mode. The inclusion of this large, awkward handle assembly is confusing to me because you still have to order the small front wheel separately if you want to use this option. Without that little stroller wheel for the front of the hitch, the handle assembly is useless. SUGGESTION TO BURLEY: Instead of the stroller handle, why not include the kickstand attachment? That seems to make much more sense to me as a practical accessory if you're going to include one. The kickstand would definitely come in handy for when you want to introduce your dog to the trailer and train him to get in and out on command. Otherwise, you have to either prop the front up on a sturdy raised surface, or go ahead and attach it to your bike. If you have a dog that is completely new to something like this, having an unstable trailer or one that may shift around while attached to a bike could be detrimental to getting them comfortable with the trailer.
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Considering the price of fuel, I purchased one of the Burley Tail Wagon's to use for transporting my dogs to the local park 6 miles away for their daily walks.
It is a well built trailer and tracks well behind my Easy Racer Ti-Rush Recumbent. The trailer seems to be sturdy and material the cover is made out of appears to be durable. So far I have found this to be true.
When shopping for a trailer for my dogs I wanted to make sure that the floor and sides were secure. I have found these to be adequate and the floor is raised slightly above the axle so it makes the ride smoother for the animals.
I also wanted a way to separate them from one another in the trailer. The Burley does have a flexible divider wall. There probably could be some improvement made in this area.
One of my dogs is a Basenji so he is kind of an escape artist. I want to make sure he is leashed in so he does not go anywhere. I think this is something that might be addressed better by Burley.
I do not know if I have the newer or an older model of the Tail Wagon because mine did not come with the exterior Wheel Guards.
Security when you lock up your bike and trailer is always of a concern. It will cost you additional money but I feel for the price that is being charged for the Burley Trailer they could have included these few items I am mentioning below a better value.
1. While the Wheels are quick release they could have been locking skewers so when parked, attached or unattached to a bike the wheels would have some way to prevent them from being stolen.
2. Along the lines of security a lock designed for the hitch where the trailer towing arm attaches to the bike to also help prevent someone from stealing it when the bike is parked.
3. A hole or ring welded on the trailer to pass a lock or cable through to lock the trailer securely to a pole.
While I know its impossible to make a trailer or bike completely secure, these are a few suggesting to protect a $399 trailer.
There also does not seem to be any way to lock the pockets or zippers on the trailer itself . This could be achieved in the same way luggage is set up to be locked. While I agree that no trailer or fabric is going to be secure proof at least the attempt would allow a person to lock up a dog water bowl or biking shoes inside.
I also think the pocket design might be improved to fit a pair of walking shoes, a couple of fresh water bottles and a dog bowl. You have to stick some of this stuff inside the trailer with the dogs or have another type of carrier on your bike because the pockets are very small. Water bottles could be easily sewn into the sides at a low cost.
While a safety light mounts on the trailer I chose to mount a flashing red light on the removable stroller handle that is included. This puts the light closer to the field of vision that a driver would see in the car and will improve your safety. Mounting one on the lower part of the trailer is virtually worthless in my opinion.
Last but least, I think Burley could have included a couple of Marathon Plus puncture resistant tires. If they are not made in the 16 " size then offer 20" 406 wheels as an option. I would suggest any owner of a dog trailer carry an extra tube and a patch kit for emergencies.
All in all this is a great trailer that tows very well. I am just suggesting that with a little more thought and a few options that could be offered this trailer could be made better.
Jason
Honest reviews on Burley Tail Wagon Bike Trailer
I have an Australian Cattle Dog(about 50 lb)and I take her everywhere. Usually she would just run along side when I went on a bike ride, but she recently tore a ligament in her knee so now her bike side running days are over. I bike everywhere I go and I didn't want to leave her behind so I bought the Tail Wagon and we both love it. This thing is really well made, very light(about 10 lbs lighter than competing brands), folds up easily. Also, cars tend to give you a wider berth on the road. It does make you ride quite a bit differently, so use caution and go slow around corners, I've already flipped it once from going too fast. Don't worry dog's OK. I highly recommend this trailer. It may be a bit pricey but I use it every day and I think it's durability will make it well worth the cost. Enjoy.
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Pros: Easy to load the dog from the back
Good airflow for the dog.
Comes with D rings to attach leash to.
Floating trailer hitch is well thought out and performs well.
Folds up easily.
Low pressure tires (40 #'s) never get flats.
Replacement tubes available from any walmart.
Cons: Wheels can be hard to take off.
The trailer creates a huge amount of drag. Expect it to slow you down by 20 to 25%. Touring bike recommended.
Kickstand is not included.
Dog can easily escape from the back of the trailer if he is not leashed in.
Trailer is quite noisy especially once you have had it for a while.
Lots of rolling resistance with low pressure tires.
Really need some kind of kickstand for the bike itself. You can lay the bike flat and the hitch will rotate but I did not like doing this to the hitch.
Overall I love this trailer and my dog gets to go with me on almost every ride now. I did the Oklahoma freewheel ride and managed to pull my dog over 400 miles in 6 days with no problems from this trailer.
