Burley Minnow review
Burley bike trailer for one
The idea of ferrying my daughter around in a kids’ bike trailer first occurred to me during a short break at Center Parcs. Long before I even had any children. While we took our own bikes there, many people hired theirs. And the parents among them also rented child bike trailers. Namely bright yellow Burley ones. This is not a Burley Bee review, however, as that holds two kids. As I have only one daughter, I wanted some sort of Burley solo trailer. You might well want the same – hence this Burley Minnow review.
The UK is heaven for cyclists – whether you’re at home or away. With an increasing number of cycle paths and lanes it’s getting safer all the time, and many towns and cities have their own bike hire schemes. Not to mention the mild climate. Which is exactly why more Brits are commuting to work. But what about when you have a child in tow? Well that’s the answer. Tow them, in a kids’ cycle trailer. It’s simple to take the trailer away on holiday with you, too, as it folds flat and has removable wheels. The Burley Minnow and UK travel go together like strawberries and cream.
This is my Burley Minnow bike trailer review. After much deliberation, I finally invested in a brand-new child bike trailer for ferrying my daughter about. I wasn’t new to single bike trailers when making the purchase, this one child trailer being our second. Missy had outgrown the old one, and frankly it had seen much better days.
Before I begin, I should reveal that we paid far more for the Burley Minnow trailer – enough to have replaced the old one two or three times over. Is this Burley bike trailer worth the considerably heftier price tag? Here’s my Burley Minnow review…
Spoiler alert – It’s well worth the money! Shop for the Burley Minnow at Amazon here or eBay here
A child bike trailer is a must
We had to have it. I don’t mean this in the sense of ‘I fell in love with it and just had to have it’. Rather, we’d outgrown the old one. My daughter is mercifully light (I say that as I have to haul her around) and had reached the weight limit of the previous model.
With her head threatening to burst from the plastic rain cover at any moment and a pair of terminally balding tyres, it was decision time. Which was when I seriously started looking at the Burley Minnow – as well as the alternatives.
To trail or not to trail
I wasn’t just wavering between various makes and models of child bike trailer; I was wondering whether to replace it at all. Should we take her to school by car instead? Walking or scooting might be ok – if I didn’t have pain with the former and she wasn’t a pain when attempting the latter. I looked into some sort of tag-along instead – a bike tow bar for kids’ cycles to attach to yours. Personally I’m not just a fair-weather rider, but didn’t fancy my chances of getting her home happy if it was bucketing down.
Plus there’s more than one use for a child bicycle trailer. The Burley Minnow – like any cycle trailer – makes a very handy shopping cart too. Or beach trailer, picnic trailer – you name it. As this one folds and the wheels come off, you can even take it on your UK travels with you.
A bicycle trailer it was to be
So the decision was made to invest in our second successive trailer. I cycle everywhere, so it should be a worthwhile investment. Not last as it saves on petrol and shoe leather. Which one though? If you’re in the same boat, this Burley trailer review is for you.
Back to where it all began. As I said, I first got the idea of having a child trailer when on holiday at Center Parcs. They hired out a fleet of Burley Bee bike trailers, along with adult bikes and other associated cycling gear, to those holidaymakers who hadn’t brought their own. If those Burley trailers could withstand frequent use of that sort, year after year, then surely they should be fairly robust?
So Burley were on my radar. I compared prices, weight and height capacity, and various other things. I eliminated two-child trailers, as weren’t going to have another child. Not to mention creating a wider load and therefore being more difficult to squeeze through the various narrow gaps in our neighbourhood.
Finally, my mind was made up and I plumped for the Minnow, hoping I’d made the right choice. Then, we waited anxiously for its arrival over a long weekend.
Burley Minnow unboxing
I didn’t even look at it until it was put together, as I wasn’t the one to do that. Goodness knows what shape it would be in if I had. I’m not the practical type, so Mister takes on such tasks. I did read some of the Burley Minnow instructions – but putting things together is far from my forte.
Somehow this new trailer completely dwarfed the old one – I could immediately see that Missy would fit in comfortably – with ample room for a few years’ growth to spare. Yet this trailer immediately seemed to weigh about half of what the old one did.
As well as plenty of child space, the Burley Minnow also has a built-in storage section behind the seat. I expected this to be small, but in fact there’s ample room for several bags of shopping. My daughter was immediately delighted with this feature and even demanded we go food shopping together on the second day. Her choosing to go on a grocery run was definitely a first for us. I didn’t even have to bribe her with chocolate in order to persuade her to take a ride to the supermarket.
A folding bike trailer
I mentioned being concerned about storage. Well there was no need to worry any more. This trailer is actually as easy to fold as the YouTube video and instructions promised. Although putting it back up again took slightly more effort, I was soon putting it up in no time at all. I had to, as when we got it I could only fit it in our overstuffed garage when folded. So if you’re short on storage, this Burley bicycle trailer is ideal.
The wheels are also just as simple to remove, or put back on, as Burley claim. The five point harness feels very safe. Missy can fasten it herself, from her seat. Yet she needs me to undo it, which is rather reassuring. For added safety, an aluminium roll cage is part of the design. The Burley Minnow weight limit is 75lbs – for their double trailers it’s 100lbs.
The little details on this trailer are so well-planned and of high quality. Even the flag slot is strong and sturdy, unlike that on its predecessor that I had to patch up myself. Tinted windows add privacy, as well as helping the trailer not to get too hot inside during summer. The included hitch is easy to attach to your bike, and I soon bought a second for my other cycle.
The Great British Weather
This trailer is also far more weather-resistant. The rain cover has no gaps in it, and is far better designed than the old one. Even the flag carries on flying merrily in heavy wind, and seems to cope with passing under overhanging branches and the like with ease. I once lost the pennant of the old one due to this, but the Burley one is much more firmly attached.
I’ve left this sturdy trailer outside during strong winds, and there has been no sign of damage whatsoever.
Burley Minnow review – the verdict
The bottom line – would I buy again? Heck, yes. I would invest in the Burley Minnow once more. No question. I just wish I’d done so sooner. If I did have two children – or was planning to add to the family – I would definitely plump for the Burley Bee. Based purely on my own experience of the Minnow, though reviews of the Bee seem equally positive.
This child bicycle trailer looks great, so when riding around with this hitched onto my bike I feel pretty cool. Which obviously matters. Especially when I team it with my Cube electric bike… but that’s another story.
I think this will do us for a while years yet. When it is finally outgrown, it will be repurposed as a cargo trailer. Which it already doubles up as anyway. As with all their trailers, you can also buy various Burley Minnow accessories to make it work for you. Such as light kits, a tough storage bag or a plush premium seat pad. I haven’t needed any, though I would definitely plump for the storage cover if keeping it outside.
If you see a Burley Minnow – used and in good condition – for sale, then snap it up. Good luck, though – people do tend to hang onto them. As I will. At the time of writing, Amazon’s brand new Burley Minnow for sale was offered at the same price as I paid the year before – and I sure did shop around before taking the plunge.
The final verdict on this Burley solo review? Burley have ticked all my boxes and rocked my boat. Our Burley Minnow single child trailer was well worth every penny.
Polly x
You can see the Burley Minnow one child trailer at Amazon here or at eBay here.
…and the Burley Bee two child trailer here.
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Note – this post is NOT sponsored, and the views expressed are entirely my own. If you do buy via the affiliate links, however, I may receive a small fee. This has absolutely no effect on the price you pay. As a member of Amazon Associates I earn from qualifying purchases.
