You wouldn’t know from this picture, but the younger one loves to ride in the Burley. It is getting so every time I open the garage when he is outside, he runs ahead of me, climbs into the trailer and starts pointing and making noises for me to put on his helmet.

His sister likes to ride with the screen open — I guess this is the 3-year-old equivalent of riding in a convertible with the top down.

The abbreviated version: While pulling my Burley D’Lite trailer behind my Bridgestone XO-1, I tried a sharp U-turn. Just before I fell, I thought: That’s gravel, and I’m going too fast. The front wheel skidded out from under me, and I went down on my left side.

Two things to note about this mishap:

1. There’s no reason on earth to attempt a sharp turn on gravel.

2. More significantly: While the XO-1 and I pancaked somewhat spectacularly on the pavement, the trailer was affected not a bit. This was possible because the trailer has a (very) flexible part on the shaft where the trailer connects to the bike. (My 3-year-old daughter was sitting in the trailer at the time of the crash.)

I wouldn’t want to replicate this field test, and I hope you don’t, either — but just know that the D’Lite
will stay upright even when you don’t. That’s one major advantage, in my view, that the trailer has over those child seats that attach to the bike’s rear rack. If your child is sitting in a seat behind you on the bike, he or she is going down with you.

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I bought a used Burley D’Lite trailer off EBay, and it arrived two days ago. I put it together in the dining room. Even though I’m technically challenged it took only a few minutes. The assembly is intuitive, and the design is simple.

I love the hitch. It goes on and comes off quickly, and there is no part that has to stay on the bike. It’s also a very tight connection.

I fastened the trailer to my Breezer Uptown 8. The moment of truth came when Mary (3) and Jackson (1) piled in. It was a snug fit, but they didn’t seem to mind. Mary loved it right away.

Jackson had logistical trouble with the helmet, which was too big — we had to resort to Mary holding it up so it wouldn’t slip down over his eyes. He hollered the whole time while being buckled in, but once we got rolling he quieted down (as long as he could see). Caleb (7) rode alongside and gave me updates on Jackson’s facial expression, and most of the time it alternated between neutral and a half-smile.

(G picked up a Thomas the Tank Engine infant-size helmet at Meijer that looks like it will fit Jackson a lot better, so future rides should be less complicated.)

It was in the 40s, so I fastened down the plastic rain cover. It kept the wind off of them, and kept some heat in the trailer.

Today, I hitched the Burley to the Bridgestone XO-1 and took Mary with me to the bank and the library. It was about a 40-minute errand total, maybe 4 miles. I put a blanket on Mary and she was snug as a bug in a rug — her only complaint was that her helmet made her head itch.

Side note: When Bush set up the XO-1, it turned out that the granny (smallest) chainring wouldn’t fit. I don’t usually miss it, but I did today. Going up a hill, I suffered as I have never suffered before. Or at least as I have not suffered for a few months.

I will post pictures of the trailer later. Also watch for everyday-rider reviews of the new O2 3Flow rain pants; MKS-GR9 pedals; Carridice Nelson saddlebag; and the Bell Metropolis helmet.