Six years ago, I dismantled my toddler’s balance bike to get it to the park. Thule’s new Chariot 2 Bike Holder will carry one on a trailer.
When I became a parent, I discovered dozens of products I’d never heard of and soon couldn’t live without. Some were tied to a stage, like bottle warmers and sound machines. Others, like wet wipes, became part of my everyday carry. With parenting gear, you don’t always know you need something until you run into the problem it solves.
It was a beautiful late-summer afternoon, with warm sun, soft light, and just enough chill in the air to call for a light jacket. With my mother-in-law visiting, my wife and I decided to ride our e-bikes seven miles from our home in rural Pennsylvania to a local park. We pictured a leisurely afternoon in the sun, with our two-year-old riding his balance bike and playing in the oversized sandbox.
Carrying a Tiny Bike Was Harder Than I Expected
Getting his bike there proved more problematic than I expected. The trailer’s cargo pocket was too small, and I didn’t like the idea of using bungee cords to strap it on top. So I removed the front wheel and stuffed the bike into a backpack. It was terrible. The handlebar poked me in the back of the head for the entire ride, and taking the wheel off and putting it back on was a real pain.
I never tried carrying his bike that way again. After that, if we wanted to take him somewhere to ride, we drove.
Before that ride, I would have thought a bike rack for a trailer was ridiculous. But seven years of trying to hold onto the active lifestyle my wife and I love, with the necessary adjustments for little kids, have taught me not to be dismissive. What looks like overkill now might actually be the coolest thing I didn't know I needed.
The Solution
Our trailer days are over. Both kids have outgrown ours and would rather ride their own bikes than be towed by ours. But not long ago, a better way to transport little bikes with our trailer would have been genuinely useful.
What We Love
- • Gives a child’s bike a dedicated place on the trailer
- • Vertical arm folds down when it’s not in use
- • Fits Thule Chariot 2 double trailers
Worth Knowing
- • Rated for bikes with wheels up to 12 inches
- • Limited to compatible Thule trailers
That’s why Thule’s new Chariot 2 bike holder caught my attention. I haven’t used it, but desperately wish I had it when my kids were younger. Thule describes it as appropriate for bikes with up to 12-inch wheels, and it's compatible with the Chariot Cross 2 Double and Chariot Sport 2 Double trailers. The support arm folds out of the way when it’s not in use, and while installation isn’t tool-free, it’s a simple process using the included Allen wrench.
I’d love to see Thule make a version for 14-inch bikes. The need to bring a child’s bike along doesn’t end when they graduate from balance bikes to pedals, as my improvised setup shows.
Parents of active kids already have plenty of gear. But after one ride with a balance bike on my back, I understand the need for a rack like this. If my kids were still at this stage, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one.
Thule
Chariot Sport 2What We Love
- • Disc brakes and integrated tail light
- • Padded seats
- • Vented windows
- • Jogging and ski attachments available (sold seperately)
- • Available infant sling and baby support for safely transporting the newest members of your family
Worth Knowing
- • Very expensive
The Kitli Promise
We earn commissions through affiliate links. That’s how we fund our testing and keep Kitli free. But commissions never influence what we recommend.
“If we wouldn't use it with our own families, we don't recommend it to yours.”
Read Our Story →Bobby Lea
Co–Founder
Bobby Lea is a dad of two and co-founder of Kitli. Before launching Kitli, he was a senior reviews editor at Bicycling, where he spent years testing gear and helping readers decide what was worth their money. He also raced bikes professionally for more than a decade and competed in three Olympic Games. He lives with his wife and kids on a farm in rural Pennsylvania, where his children are very good at finding the limits of whatever gear they use.
View Profile →
