WeeHoo i-Go Child Trailer Review

I first saw the WeeHoo i-Go bike trailer in August this year at the Rocky Mountain Bike Show, and I was very intrigued by the design. It’s a child’s bike trailer in which the occupant sits in a recumbent position, and the child (aka the copilot) can pedal, assisting the driver, or just sit, relax and enjoy the views. The i-Go is one of the new breeds of kid bicycle trailers called a pedal trailer, and is different than the typical two-wheel buggy trailers. I have seen the other designs of a pedal trailer in which the child sits in a normal upright position, with the handle bars attached to the pull bar, and the drivetrain in basically the same layout.

The trailer easily attaches to any bike on its seatpost, using an innovative clamp system that allows the trailer to rotate using the seatpost as its pivot point. The trailer has many features, the foremost being a 3 point safety harness. In fact, the trailer is full of safety features, such as a fully enclosed drivetrain (chain and chainrings), foot straps for the pedals, and rear wheel coverage. The child sits in the recumbent chair, and it has hand grips, so the child has something to hold onto for a secure feeling, or just to provide better leverage while pedaling. The seat is also padded, so it is nice and comfy for a long ride.

The seat can move back and forth on the main bottom rail, to accommodate multiple size heights and leg lengths. To alter the seat position (when the child isn’t in the seat), you just pop open the quick-release lever located under the seat. You then give the QR a couple of spins to loosen it, until the lower clamp plate flops down slightly. You then slide the seat fore and aft aligning the plate and main rail notches (12 available positions), sandwich the plate back together and pop the QR bolt into the notch and tighten the whole thing up. I did find it a bit frustrating using the system on occasion, since the lower plate tended to fall off when it flopped back to far if you didn’t hold it in position.

The installation instructions were straight forward, but larger font and more verbosity and additional pictures would have been nice. I initially got the seat tube upside down or was that right-side up? Oops. However, it was an easy put together and was an entertaining outing. The frame is made of high-tensile steel, and is nicely welded and connects with strong hardware. The trailer has a 20″ wheel for a nice smooth ride, and the seat and panniers are made from a reflective material.

 

The trailer has lots of storage space and some really large panniers that hang over the rear wheel (also help protect little fingers from venturing into the spokes). The panniers have enough space for some clothing and/or a picnic! There are a couple of small storage locations on the side of the seat for the child, but alas no cup holder! I think it would be easy to hook up a water bottle to the pull bar.

When I made a video of the kids riding in the trailer (looking backwards off the seatpost) I got to see how they were reacting to things. What I saw more than anything was that they were back there singing to themselves, which tells me how much fun and how relaxed they were. I think the recumbent sitting position, being comfortable, supportive and secure made them really enjoy the ride. Plus they could take part in the pedaling action if they so desired. Now my daughter (7) really pedaled a lot, while my son (5) pretty much pedaled backwards, sort of pretending to help pedal the bike! On longer rides, it was nice to have assistance in pedaling the bike, because the additional weight is noticeable, especially when going up hill. On the flats and more gentle terrain, you can get the trailer going at a good clip.

My kids did like riding in the bike, and although they still like to ride their own bikes, the trailer allowed me to take them for long rides that I could enjoy, since a spin around the neighborhood with them on their bikes can be a bit boring. I have taken the trailer off road on some singletrack, and it does well, although you need to be aware of the extra length of everything, since it is sort of like driving a truck with a trailer (on a small scale). The unit rotates very smoothly on the seatpost, and it’s surprising how nice it rides, and it doesn’t lurch like a lot of trailers I have used due to the unique connection system. On occasion, while doing some spirited sprinting it can have a small amount of bucking, but it isn’t that bad. I also liked how well the unit corners, and you can actually lean into corner, and it stays planted.

Attaching the trailer to the bike was fairly straight forward, you just had to align the trailers pull arm U shape head (female) to the seatpost clamp (male). The seatpost clamp itself, is made of bilateral halves of 8mm steel, free of welds, and this thing is heavy and bomber tough. To slot the parts together, you align the holes, insert the quick-release bolt, spin on the nut and pull the lever arm down like a normal quick release. You did have to everything lined up properly, so I found it easiest to leave the seatpost clamp aligned parallel to the rear wheel, and pull the trailer straight along the same way, then they mesh just fine. The trailers seatpost clamp is compatible with standard bicycle seatpost diameters, and uses an adapter to fit varying sizes.

The trailer was easy to maneuver around when it was off the bike due to the really nice handle by the cranks, which is actually its bash guard. You tilt the trailer up skyward, then use the handle and move the bike around easily, even in a messy garage. You can also detach the front arm (push/pull bar) of the trailer if needed with its quick-release in front of the cranks. The quick-release for either end of the pull bar isn’t that quick (like a wheel would be), you need to take the nut off, and pull the bolt out.

Bottom Line
I have really enjoyed the couple of months that I have used the trailer, and I think it would be a great addition to any bicycle family with kids 3-9 years old (under 60 lbs). Having the ability to have the child assist in propelling the bike is nice, and will give them exercise and allow for longer rides. It is a great trailer that is fun for the kids, and makes them feel comfortable and secure, and allow them to participate in an interactive experience. The many features of the trailer add to its flavor and functionally, the paramount one to me as a parent are the safety features, which are designed into the trailer in a synergistic and well engineered manner. I think the recumbent seating position is an excellent idea. The ability for the child to sit and enjoy the ride, or drink or munch some food during the bike ride is unique, since keeping the child entertained can be difficult (I wonder if you could hook up a solar panel for a video game? It makes me get off my duff and do something proactive with the kids, instead of going on a ride separately, meaning “family time” as my son calls it.

The construction of the trailer is excellent, with beefy welds, large tubing, and sturdy construction, which add to both safety and long-term durability. It even has a nifty flag for visibility, which I always forget to attach!

WeeHoo!

Strengths

• Recumbent seating
• Safety features
• Lots of storage space
• Well built
• Fun!

Weaknesses

• Bucks slightly on sprints
• Bottom seat sliding clamp can fall off while adjusting
• Pull bar quick release are sort of a pain to use

Rating: 3 Thumbs Up

MSRP: $369

WeeHoo i-Go Specs:
-Gear ratio: 42T x 16T
-Weight: 35lbs
-Weight limit: 60lbs plus 15lbs for cargo.
-Height limit: 38 to 52 inches
-Wheel size 20”
-3 point safety harness
-Storage pockets in seat
-Enclosed sprocket and chain
-Storage pannier pockets over rear wheel
-Foot straps
-Quick adjust seat with 12 available positions with handle grips
-Weld free hitch
-Removable push bar
-Reflectors, reflective material and flag
-Compatible with virtually any adult bike
-Warranty: For the life of the product, to the original owner

WeeHoo url: http://www.weehoogear.com/

Tagged as: bike trailer, child, weehoo i-go trailer