Schwinn Bike Trailer & Stroller in One SC760 - Biking in Style!
Written: May 30 '04 (Updated May 30 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
|
Pros: roomy, 2 kid capacity, attractive colors, safe
Cons: big to transport, tricky to mount on bike or move from bike to bike
The Bottom Line: A practical, affordable and fun bike trailer. Get outside and go for a ride!
|
|
|
| marytara's Full Review: Schwinn Aluminum Bike Trailer & Stroller in One - ... |
For mother's day, instead of jewelry or flowers my husband usually gives me something practical - that can be enjoyed by both my son and I. One year he gave us a Baby Trend Expedition Jogging Stroller. And, along a similar theme - this year it was the Schwinn Bicycle Trailer and Stroller in One - model SC760. Having recently purchased myself a new bike, I'd had my eye on getting a bike trailer but the few I'd seen (yes, at yard sales) seemed too small or unsafe. So, my husband did a good thing and got me a brand new bike trailer. He purchased it at Target and so I know he spent around $150 dollars or so (on sale). The retail cost of this bike trailer is right around $200.
About the Schwinn Bicycle Trailer and Stroller in One - model SC760
Assembly
This bike trailer/stroller combo comes unassembled with the old adage some assembly required. My husband gave this to me on a Sunday and then left to go out of town. I just couldn't handle the big box sitting in my dining room so I decided to tackle assembly by myself while my son was at preschool. Believe it or not, I was able to get it put together all by myself in about 30 minutes give or take. The only tool required was a wrench for when it came time to attach it to my bike. Assembly of the trailer itself is very easy and the instructions were easy to follow but the bike attachment is a bit of a pain in the butt to do. If you are thinking about moving it from bike to bike, you may want to reconsider or purchase an additional bike fitting since otherwise its a lot of work to move it or simply take the trailer on or off.
Features (from the manufacturer website)
-6061 T-6 Aluminum frame
-20” quick release steel wheels
-Includes stroller conversion kit with front pneumatic tire
-From trailer to stroller in seconds
-Folds quickly without tools
-Sling seat holds one or two children
-Side and rear storage
-Waterproof canopy protection from sun & rain
-Safety flag and 5-point harness system included
-Meets all ASTM standards
Our Experience
Once I got past the assembly of it, and attachment to my bike I was really aching to try this out. But, before pulling it with my son in it I wanted to see about pulling it and if it affected my ability to drive in any way. Really, the only noticeable difference was in allowing a bit more room on turns and in general, because the trailer is wider than the actual bike. Of course, the true test would be with my son in it.
This bike trailer/stroller can hold 1 or 2 children up to a total of 100 pounds. There are a total of 4 harness straps that make up 5 point restraint systems for your child(ren). With two kids in tow you will use all four straps and with one child just the innermost two. These harness straps are made of a sturdy nylon with plastic clips and have cloth padding over them for comfort. There is also another lap belt restraint that needs to be fastened separately. For me, all these restraints give me a piece of mind. My son is quite a little houdini and I do have fears of him getting out of the trailer.
The trailer is a very attractive red and blue nylon with yellow accents. The covering has mesh windows and also roll up/down plastic covering for inclement weather conditions. The cover is mostly held in place with velcro and some elastic bands.
Pulling the trailer is very easy and its extremely sturdy. Due to its broad base design it doesn't tip or even come close to it, even on uneven terrain.
My son loves riding in his bike trailer, and I don't blame him. The ride appears to be very smooth and with the open air (well, behind mesh) he is enjoying the outdoors and riding in style and comfort quite safely. There's plenty of room in the cab for one child (2 might be a squeeze depending on the size of the kids), and pockets for snacks, water bottles, or a small toy etc.
This bike trailer also has the capability to convert to a stroller by attaching a large aluminum push handle. At first I thought this might be nice because I could bike someplace and then use it as a stroller but to do so you would need to also bring the handle with you and thats too large to stow in the trailer (nor would I think it would be safe). The stroller mode is definitely not for mall or store use, but more like outdoor strolls, long walks, or perhaps a trip to the zoo. Admittedly, I don't see us using this much as a stroller but that wasn't why it was purchased.
A definite downer about this bike trailer, as I mention is that it doesn't come with 2 fittings for 2 bikes. This means if you and another will be going out together biking you need to pick who will primarily pull the trailer. Otherwise, bring a wrench with you because changing the fitting and mounting the trailer is a bit of a pain. Additional fittings can be purchased, and if this presents much of a problem for us we'll do so.
The bike trailer does fold down for storage and taking with you and the wheels come off. However, even folded and with the wheels removed you will need a fairly large vehicle or trunk to transport this. It fits in ours (a Suburban and Subaru Outback) but its a space hog. Likewise, I keep it put together and it takes up a lot of space in our small single car garage. Who keeps cars in their garages anyways? Ours is filled with toys and other "stuff".
Overall
I'm extremely pleased with our Schwinn Bicycle Trailer and Stroller in One - model SC760 and have already put quite a few miles on it. This is a great way for my son and I to spend time outdoors and for me to get some exercise in a fun way!
Always wear a bike helmet. When you have a child in the trailer, they need a helmet too!
Happy biking!
www.schwinnbike.com
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
marytara
|
 in Education, Kids & Family |
 - Top 50 |
|
Member: MT
Location: Jersey Shore
Reviews written: 927
Trusted by: 639 members
About Me:
email to suggest a product for Kids & Family/Education
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.