My wife and I have a 9-month-old daughter. She's still too small for bike rides, so I borrowed her teddy bear for this test ride of the Burley D'Lite X.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The D'Lite X looks like a normal bike trailer.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The first advantage is the trailer easily converts to a stroller by lowering the front wheel and retracting the tow bar.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
But if you don't like the bar, you can quickly change it out using the optional stroller wheel accessory. There's also an attachment for a jogger wheel. All attachments are sold separately.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
A large, sturdy clip secures attachments in place...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... and a safety pin adds additional security.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
In trailer mode, the push bar serves as additional rollover protection.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The roll bar easily flips to become a push bar, and the height is quickly adjustable for short or tall people.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
My wife and I are both tall, so the higher handle practically sold us on this trailer as an alternative to the normal stroller that causes us to hunch over when walking.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
We use the stroller every day for walks around the neighborhood, and our daughter loves the comfortably padded seat.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
There are mesh pockets on both sides for snacks, toys, or bottles.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The rubber floor mat is removable for easily cleaning out Cheerios and Goldfish.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The bench seat is firm but padded - far more supportive than the saggy seat I recall riding around in when I was a kid. The seat can also be removed to turn the D'Lite X into a cargo trailer.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The front panel folds away for easier entry (when the child is able to climb in on their own).
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The wheels are easily removed with the push of a button, and can be swapped out for more rugged ones or outfitted with skis for wintertime.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The D'Lite X features shocks, which you can adjust depending on the terrain or the weight of the passenger or cargo.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The shocks make for an incredibly smooth ride, and the hub-brake mechanism fully locks up the wheels.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The hub brake is easily engaged by sliding the foot lever at the back.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
A clear rain cover zips over the mesh windows on both the front and back of the passenger area...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... and a sun shade pulls down for the passenger.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The seat is reclinable with a button accessed through the rear compartment.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The seat leans back pretty far, and on two-seater models they are independently adjustable.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The interior is spacious with tinted side windows.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The trailer quickly folds down by releasing two catches above the seat...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... then pushing the seat forward.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The whole thing folds relatively flat...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... especially when the wheels are removed.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The rear compartment easily fits several grocery bags, though it can get a little unbalanced with heavier loads.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The tow bar connects with a bracket that stays attached to your bike. If your bike uses a through-axle, you'll need a special one to connect the bracket.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The tow bar is connected to the bracket with a pin...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... and the stroller wheel folds out of the way.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
As always, there are backups - for this model, a safety tether in case the hitch comes loose while riding.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The first thing I noticed was how smooth and quiet the ride was.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The single-seat trailer isn't exactly centered, but I realized that allows me to hug the right shoulder more closely without worrying about clipping the curb.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
A visibility flag is included, and there are several spots to attach safety lights on the back.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
I was surprised by the trailer's light weight and maneuverability on pavement...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... and off.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The shocks really smoothed out the bumps...
Dominick Reuter/Insider
... and making a tight turn was no problem.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
The hitch is flexible enough to just lay the bike down when you need to take a break.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
Considering the fact that some high-end strollers easily top the price of the Burley D'Lite X, I think having something this versatile is actually a pretty good deal.
Dominick Reuter/Insider
I'm looking forward to many long rides with my daughter - I just have to wait until she grows into her helmet.
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