As a parent, finding ways to spend quality time with your children can be challenging, especially when it comes to outdoor activities. However, with the Burley Encore X bike trailer for kids, you can enjoy a fun biking adventure with your little ones without having to worry about their safety. The Burley Encore X is a top-of-the-line bike trailer that boasts exceptional durability, comfort, and versatility. In this blog post, we’ll be reviewing the Burley Encore X bike trailer, exploring its features and benefits to help you decide whether it’s the right fit for you and your family. So, let’s dive in and see why the Burley Encore X bike trailer is one of the most popular choices among parents who love to bike with their kids.

This post was sponsored by Burley. Burley Encore X trailer was provided as compensation and for review purposes. All opinions expressed and photos herein belong to the author.

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Gear review: Burley Encore X

We know that getting outside and adventuring together as a family is incredibly important. But we’re parents, so we also know that it’s not always easy. Nothing with kids is easy, right? That’s why we love finding and supporting companies that make products that promote outdoor play AND make life easier for parents. And sharing them with you, of course! Burley is definitely one of those companies we adore!

Burley makes an extended line of kid bike trailers and strollers that encourage outdoor family adventuring. The trailers are incredibly well-made and durable. They are useful for parents and safe for kids. We’ve had a Burley bike trailer for two years now and it’s completely changed the way we travel. Burley just launched a line of three new trailers that easily convert from bike buggies to a double-stroller. We had the opportunity to try out the Encore X and couldn’t love it more!

Benefits of using a bike trailer for kids

Using a bike trailer for your kids has numerous benefits. First, it provides a safe and secure way to take your kids along with you on biking adventures. With sturdy frames, harness systems, and safety flags to ensure that your kids are protected in the event of an accident, bike trailers give parents a bit more peace of mind when biking as a family. Additionally, bike trailers are designed to be comfortable for your little ones, with padded seats, adjustable harnesses, and plenty of ventilation.

Using a bike trailer also allows you to stay active while spending quality time with your children, promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for the whole family. Finally (and this is a big one for me!), bike trailers offer a practical solution for transporting kids and gear. We never travel lightly (even running errands around town), so having a way to transport gear, groceries, snacks, and more is super convenient. 

burley encore x review

The lineup of Burley trailers

To celebrate their 40th Anniversary (congrats, y’all!!!!), Burley launched a new line of three kid-specific sport and performance trailers – the Encore, the D’Lite, and the Cub. All three trailers offer excellent safety features, including a sturdy aluminum frame, a five-point harness system, and a safety flag for visibility.

The Encore, D’Lite, and Cub also feature a comfortable interior with padded seats and adjustable harnesses. The D’Lite and Cub models offer even more comfort with adjustable suspension systems that provide a smoother ride for your child. The seats in all three models are also removable and washable, making it easy to keep the trailer clean.  In terms of capacity, the Encore can hold up to two children with a maximum weight limit of 100 pounds, while the D’Lite and Cub can carry up to two children with a maximum weight limit of 100 and 125 pounds, respectively. All three trailers also feature ample storage space for gear and snacks.

But, my favorite feature is that all three biking trailers come standard with a stroller kit (handlebar and front wheel) included. This makes it super easy to go from biking the trails to strolling the streets with your kiddo(s) in tow. There are no additional accessories or conversion kits you need to purchase. It’s an all-in-one package!

burley encore x bike trailer for kids double stroller

Revamp using post-consumer recycled fabrics

Recently, Burley ramped up their sustainability efforts by introducing post-consumer recycled fabrics into their kid bike trailer collection. Starting in 2023, 55% of all softgoods in Burley kid and pet bike trailers are from post-consumer recycled materials. These materials are mostly derived from plastic water bottles that are processed through a recycling center and transformed into fabric. Burley has worked closely with their manufacturer to source this fabric, ensuring that it meets or exceeds all safety and durability standards.

Integrating post-consumer recycled fabric into their kid collection is another step toward making Burley a more sustainable business and steward of the outdoor industry. It’s one of the many reasons we love Burley and all they do and make! 

Burley stats

All Burley trailers include a steel hitch, tow bar, and safety flag. Designed and tested to meet or exceed safety standards, the trailers have a 5-point harness support system and a full internal aluminum roll cage for protection in an accident.  The buggy comes with a hammock-style seat, which provides passive suspension for rider comfort. Remove the seat entirely for turning your kid trailer into a cargo trailer.

Visit burley.com for more information on all the trailers.

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Burley Encore X

The Encore X includes the stroller kit, so you can bike or stroll straight out of the box. The suspension system keeps kids comfortable by softening bumps and jostles and the 20” push-button wheels are quick and easy to install and remove. It comes with a water-resistant cover and zippers to provide added protection in wet conditions, plus rear window ventilation and a sunshade.

There’s a ton of room in the back for gear, plus inside pockets for toys, water bottles, and your diaper bag. The double seats can be removed entirely for carrying cargo, if you need more space on your grown-up kid-free adventures. There’s a convenient parking brake, the handlebar is adjustable, and the whole thing collapses and folds flat for easy storage.

They seriously thought of everything!

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Why we love our Burley trailer

This Encore X biking trailer is perfect for our little family. We have a 6-year-old that’s active, adventurous and refuses to sit still, so he bikes alongside us. However, our 4-year-old is easily distracted and gets tired quickly. She’s not much into riding on her own but definitely wants to be a part of the action. And now we also have a baby that just turned one! Having a way to keep him secure and safe is key to helping us get outside.

Our two youngest are loving life in the new Burley bike buggy/stroller. They keep each other entertained, are super comfortable, and now beg to go on bike rides and runs every day. And all three kids love it – I’ve even found the two oldest sitting in the buggy out in the garage reading books and using it as a secret hideout! They love pushing each other around in it (yes, it’s easy enough for a 4-year-old to operate) and taking each other for “walks.” 

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How it compares to the Burley Minnow and a double stroller

As I mentioned earlier, we’ve had a Burley Minnow bike trailer for two years and have gotten a ton of use out of it. However, we did not have the stroller kit for our trailer, so I didn’t realize how much we were missing out on. We have another double-jogging stroller, but it doesn’t compare to the ease and maneuverability of this one. Now that we have the Burley Encore X, we’ve retired the other stroller. 

Having a bike trailer that can also convert into a double stroller is a huge perk for us (and other parents). With two functions in one product, instead of purchasing a separate bike trailer and a double stroller, you can invest in a single product that serves both purposes. This can help save money and storage space.

The Burley Encore X is so easy to push (one-handed!), which my current double-stroller is not. And the suspension means it’s a comfortable ride for the kids on our neighborhood’s bumpy sidewalks, which is something my daughter complains about with the double stroller. The handlebar adjusts easily for me (short) and my husband (tall). It’s made getting out of the house so much easier for us all. 

The benefits of biking with kids

Our Burley Encore X has completely changed the way we travel. We love biking to our local playground, into “town” for lunch, or on trails. There’s a great trail close to our house that runs next to a farm with horses, where the kids love to stop and say hi! We also love using the trailer to run errands around town. Taking the buggy means that we can stop and pick up a few bags of groceries, or stock up on library books and easily transport them home. 

Biking as a family provides a great way for children to explore new places and experience the beauty of nature. This can foster a love and appreciation for the outdoors and inspire a lifelong interest in outdoor activities. Biking together is also a wonderful way to create lasting family memories and strengthen family bonds. It’s an opportunity for parents and children to spend quality time together, talk, and have fun. We love and cherish our bike rides together and look forward to many more this summer! 

You should get one, too

If you’re even considering getting a bike trailer or double stroller, I highly encourage you to DO IT! I promise you won’t regret it! Biking with kids is such a great way to have fun outdoor adventures, reduce your carbon footprint and get plenty of fresh air and exercise!

Find the full line of Burley kid bike trailers and strollers on the Burley website.

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I’d love to hear about your biking adventures!

About the author

Sara McCarty is the founder and editor-in-chief of Run Wild My Child (runwildmychild.com), a resource website, online community, and podcast all about reconnecting families through outdoor activities and adventures. She’s a mom of 3, wife, and former attorney. She grew up in the country, but now lives in St. Louis and is determined to raise her city kids to be as feral as possible. You can usually find her family exploring a creek, fly fishing, hiking, duck hunting, camping, canoeing, biking, or geocaching. She’s passionate about traveling, reading, photography, plants, coffee, cooking, and key lime pie.