Burley Honey Bee Review

9.5
9.5 score
[Editors rating (9.5)] = (WalkJogRun) score (9.5)/10


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Editor rating: 9.5 / 10
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Trailer bikes are a relative novelty among the biking aficionados. They’re fun, engaging and practical for the entire family.  Sure, the models as we know them today were manufactured and sold in the early ’90s, but their history goes way back. All the way to the early '30s.

But today they all come in multiple designs, shapes, sizes, and configurations. And they all allow the child inside to have the best possible protection when the model is in use. However, let’s focus on one particular mode for now. The Honey Bee model by Burley. here's a fun fact about the Burley Company. From the foundation, and all the way up to 2006, the company was a cooperative type of a company. It was owned by the workers in the company for decades after the foundation, but that's changed now.

But what is so special about the Honey Bee trailer? What are the best features and fantastic details? And everything in between that makes this time worth buying?

You can find out in the review below. Hope you’ll like it and this item as well. Enjoy.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

Push button type of wheels

Versatile

Can accommodate 2 children at once

Weight capacity is 100 lbs

Cons

Expensive

Materials

There’s plenty to be said here, so pay attention. The weight of the entire Honey Bee construction is 11.5 kg or 25.2 lbs. That’s considered a lightweight category; since this is attachable trailer but the reasons because of the lightweight nature is the lightweight materials used in the making of the construction.

First and foremost, the skeleton of the entire trailer is made out of aluminum. Yes, it’s 6061-T6 specific and heat treated type of aluminum that’s been used in the hinges and tubes of the entire construction. And that’s all swell. It gives a nice firmness without being too heavy on the person that’s pedaling the trailer.

Hitch made from steel is included, but the main trailer or the cover of the entire construction in fact made from polyester. In fact, it’s not just any type of polyester. Its waterproof 600D type of polyester and that same material is used for the seat as well. And let’s not forget about the aluminum roll type of cage that actually holds everything together. That polyester cover wouldn’t have anything to hold on to if it wasn’t for the aluminum roll type of cage. It’s designed to offer protection during an accident and it’s fantastic. It's firm, sturdy and dependable.

Comfort

The comfort doesn’t come all by itself. Several magical things need to happen in order for it to appear. In this case, it’s the basic features are as powerful in providing comfort as the additional extra features. Basic doesn’t always mean boring and in this case, the basic features that allow the comfort starts with Flex Connector. Sounds weird right? Well, it’s just the connector that allows the bike attached to the trailer to lay flat, but the trailer itself to remain in an upright position. That happens when the person that’s pedaling the bike takes a break, and in order not the tip over and crash, the flex connector allows the children in the trailer to remain in the same exact position.

Cool right? Secondly, there’s the seat inside the item that’s been designed in a very interesting hammock style. The specific style is designed in order to provide much greater comfort to the children that are inside of the trailer but also to provide passive suspension. And last but not least, probably the most basic thing of all. The cargo area. Yes, the cargo area of the trailer is spacious enough to give the little darlings plenty of comforts.

There’s no need for cramming or packing the kids like sardines. No, inside the very spacious area is wide and tall enough to allow them to move freely and without any interruptions. The specific details about the dimensions of that area will be discussed in another part of this review, but for now, it’s worth knowing that the area is very accommodating for two children.

Dimensions

First things first. Let’s start with the interior. The seated height of the interior is 26 inches or 66 cm. The shoulder width of the interior is 22 inches or 55.9 cm, while the width of the interior seat is 22.5 inches or 57.2 cm. The leg room while seated is 21 inches or 52.3 cm, while the size of the entire construction is 33.25 by 29.5 by 37 inches or 84.5 by 74.9 by 94 cm. But those are the dimensions when the construction is wide open. When it’s closed, the entire trailer is 35.5 by 29.25 by 12.5 inches or 90.2 by 74.3 by 31.8 in centimeters.

Weight

As previously mentioned, the entire construction (unloaded) weighs 25.2 lbs or 11.5 kilograms. That’s perfectly adequate for a stroller with this size and specifications. The aluminum in the frame is the heaviest part of the model, but when loaded with precious cargo it can support weight up to 100 lbs or 45 kg.

Practicality

There are several aspects in which the practicality is measured. The first aspect is the quick conversion from a biking mode to a stroller mode. That’s thanks to the Stroller Kit, a 1-wheel type of kit that’s also included in the package. That way you can transfer the model from form a stroller mode to a biking mode and vice-versa.

And you know how you can actually do that? With a special type of push button. By pushing the button you can actually remove the front wheel and transform the trailer into biking mode. You can just let the force of your bike guide the model, instead of the smaller third wheel at the front. The ergonomic handlebar gives another great layer to the practicality as well. The handlebar is adjustable to the height of the parents and it doubles as a roll bar.

Oh, and there’ no way we forget to include the side battens. They’re the perfect creators of a very structured barrier, as separation if you will between the passenger and the wheels of the item.

Notable features

There are plenty of those here too. Some of them are quite everyday items that we all encounter in our everyday life, while others take some time and patience to describe. So, let’s start from the beginning. A quite amazing type of a notable feature is the style of folding the entire trailer. It’s a type of Front-to-rear type of fold, which increases the stability and the strength of the entire construction.

The seat is fantastic as well, and also a great provider of comfort for the little ones. It a hammock type of a seat that allows plenty of room to move, and great positioning of the body. There’s no need to worry about hunchback pains or pain of any kind. No the children’s bodies are very fragile and their spine is in constant development, so the best solution for this is applied here. Think about this. What would happen with this model if you were to get up from the bike which is attached to it?

Would it roll back land tumble? Would it fall to the side? If it would, that would be a very dangerous move for the kids that are inside. No. Special protection is needed, and thankfully the Flex Connector delivers. Thanks to the flex connector, the construction will remain upright even when, when the bike is flat. Oh and there’s the helmet pocket of course. It’s recessed and allows plenty of room for the kids that choose to wear a helmet inside the trailer.

Again, their safety and comfort are paramount and the company does everything in their power to allow them both simultaneously.

Safety

Much like with the notable features, several key examples must be mentioned here as well. Because safety doesn’t apply solely to the safety standards that the company is implementing in each of their items. Yes, they’re’ important but we’ll get to them. But first, let’s briefly mention some other types of safety that are focused on the children’s wellbeing but from a totally different angle. First, there are windows.

They are tinted with proper UV protection. The protection that they offer is rated with a UPF 30 mark, and the entire window can actually block up to 97% of the UV light that comes into the trailer. Then there are the reflectors and the reflective materials attached on the surface, which allow the visibility to be increased in poorly lit areas, and areas with little to none visibility.

The entire construction is tested to the most strict safety standards, while the safety flag that’s included in the package is there as a re-enforcement for the visibility, and so is the harness that has all five points on the safety system. What’s the point of having reflectors on three sides of the trailer, when there’s nothing to come as a back-up?

Durability

Sure the materials used in the making of the trailer are fantastic providers of the durability. The firm, stable nature of the aluminum frame, the steel hitch, the polyester that’s water-resistant and the ergonomic handlebar are all very durable materials, and over here are used in a manner that accentuates the comfort and the protection.

They’re stable; they’re reliable and dependable to stay with you for a long time. But there are some different aspects to the durability portion, and they all start with the way the model is folded and stored. First of all, it’s quite an easy and effortless maneuver even to the untrained eye. The push button folds the item flat in order to be transported with ease, and there are, of course, the Wheel guards. They’re an awesome source of protection from unwanted and unforced obstacles.

Those obstacles have the potential to harm the children that are inside and to damage the entire construction. So, it’s best to have protection like this in order to extend the life of the model. And there’s, of course, the Flex Connector. What better way to allow the durability, than with a Flex Connector? You can easily remove yourself from your bike and the entire construction wont fall down, tip over and harm the children that are inside.

The trailer will remain in a desirable upright position, while the bike is flat on the ground.

Accessories

There are almost 20 available accessories that are available with the Honey Bee trailer. They’re all additional purchases, and except the 2 Quick Receivers, none of them is included with the original package. Some of them include items like moose rack, ski kit, and a dry bag, but you’ll have to look up them additionally on the company’s official website.

Bottom line

Yes, this is an expensive purchase. Yes, this is a very massive item, and for some, it’s totally unnecessary. But if you’re the type of person that enjoys outdoor activities with your children than this is the perfect purchase for you. It’s safe, practical and very easy to use. It’s also protective of the precious cargo in the back, and the versatility options allow you to use it in a stroller mode or in a bike mode.

Which means you can easily attach the trailer to your bike and explore the nature with your children. It folds very nicely, the storing and transportation of the item is truly amazing and it will provide the best possible protection to the children while they’re inside the model. That protection includes enforceable obstacles and from the harsh weather conditions like the UV rays, the wind, and the rain. It’s truly great.

it's a fantastic piece to own both for you and the benefit of your child's wellbeing. It will bring you plenty of fantastic memories filled with fun outdoor activities and the bonding will come as a side- product of those activities. It will make the purchasing totally worth it.