Editor's Rating:
4.5

When you become a new parent, you shop around for a stroller, make a joint decision on the perfect one, spend too much money buying it, and decide that you’re finished with stroller shopping.

Then the months pass, and you explain to your partner that your family needs (yes, really needs!) a compact stroller for travel, an all-terrain stroller for jogging, a wagon for hauling lots of gear, a double stroller for when more kids show up, and a bike trailer for bringing the littles on outdoor adventures.

Read on for our complete review of the Thule Chariot Sport — the ultimate four-sport bike trailer with all the fancy features you never knew you needed.

The Skinny on the Thule Chariot Sport

The Chariot Sport is Thule’s high-end bike trailer, which the brand advertises as the must-have vehicle for athletes and their kids. It comes ready for walking and biking, with the option to purchase additional accessories to make it compatible with running and cross-country skiing.

The Sport boasts all the comfortable features, like an aerodynamic shape, one-handed recline, and premium adjustable suspension. The three features that set it apart from Thule’s other bike trailers are its hand-operated disc brake, extra padding on the seats, and removable side windows for ventilation. The Chariot Sport currently comes only as a double-seater in an all-black color scheme.

Our experience with the Thule Chariot Sport

A few years ago, we purchased the more budget-friendly Coaster XT bike trailer from Thule. It worked well for us, with two major drawbacks. First, it’s not compatible with jogging, and second, the seats don’t recline. Taking our kids on a bike ride is an instant recipe for naps, so we wanted seats that would support their heads and necks when asleep. (Read my comparison of the Thule Coaster XT vs. Chariot Sport here).

As we shopped for a new bike trailer, both the Thule Chariot Sport and the popular Thule Chariot Cross checked off all the boxes. We decided it was worth the $100 price bump to purchase the Chariot Sport because of its extra-padded seats and hand-activated brake — a safety feature we use often on our Thule Urban Glide 2 and an essential for keeping a heavy stroller in control on hilly runs.

Overall, I’m extremely happy with our purchase of this trailer. I use it most days to run with our children, and we have no regrets about buying it.

Read on for my complete review of all the features that make this trailer worth the cost.

Thule Chariot Sport: Weighing the pros and cons

Here are the major reasons I love this bike trailer, along with a few areas with room for improvement:

Pros

This trailer has extra supportive, comfortable, and fully padded seats.
Each seat reclines independently, which a must for naps on the go.
The Chariot Sport’s unique hand-operated disc brake lets Mom or Dad control the heavy trailer when running downhill.
The trailer is compatible with four activities: cycling, walking, running, and cross-country skiing.
The Sport has robust protection from the elements, including sun, rain, snow, and wind, with excellent ventilation. Its unique removable side windows keep air flowing on the hottest days.
This trailer boasts impressive, adjustable suspension to keep children from bouncing around on bumpy terrain.
Thule makes it easy to switch from one sport to the next on the go.
A huge cargo space in the back of the trailer lets parents pack everything they need for an all-day adventure with the family.

Cons

The Thule Chariot Sport is a serious investment, costing about $1,450. However it’s sometimes available for less on GoodBuy Gear, Rebelstork, or the secondhand market.
Additional (expensive) accessories are required to run or cross-country ski with the trailer.
Like any bike trailer, the Thule Chariot Sport is large and heavy. It takes up most of the room in a typical car trunk.
The rear storage basket impinges on running stride when filled with cargo.

Detailed Features and Specifications

Now it’s time to dive in and evaluate all those little details you care about when deciding if this investment is right for your family.

Cost

There’s no denying it — the Thule Chariot Sport is expensive! At around $1,450, it’s Thule’s priciest bike trailer, and it costs more than most competitors. Although the essentials for strolling or biking with the trailer come included, the price climbs higher when you purchase additional kits for jogging or skiing.

Maneuverability and suspension

The Sport’s four-point wheel system with large, 20-inch diameter rear tires gives it unparalleled maneuverability. It’s easy to steer on almost any terrain.

The Sport has unmatched adjustable suspension on the rear wheels. Even when I’m pushing it on the sidewalk, I can visibly see the shock absorption taking in the bumps and preventing our kids from bouncing around inside the chariot. Suspension is especially important for running and biking, when speeds climb higher and varied terrain has more impact.

The trailer’s handlebar rotates upward and downward to accommodate parents of varying heights when strolling or jogging. Although the chariot feels large to maneuver through shopping aisles at the store, its 31.5-inch width makes it okay for pushing through larger doorways.

Size and weight range

The Thule Sport can carry two children, up to 49 pounds each. It’s generally suitable for youngsters from ages six months to four years, although a separately available infant sling lets parents stroll with babies as young as one month old.

Children can sit comfortably inside the trailer as long as their sitting height doesn’t surpass 27 inches. The most difficult part is that the load gets heavier as they grow larger!

Seats

One of the best features of the Thule Chariot Sport is that the trailer seats recline. Even if we’re in the middle of a walk or a jog, it’s easy for me to reach forward with one hand and recline either seat independently. We used to use the Thule Coaster XT with no reclining seats, and our son’s head would fall forward in an uncomfortable position as soon as he fell asleep.

The trailer seats are fully padded and seem extra comfortable for our infant and toddler to sit in. They have great support from underneath, and they don’t sag in the middle like some other trailers. When things get extra messy, we can remove the fabric for easy cleaning.

Safety

Thule tests all its bike trailers for stability on uneven terrain and for safety with various directions of impact. The Chariot sport is loaded with features to keep children safe even at high speeds.

One unique feature of this trailer is that it has a hand-operated disc brake. A hand brake is a must for me when running with a stroller, especially when the load gets extra heavy with two kids. A hand-activated brake prevents the stroller from picking up too much speed on a downhill and keeps things in control. This feature is one of the primary reasons we decided to buy this trailer, and I use it every time I run with my two little passengers.

Thule includes a removable rear light with purchase. Reflective elements are also present throughout the trailer to keep it visible at dusk and dawn. An adjustable five-point safety harness keeps children secure in their seats. Kids should always wear helmets in the trailer when in biking mode.

Setup

For setting up the trailer in biking mode, parents can use the Thule ezHitch system, which attaches to the 5 mm quick-release skewer present on most bicycles. If you have a bike with a 9 mm skewer, one with internal gear hubs, or with other unique geometry around the rear axle, you’ll need to buy additional adapters or a new skewer to attach your ride to the trailer. See Thule’s bike-fitting instructions for more detail.

Thule makes it easy for parents to switch between different sports on the go. See the video below for how to attach the separately available jogging kit. Thule’s innovative front wheels flip upward for biking and jogging, which keeps them out of the way — and prevents you from forgetting to bring them along to use at your destination.

Storage capacity

Thule equips the Sport with an extra large cargo basket in the back of the trailer. The cargo space itself doesn’t have a specific weight limit, but the total weight of children and gear loaded into the trailer shouldn’t exceed 100 pounds.

The roomy cargo basket can fit lunch, drinks, and extra layers for our whole family. It can get in the way of our running stride if it’s full, but we can strap it down and out of the way if it doesn’t have too much gear inside. The trailer also has designated spots to store the jogging and cycling kits on board when in strolling mode.

Kids benefit from two mesh pockets on the inner sidewalls of the trailer. We use these to store water, snacks, and small toys for the ride. The Sport also has two elastic mesh pockets behind the seats for Mom and Dad’s water bottles, phones, wallets, and sunglasses.

Protection from the elements

The Sport is designed for families who don’t let the weather infringe on their plans. An included rain cover keeps our children dry. I also use it on cold and windy days to keep the inside of the trailer warmer.

A mesh cover zips down and clips at the kids’ feet to keep dust, debris, and bugs out of their faces. An adjustable sunshade attaches at any height to protect from the glare of a rising or setting sun.

On extra hot days, the Chariot Sport has the unique feature of removable side windows. The plastic exterior material zips off easily, revealing mesh that offers more breathability and keeps our kids cooler while we walk, run, or bike in the sun. The removable windows are not present on Thule’s other bike trailer offerings.

Accessories

The Thule Chariot Sport comes equipped to stroll or bike as is, but you’ll need to buy some costly accessories to run or ski with it. The jogging kit costs approximately $150 and comes with a large, 16-inch-diameter front wheel with two attachment arms locked in the straight position. For a serious winter workout, parents can purchase the $350 cross-country skiing kit.

Thule offers extra accessories to support babies of varying ages. A cozy infant sling for strolling mode lets infants 1–10 months old ride comfortably in the trailer. Parents can also purchase a baby supporter, which offers extra padding around the noggin for tots 6–18 months old. The baby supporter fits around helmets and is compatible with any sport.

Other convenience accessories are available for purchase, including a parent organizer with two cup holders and a covered storage pocket, as well as a protective storage cover to throw over the trailer when not in use.

Folding mechanism and portability

The Thule Chariot Sport weighs 35 pounds total, so it’s not the easiest piece of cargo to carry around. It does fold relatively flat for storage by rotating the handlebar, pressing on two knobs in the back of the trailer to collapse it, and removing the rear wheels.

To slide it into the truck bed or the trunk of the car, we lay the wheels on top of the folded trailer as seen in the video below. Despite the chariot’s hefty size, it collapses down to 34.2” long by 31.5” wide by 14.7” high.

The Upshot: The Thule Chariot Sport Trailer

For parents who plan to take their kids along for long bike rides and off-road runs, the Thule Chariot Sport is an excellent investment. It was a major decision for us to buy it, but I’m so glad we did. No matter what terrain we’re on, I’m confident that my kids are comfortable and safe in the Thule Sport, and I can pack a whole day’s worth of supplies in the cargo basket.

To compare the Chariot Sport against the brand’s other cycling and running options, read our complete reviews of the Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging Stroller and the Thule Coaster XT Bike Trailer.

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