Best Section Of Erie Canal Bike Trail (2024 Update)

Nice booklet with 32 detail maps, several downtown maps, and overview maps. The route is shown as dirt path, paved path, or on roads (about 15% of the total route is on roads). It also has a long list of accommodations, camping, and attractions. We haven't taken it out on tour yet, but it looks like it will be worthwhile. There are a couple of route options, including one from Niagara Falls and one to Lake Cayuga.Bike Tourist Richard

The cutest bike that ever was. The olive green color is awesome. It's great for quick rides around town and I love the step through design (skirts and heels to dinner are doable!). My boyfriend assembled the bike for me and said it was fairly easy to put together. The metal chain cover arrived bent causing the chain to catch on it. We had to bend and pound the metal piece to fit. Overall the bike is best in my opinion for flat commutes. If I lived somewhere with more hills I'd be bummed because first gear is sometimes not low enough for steeper roads (which compared to other places I've lived are still pretty mellow considering) and I'm not sure the 8 speed would fix that issue. I'm also 5'5" and find the handle bars a tad too far away from the seat, by about an inch. My body position is in this awkward not-leaning-forward-not-sitting upright position, which gets a bit annoying after awhile. That said, for a price tag of under $500 including tax and shipping, I can't complain. It's great for what I wanted and I get compliments everywhere I go 'cause it's cute af.Brittany D.

A very solid bike for the price point. Is it trying to do anything fancy? No, but it is a great option for someone looking to get from A to B without breaking the bank. When I was researching this as a gift for my girlfriend, I noticed a few complaints about the weight and the build quality. To those points, I would say the following: Weight: overall, the bike is not super light, so it can be a little unwieldy when trying to load it into a vehicle. That said, it is not too heavy, and rides fairly smoothly. The bigger factor is how the weight is distributed across the bike (center of gravity, in essence). Most of the weight feels like it sits between the rider and the rear wheel, with the front feeling very light in comparison. This is not an issue in any way, but it does create a bit of a learning curve for cornering, as well as for stopping on down-slopes. Just be aware that it will take some getting used to. Build quality: lined up with what I would expect for the price point. The frame and primary components seem solid, and while some of the smaller nuts and bolts for things like the fenders are a little on the soft side, they didn't present any issue for me on install. As a side note, I did the initial assembly of the bike upon receipt just to make sure nothing was missing or obviously damaged, but I took it to a shop for final alignment, tightening, and tuning setup. There were no issues to be found, and it was pretty intuitive to assemble, to the point where I almost didn't need the instructions. What I will say is that the brakes needed significant adjustment out of the box, which is part of the reason I entrusted the initial setup to professionals. My GF and I have ridden the bike several times now on variable length trips (1 mile – 20 miles), and the bike performed reasonably well for all use cases. The seat did get a touch uncomfortable toward the end of the 20 mile trip, but not to the point of being unbearable (I should also mention that this is coming from the stance of someone who is not used to sitting on bike seats for any length of time). It rides and shifts well through the midrange gears, but gets a bit noisy in the lowest gear, and the highest gear is feels like it really only wants to be used when going down a pretty steep hill to try to build speed. The weight in the tail is also very noticeable when climbing steep grades, encouraging the rider to lean forward more than usual, but not to an uncomfortable degree. Overall, this is a very usable and well priced bike. It isn't perfect, but it exceeded my expectations. I have not had it long enough to comment on long term reliability/ serviceability. P.S. I would strongly consider upgrading the brakes if planning to use this bike in hilly environments or as a daily rider, just for a bit of extra stopping power and response. The rear brakes in particular can feel a bit soft, especially when traveling with loads such as groceries.Colin R.

Firstly, the parcel was sent in the thinnest, least-protective box imaginable. I've gotten Amazon boxes of cotton balls more fortified. It was also shipped via FedEx Home Delivery, which means it was subject to a contractor's whims and handled roughly. It not only came late, but the box had several large holes and I'm pretty sure some of the hardware fell out in the process because it was missing two bolts. The derailleur hanger was bent upon receipt as a result of banging around for days and days in transit. Now I have to spend additional money and time having it repaired. They quoted us $100. Retrospec did refund just under that, so they did make it right in that regard, but it's now been two weeks and I haven't gotten to ride my bicycle once. I can't review the actual bike yet, but I wanted to call out the shoddy box and the choice to use FedEx instead of UPS, which is consistently better for packages like this. Just a bit of extra padding, especially for models with a delicate derailleur, and I would have been singing its praises and having fun on my vacation instead of feeling sad every time I see someone else enjoying a bike. That said, the color is beautiful. The saddle and grips are rather cheap-looking, but those can be replaced.Jessica M.

This bike was super easy to assemble. I just followed the instructions and was able to do it without getting confused. I have ridden it to work and back. I also took it out to Yosemite and I have to say that it is amazing to visit the valley on this lovely bike!!! It has smooth gear changing and the seat support is so good that you don't feel any bumps on the trail. I'm no expert biker, so this is a wonderful beginner bike as well. I'm sure expert mountain bikers would also be served very well on this beauty. Overall, I'm thinking of getting a second one for my wife! That's how much I love it!Mike3214

The bicycle does not arrive assembled. However, it is relatively simple to put together and do minor adjustments to the brakes. You will need some special tools that are not included for assembly. The bicycle itself is a good size and comfortable to ride. The Shimano grips make a big difference in comfort and switching gears easily. The overall style of the bicycle is functional and is a nice color combination without being too girly. I expect this bicycle to last for a long time whether riding on city streets or riding through rougher terrain. It is rugged, yet comfortable and is willing to go just about anywhere.geochic77

I have had this bike for 2 weeks and just from riding it on the streets around my neighborhood and over a few small rocks, which any mountain bike should be able to handle, has bent the front tire pretty bad. Also, when I bought this bike, the brakes were pretty much useless. If you want a reliable bike, don't choose thisGlong215

I have been riding this bike for approximately 2 months and I don't really see the limit of it. I mean I sent pretty much every drop and jump I could find and the only thing that gave up on me was the wheels… This bike is an absolute beast for the price tags. The only thing that limits the hardtail is probably your skills. Yes it's not perfect. I think a 140mm at front would have been better (easy to change the air shaft to 140) yes stronger wheels would have been better instead of 29 33inner mm would have been much stronger and yes a better pads for the rear brakes would have been much much better no idea why but if it's wet I'm losing 85% of my rear brakes. But let's be honest all those upgrade will cost you almost nothing… O I forget if you don't want to ride at 30psi and want something more grippy buy some cushcore. The bike is so capable that you may feel like you are on a full suspension and then your wheels going to hate you so cushcore may help to ride your tyres a bit softer and then have a bit more grip to it! If you question yourself should you buy a SQ3? The answer is absolutely yes.Pierre

Out of the box this bike rips! It truly does do it all. It’s agile and corners like it’s on rails. It’s very flickable and fun on the jump lines. My only complaint is the seat tube is not as slack as I would like riding the long fire roads back up my local trails. But with that said this bike is geared towards going down in the funnest way possible and not XC climbs. I am 5’8” with short legs and a long torso. I am glad I went with the M size frame. The large would have given me a better climbing bike with the longer top tube but I would have sacrificed on the fun stuff with the taller seat tube. Overall I am very happy with my purchase and the support the GovVelo gives to veterans is awesome. Buy one if you can find one!Steven

Dealing with Bicycles on Line an absolute pleasure. Speedy service, great product, competitive price. The Marin San Quentin 3 is an absolute blast. Brought this frame to build as a 'COVID project'; absolutely no regrets. This is a very capable trail bike with modern geo. Paired with quality components it puts a smile on my face every time I take it out. Can't recommend the Marin San Quentin or Bicycles on Line highly enough.Sean S.

Gives Great info and is up to date. It replaced my older edition. Needed to know which parts are paved and it gives it clearly. Good book.bearia

This bike has very progressive geometry slack headtube, steep seat tube and short chainstays. This bike thrives in steep technically and tight terrain, It initiates turns really easily probably due short chainstays and ploughs through rock gardens easily. As for the cons of the this bike the rear brake was routed wrong side which was rubbing on the frame. This bike also needs at least 175mm dropper post at size large, the wheels should be setup as tubeless from the factory in my opinion as for its intended application and brakes should be at least shimano deore 4 pot.David A.

First, I would like to thank Govvelo for securing my dream ebike. I've been searching everywhere until I found one @ Govvelo. I was sad because I wasn't ready to swipe my credit card but the good news is they have klarna and much better for me. Back to the bike, a lot to say about this bike. Aggressive ebike for aggressive biker. The geometry is all I want because the Spec can upgrade anyway. Once again thank you for securing my order.Jacklord

A great bike for the price point but a slightly heavy build and not the most agile in its category. It took me a few weeks to get used to the bike geometry coming from 2 years riding a 27.5+ hardtail (similar to the Marin Saint Quentin). Set up the tyres tubeless (the wheels rim tape is tubeless ready BTW) with a Nukeproof ARD insert at the back and I setup the suspensions and shock with the standard 20% – 30% sag. I love climbing very technical trails and my first experience with the bike was just horrible: no traction, bad handling, rough both uphill and downhill, pedal strokes every 10mins. I was almost thinking of sending it back. Then I started to tune it and changed the way I ride. – Changed the stem heights (played with the spacers, lowered the stem and cut the steerer). – Played with compression settings front and back when climbing – Dropped my seat on technical sections more often when climbing. – Played with gears when climbing (I used to grind with the HT, doesn’t work the same on a FS especially with the big and heavy 29er wheels, spinning more helps keep momentum). – BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I started to gradually lower the tyre pressures from 23psi down to 19psi front and 25psi to 21psi rear and this completely transformed the ride quality. If you're after a stable trail bike with a bomb-proof feel and no-non-sense quality components, this is a great option and hard to find something similar at this price point!Fred P.

Overall I'm very pleased with how well made this trailer is. It's rigid, seals well, and the kids seem comfortable. Three things keep it from being really perfect though. 1) when it's mounted to my bike, the kickstand is basically unusable. I think there's just too much going on there and it also makes it so that the stroller wheel isn't very securely in the upright towing position. 2) It's pretty snug for my 3 year old and almost 1 year old. They're nearly on top of each other with their winter coats on. I foresee a lot of arguments. 3) The bottom where the kids feet go seems like it's just a matter of time before it rips. The kids step in before sitting down and they're just standing on the fabric. I think some structural reinforcement underneath would be helpful.LDM

I love this trailer! I have to say, I don't usually write reviews but I have gotten really great customer service and so far, I feel really good about this trailer that I thought I would leave a review. First of all, it is extremely easy to install. I believe it was like 7:45am when I decided I wanted to use the trailer but it was still in the box and I needed to leave with my kids at 8:00am to drop them off at school. It literally took 15 minutes to install this trailer. Second, the trailer is extremely light. It is lighter than my strollers. This makes it so easy to maneuver. My kids love this trailer and it is super compact. Some minor issues. First the yellow rubber on the side of the tire has already fallen off. I can put it back on but it seems like it can fall off again. Also, if I use this trailer as a stroller, I can't put too much heavy weight in the back as the trailer tips and is back heavy. Overall, excellent purchase and highly recommend it.Tova M.

We bought this trailer for our 1-year old so we could get biking as a family. It feels very sturdy and safe, and has great storage capacity. The only thing I would note, is that our son is a bit small for his age and the helmet pocket is a little high for him. This has sort of caused his helmet to push forward over his eyes (and much unhappiness ensues!). I think we'd have this problem with other trailers too, though and he should grow into it. Otherwise the trailer has been working great! We bought an extra hitch so my husband and I could each have one on our bikes, and it's been very easy to switch the trailer between the two once they were all the way set up. We haven't used the trailer yet just for cargo, but it will be very easy to take the seats down when needed.janemcg

The nomad offers an abundance of space for the biker looking to do some back country camping. Its size easily accommodates a five gallon bucket to keep belongings and/or food dry while acting as a sealed container to hang food at night. The accessory rack is great for tying down objects or drying wet clothing while riding. I took this on a week long trip from Washington D.C. to Pittsburg. Cons: The rear corners of the frame aren't smooth and wear holes in the floor. There needs some extra padding on the inside. (I'm going to try bicycle inner tubes). The front of the the floor gets a bit pinched by the mounts that hold the tow bar. This has caused the stitching to stretch from riding around with a full cart. Currently, I have mounted an old seat post rack on the inside to alleviate some of the pressure on the floor of the forward compartment. Water has a tendency to collect in the front compartment also (Only what was in my 5-gallon bucket stayed dry). I was thinking of sewing in some type of drain plug. Pros: The sides are lined with mesh compartments, great for quick access items and the little things. The width and length of the cart is perfect to fit a crazy creek style camp chair (never leave home without it). Once you figure out the best weight balance the cart glides along behind the bike though hills will remind you that it is there. Having the weight off your bike adds to stability while riding and mounting/dismounting, in my opinion. The stock tires are nice also. I have rode the cart over 600 miles and have not had a flat (knock on wood). You can fit everything you need for a week long camping trip in the cart (If you pack as though you are going on a backpacking trip). As stated before, the five gallon bucket is great for storing food and any electronics. Conclusion: I really like the Nomad cart. It is a great alternative to panniers and bags. It cruised behind me on the C&O Towpath and the Great Allegheny Passage with little extra effort. It allows you to carry larger items than could fit into bags (camp chair). Next I'm thinking of using it to ride around Ohio, following the Buckeye trail when possible.Qynius

I bought my first Burley Nomad in 2001 and used it hard. I took it on a 3-month journey along the TransAm Trail; on a ton of shorter self-supported trips; on airplanes, trains, and busses; to the grocery store countless times; to the dump; etc. I (sadly!) gave it away when I had kids and switched to a child trailer, but now that the kids are older, I've just switched back. And the Nomad is better than ever! The new steel hitch system is so much simpler and more secure than the old system of hitching directly onto the frame. The cover now easily closes with D-rings (the old cover had to be snapped in place, which was sometimes a struggle). And I like that the partition inside the trailer can easily be folded down so that you have one giant interior space. I've always been a trailer person–I love panniers for quick trips around town, but I'll always prefer the ease of loading and unloading the trailer, as well as the superior balance–and the Nomad is the best. It's incredibly stable, sturdy, and durable. I still see my old 2001 trailer around the neighborhood, by the way–still going strong!Lucy M.

I bought this trailer about a month ago for my dogs, Rosie ( shorkie) and Captain (mini Pomeranian). This trailer is light weight, the hitch is excellent and was easy to assemble. It’s the perfect size for two or three small dogs or a medium size dog ( like a healer). The different access zippers are in perfect spots for easy access to the dogs, and the zipper screen covers are great. I ride with my dogs to work about 8km. (One way) I’ve clocked my speed at 30km with little wiggle. We have ridden is rain/ hail/ and sunshine. The trailer handle beautifully and kept my dogs dry. I did purchase a dog crate bed for extra cushion and grip. This was a pricey trailer but worth it. Trailer is approved by Rosie and CaptainLaurie

The Travoy trailer is a joy to use, both on and off the bike. When empty you'd hardly realise you're towing anything. Load it up and you begin to feel it, but the bike still rides normally – you're just aware of a bigger drag. The wheel-guards are a great improvement over the older model, and the platform is a few inches deeper which is also nice. I haven't had to use the extension on the towing arm, but it should help the trailer to stay clear of pannier racks etc. The removeable towing bracket for the seat-post is also a great idea – it still feels very solid on the bike. Just planning a camping trip now with my daughter, which highlights the only problem with this trailer – the lack of a large utility bag designed for it. Nevertheless a really well designed bicycle trailer – expensive, but you'll be delighted with it.Michael S.

The Burley Travoy is a great handcart or bike trailer but needs a few mods to bring it up to snuff. 1) The supplied Tote Bag tends to shift sideways loaded or unloaded and rubs on the wheels. Given a few trips, that rubbing will wear a hole right through the bag. Solution? Build a couple of sideboards/wheelguards out of lightweight coroplast sign boards (think election signs or roadside ad signs) and wrap them with duct tape. I double the coroplast signs in thickness, add a bit of tape to hold them together and then do the full wrap. Place the 7"X11" boards next to the lower frame for positioning, then poke three holes in each for cable ties that will hold them firm. Done! The coroplast is flexible yet strong. With a heavy load, you might need to add another hole in the top corner of each sideboard so you can string a rope across for further containment. If you travel by air, either substitute 3 or 4mm rope for the cable ties or simply carry a half dozen ties along and reinstall them on arrival at your destination. 2) Forget about wasting more hard-earned dollars on any other Burley bags. Go down to a thrift store and pick up a lightly used, high quality daypack and use that up top. Mine was all of $3.99 — and it's a 30L pack. You might find something even larger for that price. I buckle the waist strap around the Travoy and also tie the shoulder straps together so the pack can't shift. If it's raining, use a trash bag liner or equivalent. For total waterproofness, stay away from the expensive Burley stuff $$$$ and get a large MEC or Seal Line dry bag and lash it down. 3) Ditch the kickstand rubber foot and go buy a box of 5/8" cane tip replacements that are twice as wide. Much sturdier support (see my review under the Burley kickstand rubber foot for photos). 4) To beef up your tires, switch to Schwalbe HS 158 wheelchair tires which are 2.25" wide (once the originals are worn out). If your local bike shop carries that high quality German brand, it can also order the wheelchair tires. Pram/stroller inner tubes normally have the bent valves and can be ordered online if you can't find them locally.Burley Boy

How often am I stopped in the street with questions from admirers of my Burley Travoy? Every single time I use it. This trailer is simply the best. It's an expensive purchase, but I find it so useful that I have never regretted spending the money. And for the cost of a set of good-quality waterproof panniers, you get so much more. The trailer is ideal for shopping trips. Scenario: you have two or more stores to visit, but when you get to the second store, you have to decide whether or not to leave your panniers (with purchases from the first store) on the bike, or to carry your panniers while shopping and bear their tiny little handle(s) digging into your fingers. With the Travoy, problem solved. Just remove it from your bike and roll it like a trolley through each store. The included bag easily carries a weeks' worth of groceries. Besides groceries, I have carried weird and wonderful things on the Travoy that can't be carried in panniers, including paint from the hardware store, a dog kennel, furniture, luggage, an espresso machine and more. It folds up into a nice little package, and the wheels come off, for easy storage in cramped urban spaces. Do you notice it on the back of your bike? Not at all. I often find myself checking to make sure that it's still connected to the bike, because it feels as though it's not there. It rides very smoothly. Unlike other reviewers, I have never had problems navigating corners, hills, curbs, speed, etc. Overall the Travoy is very solidly constructed, but there are a few design flaws: – The little pedestal stand on the bottom is flimsy. I returned one Travoy to MEC for repair of this part, and the new one is already starting to break within its first year. – The bag is difficult to position evenly between the tires, and easily rubs against them (which if you're not careful will put a hole in the bag). It helps to tighten the bungie cord on the front of the bag. – It can be difficult to secure items to the Travoy because there are few latching points. There are included straps that clip onto the trailer, but I have found these to be too short for my needs.mickih

Things I love about this product: 1) Sturdy, durable, well-built. 2) WAY less side-to-side pull from the trailer than any other trailer-bike I've tried. In fact, this is the primary reason why I bought it. 3) Intelligent mechanism to connect trailer to bike. 4) Adjustable, so it grows with the kids. They will probably be able to ride it until 9 or 10 years of age. 5) Can still carry two panniers on the rack while the trailer is attached, thanks to the specialized rack that comes with the trailer-bike. I would totally give this product 5 stars, except for one significant design flaw: 1) The twist grip shifter is so stiff that a child cannot operate it. This is a big problem for a product designed for children. Though this bike has a 7 speed cassette and deraileur, the reality is that we leave ours in only one gear all the time because the kids can't shift it on their own. It's hard even for me to move the twist shifter. My only other minor complaint is that the seat is not very well designed, so my kid's underside gets rather tired and uncomfortable on the longer trips, but we deal with it. In light of the design flaw with the shifter, I would probably opt for the simpler single-speed Kazoo model instead, if I had it to do over again. I originally opted to purchase the Piccolo because I like to do long rides with my kids (ages 6 & 4) and I figured the gears would help us be more efficient. Also, I wanted them to get used to using gears and handbrakes in anticipation of graduating them to young adult bikes of their own in a few years. But having an inoperable shifter doesn't help much with that goal. On another note, I also purchased the Plus front tire extension in order to convert the trailer into a stand-alone bike. That has proven to be cool. I do like it. The only thing to be aware of is that it takes about 5 minutes to convert between tow-mode and bike-mode and it requires tools. I had hoped the conversion would be easier, but it's not too bad. Our family makes extensive use of both modes. —Top Secret— Tip for advanced users only: Don't tell anyone, but it is possible to hook multiple Piccolo's together (see picture below). I'm sure this practice is not endorsed by the manufacturer, but it sure is fun. The picture below is actually me and my actual kids on two actual Piccolos. We've put in a lot of miles with this configuration and had a lot of fun and turned a lot of heads. The main thing to be aware of is that the side-to-side pull on the adult bike is multiplied several times by the addition of a second Piccolo. A single Piccolo is hardly noticeable, but a second Piccolo makes it feel more like there are 5 crazy monkeys jumping on your rack. We've done up to 90 miles in a single weekend while carrying all of our own camp gear for self-supported riding. It was awesome!Bikey Dad

This trailer bike is very high quality. It's sturdy and easy to connect to the rack system. However, the rack is a real pain in the butt. We owned three bikes and the rack would not fit any of them. We had to buy a fourth bike that we could use specifically with this rack, and even then, we had to rig something so the rack would work. I highly recommend the trailer bike but wish Burley could come up with a better rack system that would work on more bikes.JHeaps

After riding several hundred miles with my kiddo on the back of a heavy clunky trailer bike. I can tell you this one is well worth the money. It’s light, has good components, hooks up quickly, and pivots smoothly. Having gears has been helpful to learn about shifting and believe it or not, they can really help keep you moving. Only thing that’s tricky is hooking up the moose rack. Depending on your bike, this can take a decent amount of focus. You can bend the rack +-1.5” and the bars that connect too the seat stay are really long. After that’s installed. You’re gravy!Nate

We wanted something our 1 year old could ride in, be comfortable, and that would work as a stroller when we’re camping. We are loving the Burley so much already! Baby girl is comfortable in the seat and has plenty of room to grow. It pushes so easily as a stroller and rides smoothly. We’re looking forward to warmer weather so we can get out on our bikes with our daughter! It was a large purchase, but if you time it right you can use a coupon and save a good amount.Leslie

My husband and I (over)researched this product compared to the Thule version. We ultimately landed on this product for several reasons and I’m happy with our decision. Compared to the Thule, the D’Lite X has a ton more storage and easier access to the cab from the back. The mechanism for opening the kid compartment makes a lot of sense and the inside itself has a great removable/washable mud catcher. The bowed out sides create a ton of elbow space. The handle easily adjusts for height or to go over the top as a roll bar while biking. The E brake is easy to engage with one foot and the suspension adjusts well. The only thing I don’t like about it is the recline. Sure, it reclines a bit, but “three position recline” makes you think this thing could be like a Lazyboy or at least provide a comfortable place for napping. Think again! It’s plenty for a kid who can easily hold their head up but even with the baby snuggler this is not an infant stroller by any means. For the price, it’d be nice if it could be used for infants, but honestly I think that’s the only category that the Thule wins. Overall, we are happy with this and can’t wait to use it this winter when our daughter is a bit older.montana mama

Great trailer overall – really excited to put it to the true test. We just got it and assembled so have not put it through it's paces for a long term review yet. First impressions – great quality, the blue color is even nicer in person than in pictures. Addressing common negative review points 1. recline on seats not being enough, this doesn't seem like an issue to us – if it were to recline like a lazy boy, the trailer would have to be longer and who wants to make this thing any bigger than it is? 2. The recline making the storage useless – again I don't agree – even in full recline, there's plenty of space in my opinion. 3. The handlebar mechanism not able to hold up to weighting to lift front wheel over curbs etc in stroller mode – Definitely true. However, if you pop the cover off the opposite side of the handlebar (not the side with the yellow lock), and squeeze the bars together, you can get clearance to tighten the screw enough so that the handle up holds up to weight. This is a Burley assembly and quality control issue in my opinion – if you pay $900 for this, the handlebar should come tightened to the correct torque to hold up to general use. We didn't even have anything in the trailer when we tested the handlebar issue and it ratched back with just slight pressure of the empty trailer. If you were to do this multiple times, the plastic teeth mechanism that locks it in place would wear and you'd be SOL on an $900 trailer. Lastly, assembly taking the hand of God to clip the bars in place – definitely was difficult, but not nearly as difficult as expected based on reviews. We found the best technique was to go at it from the back of the trailer thumbs down for leverage under the bar and lift in to each side of the yellow clips. Overall, good design and quality, with the really only downside being the handlebar assembly, but can easily be remedied by Burley to ensure it is tightened properly to hold upMariah

Coming from decades of road cycling experience, this is my first mountain bike. I'm fit enough for challenging rides, but little technical experience mountain biking. I purchased this bike to keep the investment low, but enable me to upgrade in the future. I've now gone on many steep, rocky, technical rides and the bike has done excellent. I'm very happy with my choice. I only upgraded to a dropper post at the time of purchase. In the future I'll upgrade the group set as I'd prefer a little more snappiness in shifting, but it performs very well on tough trails. No complaints!Rob C.

You can find a better full suspension MTB in this price range…..insane value for the price. I was frozen in analysis paralysis between the Marin RZ1 vs. the Giant Stance and I couldn't be happier with my RZ1-29er. I'm 6' even and 170-175lbs depending on pizza consumption, so I'm riding size large. I've been running downhill, technical climbs, flow and rump trails, and a bit of rugged XC, and this bike takes it all in stride. Pros: Both the front and rear shock have been more adjustable than I would have expected. The slack head angle makes the slow technical XC trails a little tricky, but it provides huge benefits for climbing and speedy descents. Cons: There really isn't much to dislike, but its worth mentioning that the RZ1 does not come with a dropper post. And the stock seat post is sure long, so you cant lower the seat all the way without cutting the post down significantly. That's an easy process with a hack saw and a file, but you can add a dropper for under $200 if you self-install. Overall, I cant recommend the RZ1 highly enough. If you're in the market for an affordable full suspension MTB then the Marin RZ1 is a smart place to invest your hard-earned coin.Joel

The bikesonline website is very organized and informative, and the online purchase was easy. I got a response to an email question from customer support in a few days. The bike shipped well-secured in a sturdy box that survived unscathed all the way from CA to TN. The bike arrived mostly assembled; I just attached the handlebar, seat post, and front wheel, then added some pedals. I bled the rear brake as the right brake lever was squishy, and I set the fork and shock air pressure/rebound for my granddaughter's weight, but no other tweaks were needed. The Marin bikes are great – I would rather have had a Rift Zone 2 29er but it was unavailable. The Recon Silver fork on the Rift Zone 1 is not my favorite, but overall we love the bike, the customer support, and the simplicity of shopping it.Gary H.

I just hooked two of these up last week, and at first I thought it seemed pretty simple. It isn't exactly hard, but the directions could be more helpful so that you don't have to go back and redo things. Maybe someone has made a Youtube video that would be useful. It ended up being more time consuming that I had hoped, but so far it seems to work well. We took our kids for a 2 mile ride with no problems. You will need to remind the kids not to push on their brakes, I'm sure they will get used to it. Compared to the price of other tagalongs, I think it is a great value. We didn't have a chance to detach their bikes, but I think that will be a fun benefit.MammaPajama

We purchased this to use with our 6 year old's 18 inch bike. He loves to bike by himself but gets tired after 4 or 5 miles so this perfect. It probably took me at least an hour to install because I had to read the instructions a few times and go back and forth between the ok pictures and written instructions before I figured out what they were talking about. If had to do it again it would be no problem. I was worried that the bike would be at a weird angle and not comfortable for my son when attached but this doesn't seem to be a problem at all. If I had know about this before I bought my trail-a-bike I would have gone this route for my other child. All my friends are buying this after they saw mine. This is really cool!10SPlayer

I'm sure this works for some people, but it's an incredible hassle to setup and in my opinion isn't worth the frustration. The piece that clamps on to the kid's bike needs to be redesigned.Cameron

Love this bike! Nimble, smooth, quick and sexy! Delivery to my home great, nearly fully assembled. Great after sale support too with my Qsgus

The bike is amazing. Came with all the tools and delivery was prompt. The bike itself is smooth, changes gear really well. Will need to buy an additional cushion seat and doesn’t come with a stand. My son finds it a much smoother ride than his own bike. It is just unfortunate that getting through to bicycles online is just so difficult. I tried for 4 days and was on hold for over 45 minutes and then cut off.Diana N.

Coming from decades of road cycling experience, this is my first mountain bike. I'm fit enough for challenging rides, but little technical experience mountain biking. I purchased this bike to keep the investment low, but enable me to upgrade in the future. I've now gone on many steep, rocky, technical rides and the bike has done excellent. I'm very happy with my choice. I only upgraded to a dropper post at the time of purchase. In the future I'll upgrade the group set as I'd prefer a little more snappiness in shifting, but it performs very well on tough trails. No complaints!Rob C.

You can find a better full suspension MTB in this price range…..insane value for the price. I was frozen in analysis paralysis between the Marin RZ1 vs. the Giant Stance and I couldn't be happier with my RZ1-29er. I'm 6' even and 170-175lbs depending on pizza consumption, so I'm riding size large. I've been running downhill, technical climbs, flow and rump trails, and a bit of rugged XC, and this bike takes it all in stride. Pros: Both the front and rear shock have been more adjustable than I would have expected. The slack head angle makes the slow technical XC trails a little tricky, but it provides huge benefits for climbing and speedy descents. Cons: There really isn't much to dislike, but its worth mentioning that the RZ1 does not come with a dropper post. And the stock seat post is sure long, so you cant lower the seat all the way without cutting the post down significantly. That's an easy process with a hack saw and a file, but you can add a dropper for under $200 if you self-install. Overall, I cant recommend the RZ1 highly enough. If you're in the market for an affordable full suspension MTB then the Marin RZ1 is a smart place to invest your hard-earned coin.Joel

The bikesonline website is very organized and informative, and the online purchase was easy. I got a response to an email question from customer support in a few days. The bike shipped well-secured in a sturdy box that survived unscathed all the way from CA to TN. The bike arrived mostly assembled; I just attached the handlebar, seat post, and front wheel, then added some pedals. I bled the rear brake as the right brake lever was squishy, and I set the fork and shock air pressure/rebound for my granddaughter's weight, but no other tweaks were needed. The Marin bikes are great – I would rather have had a Rift Zone 2 29er but it was unavailable. The Recon Silver fork on the Rift Zone 1 is not my favorite, but overall we love the bike, the customer support, and the simplicity of shopping it.Gary H.