Our Experience with the Burley Encore X
We bought the Burley Encore X first and foremost because it can be converted from bike trailer to cross-country ski sled.
There are so many different versions of the Burley it’s hard to keep track, but not all of them can convert their wheels to skis and a few other brands that can make the conversation are far more expensive.
Where we live high in the mountains of Colorado and there is a LOT of snow and our sanity relies on getting outside, forcing us to make a few of these larger winter gear investments. But with the Burley’s versatility, you also get summer use as a bike trailer and, potentially, as a jogging stroller.
General Overview:
Pockets
There are some nice smaller storage pockets inside the chariot itself, which I’m sure will be useful for West as he gets older. Meanwhile, we’ve generally just crammed stuff in as needed. Plenty of space.
Window
West does not like the main front window when it’s pulled down. This is to be expected – it lets in light but makes it much harder to experience the bike or ski excursion. I’ve found the front window annoying to keep in place… even now, I’m not sure I’m doing it right.
Seats
Does the Burley Encore X recline? No, not really. The seats and occupant harness are adjustable but the primary position is largely fixed. The back of the seat pushes West’s head forward, which sometimes forces the helmet over his eyes.
Burley Encore X as a Ski Sled:
The first thing to mention is that the ski conversion kit is a separate expense (Ski Kit, MSRP $250). That makes the total cost something that gives you pause… until you realize that’s still significantly cheaper than the nearest competitor, the Thule Thule Chariot Cross MSRP: $1,249 (single), $1,349 (double), plus Thule Chariot Ski Kit MSRP $350.
We bought the double-wide – notionally for 2 kids – because we wanted a bit more storage for longer and bulkier winter excursions.
We used the Encore X as pull behind ski sled to carry West, mainly along groomed trails with grooved two-tracks.
And on the two occasions we tried, it was not well suited for forging our own path through fresh powder. The skis are too narrow to support the carriage and the front base crossbar acts as a plow, quickly burying the sled and bringing you to a full stop. Not surprising, but we tried!
Mounting and removing the skis
Mounting and removing the skis is pretty straightforward. The setup can take as few as 3 or so minutes… Precious time when it is well below freezing out.
One of the only downsides to the Burley in the winter is actually removing the skis. We don’t always do this but if we’re throwing it in or on the car, we need to. The ski mounts are metal and periodically – but always on the coldest days, naturally – freeze. It results in cursing.
The extra space of the two-seater has come in useful. On particularly cold mornings we puff West up with extra blankets and ditch backpacks and water in the sled. As the day warms, we freely shed layers into the spare seat.
Not surprisingly, the double wide is wider than a standard two track (I don’t know about the single version). It hasn’t been a major issue… sometimes a single ski will fit into the groove but it isn’t essential for speed or stability..
The pulling harness is harmless. You definitely feel the added weight in speed and endurance! Counterintuitively, this is one of the reasons we ditch our backpacks – so that one person is always recharging for a switch. Having said that, while the weight and drag is obviously noticeable, the sled slides along nice and easy.
The Encore X as a Bike Trailer:
Judging by the number you see around town, most people buy a Burley primarily as a bike trailer. And it’s easy to see why – it’s extremely easy to attach or remove the stroller from a bike that has a connector.
Converting the ski sled to a bike trailer is as simple as adding the bike arm and wheels to the chariot and the small connector bracket to a bike. I’m sure you can buy additional brackets for additional bikes but we survived the summer with only one.
Adding the connector bracket is more or less a permanent move – it’s not hard to get on or off, but it’s not meant to be removed once installed so you can’t really share one connector among multiple bikes.
The trailer is attached using a locking pin, which at first glance seems far too flimsy for the task. Super easy to use.
There is also a bright orange safety flag included. At first I strongly rejected this and swore to get something cooler… but after a few spins around town during busy weekends full of clueless tourists, the flag feels like an essential and simple safety measure. The profile of the trailer is much lower than the bike.
West loves being in the trailer when we spin around town. He likes the speed and rumble of potholes and bridges. It’s hard to overstate how much he likes the experience, with the single exception of when the helmet is pushed forward on his head by the back of the seat.
Encore X as a Stroller or Jogger:
Can you jog with a Burley Encore? Honestly, we’ve never used it as a jogging stroller and don’t have the Jogger Kit (MSRP $149). We do use it as a nice cargo stroller, particularly for weekend concerts in the park.
For jogging… well, we don’t. We have a B.O.B Rambler Stroller for this but even then, Kate runs the single track around town and I mountain bike them. It’s not really stroller territory. We use the Osprey Poco Plus child carrier for hiking or long walks.
As a cargo stroller, the double wide once again comes in useful even with only 1 tiny child. We pack the back compartment with folding chairs and table, throw in a picnic backpack full of food, and a few other lux items for sitting at the river or at a concert.
The transformation from a bike trailer to a stroller is as easy as other conversions. Once the arm is detached from the bike connector, a small – sort of dinky – front wheel can be rotated into place and zoom… away you go. There are no frills to speak of in stroller mode. It’s not an afterthought but certainly feels more like a ‘bonus’ mode rather than core functionality.
Weight Limits:
As with anything you have to carry, tow, or lift weight may be the most important factor. The Burley Encore X has a weight limit of 100lbs/45kg… and ouch just thinking about it.
The chariot itself weighs 24lbs/11.2kgs with the tow bar. It’s a bit bulky to easily throw up on the roof rack but it does fold up nicely. If you don’t have a handy roof rack, it fits into the back trunk area of a small SUV – in this case, Ford Bronco Sport or Subaru Outback- easily enough.
Competition:
- Burley Cub X – 2 Seat, MSRP $1049.95
- Burley D’Lite X – 2 Seat, MSRP $899-999
- Thule Chariot Lite 2 – 2 Seat, MSRP $1149
- Thule Chariot Cross Multisport – 2 Seat MSRP $1349
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