Tout Terrain Singletrailer Review | Long Term Review

We’re parents that live and breathe mountain biking. As soon as our little one was over a year old we were looking at options to get him out on the trails with us. Our main concern was finding a trailer that would be safe, and that was narrow enough to ride normal-width alpine single tracks.

We looked at many options, and in the end, decided to invest in the Tout Terrain Single Trailer because it seemed like the best option available for our needs. After owning the trailer for almost a year we’re super happy with the choice we made. The trailer allows us the freedom to explore the mountains and also helps us to use the car less on the daily creche runs.

Please note: Unlike most other reviews for this trailer we bought this with our own money, so we are able to give an unbiased review. Whereas most other reviews for the Tout Terrain Singletrailer are from people who got the trailer on short term loan from the manufacture.

BikeFaff.com

What is the Tout Terrain Singletrailer?

The Velo Tout Terrain Trailer is an off-road trailer with 200mm of suspension travel and a built-in roll cage – ideal for families wanting to take their children out on the trails with them. This trailer is probably one of the best trailers currently available on the market for off-road use. It’s only 45 cm wide which is perfect for narrow single tracks. The roll cage is made of cro-mo steel, paired with a 5 point harness which should provide great protection. Unlike most of the other trailers on the market, it only has 1 wheel, which gives better rolling resistance and makes it much more agile on the trail. Also, it’s worth noting Tout Terrain Singletrailer is designed to work with the most common wheel sizes, even 29ers.

Key Features Of The Tout Terrain Singletrailer

• A durable cro-mo steel roll cage
• A Five-point safety harness and breathable seat cover
• 160mm-200mm Adjustable travel depending on ground clearance for on and off-road use
• 20″ rear quick release rear wheel
• An air shock which is adjustable for the child’s weight
• A bash guard to protect the frame
• 26″, 27.5″ and 29″ compatible geometry for wheel size flexibility
• Reflective logos on side and back to help improve visibility
• Compatible with most dropper seatposts
• Magnetic three-point buckle for easy operation (perfect for a wriggly child)
• 1 wheel making the trailer narrower than most other brands
• A kickstand which will hold both the trailer and the bike upright

Weight 9.5 kg
Cost € 1390
Age range 3 months (with the optional Thule Baby Supporter harness ) to 25 kg.
Fitting/attachment seat post mounted

The brochure from the manufacturer is here

How Does The Trailer Feel On The Trail?

The trailer genuinely feels great on the trails, even to the point it can be easy to forget you have it on the bike. However, in the beginning, it does take a little getting used to as it does effectively make your bike twice the length and can swing out in turns. That said, it’s surprising what’s possible with the trailer, you can shred rough roots and rocks, do wheelies, and bunny hops, etc – Just ensure you have the rear shock set up correctly for your child’s weight. Also, it’s worth noting you need to be aware of tighter single tracks as the trailer can swing out quite a bit, and get caught on things.

Once you stop, the bike and trailer can support its self with the built-in kickstand. However, it can take a little bit of practice to get the stand-up and down on your own.

Danny Macaskill Riding WithThe Tout Terrain Singletrailer

How Easy Was The Trailer To Build And Setup The Suspenson?

The trailer was relatively simple to build out of the box if you are technically minded, It just required basic tools like Alen keys. If you are unsure it would be worth asking a bike shop to help you build it. The only real issue you could encounter is fitting the attachment mount to the seat post. This is because most mountain bikes come with dropper seat posts, and getting the cable to squeeze through the trailer’s attachment mount was a bit awkward. The manufacturer has a guide on how to build the bike here

The shock on the trailer was relatively simple to set up, you just need to put your child in the trailer and then set the shock to 25% sag. The manufacturer has a manual here

What We Love About The Tout Terrain Singletrailer

The cro-mo steel roll cage and its 5-point harness

Mountain biking without doubt has its risks, but at the end of the day we want to ensure our little one is as safe as possible, and we think the Tout Terrain Singletrailer was clearly one of the best options when it came to safety features. The magnetic three-point buckle feels secure and is easy to get a wriggling child into.

Possibly the only serious mountain bike trailer on the market

After looking at a number of options, we came to realise that there were not many trailers that were narrow enough or came equipped with enough suspension to tackle real mountain bike trails. Most other trailers seemed like they would be able to handle rough fire roads at best.

We love its narrow profile and single wheel

Most of the trailers on the market have 2 or more wheels, which normally makes the trailers wide and cumbersome on the trail. We love the fact the trailer is narrow, and nimble making it much more versatile for most mountain bike trails. The single wheel is quick-release making it quick to dismantle, which is also a big bonus.

Feels lightweight, but robust to ride

We enjoy riding with the Tout Terrain Singletrailer because most of the time you barely even realise you have the trailer on the bike, it does make uphills slightly more challenging but that’s to be expected from any trailer. We also find it confidence-inspiring that the trailer feels well made, and durable, which is perfect for the rough Alpine trails.

What Would We Change About The Tout Terrain Singletrailer ?

The Tout Terrain Singletrailer has been incredible in many ways, however, we think there are a number of ways the manufacturer could improve future editions of the trailer:

Improve removal for dropper posts & bike attachment

The attachment mount for the trailer slides onto the bottom of the seat post, which can be difficult to put on and take off with most dropper posts. This is also a big issue if you plan on using the trailer with multiple bikes, as you will either need multiple attachment mounts or have the challenge of challenging the mount over each time (which can be a pain with dropper posts). We found that it forced us to leave the attachment mount on one bike, and use only that bike which isn’t ideal. If they used a simple 4 bolt system as you have on a mountain bike stem, that could be a simple remedy for this issue.

Improve ability to line up seat post mounting bracket

Another issue we came across was lining up the trailer arm with the attachment mount on the seat post. If this is not lined up 100% perfect the trailer will sit to one side, and will make the trailer sit to one side. There really needs to be a quick and simple way to line these two components up.

Improve ability to store/put in a car

Another challenge with the trailer is it can be a challenge to store if you have limited space. Obviously, the trailer does detach from the bike, however, it can be a bit of a procedure to pack down if you have an energetic toddler. Also, the trailer takes up quite a lot of space even when packed down fully, and is a big challenge to fit it in an average car with 2 bikes, a toddler, and all your riding gear.

Added extra storage

There is a minimal amount of storage under the child’s seat, however extra storage or pockets would be advantageous as I’m sure most parents can appreciate.

Price

The price is €1390, so not cheap by any stretch of the imagination and is around double the price of the closest off-road trailer we could find. The purchase was a big decision for our family but did prove to be an investment that was very worthwhile. We’re big believers in buying quality things that allow us to do things we love in the mountains. However, the rear shock is relatively low-end, and the trailer design is good but very simple, so I’m not sure it deserves quite such a high price tag. That said it is currently the best product of its kind and is in a still relatively niche market.

Where Can You Purchase The Tout Terrain Singletrailer?

if you are looking for the nearest dealer of the Tout Terrain Singletrailer you can find it here.

Can The Tout Terrain Singletrailer Be Used with An Electric Bike?

Yes, we have been using our trailer also on our electric bike for the creche, and now school runs. The bike and the trailer have done over 2,000 km on an offroad path without any issues.

Our Conclusion

We have used the Tout Terrain Singletrailer on a daily basis for almost a year, from the 10km round trip to the creche to the weekends riding some of the best trails in the world here in the French Alps. The trailer could be improved, however, it’s probably the best mountain bike trailer on the market, and most importantly our little one absolutely loves it!

Also, check out our other kid’s product reviews :

Kids Ride Shotgun Pro Seat Review

Shotgun Pro Bars Review (Tested)