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Qeridoo magazine

Air tire vs. air-chamber tire vs. solid rubber: differences in bicycle trailers

Whether daily ride to kindergarten, sporty bike tour or trip into nature – the right tire makes the difference. It determines how smoothly your trailer runs, how comfortable the ride is and how much maintenance you have to invest. Learn here which tire is best suited for bicycle trailers.

Author Wilhelm Wenzel

Wilhelm Wenzel

Head of development department

The key points in brief

Overview of the tire types

Generally, childrens bicycle trailers – especially the buggy wheel – use three different types of tire:

 Air-filled wheels
 Air-chamber wheels
 Solid rubber tires

The two rear wheels and the jogger wheel are usually air-filled wheels, but the front buggy wheel may use a different type of tire. Here is an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each:

Air tire (8")

Air tire (8")

  • Advantages:

    • individual adjustment of air pressure
    • high comfort on uneven paths
    • flexible to use
    • very good damping and suspension

  • Disadvantages:

    • regular check and pumping up if necessary

  • Qeridoo:

    From QUPA Plus upwards (KIDGOO, SPORTREX) we use exclusively air tires. They offer clear advantages on natural paths, field and forest paths as well as in sporting activities.

Comparison

Advantages and disadvantages: the three tire types in comparison

Choosing the right tire type is decisive for riding comfort, maintenance and everyday usability of your bicycle trailer. Depending on the area of use, air, air-chamber and solid rubber tires bring different strengths and weaknesses.

Air-filled wheel – maximum comfort and flexibility

The air-filled wheel offers the highest riding comfort and is particularly versatile. Thanks to the individually adjustable tire pressure of the bicycle trailer, the suspension can be ideally adapted to the surface – whether asphalt, gravel or forest tracks. These wheels stand out with excellent damping and are ideal for sporting activities such as jogging or longer tours in nature.

Bild Luftrad
An air-filled wheel provides more comfort and flexibility.
You can adjust the air pressure to suit the surface: the harder the ground, the higher the air pressure should be for optimal riding comfort. On soft and uneven surfaces, less pressure in the tire is enough.

Note that tire pressure also rises in summer due to the heat. So the tire should not be inflated to the maximum permissible pressure. As a rule of thumb, a temperature change of 10 degrees makes the air pressure rise or fall by 0.1 bar. Air-filled wheels do require some maintenance, though: the air pressure should be checked regularly and topped up when needed.

From the QUPA Plus model range onwards – and therefore also on our Kidgoo and Sportrex – we consistently use pneumatic tires for the tires, jogger wheel and buggy wheel. They offer clear advantages on natural tracks and in sporting use. When using the childrens bicycle trailer as a buggy, air-filled wheels also prove to be the best solution for the buggy wheel.

Comparison

Choosing the right tire type for your bicycle trailer

Choosing the right type of tire depends heavily on the surface you ride on and how you want to use your Qeridoo bicycle trailer. Comfort, maintenance effort and durability all play a decisive role.


Air-filled vs. air-chamber vs. solid rubber tires compared


Use Air-filled wheel Air-chamber wheel Solid rubber tire
Asphalt ++ +++ +++
Cobblestones ++ + +
Gravel tracks +++ ++ +
Field tracks +++ ++ +
Forest tracks +++ + +
For jogging/sport +++ + -

Air-chamber tire

Air-chamber wheel stroller

  • Advantages:

    • maintenance-free,
    • nearly indestructible,
    • comfortable on paved, level surfaces,
    • no air check needed

  • Disadvantages:

    • less damping on uneven paths,
    • less flexible,
    • no ideal damping

  • Qeridoo:

    Suitable for urban use, but not installed on our trailers.

Solid rubber tire

Solid rubber tire

  • Advantages:

    • extremely robust,
    • maintenance-free,
    • no flats possible,
    • very long-lasting,
    • cheaper

  • Disadvantages:

    • little damping,
    • low comfort on uneven paths,
    • very hard

  • Qeridoo:

    The solid rubber wheel is the cheapest entry-level alternative and is used in our QUPA.

Air-chamber wheel – maintenance-free and durable

The air-chamber wheel combines some of the advantages of the air-filled wheel with the maintenance-free nature of a solid rubber tire. It is virtually indestructible, needs no pressure checks and runs particularly quietly on paved paths. That makes it ideal for everyday urban use and short distances on asphalt. They are therefore often fitted to strollers.

Bild Luftkammerrad
Air-chamber tires mean low maintenance and long life.

It consists of a foamed plastic wheel with many small air bubbles inside. This gives the wheel itself a certain damping effect, which further supports riding comfort.

The downside is the lower damping on uneven paths. For sporty riders or frequent use of the bicycle trailer for jogging on natural ground it offers less comfort.

Solid rubber tires – sturdy, inexpensive and completely puncture-proof

Solid rubber tires are the most robust and most affordable alternative. They are completely maintenance-free, puncture-proof and extremely durable. For budget-conscious buyers or occasional use in particular, they are a solid choice.

Bild Vollgummireifen
Solid rubber tires are inexpensive and particularly sturdy, but offer little comfort.

The hardness of the material comes at the expense of riding comfort, however: on uneven ground, shocks pass straight through, which makes the ride less pleasant. On our entry-level QUPA 2022 model this type of tire is fitted to the buggy wheel, because here freedom from maintenance comes first.

Discover Qeridoo childrens bicycle trailers now

Discover our popular childrens bicycle trailers now, as one-seaters or two-seaters.

Last updated: February 4, 2026

FAQ – Die häufigsten Fragen zu Luftrad, Luftkammerrad und Vollgummireifen beim Fahrradanhänger

Welches Rad ist für einen Fahrradanhänger am komfortabelsten – Luftrad, Luftkammerrad oder Vollgummi?

Das Luftrad bietet den höchsten Fahrkomfort. Durch den einstellbaren Luftdruck lässt sich die Federung an den jeweiligen Untergrund anpassen – ob Asphalt, Schotter oder Waldweg. Das Luftkammerrad ist auf befestigten Wegen ebenfalls angenehm, schwächelt aber auf unebenem Gelände. Der Vollgummireifen bietet kaum Dämpfung und ist daher am wenigsten komfortabel, besonders auf unebenen Strecken.

Ja, ein Luftrad kann im Gegensatz zum Luftkammerrad und Vollgummirad einen Platten bekommen, da es einen Schlauch enthält. Dafür bietet es die beste Dämpfungswirkung. Wer auf Pannensicherheit angewiesen ist und hauptsächlich in der Stadt fährt, kann auf ein Luftkammerrad oder Vollgummireifen ausweichen – beide sind pannensicher.

Der Reifendruck beim Luftrad sollte regelmäßig überprüft werden – am besten vor längeren Ausfahrten. Im Sommer erhöht die Wärme den Druck um ca. 0,1 Bar pro 10 Grad Temperaturanstieg, weshalb der Reifen nicht bis zum Maximalwert befüllt werden sollte. Luftkammerräder und Vollgummireifen brauchen dagegen überhaupt keine Druckkontrolle.

Für Jogging-Touren und Sport auf Naturböden empfiehlt sich ausschließlich das Luftrad. Es federt Unebenheiten effektiv ab und schützt das Kind vor Erschütterungen. Das Luftkammerrad bietet auf solchem Untergrund deutlich weniger Komfort, und der Vollgummireifen ist zum Joggen mit dem Fahrradanhänger ungeeignet.

Nein, das Luftkammerrad enthält keinen aufpumpbaren Schlauch, sondern besteht aus aufgeschäumtem Kunststoff mit winzigen eingeschlossenen Luftbläschen. Es wirkt daher nicht wie ein echter Luftreifen, hat aber eine gewisse dämpfende Wirkung. Ein Luftrad mit Schlauch federt spürbar besser und ist flexibler einsetzbar, erfordert aber regelmäßige Wartung.

Sowohl das Luftkammerrad als auch der Vollgummireifen sind vollständig wartungsfrei – kein Aufpumpen, keine Druckkontrolle, keine Pannengefahr. Das Luftrad hingegen muss regelmäßig auf den richtigen Luftdruck überprüft und bei Bedarf nachgepumpt werden.

Qeridoo setzt ab dem Modell QUPA Plus – also auch bei Kidgoo und Sportrex – konsequent auf Lufträder, da diese auf Naturwegen und bei sportlicher Nutzung die besten Ergebnisse liefern. Das Einsteigermodell QUPA verfügt am Buggyrad über einen Vollgummireifen, weil dort Wartungsfreiheit Priorität hat. Luftkammerräder werden bei Qeridoo-Anhängern nicht verbaut.