Bumbleride Stroller

How to Pick a Bumbleride Baby Stroller

Looking for the ideal stroller is harder than it looks, with all of the excellent choices out there. Here are some guidelines for you.

Less than 6 months old?
It takes a while for a baby's neck area to be strong enough to support itself, so remember that upright strollers are not advisable. That's why at the early stages, you will need a stroller that is specific to newborns, or you can get one of those models where you can attach infant seats or bassinets. You can also get one of these newborn inserts that holds the child more securely in the stroller. It's important at these early stages not to jar the baby while in the stroller, so jogging with a baby in the stroller is out of the question!

Once babies are over six months old, you will have much more options in terms of shopping for a stroller.

Will it be for daily use?
If you know you will be using this daily and often, then you need to focus on ease of use and how comfortable it will be to push around. Long walks will be much more enjoyable for you and the baby if you picked a nice, rolling stroller. If you are buying online, this will be hard to figure, so try to check the online reviews first on how a specific model handles, before you even think of purchasing.

The same rule of thumb applies to strollers, shopping carts and even cars -- the larger the wheels, the better. If the wheels are made of rubber, that means the handling will be better.  Shock absorbers means you are in for one smooth ride!
If you do not plan to use it for long strolls frequently, then a really smooth ride is not as important.

Is it Heavy?
The ideal weight is less than 10 pounds. For the full sized and full-featured models, expect more than 25 pounds! Make a note of this especially if you expect to lift this up and down flights of stairs, and the usual in and out exercise  when lugging it in your car. If your lifestyle tends to be towards frequent use, then it's really important to weigh the must-have features versus the weight it will add to the stroller.

A basic rule of thumb is the lighter the stroller, the fewer features it will have and the less smooth the ride. They also tend to be smaller and will have less comfortable seating for the baby. Seating adjustments are also limited in terms of available reclining angles. On the positive side, these lighter models are great if you are traveling frequently or you do a lot of daily errands with the baby.

If you can find a full-featured standard stroller that is less than 20 pounds, and the weight is comfortable for you, get it!
For the all-terrain (aka jogger models), you can get them at weights below 20 pounds. In addition to the weight factor, also check how the stroller folds and make sure it's not to bulky so you can move in and out of your car with ease.  

What features should I look for?
There are many but the most common are as follows:

Reclining seats : some models are really easy to adjust and gives you a lot of angles.

Adjustable handles : make sure you can adjust the handles so that it matches your height, as this will make it more comfortable to push around.

Reverse handles : this lets you see your baby as you are pushing, a very nice feature to have.

Cupholders : this is just a bonus, you can always buy these cupholders separately if it's not included.

Storage basket : it's very handy for the usual diapers, bottles and snacks, -- the more storage space, the better.

Canopy : this is a must have to protect your baby from too much sun.

Five-point harness : this is the safest type of harness you can find, you will need this.

Adjustable leg rest : babies grow up fast, so having an adjustable leg rest is a great advantage.

Toy bars or grab bars : this holds the fun stuff to keep the little tykes amused.

Lastly, for the joggers among you, consider buying a jogger model, also known as a jogging stroller. These strollers have become more common recently, as more folks are getting more health conscious. These models usually have large tires which means you get a smoother ride over rough surfaces. Even if you don't jog, this feature alone might make it worthwhile to get. Joggers also have large handlebars that are designed so you can hold the stroller securely while jogging behind it. Your baby may not be getting any exercise while you run, but they will definitely have a more enjoyable ride!

Sample Reviews for Top Rated Bumbleride Strollers:
Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller
***** 5 stars - Wonderful new stroller! By M. McNeish
I just got this stroller a few days ago and so far I love it. My daughter is 2 1/2 and loves to ride in it. She has plenty of room and loves playing peek a boo with her brother (11 weeks) next door. My son seems happy when we walk. I have only put him in the seat on our walks but I did test it out with my carseat in the store and it is an easy feature to install. I love that on the back of each shade is a big pocket( which closes) that can hold your stuff (cell phone, camera, keys....). The basket below is big and looks like it will do the job. I have only put a few things in it so far. It is easy to access and isn't blocked like some strollers.

I have only have found 2 "cons" so far. In the reclined position and the sunshade all the way forward, it still doesn't block the sun from getting in my son's face. I will have to get a sunshade since we live in the south but that isn't a big deal. It works great if the carseat is installed.

Second, it does not fold compactly. It takes up most of the back of my Envoy. It is hard to pick up and put it in the car but I am not totally back in shape from having the baby. I know once I get stronger and load/unload it a few times it will be easier.

All the parents in the neighborhood have given me tons of compliments on my new stroller. We are the first to have 2 kids so they are definately checking it out for future reference.

BumbleRide Queen B Stroller    
***** 5 stars - Stroller fit to carry a queen! - By L. Oyama
We've had the Bumbleride Queen Bee for 9 months now, and have used it EVERYDAY! I even jog with it (though this is not recommended by Bumbleride) almost everyday. It is the queen of strollers. Fashionable and functional. I am able to walk to do errands. The heavy-duty metal storage compartment is great for groceries and other shopping. So comfortable for baby too. The seat recline is easy to adjust and the canopy can almost completely cover the whole seat to block out sun or rain. I feel that it is SUPER MANEUVERABLE for its size, and I am even happy with the cup holder. My cup holder should have broken many times as I caught the plastic end piece on doors etc. many times, but it always just flexes and snaps back in place. All of its adjustments are done easily.... except maybe switching the facing direction of the seat (forward vs toward mommy).... that one is a little tricky with baby inside. Otherwise the handle bar moves easily and the whole seat can actually be dropped down for storage in a jiffy. We found that for outdoor concerts the seat could be dropped down with baby inside giving our babe the COMFIEST SEAT without blocking anyone's view. Also, the seat is so big that baby can actually play a little inside. All the seat parts come off easily to be washed. This stroller is great for the dog park, jogging, errands, all-day festivals, concerts, and even not-too-deep sand.

What this stroller is not good for: car travel and tight spaces. Though the stroller does compact down and the wheels come off and on very easily, it still BIG! BIG! BIG! We have a crossover SUV and we need to take off two wheels to fit it in..... and there's not much space left over for groceries etc. We have a snap-n-go that the car seat slips into for car travel unless we really want the bumbleride (which does happen... like for a park or festival)

Overall this is a dream of a stroller. I wish they made them in adult sizes! My baby is happy snuggled inside watching the world go by.

***** 5 stars - By BigTenInch
The QueenB is the best stroller there is, ever, period. I have owned and tried many high end boutique strollers, and this is head and shoulders above anything I have yet come across. We've had ours from about 18 months. The more I use it, the more I'm impressed with it. It is a dream.

I have heard the criticism that its hard to turn in tight spaces. Bologna! Its is the EASIEST to turn in tight spaces. And of this point you may want to make additional note in the manual or such as I can see how people may make that inaccurate conclusion. If you "push forward" into the turn so as to put weight on the front wheels, they straighten out and make tight turns tough. But if you "push down" on the rear to take weight off the front wheels, it is the easiest tight "turn on a dime" ever. It actually turns itself. I can load the QueenB with a 1 year old and a 5 year old (with toddler seat) plus the ever full diaper bag, and navigate any department store with one hand... like a dream. There is no other stroller that could do this. (Admittedly if you try turning it like its a Graco, you could frustrate at it.)

Not to mention its just smooth as ice, with the oh-so-clever shock absorbers (kudos to the designer on that one) and the large air inflated tires. I enjoy just pushing it; I imagine for the kids its even smoother. So solid and sturdy, even with the adjustable handles, which I worried would get wobbly and "give" over time, it is a solid tank. We are increasingly impressed, dazzled, and amazed the more we use it.

Is anything wrong with it? Yes, a few downsides. Its heavy to lift, and is a large stroller; this is minor to me. The cup holder isn't fantastic; thats irritating, but also minor. The foot brake is solid and effective at being a brake, but is hard to release with your foot; sometimes I need to bend down and use my hand to release it. All minor complaints when compared to its upsides.

Well I just wanted to take a minute to give feedback on this fantastic stroller. The engineers did a great job.

The Rocket by Bumbleride in Bamboo
**** 4 stars - By atomicblue
This is a very nice stroller. Being a first time Mom, I agonized over what to buy. Price and styling, as well as function were my criteria. The bamboo color is awesome, a neato grassy-avacado shade. The stroller is lighweight and easy to fold up. It fits in the back portion of my VW Jetta wagon. If you have a smaller baby like me (2 1/2 month old, 10 lbs) you'll want to use this stroller with your carseat. Otherwise, the stroller harness will be swimming around your baby! I have a Graco Snugride, and it fits great. What's neat, is the carseat fits backward, so you can see your baby as you walk. That was really nice, and my baby liked that. The canopy used in conjunction with the carseat canopy provides 95% shade for baby. There's a small window in the stroller's shade canopy, so you can see your baby. The wheels are really big, and good quality. I used it on the bikepath today, and it has a smooth ride. The adjustable handle is pretty cool too. What's nice is the weight limit is 45lbs. You'll be able to have this stroller for at least 3 years, as your baby grows! That was a nice factor, not all jog style strollers have the carseat adapter thingy. So that makes this stroller a good one for me.
DRAWBACKS:
1)When folding you can pinch your finger, or hand badly. I did right off the bat, and then again. With practice, I am sure I will get the hang of it.

2)The swivel front wheel doesn't function flawlessly. It kicks around and snaps into stationary position. It's not that big of a deal since I was able to walk 2 miles just fine. It's more af an annoyance, and I am going to see if my husband can modify it. (* take off the spin/lock gizmo on the front wheel, and steering will be flawless. It's easy to do!)

That said, that's why i rated this stroller 4 out of 5 stars. I would buy it again, despite these small drawbacks. It's well thought out, and very sporty-cute. the color range is really nice! After using it for almost 2 years, the stroller has been a great investment!

***** 5 stars -  Love the Bumbleride Rocket - By J. Purdy
I read every review I could find about this stroller before we bought it. When I finally found one in town, I was so disappointed because I could not steer it without a great deal of effort. Knowing, from my research, that Bumbleride has great costumer service, I wrote them immediately. I was promptly instructed on how to correct the problem so I ordered mine online. When it arrived, it had the same problem as the one in the store, so I followed the instructions and it worked perfectly! Now it steers like a dream.
Other things I've noticed,
1. The cup holder, while it seems flimsy, is deep (unlike the cup holders on my Snap-n-Go) and it expands which I also find I like a lot.
2. I love the way the foot rest curls up. My infant loves to stretch his little legs, so he ends up pushing off it and it keeps him from sliding down into a recline.
3. The basket underneath is very easy to access and holds a lot.
4. Very smooth ride on gravel and grass.
5. We can remove all the fabric but just the seat cushion for warm walks in AZ. With the light color, I don't worry that it's baking him, unlike all the dark colored strollers out there.
6. Best of all, the color is adorable. We got the bamboo and it is the cutest stroller at every event. Of course that wouldn't matter if the quality wasn't there, but it is. We are so glad we got this stroller.