Remember when I fell in love with Bumbleride almost two years ago?  It seems so long ago – before I was even pregnant.  & since I wasn’t pregnant, I pretended to be in the family way & waltzed into the local baby boutique to test drive the Bumblerides.  & then when I was pregnant with Harpie, I plopped down the cash, then created the most horrifically awkward moment ever with the store owner after I lost the baby because the new models were coming out & I wasn’t pregnant anymore.

Yeah.  Bumbleride & I go way back.

& I now have two – the Bumbleride Indie & the new Bumbleride Flite.

& I FREAKIN’ LOVE THEM.

Reasons We Bought Bumbleride

• To save the number of strollers we had to buy – versus purchasing a jogger & a travel system, we bought the Indie that could serve all purposes.
• Instead of being locked into a travel system, we got to pick which carseat we wanted since Graco, Chicco, Britax, & Peg Perego all fit into the Bumbleride to make a custom “travel-system.”
• The handlebar (shown below) can be adjusted up or down, which is perfect because we’re so tall – I don’t have to stoop to reach the bar!
• All of their strollers are light-weight & easy to fold – they also fold down super-small.
• Accessories – it came with a cold weather foot muff/bundle, cup holder, & rain shield.

We used the Indie since the day Harrison was born, since it reclines flat for a newborn or naps – look how tiny & fresh he was, at only a week old!  Look how huge I was even though I felt tiny compared to what I had been!

This was our first walk.  & The Momma asked me the entire time how my pelvic floor was feeling although to this day, I still have no idea what that means.  But considering my uterus didn’t drop out of  my body ten steps into the walk, I think it means my pelvic floor was a-okay for the exercise.  We’ve come a long way since the gentle walks of newborns.

The Indie is PERFECT if you are a light runner – like maybe a jog in the middle of your walk, a few times per week.  It’s smooth, solid, & easy to push.  My family mocked me for dropping the cash on such a stroller until they pushed it – & realized how smooth it was in comparison to others.

note-worthy:  it is not a standard jogging stroller.  but since I only run for a) charity or b) when someone is chasing me, it’s perfect.

Simply keep the wheel unlocked for all-terrain, walks, & navigating the mall, then push the pin in place to lock the wheel & run.  It takes five seconds, max.

Unfortunately, it’s not absolutely perfect.  Because it is long.  It is bulky like any big stroller.  & even though it can turn on a dime when the front wheel isn’t locked, I still slam into people & doors when out in public.  So enter the Flite, Bumbleride’s newest member of the family:

13 pounds of GORGEOUS, my friends.  & look how tiny it folds:

A quick kick of the bar, pull on the tabs, & then fold down & snap secure.  Toss in trunk.

It’s a smooth ride, especially for an umbrella stroller, & I love that it’s not too “short” for my long stride.  I had a devil of a time selecting an umbrella stroller because I was constantly kicking the backs of Chicco, Jeep, etc. & that simply wouldn’t do.  But with the Flite, the wheel base is set far enough away from me that I don’t have to mince steps or break a toe.

Complaints:  1)  The clips to keep it folded are a PAIN IN THE ASS to unfold.  I broke a nail & nearly a year’s worth of the curse-word-quota for the universe in the first five minutes of figuring out how to unhook it.  So I don’t hook it anymore.  2)  The basket has to be approached from the front.  It’s big enough, which is great, but I’m used to slinging stuff from behind the stroller.  Not a biggie, but something to get used to.

Harrison looks comfy, yes?

Sophie, on the other hand, looks squished.

&, of course, the mother of all important things:  SAFETY!  Because it wouldn’t be 2010 without worrying that an alien will drop out of the sky & wreak havoc on our offspring if there are no hard-core safety measures & warnings intact on all baby gear.  Fear not – I give you the five-point harness:

Try getting out of those suckers, Harrison.  Although…personally, when it comes to stroller safety, I tend to think it’s more operational than structure.  Unless you’re running down an interstate.  & even that is operational.

In all seriousness, I love these strollers.  LOVE.  Would highly recommend to anyone, anytime.  They’re beautifully made, smooth as butter, & darn pretty to look at.  Oh, & did I mention their customer service?  Outstanding.  Unfortunately, my Indie had a mildly bent frame & when we contacted Bumbleride, they immediately remedied the problem with the newer, more expensive frame to no cost to me.  & they did it quickly, with absolute grace as a company.  I couldn’t ask for better.

o

the Bumbleride Indie was purchased back in 2008 with my own hard-earned cash money.  it was (& is) lovingly used.  Bumbleride was a dear & supplied the Flite for my review at no cost to me  since I adore my Indie oh-so-much.  but they didn’t supply my opinion.

oh, & the Indie is in the “spice” color; Flite is shown in “ruby.”