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Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob)
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I looked at the "jogging stroller" thread but can't seem to find an answer so I'm gonna give this a shot here. Basically I'm deciding between a Bob Revolution or Chariot Cougar/CX1

1. I've seen car seat adapters for the Bob Revolution but not the Chariot Cougar/CX1. This is basically for an infant car seat/carrier. Is there one?
2. What's the youngest you've taken your little one out for a jog? I believe everyone says "Whenever he/she can keep his/her head up" but anyone did it before then?
3. Would you rather purchase the Chariot OR a Bob Revolution and separate bike trailer?
4. I'm planning to run, stroll, cycle and ski on the Chariot if that's the route I go. Any tips/concerns?
5. Can the Chariot really be an everyday stroller? It looks rather large.
6. The child is due in November, and in WI that means winter is around the corner. With the sporadic winters we've had, some days tend to get high enough where I'd venture out cycling without long tights(low 50's, high 40's). Would cold would you venture out with your child? And I'm assuming with the cover in front of either the Bob or Chariot to minimize wind chill.

Feel free to comment on any other uses/brands.
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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Congrats on the impending arrival!! I've got 2 - the youngest with be 3 months in just a few days and the other is 2 and was born in May - so late spring into summer. I can't give an opinion on all your questions, but I can throw my 2 cents in on a couple of them.

I have the BOB Sport Utility stroller with the infant adaptor. With my first - I had him out for walks in his car seat with the adaptor at about 2-3 weeks, and a few jogs after about 4 months. He actually rode in the car seat for a LONG time. The neck support from the baby neck support pillow things we added to the car seat made it a fairly safe ride - but we didn't take the stroller off pavement until well after 6 months (mostly since the snow started to fly and we didn't use the stroller over the winter very often here - lots of snow - and bloody cold in the winter). With #2, we were jogging on pavement at 10 weeks. No off road for a while yet, but it's a very smooth ride in the car seat on the roads around here.

Both my boys were born in the spring, but if they were winter babies, there would have been very little of them riding in anything but a bjorn or wrap right up against me when outside for any extended period of time. It's just too darn cold. I wouldn't plan on a very active winter with your baby in tow your first winter, until late spring - when babe is 4-5 months old if you live in a cold climate.

If you go the BOB route (I LOVE my BOB - would really really like the double, hoping to get it for next summer), there are only 3 brands of car seats you can get that fit their adaptors. Make sure you are ok with those brands/makes/models of car seats and that they will fit in your car. Something we didn't realize when we got ours was that the car seat we got really didn't make it possible to sit comfortably in the front seat because it was pretty long (Graco Snugride 30). Wish we had gone to a store like BabiesRUs and tried them out in our car before buying - which you can do, you just have to ask nicely for some help. We had to buy another brand of carseat for this baby - thankfully one of the other brands that also works with the adaptor we already had for the BOB and it works great - we can sit in the front seat again. And we have a midsize SUV - so we didn't think we'd have any problems. (The new carseat is a Peg Pergo - we call it the Ferrari - it's red, it's Italian and it was expensive, but we can sit in the front passenger seat without our knees hitting the dashboard now!!)

Anyway, not sure if any of that will help, but thought I'd throw it out there!!

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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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My daughter is now 22 months. We have the Chariot CX1, though I would get the Cougar if choosing again (like the CX1 handlebars for running, but the disc brakes have been a pain, hand brake not easy to reach and a pedal brake would be just as good).
1. No, no car seat adapter. There is a baby sling for use up to 10-12 months, but the stroller is not designed to click in a car seat. The sling worked well to provide a good position for the baby.
2. Can't recall for sure, some light jogs around 3 months, but mostly walking before then . However, it seemed a jog on smooth pavement had less jarring then some of my earlier walks through slush and snow. The chariot was easier to navigate through ice and snow, and the sling helped provide head support. I think the manufacturer recommendations are closer to 6 months for jogging.
3/4. We have jogged, biked and skiied with the Chariot. I went xc skiing a few times with my wax skis, and extremely difficult to get good grip with the weight pulling from behind (as opposed to bearing down on the ski). Ended up buying a used pair of fish scales, and it was immediately better - covered significantly more distance than before without the slippage. Still not going all that fast, but it became 100% more fun. Usually did ~2hrs ski, enough time for a bottle, then nap. Have also skiied with a double chariot with 2 toddlers, have to admit I was happy we have the single stroller. I wasn't comfortable using the bike attachment until 10 months since there is a lot of 'bobbing', depending on how smooth the pedal stroke is. We also didn't ski with her until 12+ months. The first ski season had some nasty cold snaps and poor snow conditions, she was only a few months at that point.
5. No, it is large and impractical for the mall, grocery shopping, etc., even with the strolling wheels. We bought a more compact 'walking' stroller where the car seat attached directly to the frame. This is a luxury, but the jogging stroller was important to us for training and we accepted that we would end up with two strollers. However, we leaned towards a more compact walking stroller as a result (instead of a beefy inbetween stroller). This is where the Bob strollers come out ahead if you are only looking to get 1 jogging/walking stroller. We have the Pliko Switch (good wheels given the snow/ice where we live), but I would even get the Pliko 'Si' if doing it again.
6. My daughter was born mid-October. The chariot cover provides extremely good insulation. I bought a cherry-pit heating pad that I would put in the microwave, then place at the bottom, just below her feet. If anything, the stroller got very warm on sunny days, even at colder temperatures. I had to make a point of cracking the vents, even on cold days. The cover does a very good job at blocking the wind. The chariot also comes with a sun shade that I am very happy we have, and it is used often. If sunny, I went out in -10C (15F). If cloudy, then 25F.

Hope this helps!
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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So First of I have never used a Bob, so my perspective is one sided.
We have the CX1, and I like the hand break we have some big hills that we ran on occation and I felt better having breaks as opposed to just holding on.
1/2) The Sling works well I can't remember when we started using it but he was happy and we didn't have any issues. I think around here there are rules/laws about treating a bike trailer as a bike so you need a helmet, that was a delay for us in biking initially.
3) As I say I haven't used the Bob, but for me we used the Chariot for running biking and a Graco for walking around the mall you don't want to take the Chariot anywhere with tight corners even with the stroller attachment.
4) Have fun, pack to keep your kids occupied, my son is 5 and we still use the Chariot for biking (Commuting to day camp this summer, in foul weather). Be mindful of your speed biking, and going over curbs I have tipped mine once, they are very sturdy.
5) I think the CX is better suited to cold weather, it has/had zip off covers on the side vents I think the cougar is stuck open, my wife took my son skating at about 10 months and he was fine, you just have to dress properly. I wouldn't worry about the biking anymore than running for temps, you are in a cold climate so we get the hang of dressing the little one for the weather regardless of the temps.

Hope this rambling helps.

Ben
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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We had both a high end single jogger (Dreamer Design, sadly out of business) + separate trailer for our first, and then switched to a Chariot Cougar 2 for #2...

1. I used both with infant inserts, but never with a car seat adapter (just not a fan of toting kids around in a "bucket" and used the car seat only in the car).

2. Jogged at 12 weeks, didn't ride until after first year.

3. Every day that went by with the jogger + separate bike trailer, I kicked myself for not just buying a Chariot. We only have space to park the jogger in our garage, so having the bike trailer folded up in the basement was a hindrance to using it spontaneously.

4. When running, I do find the Chariot's low center of gravity harder to steer than a regular jogger (that said, that low-ness seems really appealing as my kids get older -- they seem to think it's more like a cool wagon since they can climb in/out).

5. Depends on what "everyday" means. Heading to the zoo, going to open outdoor events, walking to your local Mexican restaurant and locking it to the bike rack so both parents can enjoy a margarita for once? Sure, even the double Chariot's fine. Shopping indoors? No thanks. But then again, I see people bumping around stores with those all-in-one Graco stroller systems and they are freaking enormous. Really, I preferred carrying baby in a sling or carrier at first (they are so light! and even sorta snuggly.), and have since gotten a TON of use out of a $100 Maclaren umbrella stroller for those crowded indoor outings, especially for air travel.

6. I walked or ran every single weekday throughout winter lows, but only ride in, oh, 60 and up. Yes, put down the rain cover in cold weather. Big fan of Patagonia's buntings, both the fleece one and the puff one.

Also, either way you go, if you are at all considering having a second kid, consider getting a double now. It seems silly when you're so focused on #1, but it makes things so much easier later (another point for the double Chariot since it doesn't look at all silly to move the harness to the center and give baby a little more breathing room when the rain cover's closed).

Congrats!


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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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I jogged with her at about 8 weeks old, in December, in Wisconsin in the Chariot Cougar. I used the infant sling and put her in a baby snowsuit. She was toasty warm and was still sleeping when we got home, so I drove it into the laundry room, took off the cover, unzipped her suit and she slept another hour in there. My pediatrician (also a triathlete) suggested not taking her out in temps below 20 degrees, so that was our limit.
Our first ride with her was at about 8 months, on a smooth paved bike trail and every little pebble really made me nervous, (husband was pulling it, I was riding behind), but she loved it.

We use it as a regular stroller (with the strolling wheels) but we have big SUVs and usually only are at outdoor events/locations like the zoo, parks, races, walk to a neighbor's house, etc. I don't think I would recommend it for the mall or anything like that. (You could always buy an inexpensive umbrella stroller if you don't think you would need it often.) We were given the big stroller (the one that the bucket carseat snaps into) as a gift, so we used that on occasion.
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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I’ve haven’t used either the Bob or the Chariot Cougar baby strollers, but I’m so happy with my Valco Runabout Trimode that I wanted to mention it here. It’s got a tri mode swivel system and lockable swivel wheel which makes the stroller really easy to maneuver even on rough terrain. Head huggers make it safe and comfortable even for newborns to ride. It also comes with an optional toddler seat and a bassinet attachment. No – there is no car seat adapter.
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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We've had the Chariot and have been quite impressed with its amazing versatility. For a single child, it is not that big and it folds very fast. IIRC, with the infant sling, you can start walking with your child at about 3 months, running at about 6 mos, and cycling between about 9 mos and 1 year. But we had to up rig something to make it easier for our son to sleep in stroller without any harm to his neck, but you'll have to do that with most any running type stroller that have the capability of carrying infants. The most important thing, if you're gonna be running, you've got to get one of these. We have no connection to the product or company, but they make all of the difference in the world.

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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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I've got a Bob and live in Southern California, so no snow for us.

I think we started running at about 12 weeks, but it is highly dependent on the road surface. I started running on a nice smooth multi-use path with no worries about bumps. On that path we could have probably started even earlier than 12 weeks and there was less jarring that one would see walking on a normal sidewalk. I think I kept to roads until 6 months then felt comfortable about sidewalks. Sidewalks in my area tend to be the worse for things like cracks and drops.

We kept her in the car seat as long as we could. One problem with the Bob (at least on the older models, they just redesigned this year and haven't had a chance to try out the new ones) is that the kids sort of slump in the normal seat. So she just looked more comfortable in the car seat. But the car seat is heavier and will make the Bob a bit more unstable due to the higher center of gravity (again I think they sort of fixed this problem with the new models). We kept the handle up when she was in the car seat as a sort of roll cage in the off chance we tipped the stroller over (never happened.)

I also have a 2 kid bike trailer that we have only really used twice now that she is 18 months. That is mainly due to my wife not being much of a biker and lack of time. I don't really feel comfortable going with her by myself yet. The two times we have gone out we've had a problem with her helmet (required) getting pushed forward and down by her seat and covering her face.

We used the Bob and a snap-and-go then the Bob and an umbrella stroller. Bob for longer walks and more rugged terrain and the other strollers for taking to the mall/airports. I've seen people with their Bobs in airports but don't think it is a good idea.
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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My experience is with the Chariot CX1.

There is an infant sling available, which we did not purchase, and also a baby supporter that provides head and body support, which we did purchase. We started with walking when he was about 5 months I guess, and the extra support was needed. He is almost 2 now and rarely likes to ride in it for walks (he's a big boy now and walks himself or pushes the chariot) but we still use part of the support package that goes around the waist when we do use it. If you use the support without the 5 point harness, it secures him in the chariot but still lets him lean forward to reach his toys.

We started biking with him when he was about 6 or 7 months, and he was fine with it. He did not wear a helmet. We are not biking with it now because his little brother is due in 2 months and we only use it with our tandem. Now we will have to upgrade to the double I guess.

I had looked closely at the BOB and wondered also whether it was a better jogging stoller than the chariot (which is clearly the king of bike trailers). My analysis...no, the chariot, expecially in CX form, is much better than the BOB as a jogging stroller. You have a lot more control over temperature, sun shading, dust prevention, etc. Also...and this is big...he can carry a lot more of his "toys" inside the chariot and you don't have to worry about them getting dropped all the time. My guess is that it is also smoother, more comfy, and even safer. Downside is that it is heavier I'm sure.

We do use the chariot for shopping on occassion, it's advantage being that it is very comfortable, works well on rough surfaces (parking lots), and holds a ton of stuff. The downsides are obvious and that is why we have 3 strollers counting the chariot...small, medium, large. The stoller kit gives a lot more maneuverablity and is good for crowded outdoor areas like zoo's. But you definitely need the jogging kit for jogging or even long walks..it gives a much smoother ride.

I'm happy we went for the CX version, it is pretty nice to have all the adjustments for temperature and sun that it offers. If we upgrade to a double it will be a CX2.
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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We went the BOB + separate bike attachment route for now, figuring we'll wait until #2 arrives in the next few years and then go with a double chariot (not as wide as the double BOB). One note on the BOB, they do not recommend running while using the carseat adapter - and having lost at least one screw that holds the adapter onto the BOB I can agree fully. If that screw fell out while the carseat was attached it would cause some serious stability problems. We used a Chariot for x-country skiing last winter (just rented it from the lodge) and she had a blast (mainly slept) but I just couldn't justify the $$ to buy one ourselves at the time. Plus for us we figure having a single BOB and a double Chariot gets us the best of both worlds eventually because even once kid #2 is big enough to go running or walking with the family kid #1 will want to do her own thing and not ride along all the time so keeping the single BOB will still work for us.

For our bike carrier we went with a WeeHoo and I really love it. Allows them to peddle if they want, not peddle if they don't want and also gives a solid harness and seat system so if they fall asleep they don't fall off/out of the bike. I also like that it will have a longer useful life than most bike trailers since it will fit until she is probably 8-10yrs old so we can do some serious miles without her having to ride her own bike.

So there you go. One more opinion to throw on the consideration fire.

Cheers,
Josh
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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I don't know, but for winter and runner, don't you think a fixed-front wheel jogging stroller might be safer to anticipate slippery track?
Personally, I do agree that a stroller should be best-recomended for a baby whenever s/he can sit unassisted and keep his/her head up. Don't risk your little loving one, especially taking him/her for serious running track.
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [IzzyG] [ In reply to ]
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I have no experience with the BOB. I bought the Chariot Corsaire XL for the reason that it was the largest bike trailer on the market. It can take up to 100 pounds, and believe me, I've tested its limits! I had my 9 and 7 year old in there (they're skinny) and if you want a real workout, you can try that some time, on an incline! The Chariot was the main mode of transportation for our family, taking the kids to preschool or baby activities. It wasn't to help me exercise, it was to replace a car. But if you want some amazing power workouts, it's the way to go. I had a separate $150 Costco running stroller, which I never used for running. We sold it for $50 when we were done with it. It was our main stroller when we had one child. We also had a double stroller, $80, tandem style. Much easier to steer in tight spaces.

I suggest that it is actually better to use a treadmill and rollers because IMHO it is uber boring for the kids. Instead of having their heads bouncing around, I can let them play while I'm on the treadmill/trainer, and when I'm done, I can take them for a real walk where I can spend time talking to them, pointing out sights, etc. When sitting in the trailer as a mode of transportation, I supplied them with books, music, and lights to read.

I would not recommend sub-zero use only for the reason that it is hard to judge when the kids are freezing, even if you give them a blanket, because they're generating next to no heat because them are only sitting around while you sweat your face off.

The main problem with running too early is that my breasts were full of milk. Baywatch. And I'm an AA cup, and found that it was too uncomfortable to run with my jugs bouncing, full of milk. So I did not start running until my youngest was 2 years old!
Last edited by: karencoutts: Feb 8, 13 21:59
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Re: Baby trailer/stroller (Chariot vs. Bob) [Lestorke] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, absolutely right. For a slippery track a fixed-front wheel with suspension will be safe. I think "Booyah baby bike trailer & stroller" is the right choice.
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