BOB Revolution vs. Baby Jogger City Mini

Greetings!

After weeks and weeks of painstaking research, careful deliberation, and sleepless nights (well, the sleepless nights might have something to do with feeding the twins), we just brought home the BOB Revolution Duallie (the traditional with 16" back wheels and 12" front wheel). Before even "taking it for a spin" (we've had two days of cold rain here) I am having reservations. I know all the reasons it is the best there is, and just pushing it around the house it clearly glides as smooth as butter and "turns on a dime" like everyone says. Clearly it has superior construction and is built to last.

However, it is so darn HUGE and heavy (over 33 lbs.), and unfortunately I already have a bad back. I will clearly have to take off the back tires each and every time I want to put it in and out of the back of the minivan, and even then it is still quite heavy for me. It is very awkward when folding it closed (due to the weight and the size of the back tires) as it doesn't really "stand up" well when closed. It is also a two-step process to close it. As well, the only way to keep it shut is to use the velcro safety strap which needs to be manually wrapped around a lower bar and back up around the handlebar to keep it shut.

I nearly bought the BOB Revolution Duallie 12" AW (which has all three tires at 12") which apparently makes it easier to load and unload, is two pounds lighter, and is supposedly easier to maneuver in tight spaces. Like most of us trying to stretch our dollars (especially with twins), the hope was to have just one stroller that would "do it all," from mall crawling to power walking to whatever else we wanted to take on. But even with these factors considered, I am not sure two pounds lighter is light enough to make a difference.

NOW I am wondering if I should have bought the Baby Jogger City Mini Double, which is very "BOB-like" in its appearance but weighs only 26 lbs. and has smaller tires for easier maneuverability, and also receives terrific reviews.

I have just stumbled upon this website (boy, I could have used all of you since having my boys almost nine months ago - how did I not know about this site?) and am delighted to find an entire sub-forum dedicated to double strollers. Any thoughts/opinions/advice is heartily welcome!

Thanks!
Leah (Mom to daughters Stephanie, 12, and Sydney, 11, and twin sons Adam and Austin, almost 9 months).

 

Leah, we ditched our tandem stroller when my twins were nine months old too, and bought a BOB as our only stroller. I haven't regretted it one bit. Yes, the stroller is heavy, but if you're just lifting it to the back of a minivan, it's not too bad. As for closing, you get really good at closing it in about a week. The two step process goes very quickly. I've never wrapped a velcro strap anywhere to keep it closed, so I don't think you have to do that. My BOB usually goes flat in the back of our SUV, but we've rented minivans twice while on trips and have been able to put the BOB in the back (upright) without taking the back wheels off. We put the wheels side in first and then the rest of the stroller just sort of stood up between the back of the back seat and the back door.

If you do have to take the back wheels off, then that would be a huge pain. But try it a few times to see if perhaps you can make it fit in your car.

Seriously, this is a great stroller. Within a week you'll be happy you got it. Promise!

 

Unfortunately that's one of the reasons we actually didn't get the BOB--it was just too heavy for me! We got the city mini and i do love it and it's easy for me to get in and otu of the car. Probably the main reason we got that one. Also, I wanted it for walking (not running) and also to be able to take easily in and out of stores. I just thought the BOB was too big for me to take into regular stores.

 

I have the BOB revolution doulie and I love it. It fits in the back of my mini van with out even taking the wheels off but for ease sometimes I do take the wheels off. It can be awkward at first to load it but I have a method down pat now and its nothing to load it in and out. Compared to some of the other strollers I have owned and even single ones I find it decent for weight. I use it as my one and only stroller to go anywhere with. I do agree though that the velcro strap is a pain in the @#$! I would say if you don't like it then keep shopping around because thats a lot of money to spend on something that your not happy with.

 

I love our BOB stroller. It was one of the best things we bought for our twin girls. Its a little heavy but you get use to it especially after carrying two little ones.

 

Hi,
I debated between BOB and City Mini for a long time. We ended up with the City Mini...mostly based on the weight, price and width (plus I don't run for exercise anymore). I love our city mini. The canopies are fantastic for sun and wind protection. I've taken it off road and through some rough terrain. It fits through all the doors I've tried so far. It folds in half and fits in my acura trunk (no straps to hold it together, though). Sometimes I wish it was even lighter (but I think that's just life with a double stroller!). I don't like paying more money for the extras (belly bar, snack tray, etc). It's not good for a hard core runner.

I see a lot of BOB strollers around here. They are very popular. Everyone seems very happy with them, so I think they are both good choices.

 

I want to quickly thank everyone who has replied to my query so far. I really appreciate busy moms of twins (and more!) taking the time to help me out. I have a decision to make for sure.

I want to properly respond to all and get into the dialogue but that will have to wait a day or so because one of my little guys just had minor surgery today and we have just returned from the procedure. So have to concentrate on taking care of him of course. He did fine but is still a little groggy and wobbly from the anesthesia so it's hands on for sure for today, and of course his brother still needs mommy as well!

Thanks, Leah

 

Idril, I am happy to (finally) report that you were absolutely right! We finally got a chance to test out our BOB in our own neighborhood and at a nearby walking area/park over Easter weekend and it worked out great. After only one or two tries in and out of the van, I quickly got used to it, just as you said. For some reason, we still have to take off one of the tires to get the back hatch to close properly, but that has turned out to not be a big deal. The ease of use of the stroller does outweigh these minor inconveniences. I have since been happily using the stroller nearly every day.

I do have one question for you: After about a week of use, I realized that I wasn't hooking the bottom red strap to the bottom bar of the stroller during use (which then has to be unhooked to fold and put away the stroller). The thing is, once I realized this and started securing the strap, it felt to me like it made it harder to push the stroller, like there was more resistance with it hooked up than without it. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about? Anyway, after a couple of times I just stopped hooking it up. I don't really know what the strap is supposed to do anyway. Am I making the stroller unsafe or harming the stroller in any way if I don't hook up the red strap? Do you have any idea? Thanks.

 

atlantagirl3, thanks for the response. I actually have gotten used to the BOB these last few weeks but have still NOT attempted regular stores with it. It has strictly been used outdoors. That will be the acid test for me, because until I see it for myself, it still seems like it will feel and look big to negotiate the BOB between clothing racks at the mall. I love the BOB so much now, though, so if I don't feel comfortable with BOB at the mall, I may actually consider getting an inexpensive second stroller (maybe the Combi or Graco? so not sure) for simple store trips. That does seem kind of complicated and of course adds additional expense, though.

 

Thanks for the reply, busymomof3, and I couldn't agree more with everything you have said, especially about being darn sure about the stroller for all that we paid for it (I am happy to report that we did get the wonderful 20% off deal through REI, if you are familiar with that). If you look at my reply above to idril, you will see that I have grown to love BOB, at least for outdoor use so far. As I said to atlantagirl, we have yet to attempt the mall or any stores with it. Do you really find it easy to use in between racks of clothes at the department stores? And negotiating it between throngs of people on a busy Saturday at the mall?

As far as the velcro strap goes, I'm right there with you. I stopped messing with that thing after one day. I do still have to take off one wheel to get it to fit (comfortably) in the back of my van, for whatever reason. It really is not a big deal to take off that one wheel, since they made the removal of the wheels so simple. Do you find yourself worrying about air pressure in your tires? Do you check them frequently? Seems like something I would forget to get around to doing! Also, do you have any thoughts about that red strap that I mentioned in my reply to idril? Do you always keep that secured, and what exactly does it do or what is it actually for? Thanks so much!

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence for BOB, etabarez. As you can see from my replies above, we have come to love our BOB (at least so far) and it has finally gotten me out of the house with my little guys after a very long, cold, lonely, and isolated winter! And yes, I am getting stronger between the twins and the stroller, but I virtually live on ibuprofen for my back. And now my stomach is falling apart because of all the ibuprofen! Ah well, what can you do? It's always something!

 

Thanks for the reply, betha. I am pretty well convinced if I ended up not keeping the BOB I would have gone for the City Mini. But I am curious about one thing. I read (on Amazon reviews, I think) that at least one mom had a lot of problems with the positioning of the harness straps for her babies. She mentioned they were okay for newborns who are lying down, or for older babes (toddlers), but that for the in-between group (about 9 months to 20 months) the straps fell very awkwardly and uncomfortably close in around the head and ears of her twins. Did you find that problem yourself? If I had decided to return the BOB for the City Mini, that would have concerned me.

And the biggest issue I have found in the search for the "perfect twin stroller" is finding locations that actually have the higher-end double strollers out and built at stores for people to see and try out. We bought our BOB based on reviews, without ever actually seeing it in person. Fortunately, at this point, it seems to be working out. But it is a lot to pay for something that I didn't even touch or try out for myself! Thanks for your opinion and vote of confidence for both strollers!