Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pushchairs

Join our Pram forum for pram advice. Plus read our round up of the best pushchairs currently available.

Original poster

Anyone have the Baby Jogger City Select (single or double)

13 replies

MrsH2010 · 10/01/2012 12:43

Hi - a quick question for anyone with the baby jogger city select - as single or double. 99.9% sold on the fact that it's the buggy for me (need as double for 19/20 month gap). I just wanted to know first hand from someone how it fairs off-road / dog walks/ park etc... I've always felt three wheelers are better, and with a dog we'll need it to take rough terrain well as always out on walks.
P&T's wheels, being so much bigger (and 3-wheeled) seem so much better suited, yet I hate the rest of the set up on them. My only concern with BJCS is that it's four wheels with the two front ones not being 'big' off-road style! Have road-tested a friends but only on pavements, etc...
Let me know any thoughts! - thanks!

OP posts:
Tiggywunkle · 10/01/2012 14:28

It's fine on thick gravel and grass. Our went on the beach a fair bit too but did get dragged at times.
But as I have just said on another thread, the concept of the BJCS is fantastic but unless you have a small age gap or light children, it very quickly becomes too heavy to use. For us becoming too heavy came out of the blue. We were fine on our usual route one day but within three more outings the pain in my lower arms was unbearable. I wish now I had chosen something different although I did love the combinations. The weight distribution is just all wrong.

duck94 · 10/01/2012 16:32

I'm on my second child and have had countless buggies. I never contribute usually to online discussions but I saw your post and was moved to say that the BJCS is the most fantastic pushchair on the market and I feel like a complete twat for not having had one all along! I can't believe how much easier it has been than anything else I've ever tried. Buy it!

Original poster
MrsH2010 · 11/01/2012 09:44

duck94 - your comment made me laugh so hard I spat my tea out! Thanks for such honesty. Even my husband laughed out loud at that!! Have you found it good off-road, and presumably you've not felt there's an issue with the weight of it??
I thought it was awesome when I saw it in store (@John Lewis), and also looked at P&T which the saleswoman said whilst popular sees a lot of returns for faults/breakages/not strong and is outgrown quicker (whether this was a good sales technique as the BJCS package is obviously more expensive or not who knows, but I'd like to think not!). Would be good to hear more about how you've found it, and niggles etc...
Baby isn't due for a few months, but ideally I'd like to buy our double sooner rather than later to get me and my toddler used to it before adding the new baby into the buggy equation with it!
(Wish there was somewhere that hired out different models for a week or so - to properly 'road test' and give back! - now there's a thought!!)

OP posts:
aswellasyou · 11/01/2012 11:00

There are pushchair rental companies, but they tend to loan compact pushchairs for holidays.

I tried out the BJCS in JL with my daughter and niece who were 8.5kg and 10kg at the time. I only pushed it around the shop, turning corners and lifting it up steps, but it felt heavy already and I'm hardly weak. The girls were only 10 months at the time so it was likely to become unpushable by the time they're 3! I was seriously disappointed because I love the seating options on it and the seats are big and comfy looking. But who wants comfy children when you can't push them anywhere?! I think the weight of the front child directly over the front wheels makes a big difference. Most tandems have the weight distributed further back and I've always found that having the heavier child over the back wheels makes an easier push. I think the BJCS is a pushchair for a bigger age gap than 20 months to be honest. It seems common for it to suddenly become too heavy around the 10kg mark for the youngest child, so if your oldest was likely to be out of it by the time the youngest weighed 10kg, then it could work for you. I'd be more tempted myself if I were to have a second child soon (that's really not going to happen though!) because my daughter's small for her age and probably isn't even 10kg now at 15 months.

We ended up buying a Britax B-Dual, which is lovely to push still and is much cheaper. I really didn't expect to like it and was really surprised that I actually did like it. There's been no problem with the child in the lower seat because they've actually got a really good view out and can see whoever's pushing them. The distance between seats is bigger than on a P&T too. And the basket is gigantic! The 2012 version, which is out soon I think, will have even better wheels to make it a bit lighter to push. The only downside is that it's wide for a single pushchair, so it'll be sold when it's not needed as a double anymore, but the resale value is good.

Original poster
MrsH2010 · 14/01/2012 15:22

Hi - I have a question for eveeyone on P&T
Went to John Lewis today to show My husband BjCS and P&T, and i'm confused as the P&T site that I've seen says you can attach a baby car seat whilst having the toddler at the back below (or alternately have baby in cocoon below and toddler on top) and 2 JL reps said that having a car seat as a double is impossible as toddler always has to be on top... They said it'll only take a baby car seat as a a single... Surely P&T's own marketing cant be wrong!?!?

OP posts:
Tiggywunkle · 14/01/2012 15:36

I think I would go with the P&Ts website. There's pretty good photos on there of the different configurations. Certainly the Verve and Explorer can have a car seat on top and toddler underneath. But some of the confusion probably arises because some P&Ts can have a car seat and doubles kit but others can't. Also the general advice is to put the heaviest child on top and lightest underneath when in the seat units.

Original poster
MrsH2010 · 14/01/2012 16:47

Thanks Tiggywunkle- yeah it was their site I saw it on, and although it says 'new' on the ability/picture showing car seat on explorer with second baby in it, i asked at JL if their's was the latest model and info on explorer and they said yes. They said its allowed in the USA but not legal here for health amd safety! So am just even more confused - as if the original decision between BJCS and P&T wasnt confusing enough! (husband loved BJCS- typical since I originally had heart set on it- but it seemed so heavy to me before a single baby went in it!!)Hmm

OP posts:
Tiggywunkle · 14/01/2012 17:00

Hmm....it may well not be legal here BUT P&Ts do pride themselves on the fact that all their pushchairs are the same in every country and safety tested to the same standards. Why not message P&Ts direct or phone Out N About in Bedford on Monday?
The BJCS is heavy and does get heavier as children grow. I had one for ten months and it was fabulous until it got too heavy to push.

maydaychild · 14/01/2012 17:41

John Lewis have become clueless and useless in recent years with regards baby equipment. Their stock, selection and knowledge is shameful these days

Original poster
MrsH2010 · 14/01/2012 22:36

Ok- one last P&T question as again JL couldnt answer with the same answer twice (!) and think i found answer online but not sure...
Which P&T's is the newest: Sport, Explorer or E3 Explorer? (or is their a newer one??)
Am I right in thinking the difference is simply that one is an upgrade from the other (and not that they all have different qualitiea for diff terrain/child set-up or price brackets in terms of value vs premium??
(p.s- why do they make it so confusing!?!BlushConfused)

OP posts:
Tiggywunkle · 14/01/2012 22:58

The latest is the Promenade, then the Verve, Vibe and Explorer (I dont know which of those two came first). The Sport was a fairly old one and so is the E3.

The current ones on sale are the Promenade, Verve, Vibe, Explorer and Classic. There is a new Dot supposedly on the way too which is a kind of smaller version of the Explorer.

There are subtle differences eg car seat or not, footrest, the way they fold, doubles kits etc.
Try this: philandteds.com/products/push/classic#_compare

Rosemallow · 14/01/2012 23:18

I absolutely LOVE my BJCS.

I have a 22 month gap and they are not light children now (15kg and 10kg) and I really don't have any problem with the weight of it, even with a humungous load of shopping in the bottom. (pretty sure it helped me shed the baby weight too!)
As for offroading etc I've found it to be fine on grass/long grass/mud/gravel but a bit slippy on wet sand and had to be dragged through dry sand.
If you do decide on it, don't bother with the carry cot if you have a carseat - I never used it.

Tiggywunkle · 15/01/2012 01:44

Being honest, how the City Select works for you depends a lot on where you walk. We were absolutely fine with ours apart from one small stretch of pavement which had a slight slope towards the road. It was the point at which my children were approx 15 and 10kgs that it started to hurt my arms but it had never done so until then. I had no problem with say a shopping mall where it was flat, or even with the rest of my route, or kerbs or steps. Just this little bit of sloping pavement!!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page