Any experience of Britax B-Agile?

[dozensofpichu]

I need to cut down my pram collection, currently have 4 in the hallway! My DH is getting fed up with them being in the way.
Have a Britax b smart, my walking pram, which has been fantastic. A quinny Zapp xtra which I use mainly for in car trips as it light to get out of the boot. A cybex Callisto which I bought on a whim but it's too long for car boot! Oops! A maclaren volo which I had from DS, so few years old but still hanging about.
So I'm thinking to basically sell them all and start again with the B agile. Does anyone have experience with this pram? I like that it has big back wheels, we go to a sandy beach often so I can drag it through the sand. The b smart is a bit wide, is the b agile less so? I like the big hood too, found it handy on b smart. Any other alternatives, basically looking for something good for walking, light to lift, small fold, sturdy and comfortable. Don't need parent facing as DD has realised there's more to look at than just me! thanks!

B-smart is 62cm wide, whereas the B-Agile is 58cm wide.

I'd also try the Baby Jogger City Mini GT Single.

and the The Baby Jogger Summit XC too.

www.bestbuggy.co.uk/category/single/baby-jogger-city-mini-gt-single/

www.bestbuggy.co.uk/category/single/baby-jogger-xc-summit/

Ditto with the Callisto, shame it's so long cos I loved the handlebar bit.

I have a B agile, it's very nice, it's pretty much exactly as you say good for walking, light to lift, small fold and comfortable. I live in a fairly bumpy sort of town so particularly wanted 4 wheels (prefer the feel on em) and bigger wheels than the city mini. Whilst I suspect the city mini is maybe better quality in some areas the b agile is cheaper and certainly does the job. The suspension is nice. The only niggle is the seat.. .there is something, some have said position of crotch strap, personally I think it's that the harness is a bit short that makes an older sitting baby/younger toddler look slumped in the seat. I added sit up straps so my toddler can sit bolt upright and still use the shoulder straps, equally you could just not use the top straps.

Unless you want something much more off road, like the things mentioned above then you probably wouldn't go far wrong with the b agile IMO it's not life changing but it looks nice, pushes nice. AH, speaking of the pushing bit the handlbar is fixed at 100cm (I think), I'm 5'8" and find it fine, tiggy who is 5'6" found it too low.

HTH

Thanks milk. 4cm difference, so it is a bit narrower at least! will check the others out.

I think there's two key questions. How old is your LO and also how tall are you / do you like a low or high handle?
The B-Agile has a low handle and is better for older toddlers. The BJCM is better for all ages but has a higher handle. It may seem very basic but it was a deal breaker for me when I used them both.
B-Agile v's BJCM4
B-Agile review and photos

Hi tiggy. I've read your links, thanks! DD is 12 mths and I am short! I like a low handle height. I'm thinking I will have to go try them both out somewhere. I'd like to get to the point where I just have the one pushchair so don't want to make a mistake really. Do you think the bjcm would cope with the beach-the big rear wheels on the b-agile look like they would!

Ihateparties- thanks, sorry missed your post when I posted above! Yes the handlebar bit on the Callisto is great and mine is a lovely colour so it's such a shame the fold is so long.
Sounds like you are getting on well with the b-agile! Is the basket as useful as it looks? I need a biggish basket as I walk to school and grab bits from shop on the way back. This is why I can't use my Zapp as the basket is so teeny!
Why is buying a pushchair so difficult!?

12 mths is def within the age range for the slumping. It depends how upright she would want to sit, you can get around the problem anyway but perhaps I'm a bit overly willing to improvise with webbing and velcro!

Bits defo no problem for the basket, it's quite a good size (but fairly low) for this type of buggy, access is okay due to the curved bar across the back of the chassis (also good for not kicking it). I haven't had anything fall out yet though.

I have had this feeling that the baby joggers are somehow "better" but I don't really know why. I'm fairly sure the suspension and wheels on the b agile are better but possibly the seating position is worse. I also wanted to lose the extra 4cm from the city mini.

Try 'em out somewhere, you can't lose, they're both good. I could easily have it as my only buggy... I don't... but I could!

I've said on this board before that I love my B Agile, but I still can't help thinking I want a BJCM (this is as they're very similar).

Personally I did a pros and cons BJCM vs B Agile, and the B Agile won on almost every count. I prefer the fabric, it's softer and doesn't feel as cheap; I prefer the wheels; it's easier to get in the basket; I prefer the foam on the handle rather than the rubber on BJCM; the 4 wheels felt more stable (the BJCM4 wasn't available near me at the time I bought it). And it fits in my boot where the BJCM wouldn't (again, ). But it's not a BJCM.

Still love it though.

I use it without the shoulder straps, so DD can sit bolt upright. She's never been that keen on shoulder straps anyway. Once she could sit up at around 7mo I had to lengthen the harness on the B Smart so I could just do it up around her waist, and not put her arms through.

The B Smart is still my every-trip pushchair. The B Agile is my car pushchair.
Me and DH like low handles as it turns out - I'm 5'4ish and he's 5'10. We adjust the handle right down on the B Smart.

HTH

Stetsons, love the name btw! Thanks for your reply. I like the b-agile for all of the reasons you have listed! The problem I think I will have with the bjcm is that it may not fit in the boot (again!) and there's a low bar across the back which I think I will kick. That would drive me mad! The b smart has been a great pushchair for us, I love the big hood, the big basket, the soft foam handle so the b agile should be a no brainer really! The slumping problem worries me but having said that DD slumps in the b smart when sat upright so I don't think it will bother her particularly!

I just got a b-agile after a lot of deliberation and like everything about it except that the seat back isn't upright enough (if someone can enlighten me as to how to do sit up straps I'd be grateful!). My almost 20 month old slightly slumps unless i liberate her from the shoulder straps and put a cushion behind her back. It's very smooth and light to push and manouevre, easy to fold, looks well made and not too expensive. Good on rougher terrain but small and light enough for shops, public transport etc.

I just got a b-agile after a lot of deliberation and like everything about it except that the seat back isn't upright enough (if someone can enlighten me as to how to do sit up straps I'd be grateful!). My almost 20 month old slightly slumps unless i liberate her from the shoukder straps snd put a cushion in her back. It's very smooth and light to pushband manouevre, easy to fold, looks well made and not too expensive. Good on rougher terrain but small and light enough for shops, public transport etc.

Either one long piece of webbing with velcro sewn on each end(rough bit one end, smooth bit other iyswim, these two ends will then fasten together and pull the seat more upright). You'd then wrap round both sides the frame under the fabric and fasten as tight as you want. You'd have to take this off completely to recline the seat though. Or two shorter bits that stay wrapped around the frame either side then velcro together in the middle when you want it sat up and hang loose if you don't. I used poppers where each one goes round the frame but it was a bit of a faff putting them in the webbing strap, velcro would work. A no sew option would just be a long old piece of velcro quite overlapped so it was strong enough to hold the seat up. The worst that could happen if it came undone is the seat reclining an inch or two so nothing major!

I ready somewhere mutterings about baby jogger having removed their sit up strap on this years model but can't remember actual facts... Tipping risk was mentioned. I don't find mine tippy with the seat really upright but perhaps worth bearing in mind. Suppose not using the shoulder straps kinda results in the same sort of risks anyway where the child is free to lean forward etc.

Hope that helps. I can't seem to find a good way of explaining it so it might not be clear!

Very helpful, thanks a lot!