Baby Jogger City Select Review

Company Description

Baby Jogger was founded in 1984 by Phil Baechler. Mr. Baechler was a journalist and a jogger and when he became a father, he soon found out that the strollers available at the time were not strong enough, nor suitable for jogging. He designed the first three wheel stroller and it was so good that other stroller manufacturers soon copied him. Baby Jogger still produces quality strollers today.

Basics

Baby Jogger’s City Select is designed to be a multi-function stroller that has many combinations of seats, bassinets and car seats. It is a very customisable stroller. It can be easily adapted into a complete travel system and can convert from a single to a double stroller. This stroller has many accessories available (extra) and this means that you can tailor the stroller better for your needs.

Baby Jogger City Select Specification

• Weight                            28lb single. 34lb double.
• Open                              25.75″ W x 43.5″ L x 38.5″ to 41.5″H
• Folded                            25.75″ W x 32.75″ L x 12.5″H
• Seat Width                     12″
• Seat Height                    21″
• Rear Wheels                  12″
• Front Wheels                  8″
• Max. Seat Weight           45lb/seat
• Max. Basket Weight       15lb

Baby Jogger City Select PROS

• As a tandem double, it is easier to fit through doorways
• Suitable for newborns
• Full flat seat recline
• Large canopies give terrific protection
• Quick folding operation
• Hand operated brake
• Telescopic handlebar
• Peek-a-boo window on seat canopy
• Very large shopping basket

Baby Jogger City Select CONS

• Wider than the Bugaboo Cameleon and Stokke Xplory
• No rain cover as standard
• Seat depth not deep enough for older children
• Heavy
• No Accessories

City Select Stroller Reviews and Features

Maneuverability

The 8″ front wheels swivel and the stroller is very easy to steer with one hand. I thought the air filled tires and size of wheels would make the stroller difficult to push but this was not the case. This stroller handles well on city streets or on short, parkland grass. I regularly take a shortcut across our park and there is very little difference in the effort required to push it if the grass is short. Longer grass and gravel require more effort but nothing excessive. I have had to use the stroller in 2″ of snow. This was not a problem and it remained stable. The wheel size certainly helped here.

Folding

The fold is easy and the space used is not bad. To fold, just lift the two levers marked “fold” and the stroller easily collapses with either the seat attached or removed. It has a narrow width but it still takes up a lot of room lengthways. If you own a minivan or a car with a reasonable size trunk, then this will not be a problem. I only used this stroller as a single and so I cannot compare it when used as a double but it cannot be folded when in double mode with the seats attached.

Seat

The seat is reversible and is relatively tall but not as wide as the Valco Baby Snap which is 14″ wide and the City Select is 12″ wide. It is fully reclinable and this is ideal for newborns. The seat has a 5 point harness and this was easy to operate for me but not so easy for my daughter to unbuckle. However adjusting the straps can be fiddly. The padding was good. I have read where people say the seat is too small but this has not been my experience. My daughter weighs 37 pounds and still fits comfortably in the seat. Using the manufacturer’s data, it is lighter that the iCandy Peach which is 32lb. The seat footrest is adjustable to 4 positions up or down. The seat fabric is easily cleaned.

As a double, the extra seat is full size and not reduced size which seems to be the common thing now. As a double, the seats can be independently facing forward or back.

Bassinet

Not tested

Canopy

The canopy has a three part fold and provides extremely good protection. There is a mesh zip-in backing that can be zipped into the front for extra sun protection if the sun is low. The canopy also has a peek-a-boo window with a built in mesh and the design incorporates a magnetic closing attachment that makes operation very quiet. Much quieter than the more common Velcro attachments found on other strollers. It is adjustable for height (up to 24″) for larger children. This is one of the best canopies that I have seen on a stroller.

Shopping Space

The cargo basket is very large. There are zippers on all sides and I guess this gives you more options for access but I always use the rear access. It has a large capacity but it has a weight limit of 15lb. It is very accessible in single mode. I regularly use the foot well to store shopping. Extra storage is also available and easily accessible at the rear of the seat.

Wheels

The rear wheels are 12″ diameter and the front wheels are 8″ diameter. The tires are air filled. The front wheels swivel and have suspension. These are a good size wheel for a stroller and mean that you are not restricted to paved surfaces. The relatively large wheels, combined with the front suspension, mean that the ride is extremely smooth and comfort levels for my baby were high. Normal bumps were absorbed easily and going over grass or gravel was not difficult. The front wheels can be locked for easier traveling over rough ground.

Handlebar

There is a telescopic handlebar that adjusts from 38.5″ to 41.5″ and this is more than sufficient for average to tall people. I am 5′ 4″.

Brakes

The brakes are hand operated and very easy to use.

 

Summary

Overall, this is a terrific stroller and can be easily customised. I think it is great as a single stroller but it will really come into its own as our family gets bigger. If I had only wanted a single stroller, I would certainly have been able to get something cheaper. But the beauty of the City Select is its adaptability and that it can easily convert to a double or even carry a third child on a ride-on board. This is not a jogging stroller. The size is good and it is by far the best stroller I have used to date.

I did not like the fact that the stroller comes with no accessories. A belly bar and a rain cover should be included with any new stroller. The City Select is a great stroller but if you have to use public transport, you will find it too wide and this makes it awkward.

See how it compares to the best umbrella strollers here.