Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I ordered this jogging stroller because it was the best-reviewed jogger, not the best selling one (which had more features but also had more negative reviews). I've had this jogger for four weeks now and have developed the following Pros, Neutrals, and Cons that I would have liked to know prior to purchasing. PROS: - Smooth ride for toddler and runner: I expected the unit to be heavier and more difficult to maneuver, but was pleasantly surprised. The suspension is great. The frame seems sturdy but light-weight. The wheels arrived inflated, which was good so you could use it as soon as it was assembled. (I read a complaint about another stroller in which the wheels had to be inflated before use.) - Adjustable handlebar: My husband and I are able to set it on different positions for running. However, I am a female and the width of the handlebar is exactly the width of my shoulders. It may seem too narrow for a man, but my husband has never mentioned it. - Front swivel wheel: This is A MUST for running! I tried locking the front wheel to run, but I had to constantly adjust the stroller for any slight curve on the trail. If you will run with both hands on the stroller, it may not be that bad, but I like to sometimes run with only one hand, and the swivel wheel allows me to do that with ease. Also, if you plan to use this as your primary stroller (which I now do), a locked front wheel will make it very difficult to maneuver in restaurants and other non-straight paths. - Four cup holders: Two for the runner and two additional cup holders for the kiddo. - Can accommodate a rear-facing carseat: We've never latched our carseat to this, but supposedly, it can support most standard, rear-facing carseats (without the base, of course). - Visually appealing: I can spot this red stroller from a sea of other strollers at the park. - Well made: Good construction. Sturdy frame. - Easy assembly: I was able to do it without assistance. NEUTRAL: - Child's safety harness: I personally don't like that the shoulder straps and waist straps are connected. (With my regular stroller, you can connect the waist straps without having to attach the shoulder straps.) My daughter is 2 years old and likes to lean forward to reach her cup and food in the tray. I have to loosen the shoulder straps completely so she is still strapped in, but has more mobility. Fortunately, the straps are very easy to adjust. - Fully adjustable canopy: Keeps my daughter fully covered from the front or from the back. The back does not attach to the unit so you can have a full, unobstructed view of your child. However, when I've placed the canopy to fully cover my daughter from the front, she is partially exposed from the top and the back. - Basket underneath: It's good to have, but the basket in this jogger is fairly small. Probably not large enough for a decent-sized diaper bag with all the stuff. Also, there is a bar by the basket that makes it difficult to easily pull things in and out. - Food tray for the child: This is common among strollers, but this has a particularly small tray. - Built-in MP3 speaker: It's OK to have, but DO NOT buy it for this feature. The speaker is very cheap and not very loud. Also, if the canopy is fully forward, the cord will not reach your MP3 in the cup holder. - Size from tip to tip: This jogger is fairly long from the front wheel to the handlebar. I've seen more compact joggers. CONS: - Individual back brakes: This is the biggest con for me. Some jogging strollers I've seen have a one-step brake bar in the middle that locks both back wheels. For this jogger, you have to lock each back wheel individually, and sometimes it is difficult to tell if you've locked them. (Also, my legs are kind of short, so they're a stretch to reach.) If you're wearing running shoes, UNlocking them is OK, but if you're wearing sandals or open-toed shoes, forget about it! Just reach down and unlock them. It really hurts to unlock them if your toes are unprotected. - No hand brake: Some jogging strollers have a hand brake by the handlebar. I wish this had one. It would not only be very helpful while running downhill, but also when running uphill and you need to pause and hold the weight of the stroller, your toddler, and all your stuff. - Awkward folding: When folding, the front wheel folds underneath the unit, which is fine. But when unfolding, you need to lift the unit so the front wheel comes out and that constantly scrapes the front of the jogger (and sometimes, the child's tray). - Very small case for valuables: My previous stroller had a bigger, covered tray to store my keys, phone, etc. This jogger's case is very small... not even large enough to hold my iPod touch, so I keep my iPod in one of the cupholders. All in all, I am still very pleased with this jogger. The smooth ride and comfort while running (for me and my child) are well worth the cons.