Customer Reviews

Baby Jogger City Elite Series Jogging Stroller - Double (Brown/Tan)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

2011 update (one year later): We have been using this stroller practically every day now for the past year to take the kids and the dogs out on walks around the neighborhood and I am still very pleased with my purchase. We keep this in the garage when not in use and it is still looking like new. We only load it into the car when we are expecting to do a lot of walking and it is a little cumbersome to get it onto the back of the minivan. I guess my only other issue with this stroller is that the seat backs are pretty deep, so the kids have to lean forward sometime if they want to see out of the sides. However, I still love the near-flat recline feature of the seats since I use it to change diapers on my youngest child when we are on the go like at the zoo or amusement park. Overall, I continue to highly recommend this stroller!

2010 original Review: I can't say enough good things about this stroller! When I was first in the market for a double stroller I considered getting this stroller because I have the single City Elite stroller and that thing is amazing: wonderful all terrain ability while it steers like a dream, but I balked at the price of $500+ for the double...needless to say, after going through 3 other strollers I finally got the City Elite double and I am so thrilled to finally find something that meets all my needs and looks stylish too.

Here is some background on the previous strollers I tried: First stroller: Maclaren Twin Triumph-solid but narrow seats and I could never get the hang of how to fold the darn thing; Second stroller: Baby Jogger single with the jump seat attachment: worked great when my youngest was an infant, didn't work so great after 4 months of age when he started being able to constantly kick the back of the jump seat thus annoying his sister; Third stroller: Chicco Cortina Together Double: wonderful storage basket but the rear seat belt is so narrow, I am unable to buckle my 2 year or my 6 month old and the canopies are cheap, flimsy, and continuosly pop-off, very dissapointing for a Chicco product!

I also came very close to getting a Bob Revolution Dualie, because of all the great reviews, but when I put my 6 month old in a floor model at the baby store, the seat belt was already tight on him at the loosest setting!

I was specifically looking for a stroller that I could take on walks around the neighborhood that would include uneven side-walks, gravel, grass, etc, while providing a smooth, shock-absorbing ride for the kids and wouldn't require a herculean effort to get it over a simple curb on my part. However, if you are looking for an even lighter stroller to use on even terrain such as airports or malls, I would consider the Baby Jogger City Mini Double, I test drove that stroller and it was so light and zippy, but definitely not made for all terrain. The City Elite Double stroller has everything I was looking for...all terrain capability, adjustable large canopies with two peek-a-boo windows; side and rear ventilation, almost flat recline, adjustable handle bar; parent console; a kicker for younger riders, and best of all, it offers PLENTY of room width and height-wise for the kids. Also, you CANNOT beat Baby Jogger's single-step folding technology, it is just amazing! This was also the easiest stroller I have ever assembled, just unfold the stroller, pop in the four wheels and you are ready to go! The 2010 model is different from the 2008 single version in that the brake is now hand-operated and the tires are foam so they don't need to be pumped with air.

There are a few drawbacks to this stroller, which include the hefty price tag and the weight. However, I would have saved more money had I purchased the City Elite Double straight-away instead of buying less expensive strollers. Also, for the money that you pay, you get premium quality features that make the stroller a joy to use and a super comfortable ride for the kids. As for the weight, all double strollers are heavy, I find this less cumbersome to fold and lift than the Maclaren umbrella stroller. Again, I cannot recommend this stroller enough, especially for parents of larger babies/kids who want a stroller that will offer plenty of room.

We bought this stroller for our twins and have had it over a year. What I like-
It glides smoothly. It's so easy to push. It has a wrist strap which is a must for walking down hills since it moves so easily. It could easily get away from you. Also, I love the adjustable handle that can be raised or lowered. I am on the tall side and I like to have the handle higher than alot of people. Also, there is a ton of storage near the handle for bottles, cups, wipes or whatever small things I need to access quickly. The storage nets behind the seats are nice, too, for small items. The canopies are nice and cover the babies well on sunny or rainy days.

The very big downside for us was that the brakes weren't working well soon after we started using it. I would have given it less stars for this but it might just be a weird thing that happened and may not happen to anyone else. After using the stroller only a few times, the stroller started rolling AFTER the brakes were applied and the rolling got worse over time. At first it rolled just a little bit then it rolled more and more. I realized that when the brakes are applied a small metal bar pops out and fits into one of several plastic sections on the wheel (like small spaces between spindles or spokes). This is supposed to stop it from rolling. The plastic spindles were breaking off one by one so the stroller would roll until it found the next closest spindle to rest on. As more broke off, the rolling increased. For the amount of money that this stroller costs, one would think that plastic was not the main thing keeping it from rolling away.

Customer Service was excellent (as they were when we first received the stroller and it had a broken hook on the seat belt. They were quite helpful then, too). We were told that newer strollers had metal wheels so we would get the metal wheels as replacements. They arrived quickly but weren't metal - they are same plastic wheels we had. We switched them and haven't had any problems since but it was a really big disappointment for such an expensive stroller.

Other things I don't like: The storage compartment at the bottom is practically useless. With twins, a small diaper bag doesn't work and ours won't fit in the storage area. Actually, very few bags, even the small ones, will fit. It is a struggle to get anything in and out of it. We ended up finding a nice diaper bag for twins that hooks across the handle bar (it says not to do this, though, because it could in theory tip the stroller but there's no where else for a diaper bag. We try to keep it as light as possible).
I also got the Mommy Hook to hold light shopping bags if necessary.

Also, the babies (now 16 months old) would like to be able to sit up straighter in the seat but even at the most upright setting they seem to be reclined too much. It makes it hard for them to snack or drink reclined like that and they can't always see what they want to see. Also, being so far back they seem like they are in a cave sometimes. This is nice on rainy or sunny days but on really hot days they get super hot sitting in the stroller even with the air vents open on the sides. We had to buy clip-on fans to keep them cool on very hot days.

Plus it is a bit heavy to get in and out of the car. Not much of a problem for me but for more petite people it could be. Also, it takes up a lot of space in our minivan. We have to lay it flat because if it is on its side (thus taking up less room) it falls over and hits my older son in his seat. It's definitely a big stroller.

There are definitely some things about this stroller that are annoying but I have yet to find the perfect stroller (I'm sure it doesn't exist) and this one is much better than alot of other strollers out there(assuming your brakes work). If you need a light, compact stroller with alot of storage for bigger items, I don't think this stroller is for you, otherwise, it has some very nice features.

After reading a ton of reviews on this stroller we decided to get one. The main complaints I saw listed were 1) it's heavy and 2) it's hard to get to the storage below - and I have to say both are correct. I'm 5'11 and in pretty good shape and I find this stroller extremely heavy. But then it's not like you carry it around, so overall I don't find this a huge drawback. I would say if you're a small person and you're trying to get this into and out of a car trunk you might have some trouble. As for the storage basket, it's next to impossible to get into. If you're putting individual items in it's not too bad, but there's no way I can get my diaper bag into it (and since the handle has a tag that specifically says "do not hang anything from handle" you're stuck carrying it). But otherwise this stroller is a dream. It's VERY easy to steer, fits through doors easily, folds up SO easily (search you tube for a demo video, it's amazing), very comfortable for my girls to sit in (a 4 month old and 2 year old), and does have more storage on pockets behind the seat and on the handle bar that are easy to get to (still can't do anything with the diaper bag though). What sold me on this stroller was how easy it is to fold, and now that I have it in person I love it even more. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

I am almost embarrassed to admit how much I researched double strollers before purchasing one, but I relied on reviews so much that I had to add my thoughts to pay-it-forward :o).

I LOVE this stroller, and so does my husband. We had a spreadsheet comparing the size, weight, and features of many double strollers, and based on the dimensions I wasn't sure this would be my favorite. However, the user-friendly features and thoughtful details made this stroller the winner, hands-down. We love the durability - we feel like we definitely got our money's worth with this stroller. We love the thoughtful details such as magnetic peek-through windows and magnetic flaps to expose the ventilation for the kiddos. The built-in console for parents is better than ANY other double stroller - there are 6 open compartments and six more covered compartments near the handle. PLENTY of space for 4+ drinks, smart phones, cameras, etc. without adding a strap-on console that other strollers require you to buy separately. There are also mesh pockets along the back of the seats and under the seats. I was very worried about the under-seat storage after reading reviews, but found it to be quite adequate. I do hang my diaper bag on the handle of the stroller with clips (not recommended according to Baby Jogger), but it has not created any problems at all. Even when the stroller is empty, the diaper bag does not cause the stroller to tip. I could easily fit some shopping bags, jackets, or small items underneath, which is typically all we use the under-baskets for.

The seats are roomy. My 2-year old is tall (36", 28 lbs), and she has lots of room to grow. I also love that she can easily climb in and out of this stroller when we are out and about, which is what she loves to do at the zoo, etc.

I am pleased with how my Chicco Cortina carseat fits with the adapter (see separate review) without crowding my toddler in the other seat. It's not perfect, but stable and secure - and you can fold the stroller without removing the car seat adapter. Additionally, the toddler still gets full use of her canopy (The Bumbleride Indie Twin lost canopy use with the car seat installed) and the car seat does not crowd into the other seat of the stroller.

I LOVE the forever-fill tires and really appreciate that we get all-terrain use without worrying about carrying a tire pump with us.

The canopies are AMAZING.

Kiddos have lots of ventilation, especially when the seats are reclined.

The adjustable handle is impressive - the first stroller I've ever seen that can adjust to be too-tall for me! My husband is 6'5", and loves that he can maneuver this stroller comfortably.

The only reason I debated the 5 stars is because the stroller IS heavy. My husband and I are both tall and fit, so it's a small con for us - but could be a deal-breaker for smaller parents. I should clarify that it is not heavy at all to push - it glides like a dream. However, after it's folded, lifting it into the car takes some muscle (I think it weighs just over 40 lbs.).

We have also had the Baby Jogger Summit XC for two years and are definitely believers in Baby Jogger products! I don't know why I even considered straying to a different brand for our double. We should never need another stroller, but if we do - I'll go straight to the Baby Jogger and not waste my time researching others. They never compare!

I don't usually have a ton of time to write reviews, but feel compelled to write by the quality of this stroller. It is everything it claims to be and more. It is heavy-duty and yet stylish and elegant. While not designed for jogging, it handles all-terrain with ease. As for its features, they are beyond compare. I have owned many strollers, and this is by far the most impressive. The tires are rugged; the seat is well-padded and looks extremely comfortable; and it steers like a dream- even with two different sized children. The raised kicker is especially nice for little ones, and there is a wonderful parent console with a ton of pockets. The Baby Jogger canopies are the best in the business and cover the children almost completely. They are also high inside, allowing for taller toddlers and room to grow. The recline is considerable, almost flat, and allows for very comfortable napping. The Elite also has great attachment options, an adjustable handlebar, a large underseat basket (which I find is easily accessible), and huge extra pockets on the back of both seats. Finally, the best feature, only rivaled by the fabulous canopies, is the "Quick-fold" system used by Baby Jogger. This stroller folds in seconds with ease and really quite compactly considering its size. Now, it is heavy, make no mistake. However, in all my searching, I found that most all-terrain doubles are in the same ballpark. I have no trouble lifting it in and out of my minivan. It is also a good-sized stroller. It will navigate all doorways, but it is somewhat long. So, if you're looking for a more compact stroller for almost all indoor mall shopping or something like that, then maybe consider the City Mini, which is fabulous in its own right. Still, if you're looking for a multi-purpose double- for indoors and out- and only want to buy one, this is definitely worth the investment. Bottom Line: this stroller is worth every penny.

Note: Amazon has many colors available at this time, but I'm fairly certain they are from a few different production years, and therefore, have slightly different features. For example, the 2010 models have a new hand brake and forever-air tires. I suggest you check the model number and/or Baby Jogger's website to know which one you are considering. Although, I have the 2009 model, and I can't imagine anyone not being thrilled with it!

After finding out we were pregnant with twins, my husband started researching every possible double stroller available. Finally, after months of hunting and testing, we chose the Baby Jogger City Elite. Hands down, it is the best stroller out there.

Baby Jogger strollers as a group are amazing. In fact, the top three on our list were all from this brand (City Elite, City Mini and City Select). The City Mini is extremely popular and is also great as a side-by-side stroller, but doesn't have quite the same capabilities off the sidewalk and the City Select has the kids one in front of the other, which I felt was not fair to the child in back and makes it harder to steer (also, having to buy the second seat is a pain and it's expensive).

The City Elite is small enough to go through a standard doorway (we can even get it through the tight doorways in our 1940s townhouse) and spins on a dime. Don't get me wrong, it is a big stroller, but it maneuvers so well that we've never had issues getting it places. We also liked the fact that the wheels will never need to be inflated and they have such great shocks that we can wheel them over grass, cobblestones and gravel roads without shaking them up.

The boys seem very comfortable in the seats, and because they can lay all the way flat, we had them in the stroller at 6 weeks old. The seats are also very spacious and we can see that they will fit comfortably until they can walk on their own. The vent systems on the independently adjustable hoods are fantastic, as is the amount of shade/protection they give. We also chose the Sport version because the white stripes help with visibility to traffic, especially at dusk or nighttime.

The basket underneath, while not huge, will hold a large diaper bag and a few extra items like a purse or blankets. On the top near the handle are 12 compartments for keys, phone, bottled drinks, etc, so you don't even need to purchase one of those "parent trays". Handle is also adjustable for the parent's height, so my husband and I can both push it comfortably and the hand-brake makes it easy to secure the stroller without bending down or scuffing your shoes.

All in all, it has been one of the best purchases we made for the boys and was worth every penny. I definitely recommend it to any parent of twins or kids close together in age and suggest buying it from Amazon, as we got ours almost $100 less than any other store plus Free Shipping with Amazon Mom.

I have a different viewpoint on this stroller and its one I have not seen shared. We are parents to special needs twins. Our girls are 6 years old now and previously we were using a Graco DuoRider but it got to where it was too hard for me (the mom) to push. I have yet to find a "double wheelchair" so a good double stroller is a must have for our family. I know I'm not the first mom to special needs multiples who has needed a stroller for such purposes. This stroller fits our needs and has improved the quality of life for our girls and our family by being able to go on outings. I wish I had known about these years ago when I bought the duorider. I would have just spent the money on one of these back then.

All the pros and cons of this stroller have already been covered by other reviewers much better than I ever could.

My girls have plenty of space. Its perfect for their medical equipment. The hand brake is so easy and basically effortless to engage while I load them in and take them out. The stroller glides and turns like a dream. I don't care that it is heavy and a bit bulky. It fits in the back of our minivan.

First i have to say, this thing is HEAVY!!!!! it weighs 46lbs even tho baby jogger claims it's 38lbs...nightmare to lift into my suv, i actually never put it in there on my own as i was to scared to! Just returned my elite double for mini double- SO much better and ACTUALLY weighs 26lbs! Same great comfy seats, great recline and fold :) The elite is great if you're never going to take it anywhere and has a smooth ride (although not as smooth as a bob) but the weight was a dealbreaker for me, I only want one double stroller.

to clarify, I own the 2009 version of this stroller (bought used off CL), the differences are:

-air filled pneumatic tires (not sure but I've read the foam filled tires can make for a 'rougher' ride, thus, I'm ok with these)
-velcro fasteners instead of magnetic (wish we had magnetic)
-no parent console (I have read that the 'buggy buddy' does fine)
-slightly lighter due to air filled tires
-foot break (as opposed to hand break)

we have owned the instep safari, croozer 325, and baby trend double expedition, I do not feel that my expectations of a stroller were that hefty. boy was I wrong. BUT, this stroller has met my expectations, finally! I just had to be willing to pay quite a bit more than I initially wanted to! specifically, my needs that were met are as follows:

-adjustable handlebar for my 6'5" husband, also handlebar extends far enough away from stroller to prevent constantly kicking the wheels, which is super nice
-distinct divider between seats so that kids cannot freely and easily mess with each other, but can see each other if they want to (see below)
-seats are roomy - large enough for my 2.5 year old who will be riding in it for another year at least and is in the 80th percentile for height (so, tall but not that tall)
-moderately comfortable for my toddler (see below)
-front wheel swivels or locks
-jogging stroller (see below)
-decent sunshade (see below)

the divider between seats is a solid metal bar, some might not like this, but I do, of course it also adds weight to the stroller, but again, it adds stability between seats and I feel it is necessary.

After all of my double jogger experiences it seemed like these joggers were made for babies, the seats were so comfy for my 9 month old, but my 2 year old was constantly moving around trying to get comfortable. we plan to make him ride for a while longer and of course the baby is going to get bigger...finally it seems I found a stroller that makes its seats for TODDLERS not babies! how great. He has another 2-3 inches in head room before he will hit the top of the seat back! he has a place to rest BOTH FEET! he also seems to stay in place more, which might be attributed to the soft seat backs.

I realize this is not supposed to be a jogging stroller, however, I have read that it is ok to take for light jogging. We plan to use this for long walks and 1-2 mile jogs. I am not sure if this is 'light jogging' or not, but it seems to be holding up just fine. also, at my low speed, I can jog with the wheel still in swivel mode. I like this, I feel it reflects quality as opposed to most cheaper joggers that start to shake when this is done (not recommended, but just a little test I like to do and like to have the option if I want to just bust out and sprint every once in a while) Also along these lines.. can we get baby jogger and BOB to add the remote swivel/lock control feature? how awesome would that be? a small price to pay, however, for quality.

I know I might sound crazy, but I'm not terribly impressed with the sunshade. I would like for it to 'lock out' stiffly and would also prefer if the windows were a bit bigger to see my kiddos (again I own the 2009 model, not sure if this was improved or not) also, the shade when pulled all the way down still did not cover my infant's face, he is short, and I'm grateful that the stroller is made for larger kids, don't get me wrong... but I had to undo the velcro and tilt the somewhat soft sunshade forward to keep him covered. not a big deal but I was surprised by this. I actually think I prefer the 1 large sunshade that locks out stiffly by baby trend (the double expedition) however, it had many other (more crucial) problems.

there were a few things not on my list that I got with this purchase, they are as follows
EXTRA PERKS:

-quick fold. quick fold. quick fold. - the 'quick fold technology' by baby jogger is like nothing I've seen. (watching a BOB duallie video with a 3-step folding process really made me appreciate this even more!) It's the easiest thing ever. I could even explain this to my 60 year old parents and they could do it with no problem.

-maneuverability and shock absorption - going over bumps and on and off sidewalks is like nothing, nothing shakes in the stroller and nothing seems to 'hit hard', it just glides... ahhh. also I can maneuver it into tight spaces in our garage because its just easy to do that.. this wasn't possible with my other cheaper strollers.

-width. - this wasn't on my list bc I don't plan on using it indoors too much, however, it is incredibly skinny! the wheels do not 'stick out' on the sides, they are actually underneath the frame. Check out a rear shot of the design, its just smart. side note: I have the 2009 that has a foot break, so I know mine is skinnier than the more recent versions.

overall:

I am finally pleased with a double jogger.

The reason I say its "the best" on the market? Well, despite the fact it has its cons (will list both pros and cons), it really is the best of the bunch. Here's why...

Pros:
- my son LOVES that he's next to his little sister as opposed to being behind or in front of her. he's 2.5 years and she is 13 weeks. he will occasionally pop his head over from the stroller to touch her and talk to her. its really sweet!
-GREAT turning radius! its soo easy to navigate and to go from left to right. my son LOVES that i can make fast turns from left to right. when i went to the magic kingdom in orlando, i saw multiple people using the city elite double and they all raved about how easy it was to navigate. thanks in part to its tires which made it easy to go through terrains, inclined walkways,etc. i think all the positive comments i heard from my inquiries was the deciding factor to purchasing the stroller since we go to disney so much.
-LOTS of compartments to store stuff. the basket that rests on the back of the stroller seat can fit a towel and back up clothes for my son, while the parent compartments along the handle bar are EXCELLENT!!!!
the sun shade cover is EXCELLENT! seriously, you will not find a better shade than this.
-LOVE the full recline back. we owned the city elite single and loved that i could put the seat in the full recline and let him nap (which he did a lot at times). I love the he can still take a nap when needed.
- the height length of the stroller is perfect. my son is pretty tall for his age and love that he has plenty of space. Many strollers we sampled had limited height space which caused my son to scrunch down to fit. It was very uncomfortable for him.
-the stroller fits through all doors so far. I have not had a problem getting in and out of places. I read some reviews for this stroller indicating the side lock impedes the ability to get through doors, I have not had that problem whatsoever. I've taken it to 2 different malls and had no problems getting in and out.

Cons:
-its heavy but manageable. mind you, I'm 5.5inch and 110 lbs. in my first attempts of closing it, I felt I pulled something in my back. But I managed to figure out a safe way of putting it in my mini van (I have the handle bars face the back of my open van so that when I pull the lever to close the handle bars collapse onto the interior of the van. This prevents damage to the handle bars by consistently getting slammed against the pavement. Then, while bending my knees and turned sideways from the van, I use my outer leg to help lift the stroller into the van). It works and I have not had any issues with my back since.
-Basket space, while a decent size its close to impossible to fit anything large b/c of the bar that goes down the middle of the basket compartment entry. You can still slide smaller bags in with no problem, but I did put 2 hooks that velcro onto the handlebar (purchased at buy buy baby) so that I could hook my diaper bag onto the stroller. they say you should not do this, I am just careful to keep the diaper bag light and remove the bag when one of my kids gets out of the stroller.
-The stroller doesn't get much ventilation so the kids gets hot at times. Mind you, I live in Florida and we tend to have warmer weather than most places. However, the issue with the stroller is that the seats are set farther back in the stroller and has somewhat of a recline, even when its in the most upright position. It appears as though my kids are deep in the stroller, like caves. Also, I think the color plays a factor, I got the red and black, I recommend getting the lighter colors if available.

Despite the cons, I absolutely love the stroller. I've learned after doing much research (researched the phil and teds, city select, graco duo glide, bob double) its simply the best stroller out there and is totally worth the $$.