Customer Reviews

Graco Mosaic Stroller

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

 

 

My husband and I live on a ranch in New Mexico, the roads around our house are gravel, and since we aren't supposed to put our newborn in a jogger (which we assumed would handle the roads better) we were left using a stroller until she is old enough and strong enough to handle a jogger. This stroller had surpassed my expectations as far as durability goes. We did have to call Graco to send us new rear wheel (because the other one simply fell off when my husband put it in our trunk); the customery service rep was very easy to talk to and she mailed out a new wheel immediately. It folds up extremely easily and is so lightweight i can carry it to the car with one hand. I love the fact that the car seat fits right inside (like most strollers). I dont really use the cup holder, but it looks like it might be somewhat small for most cups (I put my keys in it while I am out). The storage space below the stroller is very roomy. I did call Graco to see if they had rubber wheels we could buy as an accesory, but they do not make them for this model, so the plastic ones will have to do.

I really like this stroller. It's easy to push and turns on a dime, and the baby is very comfortable in it.

But, the outer rear wheels are wearing badly and this is causing the whole stroller to shake and sway. I'm not sure why this should be the case but I have a feeling that perhaps because the handle bars are not joined, the act of pushing the stroller causes the long vertical handles to splay and therefore cause the rear wheel arrays to "toe in" thus causing inordinate wear on the outer 2 wheels (they are "cone" shaped now).

We have been using this stroller for 8 months now and to me it seems like we should not be having these problems.

UPDATE January 2007. Added some photographs. View customer images.

The idea of 30 lbs. massive stroller with trays and toys didn't appeal to me and I was researching endlessly a replacement for my SnugRider once my son was ready to move out of his infant carrier when my mother-in-law bought me this stroller out of the blue. It's perfect for us! It's much more comfortable then a basic (read: cheap) umbrella stroller but is still light weight and easy to maneuver through stores (which is where I was using a stroller the most before he could sit up well in a cart). My son falls asleep in it often. The bottom mesh "basket" fits a fair amount of stuff. I can put his diaper bag there or hang it and my purse off the handles. It folds and unfolds easily after a little practice and it fits with plenty of room to spare in my midsize trunk. This stroller gets used a few times a week, mostly on pavement and hard dirt paths. It has held up very nicely. My only complaint is that the adult drink holder used to pop off easily and eventually I lost it which is a real bummer. There is an attached mesh pocket thing to hold a bottle or a sippy cup for the baby though.

I have been using the Kolcraft car seat stroller frame for a while but was getting sick of it taking up so much area of my trunk. I selected this stroller because it accepts Graco SnugRide car seats and because of the umbrella-like styling allowing it to fold compactly.

This stroller is much more secure when holding the car seat than the Kolcraft stroller frame we had been using. The hook snaps onto the front cross-bar and there are two elastic tabs that you hook through the seatbelt hooks on the car seat which secure the seat tightly to the stroller.

Other things I like:
For an umbrella like stroller, this is sturdy and doesn't feel like it would tip over.
It isn't wobbly
You can steer it with one hand and it glides smoothly.
It's stylish both in the design of the handle bars and the fabric colors.

Things I don't like:
When the car seat is in place, you can't really get to the basket. So you have to put diaper bag in there first or stick to small, thin items.
I miss the parent tray in my Kolcraft. The little parent cup holder on this is okay but I liked being able to put drink, cell phone, keys where I could get to them quickly. Instead I have a little pouch thing I hang on one of the handles to hold my junk.
You definitely cannot open/close this with one hand like I could with the Kolcraft.

All of that said, for what it is, I like the styling of this stroller and I feel like it will continue to serve us well once baby is out of the car seat and can sit in the main stroller seat. And I am loving the regained space in the trunk of my car...if we have something giant that needs to go in the trunk, this stroller also fits well upright in the floorboard of the back seat too. So I am happy with the Mosaic stroller and would recommend it, especially if you have a SnugRide car seat.

The plastic wheels on the Mosaic give a bumpy and noisy ride (reminiscent of the sound of a toddler riding a plastic toy truck on cement.) The steering is poor (again due to plastic tires) and it is difficult to handle - definitely requires 2 hands! It gets stuck in the smallest inconsistencies on the sidewalk. The footrest slips down on one side. This stroller does fairly well in highly controlled environments (eg: the mall) but is rather bulky. I will never attempt to take this stroller on public transportation again. Too difficult and heavy to carry up stairs and too wide to maneuver down a narrow bus aisle. My 10 month old daughter has never enjoyed riding in this stroller - we will be switching to a smaller, more compact umbrella stroller.

I've been using the Graco Mosaic stroller for 2 years now. We used it for about 5 months with the Snugride infant carrier and just by itself ever since. It definitely has it's pros and cons. I am not sure I would buy it again.

PROS
- Lightweight and slick looking
- Works with all Graco Snugride and Safeseat infant carriers
- Very easy to fold up w/one arm and toss in the trunk

CONS
- No food tray or cup holder for the baby
- Cheaply made - mine is falling apart
- Cheesy plastic wheels - the stroller jerks every time you roll over a stone
- One of the snap covers came off mine when he was around 8 months old, revealing this sharp spikey metal thing underneath. I was mortified!! He could have swallowed the snap cover and then cut up his arm. Graco customer service was very good and sent me a whole new body assembly, but I was still really upset about it and I almost just threw the whole thing in the trash that day.
- You can't push it with 1 arm, since it's umbrella style with the 2 handles
- It's very easy for my son to drag his feet on the wheels, which he does all the time just to make me mad

Definitely more pros than cons! I guess I would recommend choosing a different stroller.

I LOVE this stroller! We have taken it everywhere! And I mean everywhere. It has been on several plane rides and even out of the country. It has held up well and my son is now 15 months old. I had it is the snow - and in the heat. It rolls well, it isn't so big you can't get places. . I love it! It still looks new and believe me we really use this A LOT!

My Mom who was in childcare for many years loves it too! I have a much more expensive jogger but only use it when I am at home. Wouldn't want to have to haul that thing around. .

Great price, Great stroller! It can go ANYWHERE!!!

When ordinary umbrella strollers just won't do, take a look at this little number. I love its compact 3-D fold, it is perfect for keeping in the trunk of a car as an on-the-go stroller. It takes so little space in the trunk and yet, when you open it up, it is much more comfortable than a flimsy umbrella stroller. I had a full-size Quattro Tour stroller that was given to me as a baby shower gift, and while it has excellent features, it was just too bulky to be taken on trips. We still use it but only to walk around the neighborhood. I wish I had known about this Mosaic stroller back then, I would have registered for it instead. The fact that it accepts Graco baby car seats is a big plus, and it's compact and sleek design is yet another benefit. Get this stroller and a Graco baby car seat, and you have a very nice travel system that you can take anywhere. The seat is comfortable, padding is adequate, the fabric is no different than any other stroller. The steering is very smooth. The stroller is very maneuverable, which makes it really easy to navigate the narrow store aisles. My daughter has taken naps in it and has been very comfortable. She is beginning to outgrow it though as she is a tall 2-year-old. I wish she were able to use a little longer as I have grown accustomed to the convenience of taking this stroller along on shopping trips. I am very pleased with this stroller and would highly recommend it to anyone.

I recently purchased this stroller for our upcoming vacation and to use for quick outings rather than my "mall monster" stroller. My son is 14 months and I have not used this with a car seat.

Pros: It was so easy to set up, I did it in 10 minutes with my husband only putting on the cup holder (don't ask why I couldn't do it?!) I like the child cup holder and snack pouch. It's small but not many folding strollers offer this feature. If you want this feature buy the RED (Lotus) stroller. The black one doesn't have it. It's nicely compact, about half the size of my travel system. I find the basket is sufficiant to carry a jacket,blankie or small diaper bag. Steers without a problem. My son seems very comfortable in it. I like the 5 point harness option.

Cons: When folded closed, one side seems loose. It stays closed and locked, but isn't as tight as a standard stroller. Some moms may need a bigger basket but I haven't found one in an umbrella-type stroller. Sun shade is a bit small but that seems the norm for umbrella strollers.

I have heard the tires wear out after a while. I've also heard you can contact Graco for replacement tires when needed. Mine hasn't shown any wear and it's been used several times a week for 3 months.

In all, this stroller fits my needs perfectly.