Trends For Kids Joggster X Sport Stroller

by TFK Trends for Kids

Product Features

• Adjustable ergonomic backrest with 4-position recline and seat with 5-point harness
• Large foldable sun hood with viewing window and side pockets
• Ergonomic, height-adjustable grip with palm rest
• "M-brake" disc brake on both sides and warning bell integrated into brake lever
• Quick-release system and removable wheels

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 35.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002RT90IU
• Item model number: T-12/12JOGGX-CS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,705 in Baby (See Top 100 in Baby)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Product Description

Color: Black

From the Manufacturer

The joggster X is the product of 10 years’ worth of experience and the next logical step in the successful joggster line. It meets the highest requirements in terms of quality, safety and design. Its three easily interchangeable front-wheel versions (sport, twist and city) make it unrivalled in its field. Individual wheels are also available separately for each of the versions. Joggster X sport features a fixed (non-swivel) 12" front wheel and 12" rear wheels. Other features include: light low-profile tires that feature a 5-spoke design and ball bearings, adjustable footrest with 3 height positions and a horizontal position, "Airgo" breathable seat cover, large under-seat storage basket with flap lid, rear axle suspension, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Beware discounted TFK on Amazon, June 11, 2010

By 

pkanar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trends For Kids Joggster X Sport Stroller (Baby Product)

I bought a stroller very similar to this one, a Joggster X City, in pebble colour (CKI). Amazon sold it to me for $350, while it normally sells for $600. The catch? It arrived broken.

Judging from the deep discounting, I can only assume Amazon knew it is broken, and gambled that the buyer will pursue the maker to obtain repair under warranty, rather than return the product to Amazon. Right they were.

The quality of the stroller itself? It was excellent, and in new condition. But the damage wasn't cosmetic: one of the folding joints, cast from a lightweight alloy, was cracked asunder. The frame's structure was compromised and the stroller unusable. The damage was caused by forcefully folding the stroller beyond its folding limits. How it happened, I can only guess, but inferior Chinese metallurgy was at least partly to blame. (Yes, "Made in China", but, I repeat, overall quality is excellent.)

My options were: return for refund, exchange for another *discounted* TFK (must be same model and colour, Amazon says), ask TFK to repair it, or repair it myself. I was loath to part with this stroller; I contacted TFK USA. How hard could it be to get warranty from the manufacturer?

The story of TFK: design office in Germany, entered North American market in late 2009. Their distributor, TFK USA, lists all the large online retailers of baby goods as authorized dealers. Oddly, no retailer has stock. Except Amazon. TFK USA offer a 1-year warranty. Emails to their service department are answered from the German office. They asked for photos of the carton and the damaged parts. It has been 2 weeks since I provided the photos. So far, they acknowledged receiving them, but haven't promised me anything. I will give them more time.

In the meantime, after 2 days of work, and many finger cuts, I made a temporary replacement part, from solid oak and a stainless steel ruler. Be cautioned that TFK's design is highly proprietary, and their parts are extremely hard to duplicate, due to low tolerances and complexity. Doing it properly (CNC milling from solid metal) can easily cost more than your Amazon discount is worth. Whether you can actually get it repaired under warranty remains to be seen. On the plus side, now that the stroller can run on the street, it runs smoothly, steers easily, and the suspension is great.

3 stars because while the product is good, distribution and support are very poor; the only place to buy accessories right now is Europe (try babyzeiten or kiddies24).

...

To follow up my review, TFK USA did honour the warranty a month after the claim. They called, offered a choice of colour, and sent me a complete new stroller, without asking for the old one back. It did arrive with one broken part (rear wheel socket joint). This was clearly shipping damage; there is something about the way TFK packs strollers for shipment that makes them break easily. The replacement had subtle design changes to the frame (improved cast joints and a deeper-latching parking brake lever). Nevertheless, I was able to swap parts and make a working stroller from two broken ones. Having a set of spare parts, I did not need to worry about warranty again when other parts went south: a bumper bar locking latch snapped off, the City wheel fork cracked apart with only a gentle bump on the curb at minus 12 centigrade, the rubber hubcaps proved prone to get unglued and then lost after they get inevitably bumped in narrow spaces, and finally, one of the recliner zippers failed under the child's weight (this zipper was found to be slightly different from the other 3 in shape and in that it lacked the YKK logo). I now regret writing that the overall quality is excellent; so many parts have failed in less than a year that the stroller would have been rendered unusable, had it not come, as it did, with a free spare.

I also got to use several accessories, bought from Babyzeiten: fleece footmuff, UV shield, rain cover, and Twist wheel. The stitching on the footmuff came apart with only light use, and had to be re-sewn by hand. All I will say about the rain cover is that it's proved extremely useful and versatile. The Twist wheel works well on non-flat surfaces, like a forest path. But in town, it is problematic, because the wheel exhibits a dynamic instability as you pick up speed: above 6km/h, it can start to vibrate violently sideways, shaking and slowing the stroller. The problem is reduced by heavily loading the cargo basket underneath the seat, but it's always there. For use on flat pavements, I would strongly recommend the City wheels; they absolutely don't have this problem. On a smooth road, they can go as fast as you can.

2115|RM6S4NHF35E04;