Reviews for BOB SUS stroller

I was originally attracted to the Bob stroller from seeing a mother of two use one in an airport. She told me she had the "jogging" version but after I ordered the Sport Utility, it was clear she must have had the Revolution but still used it off-road as the Sport Utility is big and difficult to travel with. While it is great for jogging, it is not as compact as I would have liked and I realize this is my fault as the dimensions are listed on the web. The front wheel makes it much larger than the revolution. I also hate that it does not lock into position for storage, you need to hook a strap around the moving parts and then store it. I have to refer to the instructions each time to figure out how to do this- frustrating. What would be nice is if the revolution/Sport Utility were interchangeable and you could buy the smaller wheel for traveling etc. I also bought the travel bag for the Sport Utility which was described as a carry on but clearly is not - it is huge just like the stroller.

I researched v. thoroughly before purchasing the BoB SUS. We needed an all-terrain stroller that could handle uneven hiking trails. Something sturdy that would survive being hauled out several times a week, about an hour at a time. At first, I had a tough time narrowing down my options because the various manufacturer/retail sites assume you?re either a mall crawler/city dweller or a jogger. But I wanted something tough, quality, rugged that could handle trails, but at walking pace. If that?s your situation, too, this BoB is for you. It?s awesome! It runs beautifully, is a quality product, and has many well-thought-out design features. First of all, I love the Pacific Blue color! Second, the canopy is huge. I live in Florida, so it?s important to us. This canopy does the job beautifully. I disagree with the reviewers who said it?s not big enough. Any bigger and your kid couldn?t see out! For heavens sake, if you want your child totally covered just buy a separate sun shield. Also love the weather flap. I don?t use the window on top of the canopy like I thought I would, because I can spy on my baby through the weather flap. Folding and unfolding is so easy and, yes, the wheels do pop off very easily as well. We have a small Saturn sedan. We just collapse the BoB, load it part-way into the trunk, pop off the front wheel, then slide it all the way in. No problem. I have it down to a fine art now of about 30 seconds. Unfolding, it just pops open almost like magic! Every time I load or unload it, I rejoice that someone out there put so much thought into the design! The nubby tires are great, but do require pumping sometimes. As other reviewers have said, they run over rough terrain, tree roots, sand, long grass etc. like a dream! The rear foot-operated brake is fantastic. Easy to use ? just kick it on and off - but very tough and secure. Was nervous about the fixed wheel, but it?s no problem. Likewise, the non-height-adjustable handlebar hasn?t been a problem either. The design is such that you can adjust your hold by shifting hands from the top of the handlebar to the sloping sides, for a little variety. So it?s not an issue for me. But, then, I?m 5ft7in and my husband is 5ft9in. I can see why taller folks might not be so comfortable. The basket is very useful. We even put our 18lb Jack Russell Terrier in it a few times when she?d overdone it in the heat. She seemed to enjoy the ride! Drawbacks: this stroller does not support babies well. My 10-month-old sits all slumped in it, although she doesn?t seem to mind. In fact, she loves riding in the BoB and watching the world go by. She usually ends up taking a nap in it too. So it?s not a problem, exactly, but do be aware that they are not kidding when they say this is designed for infants no younger than 9 months. Another thing to be aware of: the harness adjusts easily, but the red harness loops could be a choking hazard. Read more: http://baby411.typepad.com/babybargains/2007/08/is-bob-stroller.html. Suspension squeaks sometimes. A few drops of bike lubricant fixes that. One complaint: I had trouble getting the mudguard attached. We ended up taking the whole thing to our local bike shop. They said one of the screw holes had been drilled incorrectly. They used a smaller screw. Problem solved. But still, that should not have happened! I also found the brake pads tend to rub against the tires. Our bike shop guys said the tires are poor-quality. I also felt that using the handbrake made them stick even more. That annoyed me at first. But it hasn?t been a problem because I never really use the handbrake. If I?m going downhill, I tend to just rely on the wrist tether. But I do think the integration of handbrake/brake pads/wheels are the one thing that needs tweaking. My only other wish would be that it locks when folded. Despite these issues, I still give the BoB SUS five stars. It looks so cool and it?s just a pleasure to use.

We are very happy with this purchase. Both my husband and I run 5 or more miles with this stroller. It is sturdy but lightweight, and a comfy ride. The only downside is that it does not fit in my trunk. The front wheel comes off very easily, so it is not that big of a problem. It fits fine in a hatch back or SUV. The knobby tires are nice for trail running or hiking on rougher terrain.

About us: Got it for running (7-10 minute mile pace, usually 3-6 miles) and walks in neighborhood, on beach, and uneven dirt trails. Started using it (smooth surface only) when baby was 3.5 months old with additional head-support surround.

Pluses for us: obvious high quality workmanship and materials, like an expensive bicycle - you can immediately see the quality difference between this and the target/babies-r-us stock strollers which seem very cheap in comparison. Very smooth ride, so easy to push (only going straight, see minuses). Awesome for walking on uneven,dirt and even rocky(ish) trails and deep sand. Can actually take baby to the beach and shallower trails in the mountains! I assume snow would also be a breeze (there's no snow here). Tracks straight on level surfaces when walking or running.

Minusus / Issues: Turning! Ugh!! I hate turning. I think I should have gotten the swivel wheel, but I shied away thinking swivel would not be stable enough for faster running. But I like to run on slightly hilly, curvy trails (paved), and boy do my wrists and forearms and shoulders hurt! I dread turning it while running. While walking, occasional sharp turns aren't too bad, because you're going slowly enough that you don't mind pushing down on the handle and making a turn (like turning a corner at an intersection in the neighborhood). But constant curvy trails/sidewalks are a real PAIN! Don't even think about taking it to the mall unless you are only going to cruise and not actually maneuver around displays inside stores. Too bulky and hard to turn. Also, handbrake is touchy and doesn't seem to want to engage. I don't trust it. Sun canopy doesn't move down far enough to shield the sun. Still have to use a blanket or something unless the sun is straight overhead or behind you. No cupholders, had to purchase those extra. Front wheel brake seems to graze the front wheel sometimes. I have to keep prying it back open a tad. Maybe this can be adjusted better if I go back to the manual.

So we kept it, even though we're not using it nearly as much as we had hoped - mostly due to lack of maneuverability, but also due to the fact that our baby never really was very good at stroller rides (still isn't now that she's walking) and all the hassle of packing it in the car, driving to the trails, putting the wheels back on, getting all the gear together, just to have baby tolerate it only for 20 minutes max - just becomes too much hassle. But that's no fault of the stroller - just make sure if you purchase an expensive stroller that you have a baby/child that likes to sit in a stroller for a length of time to make it worth it for you.

Bottom line? A great choice if you want to walk on the beach, or run/walk on mostly straight surfaces. If your area is pretty curvy, or you want to use it in the mall, get the swivel wheel kind.

Good luck! Melinda and Rob

I LOVE this stroller. I did tons of research and even bought and returned a Dreamer Design. This stroller is great for running and walking. I ran with it all summer and it was smooth and good on bumps. My 5month old fit fine in it.. the only thing I had to do was put a blanket under him to push his bum up.

I am so happy w/ this stroller. I jog about 15 miles a week, and thBOB SUS jogger is such a pleasure to use. I won't go into too much detail because I could go on forever, but I will just say that I have no complaints about this product itself-NONE. BUT...that being said, it kinda stinks to have to buy the cup console separately, but I did it anyway, and it's worth it. I also purchased the weather shield and I highly recommend it. It tends to get pretty windy here in fall/winter, so I wouldn't be able to jog without it. Buy BOB joggers!!! They are the best on the market.

I have been using this jogging stoller since August of 2005. I run an average of 20 miles a week. It has been wonderful. My daughter was 4 months old when we first put her in it. It took her a few times before she adjusted to the more up right seating position, but in no time I could take her on hour runs. This jogging stroller is also awesome for the beach. The big tires make it easy to push through the sand. I would recommend buying the attachment cup holder caddy to store sippy cups, cell phones, money etc. Hope this review helps.

Our stroller has exceeded all of our expectations from delivery to final use. The stroller arrived quickly, was easy to put together, and strolls perfectly. People have stopped us several times to look at the SUS and ask questions about it. I definitely recommend this product to any person in the market for a jogging stroller. It is a little pricey, but it's worth it.