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| Jogging Strollers the good, bad and ugly (Read 444 times) |
| view log My sweet new crank! |
posted: 1/18/2008 at 4:38 PM |
I would like to know your thoughts on jogging sstrollers. Good things bad things, experiences etc.
In full disclosure, I am a product manager for bike trailers and jogging strollers. So this is really business for me, as much as it is pleasure when I run with my kids.
Any info you would like to share about features, needs, wants, changes, best of class products etc is more than welcome.
I know there are some hardcore moms out there that would not miss a run, right?
Also, if anyone thinks this in not appropriate for me to hold this discussion, I have no problem hearing that. (which is why I was honest about my intents) I am really looking for honest improvements that we can make to products to meet needs. I really want to sit back and read the replies, but if you want more dialogue, we can do that also.
Ryan |
Ryan O'D
Madison WI USA
Team In Training - Chicago
Running Log
RACE CHARITIES |
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posted: 1/18/2008 at 7:51 PM |
I don't know if your post is appropriate or not, but while I have the opportunity, I'll tell you what my "perfect" jogger would have. I have one now that I love, but there is always room for improvement. I won't mention the brand name, but it's a good one. ( I have a double jogger)
Need #1: HUGE sun shade. Mine that I have now is near perfect in this area. As a matter of fact, that was the real selling point for me. I mean, a sun shade that actually covers the kids unless the sun is low in the sky and in thier face. Any other design, IMHO, is worthless. Whats the point in the sunshade if you have to throw a towel over the kids anyway to protect them  
Need #2- Adjustable handle. (Up and down) It's nice to have this option if you are a taller person. (or so my 5'11" female friend tells me..) A low handle can cause back pain from bending over to push it.
Need #3- Light weight. this is a real negative of mine. Getting it folded up and into the back of my huge SUV is quite a chore. I frequently get offers of help from people, because they feel sorry for me. I realize that out of necessity its a large stroller and therefore heavy, but light weight would be a good selling point, if it could be accomplished without raising the price too much.
Those are the 3 major ones for me. Cup holders, a car seat attachment that comes standard, a good amount of storage for those days you are on vacation and at the outlet mall, and 5 point harness are good, too. And of coarse, it must look cool, and make me look fast.  |
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| view log Playmaker / nemesis |
posted: 1/18/2008 at 8:08 PM
modified: 1/18/2008 at 8:08 PM |
| Quote from run_ac_run on 1/18/2008 at 7:51 PM:
Need #2- Adjustable handle. (Up and down) It's nice to have this option if you are a taller person. (or so my 5'11" female friend tells me..) A low handle can cause back pain from bending over to push it.
This is a huge one for my wife and me. I'm almost a foot taller than her, so although the stroller we have (high quality name brand that starts with a K, ends with a Y, and in the middle is ELT) works well for me, it's not so good for her.
I'd also like to see a better parking brake. Something that when activated means that sucka ain't movin.' The one I have uses a typical bicycle brake, which tends to get loose and doesn't hold the stoller still on steeps. |
20th Century: 800m: 2:04 |1600m: 4:37 |3200m: 10:06 |5k: 16:23 |10k: 35:38 |15k: 54:20 |25k: 1:35:59
21st Century: 5k: 19:42 |10k: 43:00
What are you doing? |
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BaldMike view log |
posted: 1/18/2008 at 8:11 PM |
First off, Jogging Strollers are not just for hardcore mom's. My wife is a flight attendant and fly's the sky's most weekends. When not in marathon training mode, I take my daughter for my Sunday runs up to 9 miles. I also see plenty of other fathers pushing their kids at the local jogging trail. So, that being said, here are my points.
1. As mentioned above, an adjustable handle up and down. During this, it should be taken into account, stride length and how close a person's foot lands behind the stroller when going up and down hills. At times, i have to adjust my stride to keep from kicking the back of the stroller.
2. I bought an after market cover for the rain and cooler days, to keep the wind off her face. It has a window for her to see out though. I know the Bob Revolution has covers too, but I think it should be standard and maybe it would roll up into the sunshade or something like that.
3. Grips. Not sure what can be done here, but something to keep your hands from getting so darn sweaty holding onto the grips. Maybe I should be addressing my own sweatiness here. If that's a word.
4. Better designed console area. Mine has a cup holder, but lord knows no cup could stay in once you start moving. You could do something like in cars with those rubber tabs inside the cup holder that would hold a wter bottle or gatoraide bottle in place. Come up with a way to hold someones iPod in the console so they could see it and use it. You could make this an area to held a cell phone if not an iPod.
5. Padded straps for the kids would be nice too.
I also like that the Bob Revolution front wheel is adjustable from being locked straight out, to a turning wheel for close quarter turns or the mall etc. Mine is not adjustable and i think it would be a nice feature.
Hope that helps, if I think of anything else I will make a second entry. Tell your company we would all volunteer to do FREE product testing too. |
PR 10k - 47: 41 in 2007, goal to break 45 minuntes in 2008
PR 13.1 - 1:44:19
PR 26.2 - 4:24 in 2007, goal to break 3:45 in March 2008
Upcoming races:
March 2008 - ING GA Marathon
July 2008 - Peachtree Road Race
And hopefully the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008. |
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Older and Slower |
posted: 1/18/2008 at 8:12 PM |
I'm dating myself, but I had one of the very first singles and THE first double in my hometown (a big city) years ago. They did NOT collapse- you had to take it apart with tools to get it in the car and the put it back together. No sunshade. No brakes. It was still the best thing in the world and got a lot of use in our family.
My suggestion would be to put a platform for the "pusher" to stand on and a motor! |
| "It's not who wins the workout..." |
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| view log Bif! Bam! Pow! |
posted: 1/18/2008 at 8:40 PM |
Features I like - huge pivoting sunshade. I actually chose this feature as the highest priority, if you cant pivot the sunshade, it is useless. Kids hate sun in their faces and while the sunglasses are cute they usually wont wear them
Adjustable handle also - I am short and I dont like having my hands at chest height all the time, but it is better than bending over.
The pivoting/locking wheel from the Bob is nice so it can be used in non jogging situations - who wants to pay and store multiple strollers, but my big beef with the Bob is that the kids have to recline pretty far and if your kids are at all tall their heads arent resting on the backrest
Basically I like the frame and shade (and price) of the babytrend jogger with the pivoting wheel of the bob.
Hands free pushing. I saw a harness once, but lost the link so never bought it. An attachment to let you swing your arms free on straight areas and only need to grab to steer.
Personally I decided after my first kid that I would start getting up at 5 am to avoid running with a jogger. I own a double jogger primarily for walking about town. Every injury I ever had seems to flare when pushing a jogger and I got tired of stopping to retrieve items tossed over board.
OH ---a decent toy console.... |
Beware the Pink Boxing Gloves of DOOM!
"It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds" - Captain Hammer
2008 Goals New PR's in 5K 10K HM, M
Faster than a speeding toddler..... |
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| view log Renee the dog |
posted: 1/19/2008 at 2:59 PM
modified: 1/19/2008 at 5:50 PM |
Definitely an ajdustable handle. I'm 5'4" but like to run with my arms/hands in a very relaxed position, and CRAP, every jogger out there has me tensing up through my shoulders!
All weather covers should be mandatory...I just made one today for my el-cheapo BabyTrend double -- cause I couldn't find one. $4 clear shower curtain and some velcro from Lowes and voila. A cover for the bad weather (cold/wind here at the coast).
Also, aerodynamics considerations for crosswinds. This may be specific to where I live, but wrestling a jogger from blowing over while running isn't my idea of cross-training. 
I don't care about cup holders, gadgets, etc. As long as there's a basket underneath where I can throw excess gear and the dog's bowl for water, I'm set.
Another thing to keep in mind is size of the kids. My older child is almost 4 but only at the 25% for size in her age range. THANK GOODNESS! Even though she does pop out of the jogger and run with us for the end of the run, there's no time soon where she'll be able to go our distances. So, I suggest thinking way past toddler age in terms of passengers for the jogger.
Thanks for allowing my 2 cents. |
GOALS:
Have fun at the Ocean Drive 10 miler 3/30/08 DONE!
Recover my running consistency now that son is over 1 yr old
Figure out a running schedule for the summer (avoid tourist crowds)
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posted: 1/20/2008 at 12:53 AM |
I agree with the other comments. I would like to see the recline of the seat be adjustable. The jogger we have is pretty reclined. My daughter is 1 and basically the crotch strap has to keep her from slidding out the front. I am sure this would be pretty uncomfortable without the diaper.
Hope this helps. |
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| view log Devil Dog |
posted: 1/20/2008 at 3:22 AM |
| Nothing to add but this: I ran a marathon last week and there was a guy pushing a stroller! Yes, a marathon! He was ahead of me so I don't know what or who was in it. That's just a little overboard, IMHO. |
Just 'cause you can, doesn't mean you should
Run with the Horses Marathon 23 August |
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| view log Renee the dog |
posted: 1/22/2008 at 4:46 PM |
| Quote from PerfesserR on 1/20/2008 at 3:22 AM: Nothing to add but this: I ran a marathon last week and there was a guy pushing a stroller! Yes, a marathon! He was ahead of me so I don't know what or who was in it. That's just a little overboard, IMHO.
No way for me. Races are when I finally get to run just me...no dog, no stroller! |
GOALS:
Have fun at the Ocean Drive 10 miler 3/30/08 DONE!
Recover my running consistency now that son is over 1 yr old
Figure out a running schedule for the summer (avoid tourist crowds)
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posted: 1/22/2008 at 5:13 PM |
| Sorry to hijack your post, marketing guy, but when did you guys start taking your kids on runs with you? My daughter is 8 months, and I am still a little nervous to try it. Did you start with really short runs and test out their reaction to it? I barely have enough time to get in my runs much less experiment with this. Do your kids really enjoy it, or do you do it out of necessity? |
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posted: 1/22/2008 at 5:35 PM |
Sorry to hijack your post, marketing guy, but when did you guys start taking your kids on runs with you? My daughter is 8 months, and I am still a little nervous to try it. Did you start with really short runs and test out their reaction to it? I barely have enough time to get in my runs much less experiment with this. Do your kids really enjoy it, or do you do it out of necessity?
I started with my first when he was 3 months old - 1 time a week for 3 miles and slowly built from there. He slept through every run. Around 10-11 months he started staying awake. Eventually I began giving him bribes to keep him sitting in it (crackers mostly). |
upcoming races:
Long Branch Half Marathon May 2009 |
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| view log Renee the dog |
posted: 1/22/2008 at 10:00 PM
modified: 1/23/2008 at 12:23 PM |
| Quote from greenrunning on 1/22/2008 at 5:13 PM: Sorry to hijack your post, marketing guy, but when did you guys start taking your kids on runs with you? My daughter is 8 months, and I am still a little nervous to try it. Did you start with really short runs and test out their reaction to it? I barely have enough time to get in my runs much less experiment with this. Do your kids really enjoy it, or do you do it out of necessity?
My almost 4 yr old enjoys it tremendously because we do stop and say Hi to all the dogs. And she gets 1/2 of a Clif Shot Blok at the halfway mark. She then pops out on the way back (about 4 blocks from home) and runs with us the rest of the way. My 1 yr old, who just started walking, is now making noise about getting out of the stroller too at the end of the run! I told him to hang on a few more months before running. He was 6 mo. when we started with him, and my daughter was a year. That's when I started running. Just 3 yrs ago. Most I've done with a stroller was 10 mi. We sing, talk, have quiet periods, and when I'm doing poorly, my daughter cheers me on! Maybe the fact the kids go to all our races helps them to feel a part of all this, too. But again, we don't race with our kids. They watch with a family friend or relative.
I highly recommend running with your kids! I am dreaming of the day we're all out there together!
eta: all out there together running! LOL We are already all out there together! |
GOALS:
Have fun at the Ocean Drive 10 miler 3/30/08 DONE!
Recover my running consistency now that son is over 1 yr old
Figure out a running schedule for the summer (avoid tourist crowds)
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posted: 1/23/2008 at 2:04 AM |
| Quote from greenrunning on 1/22/2008 at 5:13 PM: Sorry to hijack your post, marketing guy, but when did you guys start taking your kids on runs with you? My daughter is 8 months, and I am still a little nervous to try it. Did you start with really short runs and test out their reaction to it? I barely have enough time to get in my runs much less experiment with this. Do your kids really enjoy it, or do you do it out of necessity?
I started running with my daughter in a "Baby Jogger" when she was 3 months old, she Is now 5 years old. I've been on runs up to 18 mi with her. When she was little she would mostly sleep. As she got older I had to find ways to keep her occupied. snacks, toys, game like count the # of dogs we see, I spy, stuff like that. We run in parks and paved trails, Our favorite is the Art museum loop in Philadelphia. When she was around 2 &1/2 or 3 we got a portable DVD player that she holds in her lap and will watch all her Disney movies. When the weather is nice I will run mostly half of my weekly mileage with her. At times it is something she doesn't enjoy but it is something I will cherish forever.
Brendan |
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."
Lou Holtz |
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| view log My sweet new crank! |
posted: 1/23/2008 at 2:35 AM |
Our joggers are recommended for 6 months and up. The child really should have some head/neck strength and control, or be well supported.
My kids yell faster, faster, as if I am some sort of sled dog! Parental discretion is really key in judging how long you take the kids out, terrain, weather etc...
There are days that started bad on the first few runs we did with each of them. Then I realized we could talk, play Eye Spy, see neighbors, and they found they could have fun (so did I). |
Ryan O'D
Madison WI USA
Team In Training - Chicago
Running Log
RACE CHARITIES |
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