Bugaboo Bee...worth it?

[ehf]

My tall daughter (7 mo) has outgrown her carseat, and therefore her Snap N Go. I need a stroller to serve the same function--quick errands in and out of the car in town, at the mall, etc. I am trying to decide between the BJCM and holding out a month for the new Bee. Obviously, there's a huge price difference. At the moment, it's very important to me to have her facing me. When she isn't, I find myself stopping frequently to check on her/calm her/interact with her. It's also somewhat important to me to have easy access to the storage basket.

I can't find anyone who actually owns a Bee! The new version seems significantly improved (with the upgrade in price to match). I'm wondering if my 7 month old will quickly outgrow the need to see me, and how often I'll really need the basket. Any thoughts?

[AnnieW625]

I looked at the Bee when it first came out and I wasn't impressed. I thought the wheels were small, the design was a bit too modern and I thought $500 was nuts for an over glorified umbrella stroller. Had the price been $300 or under I think I might have thought okay it's not so bad, but $500 was just too much! There are a few people who have or have had the stroller here and like it. They'll post more this week (this board is usually dead on the weekends).

Before we got our Vista (off of Craigslist) we were considering a BJCM, but the seat back was a little short, the basket was rather small, and it just didn't feel as nice as some of the other strollers on the market. Plus we thought it would've been a little redundant as we already had a Maclaren Triumph. I have also seen the BJCM on non smooth surfaces and the front wheel wobbles like there is no tomorrow. My Triumph isn't smooth by any means, but I don't think it's nearly as wobbly as the BJCM.

If I were you I'd also consider a more full featured stroller like the Uppa Baby Vista. It will last you until your child is at least 4 yrs. old. It has a reversable toddler seat, and a bassinet (which might work great if you decide to have another child). Plus the basket is huge and it's easy to access. The frame with the seat does weigh 24lbs, but it's an awesome stroller. It also has wider wheels for outdoors, and thinner profile wheels for indoors. At $650 or so it's a great deal for a full featured stroller.
http://www.uppababy.com/products/product.php?id=119

You might also want to look at one of the Bumbleride strollers, the Indie or the Flyer. The Indie is the more all terrain, swiveling front wheel stroller, while the Flyer is a more traditional carriage style stroller. Both have reversing handlebars.

Indie: http://www.bumbleride.com/collection2010/indie-home.php
Flyer: http://www.bumbleride.com/collection2010/flyer-home.php

Also I have a few friends who have said that their Bob Revolution is their only stroller. It doesn't forward face, but it's an amazing stroller that litterally almost pushes it self. It's also great for running, and light jogging.
http://www.bobgear.com/strollers/stroller.php?product_id=4

Also the BJ City Elite might be a nice option too and could possibly be an only stroller for many years to come. It doesn't forward face either, but I think it's 10x nicer than the BJCM and it's a nice stroller.
http://www.babyjogger.com/city_elite_lp.aspx

Good luck and have fun stroller shopping:)

[ahrimie]

I have the Bee (not newer one) and do love it. I haven't seen what the new Bee looks like though.

DD is 21 months and I still like having her face me (but I actually haven't done it on the Bee). We have the Cameleon and always do it there.

The basket is easy but it's not large and neither is the opening. I usually just carry around my handbag (a very full LV medium Speedy) and I can stuff it in there :) So thought it's not huge, I find it sufficient for quick trips to the mall. I love it mostly for its easy steering. I couldn't get used to a Maclaren but I think the City Mini pushes nice too. Hopefully you can try out both and see which price you want to swallow!

[Jelly Bean]

FYI, the Bumbleride Indie is not reversible but I second the Vista recommendation!! IT ROCKS.

I also have a 7 month old and wanted her to face me. If she faces in, she likes it, if she faces out, she likes that too. :D

I think it differs by baby....we were with some friends yesterday: one 8 month old was also in a Vista in the reverse position and the baby loves it. The other baby was 9 months old and absolutely hates facing backwards and always has.

I know the Vista is on the heavier side and doesn't have a very small footprint, but DH and I have been using it for just about everything. We also have a Maclaren Quest for travel and quick trips that we leave in the car and while we would love for her to face us, since it's just for QUICK trips, neither she nor we seem to mind.

[jacksmoma]

i'd go with the flyer over the bee in a second...had the bee and sold it quick, so annoying and fiddly. the bee plus does look easier to use, but at $650 for the bee plus, it's a total rip imo :( both the bee and bjcm (i've had both) have baskets that are REALLY tough to get to which after two babies and MANY strollers is now a deal breaker for me, a good big basket you can ACTUALLY get to without having to go to the side and get down on the ground is a must!! the flyer has a nice big basket you can get to and it's got a ton of features for the price :) the indie is an all terrian and does not reverse but it's a great stroller if you walk outside often (i have the indie twin and love it/bumblerides in general). the vista is nice too but same price as the bee plus and has super wide back wheels which can feel clumsy and it weighs near 26lbs. gl!

[mecawa]

We almost bought a bee for DD2. I have to say I loved the Bee, the only reason I didn't get it was that we thought she would outgrow it too fast (my other DD was really tall). Other than that the sunshade was awesome, and so was the ride.

[codex57]

Hmm, it's no longer completely useless like the original Bee. HOwever, the price is so high, I got my Cameleon for not that much more.

I'd prolly just go for the BJCM, primarily cuz the Bee is narrower than the other Bugs so it's outgrown easily. And the other Bugs aren't exactly big strollers either.

[AnnieW625]

Thanks for the correction the Indie, I thought it was reversable. I know the Queen Bee is, but that thing is a tank so I didn't even suggest that.

[PGTB]

My tall daughter (7 mo) has outgrown her carseat, and therefore her Snap N Go. I need a stroller to serve the same function--quick errands in and out of the car in town, at the mall, etc. I am trying to decide between the BJCM and holding out a month for the new Bee. Obviously, there's a huge price difference. At the moment, it's very important to me to have her facing me. When she isn't, I find myself stopping frequently to check on her/calm her/interact with her. It's also somewhat important to me to have easy access to the storage basket.

I can't find anyone who actually owns a Bee! The new version seems significantly improved (with the upgrade in price to match). I'm wondering if my 7 month old will quickly outgrow the need to see me, and how often I'll really need the basket. Any thoughts?


Bugaboo Bee is my favorite choice for a travel/public transport stroller and I am also debating whether its steep price is worth it. I like the Bee for its reversible seat, narrow frame and easy maneuverability. In your situation I would definitely wait to see the new Bee Plus model at the stores. It's supposed to be able to fit larger kids with the slightly wider frame/seat and adjustable height, so it should solve some of your concerns about its longevity. They also supposedly improved the seat reversal and folding mechanism, which would be a huge plus for you getting it in and out of the car. The wings are removed, which used to make it awkward to fold and change the seat direction. The wheels are also supposed to have better suspension and provide smoother ride, although their size is still the same. If you try it and find it not worth extra expense, then at that time, hopefully you should be able to get better deals and discounts on the older Bee model.

I was having the same debate with myself whether the reversible seat feature is all that important. Many people don't find this important at all. Being a new mom, I am probably more needy than my child would be to want to face him and keep an eye on him at all times during the 1st year of his life and I don't know when and how soon it will change. I wish I knew. If I knew my baby wouldn't care facing me after 6 months and I would be comfortable with not seeing him every second, I would not even think about spending that much money on something like Bugaboo Bee for travel/public transport purposes. But if I were to have this as my one and only stroller I wouldn't mind, it really all depends on how often you use something and for how long.

If you feel like you will get tons of utilization from the Bee it would justify the price. If you feel like you are not using it enough, you can always sell it, they keep their value pretty well and then get something else. As long as you don't keep it in your storage gathering dust for all the money you'd spend.

BJCM was my other choice for the travel/public transport stroller, but I don't feel like it rides as nicely as the Bee (from testing both at the store) or at least it didn't feel like as much fun to ride. BJCM also has wider frame on the back, so I don't think it would be as maneuverable and nimble as the Bee. Both are supposed to be easy to steer one handed. The fold on the BJCM is definitely more compact (and so much easier!), I've folded them, put them side by side and compared. If I didn't care about the seat reversal I would not hesitate to get BJCM or something like Maclaren Techno XT. If you will use it in the malls a lot and at the stores, BJCM may not be even the best alternative because it's not really the smallest footprint type of frame. You might want something with a narrower frame for that.

Overall, Bee seems like such a fun stroller to use, I cannot avoid the temptation to try it again and again in every store I go to, I absolutely love the way it handles. It seems like it would be easy for my DH to just lift it with the baby in it up and down subway stairs. But don't take my word on it, I've never used it in real life situations.

[PGTB]

i'd go with the flyer over the bee in a second...had the bee and sold it quick, so annoying and fiddly.

Really? I tried the flyer at the store and found it a bit clunky and very hard to maneuver. The stroller felt bulkier than the Bee and the wheels are thicker and not easy to push and steer. I had them locked correctly when reversing the handle, but still had trouble pushing it through the narrow space between other strollers or turning it with nearly as much ease as Bugaboo Bee was able to do. I didn't even try to fold the Flyer, but I do agree that the Bee isn't always easy to fold especially because the seat wings tend to get in the way. If they did improve the entire seat reversal mechanism it would help with the fold and it would be a huge plus. Hopefully they fixed that annoying mechanism where you have to push the button while lifting the white latch on the handle at the same time or made it less stiff.

[ehf]

My goodness, thank you so much for your replies. I should have posted days ago, when my Stroller Shopping Saga began.

I absolutely love the Uppababy Vista, but it's too heavy and has too big of a footprint for my needs. I own a Maclaren Techno XLR that I bought for a great price on Craig's List, and I find that it's much too annoying for all of the running around I do. I kept it for walks around the neighborhood, but I need something lighter, easier to fold, and easier to navigate in narrow doorways.

I originally went to the store for a Maclaren Triumph, but I liked the sunshade, easy fold, and storage bag on the BJCM better. It was very easy to navigate, even though it is a bit bigger than the Triumph.

The wily salesperson introduced me to the Bee, though, and I found it more nimble than the BJCM. With my beloved reversible-seat feature, I was definitely hooked. The new one has fixed the fold and the seat reversal process. It accommodates taller children, too ...but it's $$$. The advice to check out the Bumbleride strollers was good. I hear that they aren't that smooth to push, but neither was the Snap N Go,and I valued the quick use feature more than an easy push.

Thanks for all of your thoughts. I'll let you all know how it goes.