AL compared to Lulu Guiness Butterflies

[cpster]

Okay...I'm crazy. I got AL a few weeks ago and have only rolled him around indoors...but I saw the Lulu Guiness Butterflies version on ebay and it's just so pretty! Is the frame on the Lulu Guiness not as good as the AL Ryder? Thanks for educating me as I am a Maclaren noob.

[strollerqueen]

It's good. Just smaller. I have the black leather Ryder, which is the same frame as the Al, and a Yellow Sub Quest, which is the same frame as the Butterflies. The Ryder frame is a little bigger and heavier, with bigger wheels. It also has a deeper recline. I like both of them, obviously! :thumbsup:

[poohbear]

I have al and a triumph which is basically the same as the quest which is what lulu is minus the legrest. I did a comparo I'll have to find it. Personally for an everyday stroller if I had never pushed al I'd be fine with the triumph but having both I much prefer the Ryder. I'll try to find the comparison thread and post the link. Basically what sq said but the handling is also different since al rides on larger wheels and has a suspension. Also, the ryder is less tippy because it is heavier. I also like the leather handles. That said I love my triumph for travel because it is lighter...

ETA - here's the thread: http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=365621&highlight=bjcm+triumph+ryder

keep in mind - the quest is different from the triumph in that it has a handle adjust similar to the ryder rather than a strap adjust and a legrest (the triumph does not), it also has a window on the hood and a pocket like albert (triumph doesn't). Other than that, all else is the same (wheel size, recline depth is the same per Maclaren).

[strollerqueen]

I have al and a triumph which is basically the same as the quest which is what lulu is minus the legrest. I did a comparo I'll have to find it. Personally for an everyday stroller if I had never pushed al I'd be fine with the triumph but having both I much prefer the Ryder. I'll try to find the comparison thread and post the link. Basically what sq said but the handling is also different since al rides on larger wheels and has a suspension. Also, the ryder is less tippy because it is heavier. I also like the leather handles. That said I love my triumph for travel because it is lighter...

ETA - here's the thread: http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=365621&highlight=bjcm+triumph+ryder

keep in mind - the quest is different from the triumph in that it has a handle adjust similar to the ryder rather than a strap adjust and a legrest (the triumph does not), it also has a window on the hood and a pocket like albert (triumph doesn't). Other than that, all else is the same (wheel size, recline depth is the same per Maclaren).

No, someone told you wrong. The recline on the Triumph is less, it is lighter, and the wheels are smaller. Then the Volo wheels are smaller yet, it's lighter, and there is no recline at all. Unless something has changed that I am not aware of? "Cuz I've owned a bunch of Macs, and that is what I have seen.

[poohbear]

No, someone told you wrong. The recline on the Triumph is less, it is lighter, and the wheels are smaller. Then the Volo wheels are smaller yet, it's lighter, and there is no recline at all. Unless something has changed that I am not aware of? "Cuz I've owned a bunch of Macs, and that is what I have seen.

I totally trust your comparisons; I was going on what I was told by two different cs reps from Maclaren... They said that the triumph recline and quest are exactly the same depth on the 2009 models just the adjustment mechanisms are different (I had emailed and called when I was deciding between the two after not noticing a difference in depth in the store). Both have the same wheel size in circumference, (5 inches per the Maclaren website), though maybe the Quest wheels are wider, is that what you mean? Maybe it changed at some point?

[strollerqueen]

Well, you know me, I measured, haha! And they are, or used to be, different sizes. I know they did let go a lot of their seasoned staff and hired a bunch of new people, maybe they were misinformed? I was just checking out my Volo wheels, and noticed how much smaller they were than the Quest's. My Volo was a coffee-stripe, Triumph was racing green, and Quest is the Yellow Sub, to give you an idea of the years. And for sure my Quest has more of a recline than the Triumph. But maybe, on the very newest models, it has changed?

[strollerqueen]

I was just checking out their website, and it is a bit misleading. It just says "Multiple reclines" on the Triumph. And then "4 position recline" on the Quest, Ryder, and Techno. Yet the Ryder is def flatter than the Quest, and the Techno is flatter than the Ryder. Also, it shows all the wheel sizes going up half an inch, which sounds right. So I would say the Quest wheel is 5.5", the Triumph is 5", and the Volo is 4.5".

[poohbear]

No clue! If you have them side by side I'd trust your measurements ;). Plus you are sq! My ryder has a flat recline. I remember when I was deciding between the quest and the triumph and I reclined both side by side I didn't notice a difference in how much they reclined and I couldn't find the info online of how many degrees the recline was so I contacted Mac. This was a year ago November and they told me recline depth was the same. Then in april I asked again (I was actually trying to find out about the thurston) and was told the same thing. They said the only differences in the triumph and quest were the upgraded canopy, upgraded fabrics, and legrest and recline mechanism.
Mac website says both quest and triumph wheels are 5 inches. Ryder are bigger. Volos are 4.5 inches.

Either way I would say there is a difference in handling and push between triumph and Albert thurston. and definitely a difference in recline since thurston is full

[Multimama]

Either way I would say there is a difference in handling and push between triumph and Albert thurston. and definitely a difference in recline since thurston is full

Since I don't have a Quest or Triumph, this is a very minor contribution to this conversation, but I wanted to say that in my mind the ryder recline (on Al) is *not* a full recline. A full recline is what you get on a Baby Jogger City Elite (for example) and Al's recline is not as flat as that. If you put a newborn in a ryder I think they will still be somewhat inclined.

[cpster]

Thank you ladies for all of this information! I'm going to have to take some time to digest it all.

[arivecchi]

I will have to check my Al again, but I have used it reclined and it did seem to have a full recline. I would not give up Al for Lulu. Al is too plush and too nice a ride.

[satchnbucky]

My friend has an Albert Thurston Ryder and she started using it with the head hugger when her baby was 6 weeks old. According to the Maclaren site, it is rated for use from birth....

As for the recline, I have a Quest, but I used to have a Triumph. I never noticed a difference in the recline either. Though I can't say I put the two next to each other fully reclined. Neither had a super deep recline, but both seemed fine enough for napping for a 6 month old. I found a great deal on the Quest so I gave the Triumph to my sister...

[Multimama]

I will have to check my Al again, but I have used it reclined and it did seem to have a full recline. I would not give up Al for Lulu. Al is too plush and too nice a ride.

I think it is close to flat, but not completely flat like the BJ recline. Maybe it's an optical illusion though. How could we test this scientifically?


My friend has an Albert Thurston Ryder and she started using it with the head hugger when her baby was 6 weeks old. According to the Maclaren site, it is rated for use from birth....

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't use it with a very young baby. I think as long as you're with your child, a slight incline is fine. I was just surprised when I got it because everyone raves about the flat recline and I don't think it is completely flat.

FWIW, I think the recline of the Blink is almost as flat as Al, if not as flat as Al, and it is rated from 6 months! I'll be eager for SQ to explain to us how we can measure recline depth because I'm having trouble picturing it.