Bugaboo Bee

We looked at a lot of strollers, one of the key features we were looking for was the ability to have baby face us, and for a flat/bassinet setting. Since one of our friends had the other Bugaboo, we… definitely did not want a 2 piece. It came down to the Bee or the Uppababy (which could fold in 1 piece when facing a certain way). The Bee one out during a test drive because of its smaller footprint. Much easier to maneuver around tight aisles, like malls, supermarkets, etc. The smaller wheels means you won't be taking it off-road very much. The whole drivetrain is quite springy, which can be an advantage at soaking up all sorts of vibrations. Or not. At any rate, baby likes it. Some other review noted a big negative with the flexibility, maybe even went as far to state that it was dangerous. It is true that with the small wheels and the flexible suspension that if you hit a large obstacle, it will not go over it easily and flexes instead. As to it being dangerous, well, you have to be some kind of nut in a sprint for anything like that to happen. The baby is strapped in and you are presumably at a brisk walking pace at most, so you have to be some kind of idiot to get yourself in trouble here. Some of the plus points: - Relatively small and light compared to other strollers in this class - Folds easily, single piece - Folds down flat so baby can sleep in it if required. - The canopy is really flexible in how you can arrange it to shield the sun/wind, whatever. I was nice that it came with the rain shield. - The underneath storage is quite handy. We've never felt the need for more space and we stash a lot of things down there (including the occasional grocery run). - Height adjustable handles are great, short enough for the short ones and can extend as high as you need it. Some bits that need improvement: - The baby sits lower than other strollers in this range. I'd prefer it higher up - Unfolding the stroller is kind of finicky sometimes. There are some bits that are easy to fold, but since they tend to dangle loose and aren't spring loaded or anything, when you need to unfold it out, these tend to be in the wrong place and you have to fiddle with it a bit. That's about it. Overall highly recommended unless you need an off-road stroller or need to go jogging.

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We loved the Bee's size and mobility -- it folds up easily, fits through most doors and has survived various airports and airlines, meaning that it's sturdy too. The brakes stopped working consistently… after a while. We learnt through a friend that the stroller was being recalled (no thanks to the company) and that new brakes would be provided. After we filled out the form, absolutely nothing happened for many weeks. Which is a long time with a stroller that we use every day. Customer service for North America is terrible ... it took nearly an hour for them to answer the phone ... now we're promised the brakes will arrive in two weeks. We'll see -- it's a great stroller, but for the money that it costs, we expected a lot more in terms of customer care ... mistakes happen, but a stroller without functioning brakes is a real problem!

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We were very excited to get a lightweight stroller that looked so trendy. The weight and portability were great at first, and it makes a great base for a car seat if you buy the graco car seat adapter.… With the car seat adapter, the seat is also higher, which is one complaint about the stroller. But within months, there were two massive problems: 1) The brakes stopped working most of the time, unless you kicked it a few times til it clicked in, and 2) The middle recline level did not hold, making the seat wobbly and uneven. Compounding this was the fact that my wife had trouble folding it in the first place, and we needed a new stroller. Problem #1 is the reason the stroller was recalled, although they just sent out a brake kit to fix the problem. Fast forward a few months, and my daughter is an 18 lb 6 month old, and she is already busting out of the stroller. So do not listen when it says the weight range is 40 lbs, because that is only true if your child is tall and 40 lbs, but if you have a heavier infant (my daughter is only in the 50th percentile), this is not the stroller for you. I did call Bugaboo, and they were very nice (after the long wait time) and agreed to send me a new stroller since mine was clearly broken. But I will not be recommending this stroller to people anytime soon.

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I purchased the Bee in September 2008, my baby was born Nov. 1. The breaks didn't work! One or both of the sides wouldn't lock. I live on a hill in Seattle so this is a big issue. I contacted Bugaboo in… December and they sent me a new base which had a new break system. Same thing defective breaks. I can't return to the retailer because Babies R Us purchased the retailer in February and don't guarantee any purchases So come June a friend of mine let me know there was a break recall by the cpsc. link to recall -[...] Apparently the company is sending out a clip on piece that is supposed fix this. I am irritated that Bugaboo did not proactively tell me about this recall via email or send me the new clip part. After complaining, again, Bugaboo has sent me yet again another new stroller with the break clip piece. The breaks still don't work! Also, Uppababy strollers are replacing Bugaboo's in many top boutiques in Seattle and Bellevue. Retailers have told me that they've had a difficult time dealing with the Bugaboo company too.

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The shocks on this stroller are extremely springy. I thought this was a good thing, but when the front stroller wheel got caught on a metal piece on the sidewalk, it seemed like the shocks sprung my son and… I off the curb into the asphalt. I initially thought that the lightweight feature of this stroller was a bonus, but in a fall, the stroller seemed so fragile. I wish there was a roll bar going across it, so that my son's head could have avoided hitting the asphalt. He's okay now, but I am still shaken up from that experience.

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