The Bumbleride Indie 2018 is a 4th generation jogger with some minor improvements. It’s designed for active parents who enjoy light jogging and want an everyday stroller with off-road ability and LUXURY features.
Indie is perfect for moms like me, who is not a serious jogger, but still wants to go for a jog once in a while. Since I am a huge Indie fan and thought the previous model was almost perfect, I was excited to see what improvements Bumbleride came up with.
For 2018 they only had 3 updates:
1) It has an updated UPF 45+ canopy that now sits higher on the frame and can accommodate a taller child. It still offers the same great coverage.
2) The second update made the fold a little easier with redesigned release triggers.
3) New storage pockets in the back of the seat where you can put your water bottle or other small essentials.
And of course, they’ve added new colors. The new eco-friendly fabrics are made out of 100% recycled PET materials. Also, no harmful chemicals were used in the process.
Despite the upgrades, Indie 2018 still weighs only 24 lbs and can accommodate a child from birth and up to 55 lbs. It can also turn into a travel system with the most popular car seats.
It rolls on large air-filled tires that glide through any terrain. This is a great jogging stroller that you can take off-road. Easy to push even with one hand. Some other features that parents enjoy are: adjustable leg rest, adjustable handlebar, large basket, mesh window in the seat, plenty of storage, adjustable 5-point harness, and run away strap.
OVERALL
I gave the new Indie 5 out of 5 stars since I like the new updates and think that this is an outstanding jogger, one of the best on the market. It retails for around $549 and comes with an air pump and a bumper bar.
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Features
CANOPY
For 2018 the canopy has been redesigned and now sits higher on the frame offering more headroom for an older child. It still provides the same great coverage as before with two large UPF 45+ panels plus a large pop-out sunvisor that goes almost to the bumper bar.
There is also a large dark mesh peekaboo window with a magnetic closure instead of the noisy Velcro that my older model has.
HANDLEBAR
It goes all the way from 26″ up to 45.5″ from the ground. Great for shorter and taller parents. The handlebar is now covered with thermoplastic rubber instead of foam which is PVC free. Easy to clean.
There is also a convenient grip in the middle for one-hand navigation. BTW, that grip comes quite handy when I am on the phone or have a dog leash in the other hand.
SEAT
The seat is a little roomier now. It’s 14.5″ wide with a 19″ seat back and a measurement of 25″ from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. It has a one-hand infinite strap recline, but you will need both hands to bring the seat back. I am not sure why on the Bumbleride site they are saying it’s a lever recline. It’s a regular strap system.
The recline is very deep and goes to almost a flat position suitable for a newborn. Not many joggers have a FLAT recline. While you can’t jog with a newborn, this is a great option so your child spends less time in a car seat. The weight limit has also increased to 55 lbs which is what most of the joggers have.
The unique thing about this seat is that it converts into a bassinet-like environment for your little one. Recline the seat all the way back to a flat position and bring the leg rest all the way up. You don’t even need to remove the bumper bar.
There are two small pieces of material underneath the leg rest that you can clip to both sides of the seat to create a bassinet-like environment for your baby. There is also a thick piece of material that goes all the way around the top of the seat to prevent your baby from falling if you decide to unclip the canopy in the back.
You can also purchase a real bassinet and turn this stroller into a pram. Not many jogging strollers have a bassinet as an accessory.
There is also a new mesh in the back of the seat that provides better air circulation while protecting your child from sliding out when the seat is fully reclined. This is an upgrade from the previous version that only had a small piece of material.
ECO-FRIENDLY FABRICS
One of the biggest updates for Indie was the new more eco-friendly fabrics. The fabrics for the seat are now using 28 recycled bottles vs 14 that they’ve used before. They’ve also used an innovative fabric dye process that uses 89% less water and energy.
HARNESS
It has a padded adjustable 5-point harness with a new center release button in the middle. To release the harness, you will need to push a little harder on that button. I have to tell you, that buckle is a puzzle piece. It took me a few times before I got it. But, my mother still hates it!
The harness has 4 different positions. What I like about it is that you can separate the shoulder straps from the waist straps. It is easier to get younger kids out of the harness and a lot of times, older children don’t like to use those shoulder straps because they constrain them.
There is a small zipper pocket in the back of the canopy that can fit items like keys or a cell phone. More storage!
STORAGE
There are also two pockets in the back of the seat and inside of the seat.
BUMPER BAR
It comes with a removable bumper bar. Finally! For all the money we are paying for this stroller, I definitely expected a bumper bar if not a child tray. It does sit under an angle, not like the regular bumper bar we are used to. It’s covered with the same fabric as the canopy. It folds with the stroller so no need to remove it.
FOOTREST
The adjustable footrest has multiple positions including an infant mode for the bassinet-like environment. It provides the child with plenty of stretch room during naps or diaper changes.
BASKET
The basket is still large and very easy to access. The only thing they’ve added is a small zipper pocket where you can store the included air pump. It will fit a large diaper bag plus a bunch of other stuff.
For even more storage I would recommend getting a universal stroller organizer. That way you can take not only your coffee cup, but also a LOT of stuff including keys, phone, water, wallet, snacks, diapers, toys, and more. The amount of stuff it can fit is unbelievable.
WHEELS
It rolls on three 12″ air-filled tires that provide a very smooth ride. The rear wheels pop off with a push of a button to make the stroller more compact when folded. The front wheels are 360-degree swivel wheels but can be locked straight for jogging or for rough terrain.
The included air pump is a great addition since you have to get an air pump anyway for the tires.
Before there was only rear-wheel suspension, now it’s all-wheel. Love it!
BRAKE
There is a foot parking brake located between the rear wheels. It’s not flip-flop-friendly. I did scratch a few shoes and broke quite a few nails with this one.
FOLD
The one-step fold is very easy and smooth. You will need to pull on both levers (redesigned for 2018) on the side of the frame to unlock the frame bringing the rear wheels forward till it folds.
It does have a standing fold, but you will need to bend down to the ground to press the stroller together to activate the auto-lock. The folded dimensions are 32″ x 24″ x 11.5″. It’s a bulky package but is as compact as these joggers get.
I’ve complained about the lack of automatic lock from day one. The manual lock takes a lot of effort to secure. I’ve broken a few nails over the years.
TRAVEL SYSTEM OPTION
You can convert your stroller into a travel system for your newborn. It works with the most popular car seats. Check out my list of the top 10 safest car seats.
BASSINET OPTION
Not many joggers have a bassinet option. Sold separately.
Video Overview
Here is a short video overview of the updates.
Here is an overview of 2017 model.
Specs
Stroller weight: 24 lbs
Weight limit: 55 lbs
Folded dimensions: 32″ x 24.5″ x 11.5″
Handlebar height: 26″-45.5″
Seat to canopy height: 23″
Wheels: 12″
Overall length: 37″
Overall width: 24.5″
Warranty
Bumbleride provides a 3-year warranty from the original date of purchase.
Where to buy it
You can get Bumbleride Indie 2018 in one of the six beautiful colors for around $549. It comes with an air pump and a bumper bar.