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How does it look?
If you have spent several hundred pounds on your dream pushchair, I feel your accessories should add to the wow factor, not jar with the design.
Attaching to your pushchair
Attaching Bumprider could not be easier. In a matter of seconds, I had it hitched up to the Mountain Buggy Terrain we had for the weekend. The connection system uses a clever ‘strap’ based retainer system which the board hooks into using the connectors at the end of each arm. Once the board is connected, all you have to do is set the arm length, adjust the height/level of the board with the angle adjuster screws and you are ready to go.
The board can be removed in seconds by unhooking it from the connectors which can be left on the pushchair ready for next time.
On the road
Adding a platform behind the rear wheels is not something a manufacturer generally considers when designing a pushchair. Adding a toddler board can therefore cause all sorts of ‘handling’ issues due to handlebar / weight location, an increase in the number of axles and the addition of more wheels.
Generally, I don't like toddler boards, due to the fact they make pushchairs hard to turn, not steer straight and tricky to manage when a kerb comes into view.
I can safely say that this is the Bumprider’s real party trick. The handling was excellent! When pushing your pushchair – apart from the weight increase, you do not really know you have a toddler board attached. You can zoom in and around tight shops, bump across cobbles (the suspension is excellent and based on a motorcross bike) and bump up and down kerbs. It never once pulled the Mountain Buggy left or right as we wondered down the pavement. I was impressed.
There is a downside, and a pet hate of mine. Unlike the Lascal Buggy Board, the wheels are a little closer to the centre line. This means that I had to stand a little further back to stop catching my toes. Mrs PT had no problems, but for me it was something I had to get used to.
Conclusion
The Bumprider is an excellent toddler board. The handling really is brilliant, it is very easy to push, does not make the pushchair hard to manoeuvre anywhere and does not pull your pushchair off line at all. You barely know it is attached.
If you have spent several hundreds of pounds on your pushchair, style is an important consideration when buying accessories. Bumprider oozes good looks and excellent design and is at home attached to a Stokke as it is to a stroller.
The only down side for me is the issue of catching my toes. There is space for my feet between the wheels, it is just not quite wide enough. The Lascal Buggy Board does this part better.
However, I can live with the toe catching. Bumpriders handling and style make it the number one toddler board for me.
The old guard needs to watch out – there is a new kid on the block looking to bump them off the top spot!
