The Bumbleride Indie Twin review

Quick Summary: As a Mum of a 5 Month old and a 17 Month old, I do like the Bumbleride Indie Twin. It would definitely be high on my list given the fact it can be used as a travel system, and it fits through standard doorways too. I live in suburbia though, and it is probably a little overkill for the sort of use my pushchairs get.

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The Bumbleride Indie Twin is a side by side stroller, ideal for active families. It is new to the UK market and is suitable for children aged 6 months and over. It is compatible with a range of car seats, so you can use it as a double travel system. You can purchase carrycot(s) for use with newborn(s) too. As an active Mum of an infant and a toddler, I couldn't wait to give the Bumbleride Indie Twin the once over! I loved the fact it has independently adjustable seats, hoods and footrests, so you can meet each child's needs, independently. At just 29 inches wide, it will easily fit through standard doorways - without the cup holder attached!  

Chassis

The aluminium chassis on the Indie Twin looks great in its silver finish and at only 74cm wide, will fit through a standard door.

The overall quality of the chassis itself is excellent, with crisp clean welds and excellent plastics. The Indie looks like it will last a lifetime.

The Bumbleride Indie handlebar can be adjusted very easily, by pushing the two grey buttons that reside on the inside.

It then rotates through 165 degrees and 6 positions going from 66cm to 109cm in height. This height range makes the indie a great option for families with one taller or shorter parent. Both will be able to push it comfortably. 

The Indie Twin has 4 x 12 inch air filled tyres allowing it to be used on any type of terrain. Off roading is certainly not off limits, and you can navigate steps and uneven terrains very easily. Only the rear wheels have suspension which should do an ok job, but it is no range-rover! As with most off-road pushchairs, the front wheels can be locked into position or used in swivel mode.

The Bumbleride Indie Twin is by no means light. It weighs in at 34lb (15.4kg). Pushing it isn't difficult, but it is awkward to lift. It doesn't fold very small, either, but you can fold it with the seats in place. The folded dimensions are: W29xD32xH15in (74x82x39cm) which will fill the boots of most medium size UK cars. You can remove the wheels easily enough to reduce the height and depth a bit and the frame does lock into place when you fold it.

The Indie can hold upto 90lb (40.5kg) in weight. This means that you can have 2x 45lb (20kg) children in there. The seats though are quite narrow for children of this size but that is more a function of design. My son is 30lb at just 17 Months old, and is really tall and thin. He can sit in the seat, but has very limited space, and cannot put his arms by his sides. 

Fold

The Bumbleride Indie Twin needs quite a lot of space to fold and unfold it. It's quite a big beast. I'll be honest – it took me a good ten attempts before I mastered it without difficulty. This wouldn't be an issue in rural areas, but I can imagine it would be a bit of a nightmare in a confined, city centre car park or when getting on public transport. It folds in one piece, though – so at least you don't have to remove parts – unless you're using it in travel system or carrycot mode of course.

To fold, pull the two levers on each outer edge of the chassis towards you using your index finger. (Note to Bumbleride, guys, you need to add a trigger on the top of this toggle so you can use two fingers - its a little hard with just one). Once you have pulled the triggers back, push the handle forward towards the front. Then grab the two straps and lift pushing the rear wheels under the front. The chassis has a lock, but this it not easy to use when already having two hands on the straps. I can see most people lifting it into their car without the lock in place. 

To unfold, Lift the pushchair with a handle at the rear and being careful not to trap your fingers, pull the rear wheels out with your other hand. The pushchair is now up on its wheels and you can pull the handle back and lock it in place.

As I have said earlier, the Indie twin is not easy to fold or unfold. It requires a knack and some strength. This is of course a nature of its remit (being off road capable and holding two children).

Seat

The seat units are fixed into place, and don't need to be removed for folding. The rigid backrests are adjusted using the strap and toggle method and can be lowered with one hand. Putting them back up is another matter, with a two handed approach required. This would be even harder when you had a reluctant toddler pushing back at you. The good news is, they can be independently adjusted; so one child can nap, while the other watches the world go by. The seats have excellent seat padding that gives great support and comfort and the covers can be removed for cleaning. 

The 5 point shoulder harnesses can be adjusted to 3 different locations and are easy to open and close for a parent, but not too easy that little fingers can help an escape!

The Bumbleride Indie Twin has adjustable footrests, which can be moved independently. They move up to horizontal too, so sleeping toddlers can also benefit from great leg support. Adjustment is via two small buttons on the inside. This can be a little fiddly at times, but does the job. 

The basket is huge, and there is plenty of room for shopping even with the rain shield stored in there. Access is easy when the seats are in an upright position, but trickier when they are reclined. 

The hoods on the Bumbleride Indie Twin are massive coming really far forward when extended.  They have a new design of lining; this offers SPF 45 protection. The fantastic canopies also reflect heat, so children can remain cool and protected from the sun's harmful UV rays. You can remove the hoods easily, should you want to. They are easy to pull open and closed when in position, and have viewing windows so you can check on your children, too.

Carrycots and Car Seats

The Bumbleride Indie Twin can also be used with Bumbleride Carrycot(s). This allows the infant(s) to lie flat, and be parent facing. The carrycot is narrower than on a single pushchair measuring 27cm x 77cm internally, but it is sturdy, and looks great when it is in place. The carrycot takes seconds to install slotting in where the hood normally fits. Removal is also quick but hampered slightly by the tight fit. When not in use, the carry cot folds down flat. The carry cot includes a mattress, hood and a zip on carrycot cover.

An optional universal car seat adaptor bar is available. This allows you to use your Bumbleride Indie Twin as a double travel system. It can hold one or two carseats, so is perfect for twins, as well as siblings.

If you want to use two car seats at the same time, you need to purchase the Maxi-Cosi dual adapter system, then the Indie Twin can accommodate 2 x Maxi-Cosi car seats.

Conclusion

As a Mum of a 5 Month old and a 17 Month old, I do like the Bumbleride Indie Twin. It would definitely be high on my list given the fact it can be used as a travel system, and it fits through standard doorways too. I live in suburbia though, and it is probably a little overkill for the sort of use my pushchairs get.

The Indie is quite heavy, and takes up too much space for me to store it in the house. It virtually fills my Vauxhall Insignia boot too, so isn't very practical for taking shopping.

The seat recline mechanism lets it down, but this is common on so many of today's pushchairs. That said, the basket is huge! The fold style is something that is unavoidable with this type of pushchair and definitely requires a knack. 

I would highly recommend the Bumbleride Indie Twin to someone who lives in a rural area, or does a lot of off road walking. If you drive a 4x4, you won't have an issue with boot space, either.

I would have to knock off 1 mark for the fact it is so bulky to store, and the fold is tricky. The weight isn't something you can change, without losing all of the other benefits. It isn't the prettiest double I have ever seen, but it is very practical, functional and great if you spend a lot of time in the great outdoors and above all excellent quality.