Over All Rating Reviews :
Likes:
- Lightweight! At 11 lbs., it's almost half the weight of traditional strollers and a good 7 lbs. lighter than the Bee. I didn't think a lousy 7 lbs would make a significant difference, but it is noticables and makes all the difference to the wife. There is also a built in carry strap that is handy at the airport.
- Compact. This is the greatest advantage of the umbrella. By "collapsing" in two dimensions, the Ct0.6 takes up less room than my golf clubs. The bee only "folds" in one dimension such that it ends up taking much more trunk space.
- Overall construction. The frame seems to be sturdy and the folding mechanism seems safe and secure. The locking mechanism for the frame is a easy "step-on" bar across the rear (imagine a rear axle if you will) and clicks into place when the frame is locked open. Folding the frame requires a "pull towards you and up" double move (to prevent accidental folding of the stroller) that can be accomplished using one foot.
- Full suspension. This feature (which the Bee also has) helps to absorb bumps and irregularities on the street or sidewalk. Although the suspension on the Bee is "springier" and works a little better, to me, the suspension on the Ct0.6 works well.
- 5 point harness. Honestly, would you even consider anything these days that doesn't come with a 5 point harness?
- Sun canopy. Works well and can be "buttoned" at the rear to the top of the seat back. When unbuttoned, can be adjusted over a decent range. Somewhat small (covers maybe a 15 to 20 degree arc versus the 30-45 degree arc on the Bee).
- Handle "grips". Wonderfully rubbery and grippy and ergonomically upright.
What I don't like:
- Brakes. I don't like having to lock each rear wheel independently. I prefer the single brake pedal mechanism on the Bee. Unfortunately, I don't know that a single brake pedal is possible on an umbrella stroller due to design limitations. Of note, the brake pedals on the Ct0.6 are unusually stiff. I have to give them a good stomp before they are locked down. They also require a decent tug to release.
- Recline. I am glad that they at least offered some sort of recline here, but I have 2 complaints. 1.) It really doesn't recline much. 2.) The recline mechanism blows. I love the 4 position recline on the Bee (which, by the way, goes all the way flat) and the single handle mechanism to recline the Bee's seat. On the Chicco Ct0.6, the recline mechanism works very much like the expandable zipper on your rollaboard suitcase. In other words, you unbutton a strap at the top of the seat on either side of the seat and unzip an expansion gusset on either side (one zipper on each side) to recline the seat. It works to provide maybe an additional 15-20 degrees of recline.
No opinion on:
- Handles. There are a number of complaints here that the handles are not adjustable and are uncomfortable for some. Of course there truly isn't such a thing as "one size fits all", I believe that there is a "one size fits most" and that would apply to the Ct0.6's handles. I'm 6'0", my wife is 5'4" and we both find the Ct0.6 handles to be at an appropriate height and therefore comfortable to each of us. Anatomically speaking, shorter people have shorter arms while taller people have longer arms and for the majority of people, appropriate "grip height" would fall in a similar range (anyone who has been fitted for golf clubs should understand what I'm talking about).
Overall assessment:
Great, cheap (cost), lightweight stroller that performs wonderfully as a travel stroller and can double duty as a primary stroller for toddlers. Cheers!
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