Bumbleride Indie 4 Stroller Review

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know how much I love the Indie model. That is why I was so exited about release of the Indie 4. Some parents want to have four wheels instead of three because they feel that four wheels provide better stability. I think it’s matter of preference. In my opinion, four wheels ARE more stable and easier to navigate in tight spaces, but they weigh more and take up more space in your trunk. So you have to see what’s more important for you the weight or the stability. Here is my full review of Indie model.

The Indie 4 model is designed for everyday use like going to the mall, running errands, walks at the park or a beach. It’s NOT a jogger unlike the Indie model, but has all-terrain wheels and comes with a matching BASSINET so you can use it from birth. I think Bumbleride is trying to create serious competition for popular UPPABaby Vista model which also has all-terrain tires and comes with a matching bassinet. You can also convert Indie 4 to a travel system by using included universal car seat adapter.

I was happy to see that Indie 4 has some of the same features as Indie like oversized canopy, adjustable leg rest, deep recline, nicely padded roomy seat, adjustable handle bar, 5-point harness, huge basket, storage pocket, and easy fold. The seat has a deep recline and can accommodate a child from birth and up to 55 lbs. This buggy weighs 22 lbs which is 2 lbs more than Indie model. The extra weight comes as a result of an extra wheel.

I gave it 5 out of 5 stars because just like Indie model it has a lot of luxury features that parents are looking for. For me, the most important things are large all-terrain air-filled tires, all-wheel suspension, deep recline and huge canopy. I would like to see an automatic lock that actually works automatically so you don’t have to jump on top of the stroller to engage it. LOL. Other than that it’s a great stroller. It retails for around $599 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax) and comes with a bassinet, universal car seat adapter, cup holder and bumper bar.

Buy Bumbleride Indie 4 Stroller »

Pros

-Huge canopy. Indie has one of my favorite canopies. It’s huge and goes all the way to the bumper bar shielding your child completely. The cool thing about this canopy is that you can unzip it in the back (many strollers have canopies that are permanently attached to the back of the seat) allowing for the air to circulate on a hot summer day. There is large peekaboo window made out of dark mesh with MAGNETIC closure. Finally, no more noisy Velcro.

-Adjustable handle bar. The handle bar is adjustable and goes from 25″ up to 43″ from the ground. It will be great for shorter and taller parents. It has a nice foam covering with a grip in the middle.

-Run-away strap. They’ve decided to include a run away strap that is attached to the handle bar. I personally never feel the need to use it. I guess it can be useful if you going down a very steep hill.

-Roomy seat. The seat is 12″ wide with 19″ seat back and a measurement of 24″ from the bottom of the seat to the top of the canopy. The seat has a very deep recline so you can use it for your newborn if you don’t want to take a bassinet with you everywhere. You can recline the seat with one hand, but will need both hands to bring the seat back up. Of course I would like to see one-hand lever recline. For those of you who are wondering the seat if very upright in the most upright position. The recline is operated by a strap system (not my favorite). The Indie 4 also uses eco-friendly fabric that is made out of 50% recycled PET (14 plastic bottles) and 50% bamboo charcoal fiber. The seat is removable and mashine washable. The seat can accommodate a child from birth and up to 55 lbs. I am a little surprised to see a higher weight capacity of 55 lbs while Indie model has 45 lbs.

-Bassinet-like environment. There are two pieces of material underneath the leg rest that can be attached to the sides of the seat while the leg rest is lifted up creating a bassinet-like environment for your little one. It’s a cool little feature that offer extra protection to younger babies during cold weather.

-Storage pocket. There is small zipper pocket in the back of the canopy where you can put a few items like keys, sun glasses or a small wallet.

-5 point harness. There is an adjustable padded 5-point harness with a hard to unlock buckle. The harness is break away meaning the shoulder straps are not attached to the waist straps. You want to use all of them for a younger child. For a toddler, shoulder straps are not always nessery. My daughter is 2 now and I rarely use harness at all. Only when she is trowing a tantrum and I need to get her out of the mall, store, or a park. I usually strap her to the stroller and wheel her to the car where I can safely strap her to the car seat and take a breath before getting into the car. Always fun. LOL.

-Bumper bar. INCLUDED! The adjustable bumper bar is included. It goes up and down, but can be also removed for easy cleaning. It’s covered with the same material as the seat, so your child will not get a mouth full of foam if he tries to bite it. And we all know he will! You can also easily clean it by unzipping the material.

-Adjustable leg rest. The leg rest goes up and down with highest position almost 90 vertical. The foot rest is made out of durable material for easy cleaning.

-Cup holder. INCLUDED! The cup holder is removable and be placed on either side of the frame. It will fit your regular size cup or a water bottle. I found the cup holder a little flimsy. It always seams to turn to the side spilling my coffee. I wish it was a little more secure.

-Large basket. If you like to shop with your stroller, you will definitely like this basket. It is large and deep. It will fit your large diaper bag with no problems. It’s very accessible from the back, but not that much from the sides.

-Wheels. It rolls on four AIR-FILLED tires with 12″ wheels in the back and 8.5″ wheels in the front. Front wheels are swivel wheels, but can be locked straight for more stability when going over rough terrain. Since all wheels are air-filled I would recommend getting a tire pump in case you get a flat. This baby can go over ANY kind of terrain you name it! Snow, sand, grass, gravel, uneven pavement – no problem. The maneuverability is amazing!

-All-wheel suspension. The ride will be very smooth no matter what terrain you are going over. The all-wheel suspension and four air-filled tires will provide your little one with a comfy ride.

-Parking brake. The brake is located between rear wheels is is food activated. It’s not flip-flop friendly.

-Easy fold. The fold requires both hands. There is an automatic lock on both sides but you really have to have the wheels and the cup holder in the right place in order for them to engage. So, it’s sort automatic. It has a standing fold. Just like the Indie model, it is bulky. It also weighs 2 lbs more than Indie because of the extra wheel. The folded dimensions are 29″L x 24.5″W x 15″H.

-Universal car seat adapter. INCLUDED! You can even convert Indie 4 a travel system with the included Car Seat Adapter or optional Maxi Cosi /Cybex Car Seat Adapter (sold separately). The included adapter is compatible with Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 32, Graco Click Connect 40, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35, Chicco Keyfit 30, Britax Chaperone. I decided to include the list because many parents couldn’t find the info on Bumbleride site.

-Bassinet. INCLUDED! I am glad that they’ve decided to include the bassinet. It doesn’t look as sleek as I expected, but I think it’s because you have to put the bassinet on top of the seat. The Vista model looks much cooler because you can REPLACE the seat with the included bassinet. Also, I think that Vista’s bassinet looks cuter. Indie 4 bassinet looks very big and bulky. On the bright side, you can collapse the bassinet to make it more compact for traveling. The bassinet dimensions are 31.75″L x 10.5″H x 15W. The folded dimensions: 31.75″L x 6″Hx 15″W. The bassinet weighs only 4 lbs and can accommodate a child up to 19 lbs.

Cons

-Bulky. Just like Indie model, Indie 4 is also bulky and takes up a lot of space in the trunk.

-Automatic lock. The automatic lock is really not automatic. You have to make sure the cup holder is turned a certain way and the wheels are in a certain position before jumping on top of the stroller to engage the lock. I would like to see an automatic lock that locks as soon as I fold the stroller without any extra steps. Who has the time especially when your child is crying and you are in a hurry.

Video Review

Baby Gizmo has a great video review of Indie 4. Note: The handle bar goes from 25″ to 43″ and not from 26″ like they say in the video. Also, they have incorrect measurements for the seat: The seat is 12″ wide with 19″ seat back and a measurement of 24″ from the bottom of the seat to the top of the canopy.

Indie vs Indie 4

Of course the first questions I had when I saw this new model was how Indie is different from Indie 4. Here is a comparison chart for you and also a video from BabyGizmo.

Features	Indie	Indie 4
Weight	20 lbs	22 lbs
Weight Limit	45 lbs	55 lbs
Seat to Canopy	23″	24″
Wheels	Three 12″	Four 12″ and 8.5″
Peekaboo Window Closure	Velcro	Magnetic
Bassinet	None	Included
Stroller Type	Jogger	All-Terrain
Suspension System	Rear-wheel	All-Wheel
Standing Fold	No	Yes
Automatic Lock	No	Yes
Price	$499	$599

Comparison Video

Specs

Stroller weight: 22 lbs
Weight limit: 55 lbs
Folded dimensions: 29″L x 24.5″W x 15″H
Handle bar height: 25″-43″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Front wheels: 12″
Rear wheels: 8.5″
Overall length: 31″
Overall width: 24.4″

Warranty

Bumbleride provides 3-year warranty from the original date of purchase. That’s it. Here is more information on the warranty.

Available colors

Bumbleride Indie 4 is available in seven colors: jet black, aquamarine, cayenne red, fog grey, green papyrus, lotus blue and lotus pink. All of the stroller have a stainless steel frame.

Comparison Chart

If you want to see how Bumbleride Indie 4 compares to other Bumbleride strollers take a look at this comparison chart.

Where to buy it

My favorite place to buy strollers and a lot of other baby items is Amazon. It usually has the lowest prices, free shipping, free returns and no sales tax. How great is that? You can get Bumbleride Indie 4 in one of the seven beautiful colors for $599 on Amazon (free shipping/free return and no sales tax). Since this is a new model, I was not able to find any good sales on it. It comes with a bassinet, universal car seat adapter, cup holder and bumper bar.