If you are one of the many parents confused about making a decision to buy the Bob Revolution SE or Baby Jogger City Elite, I understand your concerns. Both strollers are very popular for their quality, and moms and dads want one or the other, or both when they can’t make up their minds. The good news is, once you have defined what you will use a stroller for, the choice between the Revolution SE and Baby Jogger City Elite is a simple one. Parents that were once in your position, and decided on either stroller, love their purchase to bits for different reasons.
Both strollers are very versatile and highly maneuverable with swivel front wheels that can be locked, but the difference between them is that the BOB Revolution SE is an all terrain jogging stroller, while the Baby Jogger City Elite, though the name may suggest otherwise, is not a stroller for jogging. And the manufacturer carries a warning to alert parents not to jog with the City Elite.
However, parents love the City Elite because it is sleek and robustly. It folds in one quick and easy step and automatically locks when folded. For City use, and there is the clue in the name, the Baby Jogger Elite is nippy around town, turn easily at corners with the smaller tires that you will never worry topping up with air, because it is foam filled. It is a luxury stroller you can put to regular daily use in any terrain, like strolls in your neighbor, walks in the parks, trips to the shopping mall, and is also great for traveling.
Having said all that for the Baby Jogger City Elite, it is not intended for jogging. But have parents used it for a jog, of course they have, as many have admitted online. But as much as I love the stroller, I would not jog with my baby in the City Elite.
If you are planning to jog, and for keen and serious joggers, the BOB Revolution SE is the versatile jogging stroller that will serve you and your baby well. The BOB is a swivel front wheel stroller, just like the City Elite. It turns just as easily at tight corners, and the front wheel can be locked forward in a jogging mode when you are ready to step up your pace. The high impact tires on the Revolution SE are bigger, air filled and tackle rough and uneven terrains smoothly.
We will look at the differences and similarities between the strollers in more details below, but apart from one being a stroller, and the other a true jogging stroller, Baby Jogger City Elite and the Revolution SE can be used in any terrain. Whichever stroller meets your need, you can’t go wrong with either stroller, as they have both brought joy and satisfaction to many families that have purchased them.
Bob Revolution SE & Baby Jogger City Elite Are Now Discontinued!!
You may like these Recommended New Editions of Bob Revolution & Baby Jogger Strollers
What are Different Between Bob Revolution SE vs Baby Jogger City Elite
The major differences between the Revolution SE and City Elite are by design. They are features, though different, allow each stroller perform and serve parents and their baby better.
Wheels and Tires – The 3 wheels on the Baby Jogger City Elite are 12 inches, compared to 12.5 inch front wheel and 16 inch rear wheels on the BOB Revolution SE. The smaller wheels on the City Elite work out better for pushing and manoeuvring the stroller in crowded urban environment, but for jogging, a stroller with bigger wheel is what you need.
The City Elite has what is called Forever-Air tires, which are rubber tires inflated with a lightweight foam that ensures the tires don’t deflate, or ever need topping up with air as you will find on the Revolution SE that has pneumatic or air filled tires.
Baby Weight Capacity – For the single strollers, the Revolution SE can carry babies from birth to 70 lbs/31.7 kg weight limit, but the City Elite will do even better with a child’s weight capacity of 75 lbs/ 34 kg. The Revolution SE Duallie has a weight limit of 100 lbs/45 kg, compared to 99 lbs/45 kg of the City Elite.
The weight capacities include any other load on the strollers you may be carrying with your baby. There isn’t much difference between the strollers in the weight of a child they can carry, and being at the upper end of heavy duty strollers, they are ideal strollers babies can grow with till their infant years.
Suspensions – While the Baby Jogger City Elite has a suspension on the front wheel to cushion the ride for your baby, the BOB Revolution SE has a more effective suspension on both sides of the frame that can be independently adjusted to suit the weight of a child. On rougher terrains, the shock absorber on the Revolution SE out performs that on the City Elite, but you would expect that because the BOB is designed for serious and long distance jogging, unlike the City Elite that you are expected to use for strolls, and maybe brisk walks.
Handlebar Height – As a tall parent at 6 ft plus, this is where I really like the Baby Jogger City Elite with its adjustable handlebar that you can raise or lower from 33″ to 46″. It is more comfortable to push a stroller when the handle is at the right level for your height, and I think manufacturers should have adjustable handles in all strollers. The Revolution SE you will find has a handlebar that is 40″ high that you cannot adjust.
Parking Brakes – Both strollers have very effective rear parking brakes that parents are advised to use to keep the strollers firmly stationary when they come to a stop. While the parking brake of the BOB Revolution SE is foot operated, I like the hand operated brake on the City Elite as it is more convenient to use with the lever located on the handlebar.
Single or Double Stroller? – If you are looking after a child and expecting another, or a family with two children to take out doors, the Revolution SE and can be purchased in the double version that will carry two, the City Elite though still available in earlier model in double stroller, the latest can be purchased only as single stroller.
BOB Revolution SE Single Stroller – NavyCheck Today’s Price
BOB Revolution SE Single Stroller – PlumCheck Today’s Price
BOB Revolution SE Single Stroller – OrangeCheck Today’s Price
Baby Jogger City Elite Single Stroller – SandCheck Today’s Price
Baby Jogger City Elite Single Stroller – RedCheck Today’s Price
Baby Jogger City Elite Single Stroller – BlackCheck Today’s Price
Similarities between Bob Revolution SE and Baby Jogger City Elite
The strollers are designed and built for the need of parents with different lifestyles, one more active with jogging than the other. The Revolution SE and Baby Jogger City Elite are surprisingly similar in may features as I will show you below:
Manoeuvrability and Easy to Fold – The swivel front wheel can be locked forward in the City Elite for long strolls, and in the BOB Revolution SE for jogging. The versatility they offer in easy turns at corners, and the ability to use the strollers in all terrains, are features many parents want in a stroller. They fold into compact sizes with ease in quick steps, though I prefer the one-handed single step fold of the City Elite, a unique feature you will find in all Baby Jogger Strollers.
Weather Canopy – The sun canopy on both strollers are large and can be moved back and forth in many positions to provide the best shade, and shield your baby from the elements. There is a clear viewing window on the canopies that will allow you keep a close eye on your baby.
Weight of Strollers :-
Baby Jogger City Elite Single – 26 lbs, 11.8 kg
Baby Jogger City Elite Double – 39.2 lbs, 17.8 kg
BOB Revolution SE Single – 25lb, 11.34kg
BOB Revolution SE Double – 34lb, 15.3kg
The Baby Jogger City Elite may look deceptively smaller with the sleeker design, there is actually very little separating the weight of the strollers, with the BOB Revolution SE Single to my surprise weighing 1 lbs less than the City Elite!
Infant Car Seat Compatibility – For parents with newborns, it is good news to know that you can convert both strollers into baby travel systems with purchase of optional infant car seat adapters, and compatible child carseats.
You can fit the Revolution SE and the City Elite with popular infant car seats from Britax, Peg Perego, Maxi Cosi, Cybex, Chicco, Graco and Evenflo. Most of the infants seats are connected rear facing to the strollers, which helps to bond with your baby as you are facing each other.
Recommended Manufacturer Prices of Both Strollers :-
City Elite Single – $399.99
BOB Revolution SE Single – $449.00
City Elite Double – $579.99
BOB Revolution SE Double – $659.00
As their list prices indicate, strollers from either BOB or Baby Jogger are not cheap. They are considered as luxury strollers, and very well made. These are however selling prices recommended by the manufacturers, the strollers can be purchased far cheaper from online stores like Amazon.
At the time I was writing this review, the Revolution SE is selling at a 25% discount on Amazon, and the deal may still be available if you check today.
Which would you Buy, the Revolution SE or Baby Jogger City Elite ?
You would have guessed my recommendations, when I opened this review by saying that one of these strollers is for jogging, and the other is not intended for joggers. I class them as heavy duty strollers, solidly built and highly maneuverable to carry the weight of toddlers, infants, and big kids.
If you do not plan on jogging with a stroller, and prefer brisk and power walking, I would go for the Baby Jogger City Elite as you would find it turns easier with the smaller wheels, which is great for every day use in a city, and will suit tall parents better with the higher adjustable handle.
But for any parents planning to jog with a stroller, the BOB Revolution SE is without doubt the stroller to buy. You will enjoy the versatility available in the City Elite, but more important is that you can jog and even do some running to your heart’s content with the Revolution SE – that is what it is designed to do better than the City Elite.
BOB Revolution Flex jogging stroller is an improved version of the Revolution SE with additional features like an adjustable handle that can either increase or reduce the pushing height.
BOB Revolution FLEX Stroller Black
BOB Revolution FLEX Duallie Stroller Black
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