The City Mini GT Single and Double Strollers are new additions for 2012 to the Baby Jogger line. The GT versions offer some major improvements over the regular City Minis while carrying over the basic models' ease of use and simple design.
== City Mini Double GT vs. non-GT ==
The GT's main attraction vs. non-GT is roomier seats for your kid. The shoulder room on the City Mini Double is only 11", which the GT bumps up to 12". Max height on the GT is 26" vs. the non-GT's 23". Both double strollers offer 100 lbs. capacity. Both models recline to a near-flat position, which we use with our infant instead of a car seat adapter.
The GT's 8.5" forever-air tires allow the GT to competently handle grass and gravel. While they provide overall better handling without the hassle of filling them with air, they don't provide the same level of shock absorption as traditional air-filled tires.
The handle bar is now adjustable to several angles, making it not only more comfortable for tall and short parents but the GT can better accomodate the Baby Jogger Glider Board For City/Summit because it is easier to move the handle bar out of the way. The handlebar on the GT also has a handbrake vs. the non-GT's foot brake. The handbrake is very convenient since it is easy to see and takes minimal effort to operate.
The canopies on the GT have 2 peek-a-boo windows vs. the non-GT's one window. The canopies also provide better coverage.
The GT is roughly 6 lbs. heavier.
Dimensions (L x W x H):
City Mini Double GT ------ City Mini Double
44" x 29.5" x 43.5" ------38.5" x 29.75" x 41.5"
31" x 29.5" x 12.5" (folded)--31" x 29.75" x 11.25" (folded)
26" x 29.5" x 12.5" (folded w/ front wheels detached) -n/a
== City Mini Double GT vs. The Rest ==
There are a dizzying number of great strollers on the market now. The Uppababy Vista, Baby Jogger City Select and BOB Revolution Duallie all seemed to offer their own strengths and weaknesses. While the City Mini GT isn't quite as wide as the BOB Duallie, it is quite a beast unfolded. My main concern was being able to fit the City Mini Double GT into my very small 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid sedan trunk. My trunk just barely fits my BOB Revolution single stroller with the wheels on. The City Mini GT Double doesn't fit with the wheels on, but with the two front wheels detached, it is an easy fit. With all four wheels off, I actually have more room in my trunk than with the BOB Revolution single since the height of the stroller decreases by several inches. The wheels attach and detach very easily.
Compared to the Vista and City Select, the City Mini GT Double is simpler and less versatile. With the GT (assuming you have a normal trunk) you can just fold it and toss it in, whereas as most other double strollers will require detaching seats etc. While the simple reclining of the GT's seats works well for us, other strollers offer a dozen or more configurations thanks to those detachable seats. The GT would be great for twins or parents who already own a decent single stroller, but I won't be lugging it around the times I only have one kid with me. Maneuverability is an issue with all double strollers whether you choose one that's long (vista, select) or wide (mini, duallie). The GT fits through all standard doorways, but will be problematic in many stores with cramped aisles. The GT is not ideal for shopping malls.
== Final Thoughts ==
I am very satisfied with the City Mini GT Double stroller. It fulfills my family's needs thanks to its all-terrain wheels, great canopies, smooth handling, easy folding and relatively compact folding size when needed. We have a BOB Revolution SE Single Stroller, Black (as mentioned), Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller, Carmine Rose/Coffee, and a Graco SnugRider Infant Car Seat Stroller Frame. Thanks to either poor planning or a priority for accommodating our children we now have four strollers. The SnugRider gets the most use right now as we use it for trips where our 2 year old can walk or be carried and our infant is best left in the car seat to nap. The BOB is great for the beach or jogging with our toddler. The Maclaren would be a good option for taking along with the SnugRider sometimes, but will most likely see more use when our infant is two or three.
If you are just getting your first stroller for your first kid. I would certainly recommend checking out on of the other strollers mentioned in this review. Or if you are set on getting one expensive stroller to fulfill all of your needs, then you may want a stroller than can be configured as a single stroller. If you have twins or are in a similar situation to me, then I would enthusiastically recommend the City Mini Double GT.
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I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 3 month old. I obsessively researched double strollers for months and ultimately decided upon the City Mini GT Double because I really wanted a stroller that would be relatively light and easily foldable, as well as all terrain to handle the bumpy sidewalks and grass in my neighborhood. The GT does deliver on these points! It is wonderfully smooth and maneuverable over bumps and can be easily pushed with one hand. It is 32lbs, but that's still pretty light for a double, and it feels lighter to lift because of the built in folding handles that you can also use to carry it. It is very flat when folded and you can take the wheels off to make it even flatter and shorter. It gets down to about 25" by 30" folded without the wheels and can fit flat in the back of my husband's Honda Fit! Also, the fold is the simplest and easiest around, although the auto lock they built into this model is decidedly NOT simple. The side of the seat gets in the way every time and I have to push, pull and mess around with it way too much in order to make it work. This is a new feature, so I guess it's not surprising they didn't get it right the first time. The other main thing that bothers me is the basket, since it is still not very easy to access even though they've improved it by swooping the support bar down. You can get a decent amount of stuff in there, it's just not simple to get it out again with out struggling with it. I'm probably just used to baskets that are much more open and easy to access. I did read about having to snap and unsnap the safety straps every time you use it and I was concerned about that at first, but after reading more about it it seems like that's pretty much a CYA kind of thing, more to protect Baby Jogger, than to protect kids. I can't see any way that the stroller would fold up while the kids are in it and I haven't used the snaps at all. One last thing that this stroller desperately needs is a parent organizer. I will be buying one of those as soon as I decide which one to get. This is my first time purchasing a very expensive stroller like this and it was a hard thing to do. However, if the ease of use gets me to use it more often then it will be worth it. Also, as someone else mentioned, these strollers retain their value very well on Craigslist and I plan to take advantage of that.
Overal, I'm very happy with this purchase. My kids fit in it well and it's a very easy stroller to use everyday. I would recommend it as an all purpose, easily transportable double stroller that will work great just about any situation.
[Edit]: I just recently discovered that it is possible to unsnap all the snaps holding the basket on and reposition it a little lower down on the stroller. This small adjustment makes a big difference in terms of making the basket more accessible. It's still not ideal but it helps a lot!
[Edit #2]: After using the stroller for a little over a month, one of the front wheels started popping into fixed mode on it's own while strolling. This is much more than just a minor flaw; very disappointing! I was able to get a replacement wheel easily enough through Baby Jogger customer service, but I'm very worried that this will happen again. The swivel wheel toggle mechanism starts out very tight on the brand new wheels, but seems to get looser and looser as it is used. I'm really hoping that this problem is not something intrinsic to these wheels.
Final Edit 11/12/12: I just wanted to quickly update my review to say that the wheels work fine now, several months after getting replacements, and I've had no further issues. I appreciate the ease and versatility of this stroller more and more every time I use it! One last tip that I can offer is to consider the option of just getting the double belly bar instead of the car seat adaptor. I'm sure it's not officially approved to be used with a car seat, but I've used it that way and it works fine. Most of the weight rests on the seat, not on the bar. Plus, the belly bar is a great accessory anyway. I love how it is adjustable! Also, get the BOB Duallie Handlebar Console. It fits great and makes the stroller even more convenient to use.
Best Deals for Baby Jogger City Mini GT Double Stroller
This is one amazing stroller! It is phenomenal, and I can't even say how much I love it! It is so easy to maneuver, and turns on a dime, even loaded down. I have a 3 year old who weighs 43 pounds and is 43" tall, and a 11 month old who weighs around 20 pounds. When I push them both it does not pull in either direction. It is so easy to push, even with one child weighing twice as much as the other. I can literally push it with one finger. The wheels are amazing, and are just what I was looking for in a stroller. They can handle the rough gravel around my neighborhood very easily. I love the larger seats. My kids tend to be bigger than average and this works great for us. The adjustable handlebar is amazing, and is NOT made of that foam stuff that gets easily torn. I also love the hand parking brake. I didn't think the hand brake was necessary when I bought it, but now it's one of my favorite features. You can engage the brake when you're in front of the stroller, which is nice. We looked at Phil and Ted doubles also, but picked this one because I need both of my kids to be able to nap at the same time. You can't do that with a Phil and Ted. Also, it strolls through doorways so easily. I'm always amazed at people's reactions when it fits through doors because no one ever thinks it's going to make it, but it does! :) As far as the cons, it is a little heavy when it's folded, but that's because it has a high quality frame and I would prefer that over having a light stroller. Also, there is not a whole lot of storage on the bottom, but there are going to be things you don't like with any stroller. Everyone wants a smaller, compact stroller, but with that comes a smaller footprint and thus less storage. Also, the kids do sit back a little in it, and it seems like they don't get a lot of air flow when it's hot outside and they're sitting fully upright. I think this is more of a heat issue and not a stroller issue though. When the seat is reclined even a little there is excellent air flow. All in all, it is absolutely wonderful, and I find myself looking for excuses to bring it when I go somewhere!
REVISED:
I have owned the stroller for less than a month, and like other reviewers, one of the front wheels started locking automatically. I was at the library and literally had to unlock it ten times before I got back to my car. I called customer service and they were very helpful and are sending me two new complete wheel assemblies. Hopefully it'll fix the problem and it won't happen again... I would still rate it a 5 because it's an awesome stroller, but if it happens again I won't feel the same way.
REVISED AGAIN:
I received the new wheel and have been using it for a few months now. I absolutely love it! It is an amazing stroller. We just took it to Disneyland and it saved us! Both kids could nap at the same time, it was a life saver.
Honest reviews on Baby Jogger City Mini GT Double Stroller
We LOVE LOVE LOVE our stroller! We looked at alot of different double strollers for a long time and decided to splurge on this one. I had a cheap double stroller (Graco inline) that I got for $50 (craig's list)that was used. I used it for a year. Hated every minute.
Reasons we got it:
One of the lightest double strollers there is both in lifting and pushing.
Pushing it is a sinche! it turns so easily!
Seats recline completely flat and the recline tool is slick!
Folds super easy and quick it is actually as compact as my single stroller. You can also take off the wheels to get it more compact, but we never do.
Can also be used for jogging (even though their disclaimer says not I thought it was fine it's more just that they have to say that for safety)
I like the side by side because our last one was a tandem (in-line) and whoever was in the back was constantly kicking the one in front of them...
This stroller fits in every doorway we've taken it through so it feels more compact
I loved the shades because they actually cover practically the whole seat!
We wanted a stroller that could fit 3 kids since we'll probably have another one next year to make 3 kids under 5. Baby Jogger strollers have an attachment that is like a skateboard that clips on the back axle where your 3rd child can stand on whenever they want a ride, or if they want to walk, you can just flip it up. Here is the link -
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-Glider-Board-Summit/dp/B00318CLAK
My friend has the City Select, and although she loves it, I watch her hassle with having to take apart the double seat every time she puts it in the car annoying?? yes! I love how quick mine folds!
Perks for the GT:
Everything above fits the City Mini and the City Mini GT. We debated for a week which one to get since the City Mini is about $200 less... which is quite the big deal...
but in the end we decided to get the GT for these reasons -
the GT is taller and when we went to the store our 2 1/2 year old had practically outgrown the head space in the Mini (it was cramped) and if he still is going to be in it another year at least then we wanted the taller one.
the GT has an adjustable handlebars which are AWESOME at first I didn't think that was a big deal, but now I love them! Also the Glider board fits better with the GT since the handlebars adjust.
Cons for the City Mini GT:
The storage underneath is hard to access, however, I read on a review to unbutton the storage and move it lower which I did, and now the storage is good, I can fit my big diaper bag under it and tons of other stuff however you have to acces it from the side, because there is a big bar in the back. The first time I used it I thought it was kind of annoying and now I haven't even thought about it again until now!
There is not cup holders for any Baby Jogger strollers, which is also how BOB strollers are too I guess more high end strollers are. Anyway you can buy an attachment both for you and the boys... We haven't actually bought one yet but we plan too. We just nestled our waterbottles in the shade folds but not good for open drinks. For the boys we won't get one because we can just hand them their drinks and they hold them next to them, but for us we definitely want one.
The Infant carseat attachment doesn't look very cool... our baby was 1 when we got our GT so I don't have experience with an infant, but the seat reclines completely, so we're just planning on taking the baby out of their carseat and laying them down in it.
The City Mini has a bar in the middle of the handlebar which allows you to use the universal parent console to connect one from the side to the middle, however the GT does not have a par in the middle (due to the adjustable handlebar), but that also means we have to find a drink console that will fit across the whole space. which we haven't found one we like yet.
Over all 5 stars because we LOVE it and it was totally worth every penny!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Baby Jogger City Mini GT Double Stroller
We inherited a Phil and Ted's E3 after we had our second baby and used it for a while, until my younger daughter was old enough to realize that she didn't like sitting in that rear seat. Every outing we took with the stroller devolved into a crying fit as the kids would cry over who got to sit in front. I decided to look at the Sit and Stand strollers, but my five year old insisted that she wanted to sit next to her sister.
So, my side by side double stroller search began. I wanted to check them out in person, so I went to my local Buy Buy Baby to test drive them and I am so glad that I did! Most of the strollers I was considering had similar reviews here so I was leaning toward the Joovy Scooter X2 because of the price and good reviews. As soon as I put my kids in it and started to push it through the aisles of the store, we knew this was not the stroller for us. Due to the weight difference between my kids (roughly 20lbs) the stroller would pull to the heavier side and was hard to steer. We also tried the City Mini Double (Non GT) and the Britax B Agile. Those were both okay, but the B Agile skittered around corners. With the weight of my older kids, the GT handled beautifully. I could literally spin the stroller with one hand in place with both kids loaded up. There was also more head room for my older daughter than in the other models. We didn't plan to spend that much money on a stroller, but it was head and shoulders above the rest of the strollers.
The basket isn't great, but it is adequate. I have also read that you can move them to a lower set of snaps to give you more room, so we will probably do that. The fold was easy and the sunshade is more than ample. But more than anything, it was the ease of pushing the stroller loaded up with my kids that made it the clear winner.
