Kite LiteRider Rides Light and Turns Heavy
Written: Jun 25 '02 (Updated Jun 29 '02)
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Pros: Lightweight, roomy basket, child tray and cupholder, easy recline
Cons: Flimsy Straps, small adult cupholder, very difficult to steer and turn.
The Bottom Line: Not the stroller for exercising or bumpy sidewalks. Okay for quick mall trips. Lightweight and roomy while keeping a slim profile. BUT, hard to maneuver and doesn't take turns well.
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| marysmom's Full Review: Graco Glider LiteRider 6974 Standard Stroller |
We purchased Graco's Kite LiteRider to replace the bigger, bulkier travel system we had for our 6 month-old infant. We are now back to using our big stroller.
I must first point out that our daughter has always been in 90% plus percentile for height and weight so we aren't talking about a petite baby.
The Grace Kite LiteRider is listed for birth to 40 pounds, but when looking at the stroller while our daughter was still a tiny infant we didn't feel comfortable with the flimsy, three-point strap since she was so small. It seemed like she could almost get tangled in the leg straps if she moved around much--they don't get small enough to hold a small baby well. The recline was good, but she would not have been comfortable in this stroller prior to learning to sit up alone.
Now the three point harness seems just uncomfortable for our daughter. They are the same straps basically that restaurant wooden high chairs have and you know how sturdy those are.
Here is a break-down of our feelings on the LiteRider.
BENEFITS
The LiteRider is very lightweight as the name implies and still is roomy enough for our 13 month-old daughter. The seat inclines with the simple depression of levers on either side of the seat back, and the padding is reasonably comfortable-not plush.
The padding can be removed, but only for spot cleaning--not machine washable. What has worked well for us to remove formula and milk stains is to put the fabric over the sink and pour hot water from about a foot in the air onto it--seems to take out the spots just fine. I also have spritzed it with Febreeze to keep it from smelling musty.
Newer LiteRider models offer different fabric choices and options at higher prices, but the Kite has only the navy fabric with royal blue inset print available.
The removable front tray is large and has a cupholder perfectly sized to the standard sippy cup--Avent bottles or larger sippy cups do not fit.
The storage basket is very roomy and holds more than I expected--not problems at all with heavy loads and we have packed it full.
There is a large easy-to-open canopy, and in the back fabric of the stroller a small window to see your child--this is nice because it is not in the canopy where sun could shine down through.
There is a very comfortable handle for pushing.
The stroller also folds easily (though not with one hand as the manufacturer claims) by pulling up on two handles located on the sides of the stroller. It does not lock into a down position--you must anchor it with a little arm. It does fold down to about 12" high so it is good for tight spaces.
DETRIMENTS
I have pushed this stroller on flat surfaces and on bumpy ones, up hills and on curvy sidewalks. My conclusion is that this is good for the mall where the walking space is smooth and straight, and the slim lines of the stroller maneuver well in tight store aisles. For any other stroller needs, I use the big one.
We tried to go up hills and on slightly bumpy sidewalks with the Kite LiteRider and fought the thing the whole way. The stroller's wheels do not like to turn well and the steering is tight. This causes many stops and starts and disturbs the flow of the walk and my baby if she is sleeping.
The cupholders hold only very slim-bottomed cups and not many of the more modern styled bottles and cups.
The handle is a bit low for long walks for me (I'm 5'8") and I start to stoop after a while.
The safety straps are thin and twist easily as well as being a bit rough. They seem uncomfortable and not too effective. (see above, first section)
ASSEMBLY
The Assembly of this stroller was very simple: Snap on the wheels and cupholders and that is about it. All pictures were clear and labeled well. The instructions were very easy to understand and it took about 20 minutes before it was ready to roll.
There are many very decent options to this stroller but the overwhelming annoyance of the steering problem keeps me from recommending it. I wish they would enhance the shocks a little bit and give the back wheels a little more turning flexibility. For such a light stroller, I shouldn't have such a tough time pushing and turning it. They could also bring the handle up 2 inches to prevent stooping shoulders for slightly taller people.
If I need to run to the mall quickly or go out of town where I don't need to push her a lot, I'll take this stroller but for any other needs, it is back to my big, comfy Evenflo stroller--which makes us and our daughter much happier.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 54.95
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
marysmom
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Location: Highland Village, Texas, USA
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 0 members
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