The BOB Motion is a high scoring product that come in 4th place in this review. We liked this BOB product and it impressed us more than a lot of the competition. It is the smallest stroller in the group when folded and weighs less than the average for the products we looked at, but it isn't as easy to push and turn as other BOB products or even the cheaper Baby Jogger strollers. However, for the price it is hard to beat the performance, size, and easy folding of the Motion. We gave the BOB Motion a Best Value award for offering a lot for a lot less than the competition that scored lower.
BOB Motion Review
Pros: Lightweight, easy setup, quality components
Cons: Smaller storage, hard to push for such a small unit
Manufacturer: BOB
The Skinny
The BOB Motion is a high scoring product that come in 4th place in this review. We liked this BOB product and it impressed us more than a lot of the competition. It is the smallest stroller in the group when folded and weighs less than the average for the products we looked at, but it isn't as easy to push and turn as other BOB products or even the cheaper Baby Jogger strollers. However, for the price it is hard to beat the performance, size, and easy folding of the Motion. We gave the BOB Motion a Best Value award for offering a lot for a lot less than the competition that scored lower.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The BOB Motion is an all-terrain stroller with an aluminum alloy frame. It has four pneumatic tires mounted on high impact polymer composite wheels with semi-slick tires. Each wheel has coil spring and elastomer core shock absorbers and sealed cartridge ball bearings, and front swivel wheels that easily locked. This stroller has linked brakes on both rear wheels that is foot activated. The Motion has an adjustable 5 point harness, an under seat storage basket with a 10 pound weight capacity, and a 1 pound storage pocket. It has a one hand quick fold with an automatic frame lock, and a large multi-position canopy with a ventilation peek-a-boo window. The seat has a recline with infinite positions, works for children up to 65 pounds or 44 inches, and is hand washable. It also has an adjustable padded handlebar and can create a travel system with the BOB B-Safe or any Britax infant seat with the Click & Go system. It is also compatible with other major brands seats with the car seat adapter frame (sold separately).
Performance Comparison
Ease of Use
Storage
Sunshade
Convenience
The Motion does not have an adjustable leg rest, but it is padded. It has a wide footrest that is covered in a durable material that looks easy to clean. It does offer an adjustable reclining seat back. It is a one hand to lower operation, but we found it is easier to use two hands whether moving it up or down. The recline operation is similar to most of the other two strap options in the review. We liked the button push reclines for their ease of use, but this one is average in difficulty and performance. The recline angle adjusts between 53.8 and 15.7 degrees from flat.
The stroller comes standard with the Britax Click and Go car seat adapters. This stroller is made by Britax so it makes sense that their car seats would be compatible with this stroller.
Maneuverability
For ease of pushing and turning we were surprised that it isn't as nimble as the Baby Joggers in this review. It has a softer frame and more rolling resistance that make it sluggish compared to the similar strollers in this review. We were able to push it with one hand, but it is more of a chore than the competition. It did make it around tight corners fairly easily and it handled bumps and carpets with ease.
For turning and pushing off pavement on rougher terrain it proved to be harder than the City Mini options. The Motion struggled with a 1-inch curb and had more resistance in the grass, but it wasn't the worst we tested. On stairs and regular curbs we experienced a lot of flex in the frame and handlebar which made the Motion a little hard to control on the descent.
Quality
The frame is simple and sturdy without a lot of flair. It is made of an aluminum alloy which probably helps give this stroller it's lower than average weight, but we didn't like it as much as the frame on the City Mini options. The overall fit and finish isn't the best in the group with fabric that is somewhat wrinkled and sloppy on the frame and more flex in the frame than we prefer.
The comfort factor for the stroller is about average. It does offer 4 wheel shocks and rubber tires that make the ride a little smoother over bumps and rougher terrain. The ride would be more comfortable if the sling seat had more padding.
Safety
The Motion earned a 7 of 10 for safety which is one point below the high of 8 earned by the Baby Jogger City Select. The low is the Baby Jogger City Mini GT with a 4.
BrakesCup Holders
There is no cup holder and no cup holder associated safety concern for the Motion.
HarnessTipping
For tipping tendencies the stroller performed better than much of the competition. It side tips at 22.7 degrees, which is above average. It tips backwards with over 35 pounds on the handlebar; this is far better than average and almost the most amount of weight required in the group. It is certainly more weight that the average diaper bag, even fully loaded, so parents that forget the safety rule that says don't hang items off the handlebar, will probably not end up with the stroller falling backwards.
Weight and Folded Size
The Motion earned a nice commuting score, with its ability to fold small and fit just about everywhere. It isn't the easiest in the group to take to a cafe, because the seat is the lowest in the group and won't get baby to the top of the table. However, it is shorter than the competition, so it won't take up as much space as the competition.
Ease of Setup
Car Seat Compatibility
The Motion works with the Britax Click and Go car seats using adaptors that come with the stroller. This is a click in process that we we prefer over click and strap connections. The Britax is easy to align and connect, but it does take more pressure on the infant seat than some of the competition. It is easy to remove, and stable once installed. We did have difficulty installing it correctly each time during testing, and occasionally thought it was fully connected when it wasn't. The combination of the stroller and the adapter weighs 21 pounds 9 ounces, which is far too heavy to work as a frame stroller alternative.
BOB offers other adapters for purchase to use with the Motion. These car seat adapters include: An adaptor frame that works with the Chicco KeyFit, Chicco KeyFit 30, Graco Snugride 32 Classic Connect, Graco Snugride 35 Classic Connect, and Peg Perego Primo Viaggio (excluding Primo Viaggio 4-35). This adapter is also a click in procedure with a frame that clicks onto the stroller and provides a place for the seat to connect. The stroller seat stays on the stroller as well with this adapter and the combination of the two weighs 23 pounds 14 ounces. The Chicco is easy to install and remove, but we did have some difficulty thinking it was correctly installed when it wasn't and we encourage parents to double check this connection before strolling. It does not feel stable when installed compared to the Britax or some of the other competition.
The Chicco Keyfit 30 won an Editors' Choice award in our infant car seat review, but it seems to be a poor fit with the Motion and requires more attention to detail on the parent's part to ensure it is correctly installed each and every time.
Best Applications
Value
This stroller is a pretty good value for this group. It is a very compact stroller when folded, and it is lighter than most of the competition. It scored well in the safety metric, has a nice large canopy and a useful peek-a-boo window. This stroller has a list price of around $350 making it a below average option in the review, with one of the highest scores in the group. It isn't as inexpensive as the B-Agile 3, but it did earn more points overall making it a good value compared to the majority of strollers in the review that are significantly more expensive.
Conclusion
Video
— Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team
Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
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