We are excited and looking forward to launching three new Bumbleride videos this week. They have been a fun project and creative expression for us here at Bumbleride. Each video has a different personality and style just like you.

Bumbleride, Uniquely You!

Friday afternoons at the Bumbleride office have been designated as “My Project” time. My Project is a project of choice with no specific guidelines or restrictions. We wanted to tap into the creative minds of our team. Last week we met up to share our My Project ideas. The ideas varied- everything from vertical, organic gardens in our office to really amazing initiatives to support and give to those in need. There are also several new design ideas that we hope to share in the coming years. We followed up the presentations with street tacos and margaritas. Always a good time!

As a parent your time is very precious so you want to be directed to the best resources and advice when you need it. Rhubie & Rhett is here to do that for you. It is a great bi-monthly magazine for parents filled with everything from interviews with Pediatricians and stylish moms to recommending books, music and apps for kids.

You will love the Gear Guide brought to you by Bumbleride’s co-founder Emily Reichardt. As a mom of three, Emily gives you a straight forward and honest review of the latest in creative products.

Our Southern California Bumbleride family is happy to welcome Sebastian into the world. Born to a beautiful momma, Cristina and dad, John. Cristina is missed in our office but we are happy to see her blossom as a mother. Here are her expressions about her new adventure!

“Being a mother pales in comparison to what I thought it would be like. It is truly the best feeling in the world to know that I am Sebastian’s mom. It’s strange because I feel like nothing existed before him. I have found that balance is key to being the best mom I can be. I give myself some time for a quick run, workout or shopping alone, at least 30 min to an hour daily. Also, John & I go on a date night at least once every couple of weeks. But the rest of the time is Sebastian Time & we know this is very important as the baby/child stage passes so quickly. I heard a saying once, “The days are long but the years are short”. We cherish every minute with him & of course, this includes taking pictures of him as much as possible.

John & I made a promise to each other that we would expose Sebastian to as many fun, cultural, educational & creative things as possible in his childhood. This of course includes travel & we are so happy with our Bumblerides as they ensure Sebastian is safe & sound while we’re exploring. We normally use the Indie with Carrycot (Ocean) or Flite (Aqua). It has been great for Sebastian to nap & provides a nice place for us to change his diapers cleanly & privately.”

We often find that our customers are surprised when we talk about stroller maintenance. For busy parents it can be tough remembering to take care of their stroller, however it’s good to remember that a stroller is not much different than the bicycle in your garage. The tire pressure needs to be checked regularly, the chain and the wheel axles may need some lubrication from time to time. So we wanted to point out a few things that Bumbleride owners should be aware of.

General Maintenance – We recommend doing a quick inspection of your Indie or Indie Twin before each use. Checking the tire pressure, attachment points, ensuring that the front wheel quick release is tightened and clamped and that there isn’t anything the way of the brake lever. Remember that the front wheel(s) should be in the locked and outward position if you are traveling faster than a casual walking pace.

Fabric Maintenance – All Bumbleride fabrics have a water & stain protective treatment that makes clean up easy. We recommend a spot cleaning any dirty areas using either a basic detergent and water solution or Fabric Love (www.buggylove.com), part of a nifty stroller care kit from Buggy Love. All Bumbleride strollers have removable seat fabric that can be machine-washed in cold water with a mild detergent. Make sure to always air-dry the fabric components. Please note that repeated washings will eventually remove the water/stain protective treatment on the fabrics.

Wheel Maintenance – The most frequent questions related to the Indie or Indie Twin maintenance have to do with the 12” air filled tires. These wheels are essentially small bicycle tires, much like what you would find on a kid’s bike. However each tire needs to be properly inflated to 30 PSI before use. If the tires are not inflated properly there is a greater likelihood that an inner tube could puncture or become misaligned. We recommend checking and inflating your tires every 1-2 weeks, if not more frequently. If your inner tube does become flat, most bike shops stock 12” inner tubes or will be able to fix your existing tube. You can also find replacement inner tubes on our website (www.bumbleride.com).

Lubrication – The wheels, axles and suspension all need periodic cleaning and lubrication. We recommend a bicycle chain lubricant such as CleanRide, Tri-Flow or Buggylove’s Wheel Love. We recommend adding drops near the hub and bearings of each wheel. You can also turn the stroller over and drop the lubricant into the back wheel axle where the suspension spring is housed. Doing this on a regular basis should prevent any squeaks around the wheels or suspension.

Remember that regular maintenance will keep your Indie or Indie Twin riding smoothly for years to come!

Last week was career week at our local elementary school and we were invited to talk about designing and manufacturing strollers. We had the kids design their own strollers and got a kick out of seeing their imaginative engineering and creativity. Nothing like starting them young for a fresh perspective

Here are a few drawings from a first grade classroom.

We recently spent half a work day volunteering at the San Diego Food Bank preparing produce for the hungry in San Diego. We had a blast and it felt great to give back to hungry parents and children in our hometown!

The San Diego Food Bank is a critical component to the welfare of San Diego County, providing food to people in need, advocating for the hungry and educating the public about hunger-related issues. Through a combination of programs and partnerships with over 350 San Diego County nonprofit charities, the Food Bank acts as a central repository and distribution point for government and donated food. Funded by foundations, grants, the USDA, corporations, sponsors and individual donors, the Food Bank distributes over 20 million pounds of food annually to individuals, families and a network of nonprofit organizations that work to alleviate hunger throughout the county. Learn more and see how you can help at, http://sandiegofoodbank.org/ .

We just finished day two of the Kind + Jugend trade show in Cologne, Germany. The European market is responding very well to some of the exciting additions we’ve made this year. The Maxi Cosi Adapters and latching Carrycots are a must-have for Europe and we’re getting great reactions to our new adapters for Indie and Indie Twin. The new Movement and Natural Editions have been getting a lot of buzz as well as our new turquoise color launching later this year. We are looking forward to launching Bumbleride in Europe in 2012.