Handle extender for short stroller?
August 21, 2017 5:47 AM Subscribe
We have this stroller and we used it for the first time yesterday and boy the reviews weren't kidding; it is SHORT. What is the best way to extend the handles?
I've checked handle extensions on Amazon but the only one I see that really seems like it would work is $30 and gets terrible reviews. The other option seems to be bike handlebar extenders that wouldn't actually help that much. Is there anything better?
We would like something that is:
-Easy to install
-Tall enough to be helpful (my husband is 6' so not super tall)
-Not bonkers expensive
-Guaranteed to arrive by Friday (through Amazon prime would be fantastic)
If anyone has had this issue and solved it easily or has any suggestions I would be grateful, thank you!
I've checked handle extensions on Amazon but the only one I see that really seems like it would work is $30 and gets terrible reviews. The other option seems to be bike handlebar extenders that wouldn't actually help that much. Is there anything better?
We would like something that is:
-Easy to install
-Tall enough to be helpful (my husband is 6' so not super tall)
-Not bonkers expensive
-Guaranteed to arrive by Friday (through Amazon prime would be fantastic)
If anyone has had this issue and solved it easily or has any suggestions I would be grateful, thank you!
Is exchanging for another model acceptable? We got one of these initially hoping for a cheap, light umbrella travel stroller but also found the handle issue rendered it useless.
We ended up returning and getting a 3dlite open box for 45 bucks. It works great, folds up beautifully, and doesn't have the handle problem. It just made more sense to spend a little more for something that actually was designed properly than trying to spend more on MacGyvering something.
posted by Karaage at 6:47 AM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
We ended up returning and getting a 3dlite open box for 45 bucks. It works great, folds up beautifully, and doesn't have the handle problem. It just made more sense to spend a little more for something that actually was designed properly than trying to spend more on MacGyvering something.
posted by Karaage at 6:47 AM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Those cheapie umbrella strollers are terrible for taller parents. The one Karaage links seems to be the one I see families choosing after killing their knees/backs with the standard umbrella stroller.
posted by sulaine at 7:30 AM on August 21, 2017
posted by sulaine at 7:30 AM on August 21, 2017
go to local home improvement store. Buy a 6' chunk of PVC pipe, a hacksaw, and couple of of wide bend PVC elbows. Also get some heavy duty zip ties or velcro tape.
Cut PVC in half, place an elbow on the end of each. Elbow forms the curved part of upper handle.
Zip tie to stroller leg. Adjust placement and cut to length as needed for comfort. If you want it to be removeable/ foldable, use velcro tape instead of zip ties.
Total cost, maybe $10 and an hour of your time.
Will look uglier than sin, but will work.
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:33 AM on August 21, 2017
Cut PVC in half, place an elbow on the end of each. Elbow forms the curved part of upper handle.
Zip tie to stroller leg. Adjust placement and cut to length as needed for comfort. If you want it to be removeable/ foldable, use velcro tape instead of zip ties.
Total cost, maybe $10 and an hour of your time.
Will look uglier than sin, but will work.
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:33 AM on August 21, 2017
Just cut the handles off and get some extender pipe. Home Depot. Take the stroller with you while you shop. Examine pipe cutters, cut the pipe with one of them as an experiment. (ha ha) Go home and fix the rest. If Gorilla Glue, and duct tape won't fix it, then oh well.
posted by Oyéah at 9:38 AM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Oyéah at 9:38 AM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Here's an instructable for a DIY extension on an umbrella stroller. If you can find black plastic pipe or wrap with tape, it might look a bit better.
Or as advicepig suggested, get a metal pipe in a slightly larger or slightly smaller diameter. Cut the pipe (bar) of your handles off below the rubber/plastic curve, then sleeve the top and bottom into the pipe. Drill 2 holes in each sleeve end of your handles to insert a nut and bolt to fasten the insert.
Like so, except bolt for strength rather than just putting a dent. You could make a horizontal bar to push with by using a metal L coupler rather than this T coupler.
Since that description probably doesn't make much sense, do like Karaage* mentioned and trade it in.
*Eponysterical Baby Karaage
posted by BlueHorse at 3:56 PM on August 21, 2017
Or as advicepig suggested, get a metal pipe in a slightly larger or slightly smaller diameter. Cut the pipe (bar) of your handles off below the rubber/plastic curve, then sleeve the top and bottom into the pipe. Drill 2 holes in each sleeve end of your handles to insert a nut and bolt to fasten the insert.
Like so, except bolt for strength rather than just putting a dent. You could make a horizontal bar to push with by using a metal L coupler rather than this T coupler.
Since that description probably doesn't make much sense, do like Karaage* mentioned and trade it in.
*Eponysterical Baby Karaage
posted by BlueHorse at 3:56 PM on August 21, 2017
Sorry this will be too late for you, but I'll post anyhow in appreciation for the nudge to finally fix my very similar Cosco stroller. I spent several walks with that thing thinking about how to bring up the handles, and ended up with PVC extenders fit outside the stroller tubes.
-Cut off a handle with a hacksaw, a couple inches below the bottom of thehandle grip. This is scary, but makes it easier to measure next
-Measure how long you want the handles, from the spot where the handle tube meets the back X to the base of the grips
- Take the handle to a hardware store and find some PVC that the handle tube fits into (or, uh, measure). The stuff I found was a little loose, but the epoxy takes care of that. Sorry, didn't note the diameter
-Get some epoxy, the filler kind and sandpaper
-Saw off the other handle
-Roughen the insides of the pipes and outsides of the cut off stroller tubes
-Connect with epoxy. It dries quickly
My store cut two lengths of PVC much more neatly than my gnarly hacksaw job on the tubes, so the finished deal is not too ugly. Folding is unaffected. I can send a picture if you're interested.
posted by Leona at 6:25 PM on August 25, 2017
-Cut off a handle with a hacksaw, a couple inches below the bottom of thehandle grip. This is scary, but makes it easier to measure next
-Measure how long you want the handles, from the spot where the handle tube meets the back X to the base of the grips
- Take the handle to a hardware store and find some PVC that the handle tube fits into (or, uh, measure). The stuff I found was a little loose, but the epoxy takes care of that. Sorry, didn't note the diameter
-Get some epoxy, the filler kind and sandpaper
-Saw off the other handle
-Roughen the insides of the pipes and outsides of the cut off stroller tubes
-Connect with epoxy. It dries quickly
My store cut two lengths of PVC much more neatly than my gnarly hacksaw job on the tubes, so the finished deal is not too ugly. Folding is unaffected. I can send a picture if you're interested.
posted by Leona at 6:25 PM on August 25, 2017
I had that problem with my cheap-o umbrella stroller. I went to one of those baby-supply stores and bought handle extenders there; they fixed the problem, were cheap, and I had other parents literally run after me to find out where I got them.
But the real solution was to buy a more expensive stroller, unfortunately. Back in my stroller-using days, MacLaren's umbrella stroller handles were long enough.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:20 AM on August 26, 2017
But the real solution was to buy a more expensive stroller, unfortunately. Back in my stroller-using days, MacLaren's umbrella stroller handles were long enough.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:20 AM on August 26, 2017
« Older which quote or text should we print on the ceiling... | Anyway to get boyfriend back? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by advicepig at 5:59 AM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]