How to choose the right used stroller?

Buying a stroller is probably the most expensive purchase you will make for the arrival of your baby. It is therefore completely normal that you want to save some money, in addition to making an ecological gesture for the planet. Turning to the second-hand or reconditioned market is therefore the ideal solution which will allow you to combine the two. For greater safety, we can only advise you to go through Biicou , your first reseller of reconditioned childcare equipment (strollers, high chairs, baby carriers, deckchairs, car seats, etc.).

If you choose to go to peer-to-peer sales platforms (like Leboncoin), there will always be some unknown about the reliability of the seller and therefore the equipment they will offer. Therefore, always ask for more photos and videos of the item used.

Selection criteria

• Folding

Given the number of times your stroller will be opened, closed and transported, remember to test or see in advance how the stroller folds. In order to check if there are any blocking points, if the hooks or buttons you need to press are working well. If you can, even try folding the stroller with a baby in your arms!

Don't forget to check that once unfolded, the stroller does not fold up for no reason. Try to fold it without pressing on the unlocking elements, to be sure that all the locking elements work perfectly.

• The wheels

Questions about the condition of the wheels before purchasing your used stroller include: Are there any cracks? Cracks? A misalignment?

To check that each of the wheels turns correctly, push the stroller once and let it roll on its own for a few meters, you will be fixed straight away. If you do not have the opportunity to visit before purchasing, do not hesitate to ask for close-up photos of the wheels. This will save you from any unnecessary travel.

Depending on what you are going to use it for, the wheels of your stroller will need to be more or less thick and large. The Yoyo Babyzen strollers, for example, will be more for city use, while the Hauck, Kinderkraft, Britax-Romer or Stokke (find all our reconditioned all-terrain strollers ) will be for a little more sporty use. If you are leaning towards an all-terrain stroller, remember to check that the inner tubes exist or that you can change the wheels in due time, for example via our spare parts catalog .

Finally, check that the 4 wheels are parallel and form a right angle with the bearing.

• The brake and the belt

For your baby's safety, check that once the brake is activated, the wheels are completely blocked. Because, in the event of a defective brake, the situation can quickly become dangerous when, for example, you have to unload the trunk of your car parked on a rather steep road.

Also think about the brake levers. Whether hand or foot, they must be in good condition and easy to handle. It may sometimes be useful to add a drop or two of oil (from cable sheaths or slide/spring systems) to make the movement smoother.

Finally, ask the seller if the belt closes properly and if the safety system does not open easily. So that your child cannot open it at will.

• The chassis

The chassis must be durable and practical to easily accommodate the various equipment you will need (carrycot, Maxi-Cosi, hammock seat, car seat, etc.).

Take the time to look at it closely to check that it is not bent or rusted and that there are no deep cracks in the metal or plastic parts.

And if you can go there, take the opportunity to check that the handle bar slides well to the maximum extension position, that the attachment points of the seat or the carrycot can withstand tens of kilos that they will have to wear.

• Comfort and dressing

For the comfort of your mini, the best is to choose a stroller with a seat offering different positions. In the event of a long walk, baby will be able to calmly take a little nap. We therefore check, in this case, that all the adjustment positions work.

The other point of comfort is the footrest. If there is one, make sure it is in good condition and does not come loose on its own.

In terms of dressing, this involves checking that the fabrics are not torn or too worn. Same for the fasteners, we check that they do not start to unstitch at their base. And to make your life easier, you can opt for a model with a removable cover. So that in just a quick turn of the machine the compote or chocolate stains are gone.

If the handles are covered in foam, make sure they are in good condition. They too will be put to the test during the time you use the stroller.

If you are looking for 100% reliability, you can go through us. Indeed, the Biicou team has already carried out all this verification work upstream. All our strollers are disinfected, reconditioned, checked and guaranteed for 1 year. Find them here