Pram wheels matter - 3 or 4 ?
Pram wheels matter - 3 or 4 ?
Author
Discussion

pikey

Original Poster:

7,704 posts

315 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
1st baby stuff and need to select prams.

After looking around, we're going down the Britax route having decided that they're fit for purpose rather than the frequently recommended Bugaboo, who we've thought are rather too trendy (particularly when they use phrases like "for parents who live life on the fly" Clicky, which has massively put me off!).

Anyway, 3 wheels seems to be for "Lets off-road!" and 4 wheels seems to be for 99.9% of the time, hence I'm veering towards 4 wheels.

Is this basically it? Any pointers?

Soir

2,277 posts

270 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
buy a bugaboo. Not for the name!

We have just sold our cameleon for a phil n teds double buggy.
Bugaboo is much lighter, easier to fold. Easier to use and just a great pram all round. We would have double buggy version if they did one.

There is a reason people are recommending them. But they are expensive

After our experiences. Id even buy a second hand bugaboo over a new, other brand

Phooey

13,893 posts

200 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Bugaboo yes

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
We're looking at the Quinny Buzz 3, but decision to be made later in the week when we've tried out a few in the shops.

pikey

Original Poster:

7,704 posts

315 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Bugaboo comments are interesting as Soir justified, but all we've heard is "buy Bugaboo" rather than why.

We've tried going into shops, but the assistants know nothing and the website convinces us that it's trendy rather than functional.

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Criteria for us (1st child in a couple of months):
  • Light weight - we live on a big hill, so not too heavy for pushing it up here.
  • Manoeuvrable - Bath is full of people all the time so something agile is useful.
  • Small - folds down small for easy loading into the car.
  • Car seat - integrated car seat so we don't need to remove a sleeping baby from the seat when transferring between car and pram.
The Quinny Buzz integrates with the Maxi-Cosi car seat, is quite light, folds small and is agile if you unlock the front wheel. It also seems good value to us.

Phooey

13,893 posts

200 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
John Lewis are good for demo's. We just found that the bugaboo was a pretty easy versatile pushchair/pram that is very easy to push/steer. Ours is 2 years old now, not had any problems. Also liked the flexibility of colours and combinations - we went for orange and pink on a black base smile . When we were pram shopping, we just felt that 99% of pushchairs prams looked the same - boring.

BrassMan

1,501 posts

220 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
ewenm said:
We're looking at the Quinny Buzz 3, but decision to be made later in the week when we've tried out a few in the shops.
Say Waat?

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
BrassMan said:
ewenm said:
We're looking at the Quinny Buzz 3, but decision to be made later in the week when we've tried out a few in the shops.
Say Waat?
confused

Mr AJ

1,247 posts

202 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
We've got two prams for the first baby, Mainly because one was given to us but is too big to fit in the back of the 106. But the baby will be going between our house, and my parents while we're at work. So big pram stays at my parents, Lighter pram is for us.

First pram we was given was a Silver cross... Er, 3D? Travel system thing..

Second pram we bought yesterday is a MaxiCosi MyChoice4 thing from Mothercare. Lightweight, Easy to fold, Fits in any boot space. Has loads of different "Modes" the Mrs was very happy with it. Also, If you want to minimise the amount of crap your carrying around in the boot you can just take the base chassis out with you and use the car seat as the pram. I'd recommend going and checking it out, Mrs. AJ seemed very happy with it.

ETA: Just asked the Mrs she said the MyChoice4 thing was just like a bugaboo?

Edited by Mr AJ on Sunday 11th July 18:08

Bullett

11,186 posts

215 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
We have a Bugaboo and it is excellent.

Light, flexible and manoverable, takes the maxicosy car seat so you can just lift in and out. Has a large under storage area and importantly for us an extending handle (both quite tall). Good sized wheels and goes both forwards and backwards facing.

They can sleep in it when young so you don't need extra kit and it converts to a pushchair when required.

It's much better made than the silvercross or Mothercare systems we also looked at.

On the downside, it's expensive to start with and it's quite large, but no bigger than the other travel systems. On ebay they go for almost as much money as when new so you can make back the difference.

We got excellent service from Mothercare, showing us the different systems and how they worked. The people know what they were talking about and you could get hands on.

E24man

8,160 posts

210 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Stokke - a little more dosh than the others mentioned but it's the narrowest (for stores/doorways/storing,etc); probably the lightest (certainly lighter than the Quinny buzz) due to very good, modern materials; all machine washable material bits; folds up really small for car boots and the two best bits, it doubles a s high-chair whenever needed and the kid is way off the ground unlike every other pram system out there.

Plus it's cool to look at.

E24man

Edit: it's a very stable four-wheeler and (also uniquely) the pram seat can face away or to you.

Edited by E24man on Sunday 11th July 18:34

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Quick google of Stokke brings up the lovely Allison...


However the pram is somewhat out of our budget but I don't mind right now... hehe

kentmotorcompany

2,471 posts

241 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Another vote for Bugaboo.

As a new Dad myself, we bought a Bugaboo Bee +, which is the smaller, cheaper one.
I didn't like the "life on the fly" slogan either, I cant relate to it at all. Although it is a very good product

Suitable from birth, and no need for a separate cot in the boot.
Weighs 7.7 Kgs, one of lightest around.
Folds small in one piece quite easily.

It is quite expensive, but when you seriously look at the alternatives, most things are expensive, so there isn't much of a cheap option, other than second hand.


Quite right about 3 wheels too, they tend to be big, which make it very big when folded, or you need to take the wheels off to put it in the boot, which seems like a faff to me.

Oxygen Thief

1,750 posts

216 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
ewenm said:
Quick google of Stokke brings up the lovely Allison...


However the pram is somewhat out of our budget but I don't mind right now... hehe
Oh my god, was anyone else thinking they wish it was their pole resting against her right breast.

Oxygen Thief

1,750 posts

216 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
We have the iCandy peach blossom, very good piece of kit. Compatable with maxicosi seats, and the pushchair frame and seat fits into the boot of the M3 no problem. I have two kids under two so have extra bits and bobs and there's ample room. Very light weight and looks cool to boot.

Superhoop

4,919 posts

224 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
We went for the Concord Neo travel system. Not the lightest, but lighter than the Quinney.

Really easy to fold/open and the release mechanism for removing the car seat is fantastic - one handed operation rather than a release each side

The oy downside being that the car seat isn't isofix

They also do a carbon fibre version which looks cool, the problem is, it makes the Stokke system look cheap

Slinky

15,704 posts

280 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Mrs slinky is shouting from the passenger seat, have a look at the iCandy Apple, in 4 wheel format, then consider the 3 wheel adapter to enjoy the best of both worlds..

Me, I'd say 3 wheels, the bigger wheels the better, real suspension that actually works and pneumatic tyres.. It's all about comfort.. for the little one, not you..

Si 330

1,306 posts

240 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
Jane 3 wheeler has disk brakes this is essential.

Kudos

2,674 posts

205 months

Sunday 11th July 2010
quotequote all
3 wheel Quinny. Got a good deal - pram, car seat, cot and various bits for £500. No complaints with it, although nearly took my finger off getting it out of the car one day....