damn it - we like the bugaboo chameleon best!!

[MrsMcJnr]

Ladies, DH and I have spent the last few weekends looking extensively at buggies and of all the ones we've seen and "tested" we can't help liking the bugaboo most, it seems to tick so many more of our boxes than the others but we are furious with ourselves, why do we have to like the most expensive one?! I'd really appreciate anyone's thoughts on the bugaboo, good or bad. Thanks!

Also I was so dissapointed with the Quinny Buzz because I just couldn't get the security clip down when it was folded, I was almost in tears, I am quite strong and couldn't believe I couldn't do it

[mumzyof2]

Oh I loooove the Bugaboo's, but you're right, they are very expensive. Iv played with a few of them, and they seem very high quality. There are a few other makes of prams though, that are kind of Bugaboo wannabe's. Not copies, just simple designs. Quinny is one of them, and theres another, but I cant remember the damn name. They have a little outline of fruit on each piece, eg, a cherry, an apple, on the back of the pram, or the top of the car seat. Im going to Google it now, because they were lovely prams, and not as expensive as Bugaboo's.

[Peachy]

Do you find the handles comfy? Onlya sking because I have piddly small hands, and I found them really unfortable when i tried one in Mothercare- there were a few with those new wider handles, and I just can't use them. The Loola worked best fro me my a long way, I did consider the pliko as well but Dh vetoed it.

[ChorusLine]

Hi its ICandy Apple

[mumzyof2]

What is?

[fettleandminifettle]

Don't say that, Mrs - we've just bought a quinny buzz today!!! i didn't try the clip - DH made it look so easy and I can't bend down at the moment!!

I-candy apple is lovely - we nearly got it, but it is very bulky and quite heavy. Were going to go with the I-candy cherry, but the handles don't extend which giants like me and DH need!!

Go with the bugaboo - this is a much-wanted and well-loved baby!! And it will last for the next 6 DC you and DH have!!!

xxx

[Peachy]

the pram with the fruit on

(and the looks pretty unwelcoming to someone who was helping!)

[mumzyof2]

Oh God, sorry, it didnt mean to be. Iv no reason to be unwelcoming. It was just an inquisitive face.

[mumzyof2]

Are there any good websites about this iCandy? And about there price? Im just finding rubbish. And its not on Mothercare or Kiddecare's website.

[fruitful]

Isn't the Bugaboo one of those where the seat doesn't recline? Just the whole seat unit tips back so the baby is still in the sitting position but now looking at the sky? This would put me off.

But loads of people love them, don't they.

Sooo glad I don't have to make these decisions this time. Just have to work out where I put the carrycot clips for the pram that I have ...

[Sarahjct]

The iCandy only tends to sell through independent retailers. The Apple is £399 for the chassis, seat unit and carrycot plus you'd need the car seat at another £100. I think the Cherry is £100 cheaper.

I'd pretty much decided on the Apple but I keep being drawn back to the Loola....

[fettleandminifettle]

I-candy cannot be bought on-line -only at distributers. website is www.icandyuk.com

Apple is about £399 for basic pushchair - carrycot, foot muff, car seat etc all extra.

Cherry is about £100 less than the apple, but much lighter weight, but no air tyres or extras such as that.

[fettleandminifettle]

Sarah's right - carrycot is included in £399 price!

Oops!! Baby sucking brain!

[pooka]

The bugaboo comes with a carrycot that you use until 6 months and then you put the seat on instead. If I wasn't technologically impaired I'd post a photo of ds (2yrs) having a fantastic kip in the fully reclined seat. Is very very comfy.

Can't dissuade you because I absolutely love my cameleon and only wish I'd had one for dd. Have the wheeled board on mine and dd (4) occasionally jumps on and sits down and is still a pleasure to push.

[MamaMaiasaura]

thanks for this thread MrsMcJnr - am now tempted by I-candy but cannot find any pricing infomration on the internet.

[mumzyof2]

You cant get iCandy on the internet. You have to go out an buy it, which seems a little ridiculous. I think its about 400 pound, but im not sure. If you read up on their official site, it may tell you where to gt them. Have a look on eBay, as it may give you a good idea at price, and the person selling will probably say on the advert how much they bought if for.

[MrsMcJnr]

Thank you all for all your replies

Mumzyof2 ? I?ve heard a bit about the I-candy too. My MN pal Chooster has the Cherry and swears by it but I?ve heard that the carrycot is quite small and will only hold the baby up to 4 months whereas you?d get up to 6 on some of the other makes. That has put me off a bit even before seeing it as our plans for the carrycot extend beyond 4 months (we are going on hols and want the baby to sleep in the carrycot on hols).

Peachy ? hi, I did find the handles comfy but then again I have big hands DH and I are both quite tall, big people. My Sis had the M&P pliko and was ranting about it to me, it fell apart after 8 months and they refused to do anything as it was outwith the 6 month warranty. I actually didn?t look at that one as it was a pramette (isn?t it?) and I wanted a separate carry cot.

Thanks ChorusLine is the ICandy Apple the one that you can plug you ipod into?!

Fettle ? sorry for what I thought of the Quinny when you have just bought one maybe it was just me. I find the Bugaboo really easy to fold but there was another girl almost in tears over trying to fold that one. see those things you have said about the ICandy cherry also compare unfavourably to the Bugaboo. Our AN physio advised us to get a buggy with extendable arms if there is quite a height difference between you and DH, we are both tall (though not as tall as The Fettles ) but we did think the extendable handles were good, plus bulky and heavy don?t sound great when our boot is quite small and I?ll have to contend with stairs LOL now if we did have 6 DCs and used the Bugaboo for them all, that would be an investment! thanks for the site and price details for the iCandy, will check it out

Fruitful ? the seat doesn?t recline as such on the Bugaboo but there are 3 positions facing away and 2 facing front (think that?s the right way round) I thought the design of the seat was such that whilst there is still a dip in the bottom when ?flat?, it isn?t as rigid as a car seat and it remedied the issue you get with car seats in that there is no hunching of the baby?s shoulders. I guess also, given the time of year when my baby is due (January ? like yours ) I?m unlikely to use the seat until the baby is 4 or 5 months old so the seat recline seemed ok to me ? thanks for trying to give me a get out though just out of interest which buggy did you have for DS? I take it you are using that one again? (though guess he might still be in it?)

Sarahjct aren?t you due around the same time as me? How are you keeping? We haven?t seen you for a while on the AN thread. That?s interesting what you say about the iCandy, I hadn?t realized that about the retailers. What is it between the apple and the loola that keeps you debating?

Pooka ? thanks this is our first baby (of a few I hope) so we do feel it?s worth buying one we?ll really like. Have you had any issues with punctures? And how easy are they to fix? I believe that the new Chameleon coming out in January time (bit late really for us!) has foam wheels so that you don?t need to repair them.

You are welcome Awen ? as I said on the AN thread, it?s a minefield!

[mandler]

You can get bugaboo cheaper on ebay (we got over 100 off retail for a new one) or if you have time and inclination, ship one in from Holland, again at least 100 off.

[MamaMaiasaura]

ok, looked at bugaboo gecko today and love it. will take dp to see too. JL give 2 year warranty too.

[pooka]

I've had ours for 2 years and haven't had a puncture yet. Despite pulling a drawing pin out of a wheel last week. Occasionally I pump the tyres up a bit, but that's mostly beause with dd and ds being pushed some of the time the wieght makes them squish a fair bit.

Theonly prob with the gecko is that I think it doesn't have the adjustable handlebar. DH isfairly tall, and while I'm not, I prefer having the handles high.Also when dd is on the board, with the handlebars extended, she fits easily between them and the seat.

I saw it as an investment. Basically, I worked out how often I'd use it (school 2 journeys there, 2 back, once a day) and for how long (3years for ds most likely, and then maybe another child) and it didn't seem so expensive, given how well it's made. And also have a small buggy for if I take ds to London, or for quick scoots.

Have a fairly big boot, but I does fit easily in a peugeot 206 boot (my old car).

[MamaMaiasaura]

the john lewis assistant said it fits in the boot of a Smart Car therefore it 'should' fit in my corsa.

[MrsMcJnr]

Awen - its a good point Pooka makes about the extendable handlebar, there are a few other reaons we'd go for the Cameleon over the Gecko (though price wise, I wish that weren't so) we liked the adjustable suspension on the Cameleon (we'll be doing walking on lots of terrains) the carry cot is larger and has a sturdy handle across it and when the seat is on, you adjust it from the sides not from underneath which we thought would be a fiddle. The Gecko does weigh slightly less and its width is slightly longer folded but there isn't much in it

[fruitful]

MrsMcJ - I don't think the seat recline is an issue from the "babies ought to lie flat" POV. Although 5mo still seems really tiny when you get there! I remember shopping for my dd and I couldn't imagine me with an older baby or toddler at all - could just about imagine myself with a newborn. But the tiny baby stage lasts about 10 seconds.

Sorry, got sidetracked. We've found out that this one is a boy and suddenly I can imagine my baby (rather than a blob inside that makes me feel tired!) and I have gone ultra broody!

The seat thing was just about comfort really, and I haven't ever looked at a Bugaboo very closely.

I have a Jane Powertrack for ds, which I completely love. But I wouldn't if I had to lift it in and out of my carboot very often. Ds is still in it but he is going to get ousted, poor boy. We have a buggyboard though.

Punctures - you can buy some stuff on ebay called Tyre Slime, which you squirt into the inner tube and it seals over any punctures you get.

[lubyluby]

as much as i love my bugaboo cameleon, if you are goign to be all terrain walking then its probably not the right buggy!

i know the blurb says it can go on allterrains but it really isn't that easy. as it has 4 wheels the wider front point makes it harder to push along rougher groudn and even soemthing as simple as gravel. as for going on the sand and snow as it says in the blurb, you need to tip it onto two wheels whihc is ok if the baby is in the seta and strapped in but not so good if in carrycot as tips them up.

i say this as someone who loves my cameeleon that i haven't parted with it in 18 months, but i do have anopther pushchair that i use for off roading. if going on different terrains is goign to be aprt of your daily routine i would consider the mountian buggy urban with carrycot or the P&T sport eoth cocoon.

[MrsMcJnr]

Fruitful ? it is exciting thinking about these new nippers isn?t it? I have a strong feeling mine is a boy, don?t know why, I really, really have no preference only a healthy one I?ve found some ICandy and Jane stockists now (JL here didn?t seem to have the Jane in both stores in the two closest cities to me ) so we?ll be looking at those at the weekend. That?s a good call on the Tyre Slime, thanks

Mandler ? thanks, I?ve looked on eBay and there do seem to be some good deals, you?ve also reminded me that we go to Spain next week and last time we were there we saw Janes and Bugaboos everywhere ? maybe they?ll be cheaper over there too!

Lubyluby ? thank you for your warnings they did tell us in JL actually that the beach mode was no good with the carrycot.

[knickerelasticjones]

Hi there - if you're tall then the cameleon is great. DH is6'5" and it was the only buggy he could push without hurting his back ( he's had back probs in past) - unfortunately for our bank account!

If cost is a problem I'd look on ebay.

It also works really well with the buggy board on it (great if you want more than one DC). I've got my 5 week old in the carry cot and my 2.5 year old on the board at the mo and its very sturdy / well balanced. Plus the extendable handle means you don't have to arch your back over the toddler to push the pram.

Downsides.... well it really doesn't fold up very small and not only is the buggy really expensive but all the extras costs loads too (£70 for a footmuff!! I just used a blanket....)

But that's just my opinion - in the complex world of buggys everybody's got their own favourites!