Recommend something (very) cheap for 25mo and newborn please!

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

Just found out we are expecting DC2 next year. Budget is £150 tops for a double - was hoping I wouldn't need one but I think realistically I do (we can only afford 1 car so I walk pretty much everywhere). DD is a fabulous walker for her age and size but unless she goes off the charts in the next few months she will need to sit down - 10 miles a day is not unheard of...Sling is not an option for me. We're going to have to get a double, aren't we? Eek!

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

oh, meant to say, what should I be scouring ebay for? TIA :)

[horribledinners]

Congrats! - What about a buggy board? - if you only need it for when DD needs a break (10 miles?wow!)

[pramsgalore]

you could get these second hand if you start looking now, a double mountain buggy, a b-dual, jane powertwin, i would look at doubles on ebay to give you an idea of whats out there, look at completed listing to give you an idea of what they go for. i have always found the bigger the wheels the easier it is to push. and side by sides are easier to get up kerbs than a tandem, but tandems are easier to get round shops, although i have used both in shops.

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

Thank you :) oh blimey, she doesn't walk 10 miles, she sits in her buggy for that! On a good day she can manage 1.5 or 2 though.
I've been looking at buggy boards but I'm not sure she's big enough to hold on to be honest, and those little seat ones don't look like they'll fit on our existing pushchair, but that would be my preference as I love my Sola. Do they still do little seats for prams? I'll be using a carrycot to begin with so if DD could sit on the end like we used to that would be great!

[pramsgalore]

just to add, if i was walking that far, i would go for a side by side with large wheels. i could push my mountain buggy easy with my then 2 year old and 5 year old in it andnot break out in a sweat, how ever i could also push a maclaren side by side with a 6 month old and a 22 month old, but it would be like doing a full work out at the gym not good!!!!!

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

Thanks pramsgalore, that's really helpful and I will print this off!

[pramsgalore]

i would not want to push a pushchair with a buggy board for any great distance really, it would kill my back.

[horribledinners]

Am watching with interest. I was considering a buggyboard for future use (I also have a Sola) and don't want to have to buy more prammage.

Yah, at thinking your DD would be walking 10 miles but i bet someone will post that their 2yo regularly does

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

Do you think if I get her on the treadmill she'll be able to do 10 miles by her birthday?

How old is/are your dc horribledinners? Sola is great for pushing whilst holding reins/little hand, we did shopping like that on Friday (and I can't imagine not having the basket!)

[Tiggywunkle]

I would be looking at a B-Dual (I sold a nearly brand new one for £170), a Baby Jogger City Mini Double (a bit more expensive but you never know on EBay) or a Nipper 360. But there are lots of pushchairs you may just hit lucky with. I bought a twin (one on bottom, one on the top) ABC Adventure buggy for a few pounds over £100 and it's absolutely fabulous and worth looking out for - great for walking with and a lot of fun. I also bought a Valco with toddler seat for just over £100. So, my advice would simply to look for local pick up only pushchairs over the coming months and if you see a suitable bargain, then grab it!

[aswellasyou]

I would be looking for a Jané Powertwin (as long as your daughter isn't especially tall), a double Mountin Buggy or a double Out n About Nipper. They're all super easy to push and you should be able to find one under £150. I bought a Powertwin on Gumtree for £100 and sold it 3 months later for £160! It was amazingly easy to push and steer, it wasn't too bad to lift up kerbs at all unlike lots of other tandems, and the footmuffs are lovely and snuggly. The only problem we had was that the front seat didn't recline enough for my daughter or niece (both 7-9 months at the time) to sleep. If your daughter's very tall, she may be able to reach the front wheel with her feet. You could try one out at Mothercare and try a Nipper in John Lewis to see what you think.

If you think you could cope with fixed wheels, then look out for a MB Terrain or a fixed wheel Nipper (not 360).

[Tiggywunkle]

The Powertwin has an exceedingly short amount of space for the toddlers legs and a poor hood at the front. I honestly wouldn't consider it for a toddler. The hoods also have large clear panels which isn't good in sun.

[aswellasyou]

Yours must have been a bit different to ours. The hood on the front seat came right down so that the front child couldn't even see out. We did find that on the back seat when it was fully reclined, the hood didn't cover the child enough when it was relly sunny. We used a Silver Cross parasol which sorted that out. I've seen loads of them with toddlers in parks around us and I've only once seen a very tall child (looked about 4 years old) who was touching the front wheel. I would buy it again in a heartbeat if I had a toddler and baby and wanted a tandem for offroading.

[Tiggywunkle]

It may well have been :) I think the length between knee and footrest on ours was something ridiculous like 13cms. My front hood was really shallow. Yours was probably newer. I need to have a look at the new version. Thanks.

[pramsgalore]

my jane powertwin was a pro and i had no problems, the front hood pulled over front seat quite a bit, but dc's do have short legs, they are very easy to push

[aswellasyou]

I think ours was older because we didn't have a quick release front wheel. It would be at least 3 years old now. I just did a quick search and there seem to be a lot of variations in the hoods. Some have little visors that come down from the front.

This is a photo of mine-no idea who the phone number's for though. You can't tell that the hood comes down really far, but it's obviously bigger than the hood on this one. I do think there isn't really as much room for legs as there could be but it was't as bad as your seemed. My daughter would never have a problem with footrests-her feet dangled just at the edge of the seat.

[pramsgalore]

this is what mine looked like.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JANE-POWERTWIN-PRO-CAR-SEAT-/330622640681?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D3376705170892533934

[pramsgalore]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JANE-POWERTWIN-PRO-CAR-SEAT-/330622640681?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D3376705170892533934

[Tiggywunkle]

Mine was like your second example - with the tilted footrest and narrow front hood. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jane-Powertwin-Pro-Jogger-Stroller-/220870769759?pt=UK_Baby_BabyTravel_Pushchairs_GL&hash=item336cec7c5f#ht_500wt_922

[pramsgalore]

yes, thats the same one as me, i found you could pull the hood over at the front more than shown in your pic, like the hood is in my link, but its the same model.

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

Thank you :) Will keep an eye on ebay and gumtree, and might have to check out NCT sales in the posh parts of town.

DD is on about 25centile so don't think her size will be an issue!

[milk]

Ebay is your friend :)

[horribledinners]

twinkle- i have an 8mo and a potential (as well as 2 older dc's) - i have tried shoving an (empty!) car seat into the basket underneath the Sola to transform it into a double but to no avail. A pramseat fitted onto the carrycot would be ideal but i don't think they do them anymore.

[horribledinners]

oh. hang on

pramseat

[pramsgalore]

i would be carefull using a pram seat on a sola, they are meant for prams like the pic it is shown on,the carrycots sit on the frame ie the frame is underneath the carrycot like a platform, looking at the sola it is fitted to frame by two plastic clips either side of the carrycot, i doubt it would take the weight and may give way.