DC2 is due in 6 weeks and DD will be 18 months old and isn't yet walking. We bought a Bugaboo Donkey which we shall be returning - lovely pushchair, but I discovered the other day that I won't be able to get within spitting distance of my doctors' surgery due to awkwardly placed lamp posts and the width of the two doors to gain access. This got me obsessively checking out many doorways for which I regularly need to access certain things! We went with the Donkey partly because it has plenty of accessible storage, unlike most other tandems, and because it pushes so easily.
I don't drive, due to a medical condition, so I need a good reliable pushchair. I think I'm going to have to get a tandem otherwise I'll be housebound, but there are so many compromises. I know that I'm being picky, I think I'm in denial about having to go from my Bugaboo Bee (which I love) to a big heavy baby 'transporter'!
I've gone through all of the pushchairs on the brilliant Best Buggy website and looked at quite a few in shops, but none of them seem right... Help me, please!
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The search for a suitable double is turning into the quest for the Holy Grail. Help.
Spoutlet · 04/10/2012 08:54
You basically covered it in your initial post imo! There are a lot of compromises to be made, it's that or don't go certain places (well, it seems to be where I live anyway). I've been considering a duet again. What was it in particular you didn't get on with? Could you get anywhere to see a brevi Ovo twin? I've never seen one but would like to as it looks good in some ways but irl could be terrible iyswim 
After a bee everything will feel big and heavy (ditto after pushing a donkey really). Storage is a massive issue with tandems. The best one I have had for that is the smyths toys dimples duo but that is far from what you have been using in terms of quality so would take a little getting used to plus is on the wide side. Otherwise it works very well. Also had a PB1 where the basket is good in tandem mode, liked it a whole lot but it struggled with rough paving etc. Also really needed a pb2 but no chance of getting one and that was 7 months ago, that there are still supply issues now isn't very encouraging. Currently have a Jane Twone, which is light to push and turn but heavy to manoeuvre in other ways with the elder child so low down, ie when you have to move the rear wheels of the pushchair, which is surprisingly often. Also putting the lower child in is awkward when it comes to both children in the seats plus it's pricy with car/seat carrycot thing needed for a newborn.
I still look at things, none of them have seemed right to me either but I have to keep taking the older one to school, getting to playgroup, buying food etc. so compromises had to be made. Can you at least keep your bee to use some of the time?
Thanks both for your replies. I can't quite remember exactly why I didn't like the duet 
- it was only last week and I tried it out twice . I do remember that DD had a meltdown in it and looked uncomfortable and big in the seat (she's only 25th centile for height and weight). There may also have been basket access issues and it felt quite unwieldy and much wider than the apparent 63cm...
In what ways is the Twone heavy to manoeuvre and in what situations do the rear wheels need moving? I have seen this and quite liked it. I'm also wondering about the Britax B-Dual, which I dismissed because it seemed so high and bulky (I'm 5ft5, so not especially small). I'd appreciate any thoughts? I've looked online at the various Phil and Teds, would any of these be a good option?
I'll not be getting rid of my Bee and will probably use it in situations when I've just got the one with me and DH prefers to use a sling, so I imagine I'll use the Bee when we're out and about together. Ideally, I'd like to use a sling + Bee, but it's not really possible/safe with my condition.
What are the two tandems that are easy to push and light, Tiggywunkle? I have been thinking that maybe I need to forget about storage and just use a rucksack, but DD's paraphernalia + my few necessities can take up an entire rucksack and I always travel as light as possible! But, how would I manage shopping alone with a basket (we mostly food shop online, but there's often an essential small shopping excursion in the week). Aarrrgh, this is so hard.
Hmmm well in some ways storage can be gotten around. I have JL Childress side baskets here which, apart from being a bit wafty and messy looking when empty, do a good job, perfect for school book bags, slim items etc. They are basically two dimensional when empty so don't add to the bulk at all. Then also have this Elodie Details shopper for further storage. Would have got hamster bags but they would have obscured the view of the lower child really badly. I don't do carrying bags myself unless it's an emergency! In short I manage the wire basket type shop okay. In an ideal world I would love to be able to chuck it all in the basket but the Peach did not work in my local area like it does in Tiggy's.
I would guess that Tiggy is suggesting the two lightest to push are the Twone and the Oyster Max(?? Tiggy??) The latter of which is not released yet, only review ones are out and about.
It may just be where I keep the buggy, my house and school that means I'm always dragging the back wheels. I park it in a corner, it needs dragging out of there (usually not with child in though unless she has snuck in first, which does happen). Then I have to reverse out of the house (victorian terrace with corridor) so I can get down the step. Going forwards is just a no go, the front tries to dig into the ground. Plus at school when it's really busy in small spaces I'm always having to drag due to lack of space to turn. The Twone turns on the spot pretty much too, so I mean really busy and tight. If this sort of thing doesn't exist in your life then it won't matter. It's like pushing them up a hill, it's light to push on the flat, camber is fine but up a hill you are very much pushing 20+kg of child plus 13ish kg of pushchair. Because yes the whole Twone is 7.5kg claim is a big fib.
I have had a b dual, it's similar to push imho it just got stuck in my inner door due to the width. I would have kept it were it not for that (and as such never have tried these few other things) as it's a very good pushchair with less all over compromises than the Twone. I love the Twone though, kind of irrationally really.
Tiggy's right, work out what's important to you. With your age gap a double will be with you for quite some time, as soon as you use something you will really then find out what you can live with and what you can't.
Thank you both so much, you're a mine of information, this is all very helpful 
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Hmm, I also have a problematic entry into my Victorian terrace (side door, funny awkward entrance space, an odd hallway/not really a hallway/under stairs area). Because of this I put the pushchair up in the passageway and then put DD in it even in the pouring rain!
I wish the Oyster Max was due before I'm due, oh well. I think that I'll go and give the B-Dual a proper try out and have another look at the Twone. And then vacillate some more, I guess .
Hope you feel better soon, Tiggy.
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