Right MNers, please tell me which is the best umbrella style pushchair to cope with "countryside"?

[champagnesupernova]

I have had a quinny buzz for going out on country walks and love that it comes with silly footmuff thing to keep warm in winter.
BUT I have been PLAGUED with punctures.
Also it's bloody heavy and getting to be a pita with DS as he's getting heavy (19 months and 27lbs )

Will a McLaren or similar cope with woods/rural paths?
TIA

[5inthehousesofparliament]

Baby jogger city mini. Not quite an umberella fold, but it has excellent suspension, even though it doesn't look so, and is so light and easy to push one handed.

My ds3 is 11 months and weighs 25lbs

[CarGirl]

no it won't.

If you do go for a maclaren only the techno would do - buy a 2nd hand one to see what you think.

You would be better of with a proper 3 wheeler (the buzz just so isn't) with slimed wheels and don't over inflate them as this make punctures more likely. Also ensure you are removing thorns or whatever has made the original puncture.

[IMoveTheStarsForNoOne]

what 5inthehousesofparliament said.

Although, The Quinny Buzz is a PITA IME. I really hated ours.

[CarGirl]

I loathed the buzz too it wasn't that great on pavements.

[champagnesupernova]

Thanks for all of this, am going to check ebay for 2nd hand technos - good tip.
What are slimed wheels?

REALLY would prefer something that folds easily, getting sick of the buggy being in the bloody way all the time.

[nicolamumof3]

agree too with cargirl you need a proper three wheeler, mac wont do it, i'd never take my mac on country walk pita to clean the wheels for a start, whereas with my nipper can just pop the muddy wheels off to scrub.

[nicolamumof3]

nipper 360 is v..v.light and folds v.easily for a three wheeler and compactly deffo recommend.

[onelittlelion]

I agree you need a proper 3 wheeler.

Mountain Buggys are great and can handle anything and freestand when folded so can stick in the corner! Nippers fold quite small and are light too if space is an issue or the babay jogger classic with air wheels.

I found the bjcm hard on bumpy ground - would rather have an xt/xlr I think altho bjcm is fab stroller.

[CarGirl]

slime is stuff you put in the tubes, if you get a puncture it fixes it for you. YOu can also get a lining that goes inbetween the tyre and the tube to protect the tubes too.

Nipper is so light it's unbelievable.

[champagnesupernova]

cargirl that sounds awesome! What I needed in the first place.
Where do I get it from??

Going to look at nippers but they look £££.

[CarGirl]

slime

cgi.ebay.co.uk/TYRE-SEALANT-SLIME-PUNCTURE-PREVENTATIVE_W0QQitemZ260484779230QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_M otorcycle_Parts?hash=item3ca61a4cde

that is just a random listing, shop around or get it done at a cycle shop

[champagnesupernova]

Brilliant!
Thank you!
Will have a look.

[CarGirl]

puncture protection tape

cgi.ebay.co.uk/1PR-PUNCTURE-PROTECTION-TAPE-FOR-MTB-TYRES-35MM-WIDE_W0QQitemZ200399831890QQcmdZViewI temQQptZUKsportsleisurecyclingbikepartsSR?hash=item2ea8c2c352

again random listing to illustrate.

Ditch the buzz, they're hideous.

Get on ebay search through pushchairs on nearest first see what's on there and we'll tell you what's worth trying.

The small wheel at the front of the buzz isn't great for off roading and it is huge folded up.

[BikeRunSki]

I hated my Buzz too. On roads, on pavements, on bridleways, in shops, in the way........

Have a P&T Sport. Love it. Sturdy and steady off road (we live in countryside, walkon footpaths and bridleways a lot); narrow enough for shops, just about fits in boot of my silly saloon car, BUT is a bit chunky, lives outside.

Anyway

SLime

Tyre tape

Our local bike shops will slime your tyres for you for a price, but is simple enough to do yourself.

[CarGirl]

P&T is quite heavy there are lighter out there.

I loved the

XTS twister (prefer older model)
Mountain buggy urban
nipper

can't think of the others now

Buy something 2nd hand when your converted flog your buzz you'll never go back to it.

[IMoveTheStarsForNoOne]

Great to see there is a consensus that the Buzz crap (less so for the OP of course)

I always feel like warning people off them when i see them looking in Mothercare/John Lewis etc.

[CarmelaDeAngelis]

If you want a proper off-roader I would get an easylife sport - they go cheap 2nd hand on ebay quite often - I have seen them go at under £40 a lot there.

They're VERY similar to the MB - but fold up smaller - the seat is bigger - they are more durable, stronger and renewable - in that you can buy any new part including hoods, seats, baskets etc from the manufacturer for very reasonable sums.

look at this site for spares repairs and the add on toddler seat if you need that.

[CarmelaDeAngelis]

oooh, just had another thought - what about a micralite fastfold?

if you get one from pram world they are giving the sun/bug mesh free too - which is a good add-on for the summer.

[champagnesupernova]

Ooh, interesting CarmeladeAngelis, I saw a dad with one of those easywalkers in a cafe last week. I'd never seen one before and wondered what brand it was and even asked him about it!
Off to google some more

[nicolamumof3]

don't think micralite that good off road tho with those front wheels? tho you can get an all terrain kit for them?

[CarmelaDeAngelis]

Yeah, I don't think they're ideal off road those micralites - but I bet they're better than a maclaren - and you can tip them onto the back wheels for the odd extra lumpy bit of ground!

For seriously light and seriously off road you would need a landrover (buggy) - they're sometimes on ebay and go from £50 up to £250 - they were about £500......
They're a discountinued product - having been manufactured by the old silver cross company before they went into receivership in about 2004 - silver cross then got bought up by another company - to use the name and make prams....
This was a sad day for the landrover buggy which is not manufactured any more.

I think they're about 3kg - or something ridiculously light....and they go ANYWHERE - I've taken one round some very steep and lumpy woodland round a lake, up mountains, over moors - heather, pebbly beaches - and the shops too of course. They don't recline and are only good for 6m up unless you have the cot seat.

[CarmelaDeAngelis]

Oh, and the landrovers don't fold quick and easy for public transport like the maclaren or micralite would either......

I have yet to find a buggy that's super light, super comfy for baby, faces mum AND folds up with 1 hand really easily, and is machine washable and handles all terrains....

the person that invents this will be quids in.

I think the micralite is seriously close though. Why don't I have one come to think of it?!

(speaking as owner of Maxi cosi Mura 4 and Loola for the moment....)

The babydan stockholm is fairly good offroad and is sturdy (not that light - but has lots of nice features - 1 handed layback etc) - and v cheap on ebay at £39.99 used to be £199 - if you like the striped colour that is....

Easylife sports are ime far better than Mountainbuggy's having had both. The easylife is less costly - you don't feel you're paying extra for a "name" - you get a great quality item for your money - and you can put a car seat in for a tiny baby with the car seat strap - and you can add the toddler seat later if you have more kids.
It looks similar - but the kids seat is higher up (out of fumes or bag swinging range - or even nosy dogs range - huge bonus!)

[CarmelaDeAngelis]

Oh, I really should consolidate my thoughts before posting 3 x in a row shouldn't I - just wanted to say the Micralite is the nearest thing to fit the bill because it is umbrella folding...

It's the only umbrella folding one that I think I would feel confident taking off road because of the rear air tyres.

Yup you could add the all terrain kit - I had a look on youtube at how this fits though - and I do not think the micralite folds up while the all terrain front wheels are in place - there seems to be a stabilising bar that fits between the front wheels before the off road wheels are clicked into place - so that would negate the folding action until you had removed it (along with off road wheels)!

[nicolamumof3]

no the micralite doesn't fold with ATK, i recently wanted a micralite but as i have maclaren alreay decided on proper three wheeler and got (again) another nipper.