Please help me love (or just like!) my Britax B Dual....

[princelypurpleparrot]

Because at the moment I hate the bloody thing but can't justify getting an alternative.

I have a 2010 model (should be a 2011 model but the shop were cheeky feckers ). DC1 is almost 3 and DC2 is almost 1, they are of average size.

DC2 never looks comfy in the bottom seat, he ends up all lop-sided, with his neck bent, however I sit him in there. The bottom seat also doesn't sit very upright so he's never is a proper "awake" position in it, iyswim.

I struggle to fold it down, the bits I'm supposed to press never seem to work first, second or third time and it's sooooooo frustrating.

It's sooooooooooooo heavy and difficult to push, it feels like a bloody tank!

And, to top it all off, I've just discovered that the basket (one of the plus points) has split along the front, argh! I'm had it since last December so I'm hoping that I can get that fixed under guarantee but that will involve the faff of sending it back, and not having a double.

I already have a buggy board which is good, but it's not practical for every journey, and DS1 is a bolter so walking everywhere is not an option.

So, how can I renew my love for my Britax?!

bump?

Lonely bump...

One more try...

I'm looking for a tandem and have realised through much research that I won't get one that isn't likely to piss me off in some way! And I don't want a double as it won't work for what I need. So it's got to be the thing that pisses me off least that I will compromise on. Will it help to think of it that way for you?

I don't have much else to advise really except that have you played around with the all the seating configurations?

Sorry if I've been no help. At the very least I've bumped it again you

Reins for bolting DS1 and an assurance that he will get better.

DD1 did improve by 3.5 having bolted since she could crawl.

As to the pushchair, I can't help. I had a wonderful mountain buggy and a shit £15 object with swivel wheels that went sideways.

Can you switch them into the different seats...

If the frame doesn't fold and unfold easily like it's meant to wonder if it's faulty...

Chances are you will probably never like it, some you can get on with and some you just can't. Have you considered just cutting your losses and selling it and buying something such as a baby jogger or a Maclaren? Sorry I cant be of anymore help

You can make the lower seat more upright by wrapping a length of velcro around the frame at either side (so across the back of the seat iyswim). This fixes the lower seat slumping by holding the back fabric part more upright. The other bits I dunno, mine folded easily but I hardly ever did it. Also found it easy to push really, it was the width I couldn't get on with.

One comment up there ^ is sooooo true, They WILL all piss you off in some way, it's inevitable. Could you buy a new basket off ebay or could britax send you a new one, do you really have to send the whole thing back just for the basket? I can't remember how it was attached tbh.

If swapping really isn't an option then I would try to fix the lower seat more upright, get the basket sorted somehow etc. On the pushing front the kids will have got significantly heavier since last december, pushing them will be more difficult than it used to be in other tandems too.

I'm saying all this but I am a swapper, if it's really irking me I ebay it and start again!

If it has tyres it could also be that they need inflating as once they flatten a little it does make them much more difficult to push.

Thanks ladies! I'm a bit as DH showed me I was actually pressing the wrong thing to try and get it to fold! I think, from having a quick look earlier, that the basket comes off so hopefully I can just send that bit back to be fixed.

Ihate I confess I'm not entirely sure what you mean re: the back seat but i'll have a play around with it tomorrow.

You're all right that something would piss me off about all of them. But I keep seeing Phil and Teds everywhere atm, and I was with friends the other day, one with a Nipper 360 and one with a Phil and Teds and mine really was like a tank to manouevre [sp] compared to those.

I'm not getting another, I really can't justify it!

The seat thing is hard to describe...

On your b dual is the metal frame of the lower seat visible?

If so get a long piece of velcro, a metre should be plenty, you'd get away with less. Wrap the velcro between one side of the seat frame and the other, across the underside/behind the seat backrest. When the velcro is secured tightly between the two sides of the seat frame it will hold the seat back in a more upright position.

I did it on the lower seat of my b dual but I don't think I have a picture of it. Also did it on my britax b agile. Stupid britax and their not quite upright seats

I have the b dual and my dc are almost exactly the same age. The smaller one never looks right in the lower seat though and always goes in the top seat. This then makes it a bit easier to push as the heavier child is over the bigger wheels near to you which helps with kerbs. Britax will send free extensions for the straps if they're a bit tight and I don't use the mudguards as dd1 is old enough to know not to lean out and touch the wheels which makes the width a bit less.

What we often do is have dd2 rearfacing and then when we're somewhere busy or need to go a bit faster I put the lower seat flat and dd1 stands on this and uses it as a buggy board. Not at all recommended and probably bad for the buggy but both dc love it and entertain each other (so v good when in shops etc). The back seat being slightly reclined never seems to bother dd1 as she's usually just in the seat when she's tired or wants a snack.

I also get buggy envy when out with friends but I haven't seen one that's perfect yet. A friend with a nipper 360 has dc who fight in it and I've been stuck places with her where the side by side can't get through and I've pushed a phil and ted with older children in and it also felt like a tank. Grass is greener and all that...

I bought a second B-dual for childminding. At the moment I have 2 little ones, 13 months and 15 months. I have just bought it to tide me over until the Oyster Max comes out.

I must admit, I also hate it. It is so bulky and even when it's seperated I find it quite heavy and awkward to lift into the boot of my car which is quite high.

I have tied a bungee rope (a bit of elastic with hooks at either end) round the frame of the bottom seat and joined the hooks at the back to make it more upright. The 15 mth old who sit in the bottom seat still slumps and site to one side. I think it's because the actual seat bit isn't very deep.

If you look at the bottom seat you have the metal frame. You can wrap something round the frame at the sides and tie it at the back of the vertical bit of the seat (velcro or a bungee cord work well)

Hope this helps.

NorthPolo that is what I was trying to suggest - older one in the back, younger one in the top.

It's tough that you got a 2010 version instead of a 2011 one because the 2011 was much better.
The seating positions though is my biggest gripe with the B-Dual.
I agree with the others - there are few doubles that are good and the B-Dusl is probably the best in the mid price range. Don't look on enviously at P&Ts because they are heavy and more problematic at various stages - newborn and toddler can not be ideal if the eldest naps or the baby is bigger and later the elder may not fit well underneath (depending on model) plus P&Ts (I think apart from the Dot) are all longer than a B-Dual and taller. The Nipper is a different kettle of fish altogether and unless it's the new narrow version, then doors will be an issue.

twojues I am fortunate enough to have an Oyster Max and it's FABULOUS!!! It all works well - apart from a lack of basket space in tandem mode. But the seating positions are perfect, the fold is fairly neat, it pushes fab, tips up steps easily (needs reversing down though). But all round its fab.

Tiggy - Can you misdirect the Oyster to me when they want it back, lol?

Now you've tried out the Oyster Max and he Jane Twone which is the better one?

Oyster Max by miles and miles except the Twone wins on fold.

Thanks for that. I'm just going to have to make do with the Bdual until it comes out.
Luckily it's only 2 days a week I need to use it.

I think I may be the only person that loves it!!

Which, the B Dual or the Twone? I liked my b dual a whole lot but it was about 4 or 5cm too wide to fit into my life

I'm feeling a bit frustrated with my B-Dual already and DC2 hasn't even arrived yet. Tonight I tried attaching the soft carry cot to the main seat and just found the instructions so confusing and the minuscule photos in the booklet useless. And I can't find any videos that demonstrate how to attach it.

Also annoyed to find out that the seat fabrics can't be removed for washing -- only wiped clean. DC1 has ridden in it only a few times and it already needs a cleaning!

Grrrr. Sorry to whinge. I just hoped for an easier experience. Really hoping that DC1 won't want to be in a buggy much longer -- but she's only 19 months, so I think we'll need it for a while.

B-Dual :o

I do just love the darn thing :o But it's blardy broken right now!