Rear facing under £200? Help!

[philbee]

I know this has been done to death but I'm still struggling. DD2 is 12 weeks old and we currently use a Maclaren techno xlr with the carseat on so I can see her. I find it pretty cumbersome and would prefer her to be able to lie flat when asleep in the pushchair but still be rear facing.

What is there which is front and rear facing, fairly small and light but sturdy, lies flat and sits up in both positions, and under £200? If anything! Might be able to push the budget a bit but not much. Second hand would be fine. We don't need car seats, carry cots, foot muffs or any of those things. We are in London so lots of mostly city type walking, lots of public transport, no car. I keep looking at different thing and have found one called My Child Floe (which I can't find any reviews of) and the Petite Star Bubble (but am a bit worried about storage on that). Is there anything else I could look at? Thanks for any advice, it's doing my head in a bit!

I had a petite star with my first child and loved it. It wasn't a rear facing one but they didn't do them then. It was really good and seriously thinking about getting another one for my second child. Hope u get some more responses. X

You might be able to pick up a Babystyle Oyster on eBay for that without the carrycot bit, I'm really pleased with mine and got it for £220 I think. Importantly for me it easily fits on London buses, including into the undesirable corner when sharing the space with something wider. Two Oysters fit beautifully but that's rare! I've found the basket a great size and dd looks very comfortable. Mine included the carrycot which you won't need.

The my child floe looks pretty good actually, Tiggy and I saw them earlier this year. I believe the ladybird Reba (from woolworths) is more or less the same pushchair.
An oyster would work, it's not mega light. The Joie Chrome is similar but a little heavier.
The bugaboo bee is the obvious one though, it's "the" London pushchair. I think you would be able to find a used one for £200.

I liked the Floe although admittedly we only got a play with one. I like the Mutsy Evo although I dont know whether its wide for you....but you get a lot for your money. You can buy it with just the seat unit.

I've just done this exact search, although in the end went for something over budget (Mutsu Igo). The Evo s amazingly good value for what it is but quite long and wide. Babystyle oyster can be found on eBay secondhand quite cheaply. Bugaboo Bee, would also be a good option but demand pushes the secondhand price up.

Thank you all. I think it does need to be fairly small and light as we just won't be able to use it otherwise. My friend has lent me her bee to try but I'm finding the give in the handle quite unnerving and it's hard to get it up curbs compared to my maclaren. It also looks very small and as both DDs are fairly large I'm just not sure how long we'd be able to use it for.

I find the Oyster quite light to shift around but like that it's pretty robust (and it takes a pounding!). Today ds, 3.10, around 18kg and tall (regularly taken for 5 sort of tall) was knackered and had a ride for the first time. He would have been fine in the seat longer term and, even pushing it up a steepish grassy hill was ok for me. I understand about the Bee's popularity (although that's the other reason I didn't want one!) but I wanted narrow but bigger wheels. I think it was Tiggy that suggested it to start with! I don't hang much from the handles as it then creaks but that could be age related. I noticed that the newer ones have hooks on the sides to take the matching change bag.

Oh, and I've a bugaboo cup holder on there and it's a great fit! Maxi Cosi adapters work well as well.

I saw the oyster in kiddicare today, it looked great for the price! I especially like the huge basket. It looked quite neat too.

Right, I need clarification now as in the same post you said it needs to be small and light or you won't be able to use it but the bee looks too small? Or purely the seat of the bee looks like it might be too small longer term, the overall size is right?

IMO reversible pushchairs never feel as solid as static forward facing ones. The bee also does have that rickety feel but they are reliable and not particularly known for breaking en masse. Also with a parent facing seat tipping for a kerb is often a little harder... to varying degrees on different pushchairs. The weight of the child is in a different place to forward facing, more towards the front of the pushchair.

What about a graco evo?

Sorry, confusing... Yes, I meant the seat looks too small, the pushchair frame is great. I think the curb thing is just about being used to the weight being at the back on the umbrella fold ones and it's different, as you say. Graco Evo looks good - can you have the seat facing the parent? I think before I only found pictures of it with the carrycot or carseat rear facing. I will try to get to Mothercare and try one out.

Yes the Graco Evo parent faces here
Its a very good, very lightweight pushchair with a lie flat, suitable from birth seat - so you dont need a carrycot. Theres only one flaw for me, and that is that the harness breaks into 5 points which is a pain to do up each time. However harnesses could be replaced if it annoys you. Otherwise its really excellent. Great value for money for what it does.

saw the Evo on amazon for £199 earlier - not sure if cheaper elsewhere

www.amazon.co.uk/Graco-Baby-1826269-Pushchair-Charcoal/dp/B00BLZ88PM/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1374496102&sr=1-1&keywords=graco+evo

I just saw this Babystart combi in an Argos leaflet... Looks pretty good for price (£115) especially as it comes with raincover and footmuff, and seems to get pretty good reviews.

Thanks fairimum and asuwere. I went to Mothercare and tried the evo. It is lovely and I really liked it but it doesn't fold with the seat on, so I think much as I love it it would cause really problems getting onto buses (we don't have a car) and I don't want to have to make DD1 wait around for ages for the second or third bus because I can't fold the pushchair.

So I'm down to the bee, and the one I've borrowed is a 2008 one which is a pita to fold but new ones are too pricey, or the njoy bubble, which I can't find to try out anywhere. Am considering just ordering a grade b bubble for £100 and sending it back if we don't get on with it. I think that's the only pushchair that will be rear facing, small enough and in budget. I've had super cheap strollers before (a Tesco one) and been fine with them as long as they're sturdy.

Sounds like you will be fine. If storage end up being a real issue on the bubble there are various add on options such as net bags on the back, tesco do a good one, on the side (jl childress ones off amazon for example) or solid side bags such as hamster bags. I quite like the bubble, it's okay

Thank you ihateparties. Now I just have to decide whether I'm happy getting one from the refurbished site with no warranty. More decisions! How were you able to try it?

There is one in my local shop. Tiggy on this board has actually used one with children. She doesn't do umbrella fold pushchairs at all. I will see if I can find her...

In the meantime review and pics here...

The Graco Evo does fold with the seat on forward facing Lookie!

It is quite long folded though, but its really light to handle. Isnt the Evo a one handed fold as well off the top of my head?

I have mixed feelings over the Bubble. Its a great concept. It looks most odd from the front when the seat is PF. It was fine IYKWIM - I enjoyed using it - but I wasnt convinced. I am reluctant to discuss my issues because I suspect some of them have since been resolved.

Honestly theres no competition. I would get the Evo over the older Bee or the Bubble. Yes, I do own an Evo - and I have had the Bubble and have just sold my Bee+ after getting frustrated with it. The only flaw I have with the Evo is the 5 point harness - but I am sure another harness could be sought that breaks into 3 pieces instead of 5 each time.

I had the same issues when looking for a pushchair, came across the My Child Floe and couldn't find any reviews. We took a gamble and ordered it anyway and its fantastic! I have written a complete in depth review on it on my blog here 2blue1pink.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/complete-in-depth-review-my-child-floe-pushchair-travel-system/
Hope somebody finds it useful!