Buggy advice needed - uppababy cruz vs icandy peach vs bugaboo bee +

[hannahhanjy]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice on buggies as I'm totally going round in circles...

I'm a FTM, due end of November and totally don't know what buggy to get! We live in london - we have a car, but I don't think we'll use it much (mainly trips to family), I use public transport a lot (trains, tube & buses) although I guess I won't as much with a baby. We have a hallway so if baby falls asleep we can just wheel it in, don't need to collapse buggy / go up stairs. We will go around commons for walk, and both sets of parents live in the countryside, but I don't imagine we will be doing any serious walking. We think we will have a 2nd at some point afterwards (probably 18 months + after the first is born), so boards / doubling is a consideration, but then so is the option to resell at good price!

I don't know which would suit best out of Bugaboo bee + (or maybe cameleon), Uppababy cruz or icandy peach.
Here are my thoughts:

Bugaboo bee + : really light and maneuverable. Worried it will be a bit exposed for winter, not great amounts of storage. People seem a bit disappointed with it sometimes (rickety / not great suspension / not v robust).

Uppababy Cruz: most reviews really good, great storage, looks robust, good price point, baby can sleep in carry cot in house. But is it easy to cart around on public transport? Also, can't double... Not quite as easy to click the carry cot / chair in and out - but again, not sure how much I will do this...

iCandy Peach: really easy to use (clicking things in / out), easy to fold, steers well. Good storage. Really pricey (was thinking we'd buy the carry cot). Doubling still costs quite a lot. A bit heavy.

Bugaboo Cameleon - not sure whether it's not just too big & bulky.

I looked at the City Jogger mini but want the baby to face me to begin with.

Is there anything else I should consider (both different prams, and different factors)? Anyone have any advice?!

Thanks in advance for any help!
xxx

Hi

We have the Bugaboo Bee and the iCandy Peach.

For your requirements I would defintiely recommned the Bee - it's much lighter and narrower than the iCandy and so better for going in and out of shops/public transport etc.

I prefer the iCandy to push and it does have better storage but it's a bit of a faff in London

Don't know about the Uppababy.

Hope that helps!

Hi,
Thanks for your message.
Do you think the bee will be ok with a newborn in winter? It's not too exposed or open? I know they have the cocoon for sleeping in, but i also wondered if it was a hassle to strap the baby into that, rather than having a carry cot...
Thanks for your advice!

I have had all the pushchairs you mention.
I personally found the Cruz too hard under my hands. It hurt to push it because of the non existant suspension. I loved everything else about it and tried and tried several times to like it - I kept boxing it back up and then getting it out - but every time within a few minutes I couldnt bear to push it.
Meanwhile I have just sold my Bee after a real love hate relationship with it. I loved the neatness, seat, quality, fold etc. but its so rickety and wobbly and I always seemed to have one wheel off the ground and in the end I realised there were better pushchairs out there without me feeling annoyed with it.
Meanwhile the Cameleon and the Peach have been two of my favourite pushchairs. I have had two Cam's and three Peaches (including two as Peach Blossom's) and I absolutely love both. The Peach more for the solidity, basket and easier fold though. However I dont live in London, nor use public transport much so Biscuit will know more than I do.
I agree with the City Mini - have you considered a Versa to get the parent facing? Its a lovely pushchair.
Also look at the new Babystyle Oyster Gem which is coming out this autumn because I think it will be a really good alternative to the Bee for city dwellers. I much prefer my Gem to the Bee - its one reason I sold the Bee because I realised the Gem was so much better and more solid, but yet neat.

OP, my DD was a November baby too and we have the Bee. She was very cosy in her Cocoon so I wouldn't worry about that.

We have found the suspension fine. The one thing it's rubbish on is cobbled streets but if you're in London, that's not a major worry.

I like the big basket it has and how easy it is to use on transport.

I had the bee and it was perfect for London. We didn't have a car so used public transport and I walked a lot. Ds born in sept and that winter was terrible and he was fine. It looks compact too so people are more likely to offer to help you carry up and down steps at stations etc. tbh I carried it myself with ds in it. Walked all over the commons no problem. Not great on grass but not a major problem. Also went on flights with it and was fine. The one thing was my ds was a very long baby and a tall toddler and grew out of it :( We sold it for a good price too!

Don't live in London anymore, due dc 2 in oct and was actually out looking at uppababy cruz today! So hard as bee won't do for the weather here. Also looking at city mini gt but not sure.

Good luck op

chickieno1, did you have the Bee or the Bee Plus because the Plus is extendable and lasts longer than the original Bee. That was the major complaint about the Bee.

I have a Bee+ and live in London. It's a perfect city pram. I have a February baby and he was always snug in his cocoon so they aren't exposed at all. It's such an easy pram. Folds really easily and the basket is a good size. I love it.

I live in London. I use public transport often with my cam, even small single decker buses sometimes, and don't find it too big or heavy. I tried smaller lighter pushchairs and found all of them too much of a compromise in other areas. I have a friend with a Peach and she loves it, seems a fab pushchair but she says she's scared of getting on buses with it. I probably would manage buses if it were mine, but I think the cam is quite a lot lighter and is lovely too. The Bee is too low for me and DS sleeps better with a bucket style seat/ recline, but you see them everywhere so they must work well for people. I always thought they weren't light enough tbh, aren't they 8.5 kg and the Cam is 9? No experience of the Cruz.

Bee plus showtunes but still had that problem. We went to john Lewis on Oxford street and booked a slot to ask questions about buggies. They showed us buggies that would work on public transport and we went from there.

Thanks for all the advice (and any further suggestions totally welcome - it's always good to think of other aspects).
We're going back to John Lewis again tomorrow so we will have another play with them!