3 Wheel Buggies
3 wheel buggies offer excellent maneuverability, and are a stylish, streamlined frame. Many of these have an sling made of fabric with a cosy lay flat bed, which is ideal for weight distribution and are suitable from birth.
The wheels are bigger and usually come with suspensions to allow for smooth, agile moving on different terrains. The only downside to these wheels is that they can be heavier and bulkier to transport and store.
Stability
Three wheel buggies are extremely solid - they don't fall over as easily as pushchairs with four wheels when traveling in a straight line. Also, you'll notice that you can move them more quickly and effortlessly. If you turn or stop abruptly, they may lose stability and even tip over. Some manufacturers add an extra wheel to their 3-wheel buggy designs to increase the stability of the chassis.
You can also tackle off-road terrain by adding an extra wheel. Find models with air-filled tires (also known as pneumatic tyres), which can handle off-road routes, sand and dirt, as well as other surfaces such as sand and rock. These models will also have an adjustable wheel that locks on the front to increase the stability of the vehicle over rough terrain.
The buggies are easy to maneuver and agile thanks to the 360o front swivel wheel. They also pass the same stability standards globally and tests as buggies with four wheels.
If you are looking for a seat made of cloth, these tend to be smaller in the frame as compared to modular seats. This means that your baby's centre of gravity will be closer to the ground, instantly providing an easier ride.
Most well-known for its car seats, Maxi-Cosi has recently added a lightweight travel system and pushchair to its line-up with the eye-catching Citylife. This 3-in-1 model is designed for urban living and can be used for newborns with a car seat or carrycot for infants. It has 4 wheels and uses an exclusive black pewter frame, which the company claims is 'slim and compact'. It's just 2cm larger than the Babyzen Yoyo.
Folding
There's a good choice of 3 wheel buggies that fold compactly to fit in smaller space. A majority of these buggies are able to be folded with one hand, and are easy to clean. The smallest models will feature an easy adjustable height of the handlebars, while others could have an adjustable suspension or an extendable 50+ UV canopy. Certain models may come with an enormous basket as well as brake levers that are quick-release.
The best 3 wheeled buggy for taking on rough terrain
A 3-wheeler will typically be more able to deal with off-road terrain than a 4-wheel model, although both can get stuck in difficult places. A model with larger front and rear wheels can assist. This allows you to push them across rough terrain, and can aid in getting up and down the steep slopes.
One option is the brand new Roma Atlas, which has been praised for its responsive handling despite its three-wheel design. MFM reviewer Kath tested it with her infant and reported that "it handled really well on cobbles, bumpy surfaces gravel tracks, dirt roads and even some hills."
Another great alternative is the new all-terrain 3 wheel buggy from Maxi-Cosi, a car seat manufacturer, called Stella. It's suitable for babies when used in conjunction with the carrycot. It's smaller than the light 4wheelers (with an impressively slim 54cm wide frame) but it comes with big air-filled tyres, three recline positions, and a quick one-hand fold.
Its primary selling point is its modularity - it's compatible across all the brand's infant strollers and car seats. You can build your own travel system, no matter if you're looking to go for a shorter walk or a longer one using the chassis.
Tyres
The tyres for 3 wheel buggies come in a variety of designs and materials, and each comes with its pros and cons. For instance, tyres that are filled with air offer a smooth ride and great maneuverability while foam-filled tires are more durable. The type of tyre you select will be determined by your lifestyle and where it is that you live.
If you plan to travel on roads that are not paved or on rough terrain frequently, you might want to consider a three-wheeler with more robust tyres. Also, you should consider the type of suspension that you need. A sturdy suspension is helpful to handle bumps and humps. However, it can be heavy and contribute to the overall weight of your pushchair.
The size of the tyre is also crucial. Understanding the size of the tyre is crucial for safety, performance and longevity. The combination of letters and numbers on a tyre's sidewall may be initially, but decoding it allows you to understand the tyre's dimensions. A tyre having an 185/70 size R14 for instance, means that it is a radial tire in 185/70 and has 14-inch rim size.
In addition to being more durable, PU tires are lighter and more puncture-resistant than rubber ones. If you're unsure whether the tires of a pushchair are rubber or PU, slide the tires across an even surface. If they slide easily, then the tires are made from PU. If they do not, then the tires are composed of rubber.
Suspension
The suspension on a three wheel buggy is an essential aspect to consider as it will absorb the jolts and bumps of rough terrain, making it more comfortable for your baby. Having large wheels, that are ideally air-filled and lockable to ensure stability while jogging is crucial to ensure that your buggy is capable of maneuvering off road surfaces with ease.
Depending on the style of buggie you're looking for There are a variety of options to suit all lifestyles and budgets. For instance the Mountain Buggy pioneered all terrain agility in a 3-wheel buggies. With the perfect geometry and engineering, their fabrics sling seat sits snug within the frame, as opposed to sitting on top like modular seats, offering a lower centre of gravity and sitting at the perfect height for the best weight distribution, allowing it to easily take on the kerb pops.
Another option worth considering is the Urban Glide 2 from Thule which boasts a sleek design with a massive, manoeuvrable front wheel, a great suspension and an easy-to-use handbrake with a twist. MFM reviewer Kath put this buggy to the test by taking it for a walk through rough ground and she was impressed with how it handled the terrain really well saying that it 'navigates effortlessly over bumpy grass, pavements, cobbles dirt tracks, and makes a light work of getting up and down kerbs'.
The Roma Atlas is another popular off road option and like the Urban Glide 2, comes in a variety of colors to match your style. It also features an adjustable handlebar, a large basket and an ultraviolet hood that is 50+. You can also choose from a range of infant car seats that convert the buggy into a pram. This includes the chicly designed carrycot plus(tm) which is a comfy lie-flat baby bed suitable for infants and newborns up to 12 months old.
Safety
Four wheels make the pushchair more stable and less likely to tip over, and more easy to maneuver. It is also safer for your baby as their weight is distributed more evenly over the frame of the pushchair.
www.pushchairsandprams.uk -wheeled buggy also tends to have a lower center of gravity and is therefore easier to pop over curbs and up the stairs. The fabric sling seat sits inside the frame rather than on top of it like modular seats do, which results in a lower seating position and a lighter buggy that is easily maneuvered.
If you're looking to go out for a run with your baby then a four-wheeler is better suited as it comes with suspension that allows the front wheel to move independently of the rear one which allows you to navigate bumpy roads and rough terrain be aware that not all buggies with 4 wheels are suitable for running (most are NOT, such as the Phil and Teds). Mountain Buggies are the exception since they feature an exclusive suspension system that has been independently tested across all kinds of terrain.