Hi ladies,

We have bub #2 on the way, due in August, and Liam will only be 14mths at the time, so will still need to be in a pram. I currently have a Beema Q (with basinette attachment) and a Quicksmart Easyfold stroller, but neither of those cater for 2 kids! The Beema Q can have a skateboard attachment, but Liam will only just be walking (if he is at all), so I'm really after a twin pram so he can sit and relax as well.

I do loads of walking around our local lake, and around the bike paths near our place, so I would really like something similar to a 3 wheeler (I know a few twin versions of 3 wheelers have 4 wheels, but still in the V configuration).

So here's my wish list:
- Something easy to push over long distances
- Easy to steer
- Twin (not tandem)
- Fit through standard doorway & checkout isles (very important!)
- Independent seats (one can be reclined independent of the other)
- good size storage basket underneath for shopping, blankets, etc
- jogger style single bar handle (not the individual handles like some strollers have)
- adjustable handles would be nice, but not essential
- Easy to fold
- Not too heavy (no more than 11kg if possible)
- Must have sunshade/UV shade that fits it

I would like something that isn't too exxy if possible, but I know that twins are going to be more expensive, and jogger style more expensive than stroller style.

I have looked at the Baby Jogger City Mini Double, and it looks OK - but I'm not sure about the wheels? My Beema Q has pneumatic tyres that make it a very comfy ride for Liam, and the City Mini has hard rubber wheels - so I'm not sure how it would go over broken pavement and uneven surfaces...

Any recommendations?

The Baby Jogger range may have something suitable. I had the BabyJogger City Mini Double which had solid moulded tyres, the basket underneath is one big basket rather than 2 smaller ones like some prams and is stretchy allowing easy access from the sides. Seats recline independently, seperate hoods that provide great sun protection and the fold is simply pulling up on the straps that lay across the back of the seats and voila! Great suspension and distributes the weight really well, I managed to push it around Melbourne Zoo a week after giving birth with Jack in the pram and Lewey in my arms! Also the only one that would fit through our front door unfolded.

From my research you're better off going with a pram that has 4 wheels and not one of the 3 wheeler twins when you've got an age gap, the differences in weight can make them hard to steer.

You really need to look at how you're going to use it before deciding. I've been through 2 double prams so far and getting ready to buy my 3rd I've found for us getting through checkouts isn't an issue, at the shops we use a stroller (Bugaboo Bee) and either Jack is in the trolley or on Andrew's shoulders or Lewis is in the sling. Lewis wouldn't stay in a pram until we got the Bee and he will only go in it facing me, if he can't see me he's not a happy chappy! We're about to get the First Wheels City Twin because it allows me to have the seats facing towards me. For us it will only be used for walks or long outings. If we're going anywhere where we have to have both boys in a pram and space is an issue (like going to the city at Christmas time) then we the Bee and an umbrella stroller.

Ooo....I love this pram

good luck on the not too heavy part - since having the girls they seem to have gotten a hell of a lot heavier.

personally - i would use a sling for #2 and pram for Liam for now then work out once bubs is here what you really need (nothing like having the live demo model for using in prams in stores).

most of them fit through doorways but checkouts won't happen - unless you go limo style - even a lot of singleton prams (as opposed to strollers) seem to struggle in a checkout situation now.

i know the valco has the one long bar and it's adj but it's way over your weight limit.

happy hunting - my main requirement before anything else would be fitting in the boot and how much boot space it will take up

How much does the Firstwheels City Twin usually retail for... I saw this the other day and am considering it. I love that it's so adaptable!

Firstwheels City Twin

I also love the look of the Baby Jogger City Mini Double, Megs is this one you're recommend?

woah Rosa, that is a good price.

Thanks ladies. One of my fellow June Mummies (Mandy) has the City Jogger Mini Double for her two, and they're 15mths apart and she loves it - hence why I was looking at it.

Mrs Megs - I've been thinking more along the line of a 4 wheeler, just in the 3 wheeler V configuration because of the weight issue. The 3 wheeler doubles just don't look stable enough! I've seen the First Wheels City Twin as well, and I love how you can have the seats facing different ways - great for having Liam looking forward but our newborn facing me - but I don't like how the seats come off to fold down. The BJ City Mini Double folds up much easier.

Sam - boot space actually isn't a problem for us. We have a Holden Adventra, so have loads of boot space. I know I'll eventually end up getting a lightweight twin stroller, or just keeping my Quicksmart Easyfold stroller for bub #2 when Liam's walking and we're only taking a short trip to the shops or something, so the one I'm after now is more for walking. I get so stir crazy staying at home, so I really need something that I can get out and about with - hence why I'm looking at the jogger style.
I totally hear you on the checkouts! I've seen so many mums get caught because they can't get through - they can even get right to the end, pay for their stuff and then not get through the security points at the end. I'm lucky our Beema Q is quite narrow for a pneumatic tyre 3 wheeler. Another reason why I was looking at the BJ City Mini.
And yeah, I was just looking at the Valco again online, and its around 17kg - just too heavy for my liking! I'm not planning on bub #3, but you never know what will happen! So I'd really like a lightweight one that I can lift and move around.

Mrs Megs - with the Baby Jogger City Mini Double, how do you find the moulded tyres? I'm worried that they might be too firm and therefore too rough over the broken paths and old road base paths that we have around here.... Thats the only thing thats really stopping me from going for this one 100%. That and I'd like to know if there's anything else out there as well - I like to do my research.

Hi Mel
I rarely get time to post in June Mummies.. Congrats again!!

I have the Phil & Teds Vibe and I cant fault it...it is a little exxy (you can get some good deals tho) but fits everywhere (i spend hours at the shops!!!! ), is incredibly easy to manouver and very comfy...Sam just loves it when we say we are going in the pram

The only issue was the brake on the handle but takes about a week to get used to.

Otherwise I love it...its just a dream

Not needing one myself, I haven't done any research on double prams but I did see the Mountain Buggy Double Urban in a magazine the other day and though it looked quite good for a double pram. The pic in the magazine showed it with the bassinet attachment on one side and regular seat on the other, so I assume the two seats are independent of each other and can recline separately. It seems to be quite narrow (75cm), lightweight and has pneumatic tyres, but other than that I'm not sure if it meets your requirements. Thought I'd put it out there though as another one to look in to. Here it is on the Mountain Buggy website, I like it in the Sand or Baroque colours.

ETA: In the magazine they listed the price as $1,249.95 and the bassinet for $299.95, but as the seat reclines you could get away without the bassinet. I'm not sure if that's exxy or a good price for a double?

ETA again:

Did you end up selling the Commodore? My parents have an Adventra and you're right about the boot space - I think I could just about set up camp and live in there, there's more space in their boot than in my loungeroom!

I have the Steelcraft Twin 3 Wheeler pram, see here.
It is a good price, comes with a raincover and foot muffs and does fit through most doorways I've come across. It has "proper" tyres (a bicycle pump is attached to the pram) too. It ticks most of the points on your list. It is pretty heavy though (around 15kg) but I'm used to lifting it in and out of the boot now. The main thing for me was the price, it was by far the cheapest jogger twin stroller

I got the City single and love the fact if I do need a twin in the future I can use the bassinette I have on the double pram.

Thanks Lillie. I've seen the Phil & Ted Vibe around, but I wasn't so sure about the "tandem" aspect. I know it would be great for when bub #2 is small, but Liam is now 7mths and is so curious about the world, that I know there's no way he'd want to be behind another child, or have his view blocked, so I'm sure that bub #2 will be the same - therefore I'd only get a few mths out of it. Would be great if I already had the Vibe - I could just add the bit at the back, but yeah, for a whole new pram I'm thinking a twin is going to be better.

Allee - thanks for the recommendation. The Urban Double does look good - I like the way that it can have the basinette on one side and the normal seat on the other - I did love Liam being in his basinette when he was little - especially seeing as he was a winter baby (as this one will be) and it gets so cold down here when we're out and about, so it was great to be able to rug him up and put him in there all snug. I also like the basinette because if bub cries I can easily get him/her out of there without having to undo straps and the like. Plus Liam was a refluxy baby and it was good to be able to keep an eye on him in case he threw up while we were walking along - I could clean it up straight away and make sure he wasn't choking or anything.
And yup, we actually traded the commodore - got a good deal too (given the current financial climate). Got the Adventra just before Christmas, and I LOVE the boot space! We still managed to fill it to the roof when we went away at Christmas, but that meant we had heaps of 'luxury' items to take with us - I ended up being able to take Liam's Beema Q away with us so I could go walking around off road near Mum & Dad's place instead of just being able to fit the little Quicksmart Easy Fold stroller, which wouldn't have done the same trick at all!

d00nd00nian - the only thing I worry about with the 3 Wheeler twin is that my bubs will be different weights, and I've heard that the 3 wheeler doubles are great for twins (as in your case) but not so good for babies of different ages and weights. Apparently they can be hard to push because they're off balance (it tend to pull one way, like a 'bad' trolley) and can overbalance if only one child is in there. But thanks for the link - it was worth checking out.

Rosita - that is one feature I do like. I have the Beema basinette, but unfortunately its only designed for the Beema range, so I guess it will either stay with the Beema Q if we decide to sell it, or can at least be used as a porta-basinette for bub #2 in those first few mths.


I ducked out to "Mums & Bubs" today and took at look at the Baby Jogger City Mini Double and the Classic Double, and explained to the sales lady where I tend to walk and what activities I tend to do during the week, and she seems to think that I'll need the Classic rather than the Mini for the pneumatic tyres. She doesn't think that the Mini rubber ones are going to be good enough for where I go walking. Now, I'm not sure whether she's just saying this because the Classic is obviously more expensive (about $200-$300 more), or whether I am really going to need it? I did point to the Urban Buggy ones, but she seemed to think that the Baby Jogger was better as well?
So I'm totally confused now! I think I'm just going to have to do some more research and possible, as Sam mentioned, wait until Bub #2 is born and go and test them all when I do have both babies to trial it with. Either that or I'm going to 'borrow' my friends 16mth old to see how it goes with two babies of different ages in there when they're a bit older .