A Buggy That Bugs Me (Mothercare Urban Detour Pinnacle 3 wheeler)

Member Name: sersha

Product:	Mothercare Urban Detour Pinnacle 3 wheeler
Date:	09/04/05 (4359 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good on country terrain, three - in - one system

Disadvantages: too big to take on the bus or into shops, very heavy

Leah's father had almost finished saving for his motorbike when I became pregnant. Thankfully, he decided that a three-wheeler buggy was almost as much fun, and became besotted with them instead, spending many happy hours kicking the wheels of buggies in shops and making grumbling noises about engines. We chose one with a swivel front wheel, for extra maneouvreability around corners (he also likes racing cars.)

A travel system incorporates a car seat as well as a buggy, so it's a good first time buy for a new baby killing two birds with one stone. The car seat attaches to the buggy by simply lowering it into two slots, clicking it into place and adjusting the carrying handle. This means you can transfer a sleeping baby from car to buggy very easily without waking him or her up. Remove the car seat from the travel system and you can either lay baby down flat in the cosy-toes (a bit like a pram) or you can adjust the seat so that baby sits propped up and facing out, (or reclining) like a normal buggy. How very convenient! It's a stroller, a pram, a car seat and a buggy all in one!

Sadly, if I have another baby I will be selling this one on ebay and I will be buying a stroller, a pram, a car seat and a buggy!

Why I want a new stroller:
----------------------------------

1) Because I can't reasonably take this on any form of public transport, into any shops, or into a cafe or restaurant. It's easy to fold up (you can fold it one-handed), but then so heavy I can't actually physically lift it onto the bus. I knew I wouldn't be getting many buses, so I didn't expect a miracle, but it's also just too cumbersome for shops or restaurants unless there is acres of space between tables. I ended up buying a sling for going into town.

2) Even in large department stores I can't see where the wheel is at the front, and end up pushing it into people. Of course, you could argue that this buggy isn't designed to be a stroller, it's strictly for off-roading, and it IS good on bumpy surfaces, so how it performs in Marks and Spencers is maybe not a fair test.

Why I want a new pram:
---------------------------------

1) Because there is no suspension, the surface of the pram is very hard, and Leah hates it. My mum has an old silvercross pram, and it sends Leah to sleep as it is very bouncy and relaxing. In comparison, this is like lying on a concrete slab. On the plus side, it IS very light to push and has a comfy handlebar (squashy like a bike's handlebars.)

2) Although the cosytoes is strapped to the pram, it still slides about with Leah in it, and I wouldn't be happy taking her down a steep slope in case the whole thing came away. It's gravity versus a few bits of cheap plastic.

Why I want a new car seat:
-----------------------------------

1) It's HEAVY. The car seat alone weights 4.2kg (over 9 pounds) when empty. It's not just heavy with Leah in it, it's impossible to carry. I now lift Leah out of her carseat even when asleep and carry her in and out of the house. I have injured my shoulder since we first started using it (I was carrying it every day), and am in pain with it almost constantly. Leah is no totsy delicate baby, but I have seen friends carseats and when comparing empty ones, mine is always the heaviest.

2) Although the car seat is a first stage one suitable for newborn babies up to 13kg (29 lbs) which is 12-15 months, Leah looks big in hers already (at 16lbs.) I can't see it lasting the distance. That could have applied in any first stage carseat, but this one does look smaller to me than others that are first stage seats. I'm not sure if they are standard sizes, correct me if I am wrong.

3) It's not terribly comfy and not very well padded, in comparison to other car seats on the market.

4) There is no scope for hanging toys which I have seen on many others.

It's not ALL bad though. It IS easy and uncomplicated to fit in the car, and a small dial on the side lets you know easily if you have it in the correct position which is great when you are starting off. It comes with a headhugger which is great for tiny babies, an apron which attaches with velcro, and padded shoulder straps (although she hates these). You can remove the car seat cover and put it through the washing machine with no ill effects.

NB: It's a rear facing seat, so you must position it facing the seat back, and not in the front seat if you have an airbag. This is standard for most first stage carseats.

Why I want a new buggy:
----------------------------------

1) The raincover is a pain to attach and despite the 45 velcro fastenings you seem to have to secure, it never looks as if it is on properly.

2) The tray at the bottom for putting your shopping bags etc into holds the raincover, but nothing else will fit in it. So you can choose between sopping wet baby and shopping bags, or dry happy baby but no shopping (of course you could carry your shopping, but you'll also be carrying the changing bag and other baby equipment!)

3) The buggy won't fold up properly unless you remove the raincover from the tray underneath. When folded it takes up all the space in my boot (I have a medium sized saloon car.) it won't go in a VW Golf, for example. Worse, I have to remove the third wheel completely to get it in the boot. How on earth I wouuld take it on holiday with luggage I don't know - in fact I know I couldn't. I know another couple who have the same travel system, and discovered to their horror that they can't actually fit it in their boot at all, so it has to go in their backseat, meaning they can travel with their baby or their buggy, but not both! It folds down to 91x57x47cm. (While this seems like my fault for not checking, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect it to fit into my car without having to take it to pieces - my car is NOT small.) Of course, the size also means a problem when storing the buggy in the house. Luckily, we have a garden shed!

4) My sister has a lovely three-wheeler buggy with a fleecy cloth lining, so that baby sinks into it and moves with the material, like a sling on wheels. Again, there is that feeling of gentle rocking and suspension that babies love. As I said, this buggy must feel like lying on a concrete slab.

5) The pneumatic tyres puncture easily. I have had two punctures already, without driving over any glass! The last thing you want to be worrying about is whether you are going to have to repair a tyre or not when you are out and about.

6) The brake is quite stiff and has actually made my pelvic pain worse, so much so that I had to get my other half to put the brake on for me for the first six weeks after giving birth.

7) You can't remove the buggy seat cover to wash it.

8) Finally, the handle height is 106cm and as I am quite short, I find this a bit high.

And the positives? There is one-handed folding button, which means you can actually fold it up using only one hand. Quite how you are then supposed to lift it into the car with one hand is beyond me! Also, there are wheel reflectors for safety when you are pushing your baby about at night (really, what planet do these people live on?) It WAS cheaper than buying the four component parts. It comes with a matching changing bag (whoop de doo, that bit is the best bit of the whole buggy!) There is a play-tray which attaches to the buggy and has space for your child's drink (or yours) rather like the kind you would find in the car. Which is quite cool. Not quite £275 pounds worth of value though.

For £275 I think Leah would have been better off with a quarter of a motorbike after all.


What you get for £275 summary:

First Stage car seat (and backache)
Raincover (but no shopping in your buggy tray unless you have it fitted, as there's no room)
Cosy Toes for buggy (wouldn't trust it to hold Leah going downhill despite five-point star clip)
Head hugger (cute, but only lasts a few weeks)
Free pump for puncture repairs (you think its a great idea at first, until you realise they provide it as you WILL need it)
Changing bag (I do use that, but it wasn't worth £275)
Car seat apron (can only be used when the car seat is not in a moving car, how useful)
Play tray with drinks holder (possibly the best part)
And lets not forget, wheels that glow in the dark (reflectors)

Summary: