3 Wheel Buggies
Three-wheel buggies look stylish and sleek, with excellent maneuverability. Many of them have a fabric sling seat with an incredibly comfortable lay flat bed and a perfect weight distribution, perfect from birth.
The wheels are larger, and they also often include suspension to allow for smooth movements on different terrains. The only drawback is that they could be heavier and more bulkier to store and transport.
Stability
Three-wheel buggies provide plenty of stability. They don't fall over as easily when you are driving straight. You can also maneuver them more quickly. If you stop or turn abruptly, they could lose their stability and fall over. To avoid this, certain manufacturers add an extra wheel to their three wheel buggy designs in order to improve the stability of the chassis.
The additional wheel also allows you tackle off-road terrain. Look out for models with air-filled tyres (also called pneumatic tyres) as these can cope with off-road routes and other surfaces including rocks, sand, and mud. They'll also have a lockable front wheel to give stability over rough terrain.
The buggies are simple to maneuver and agile with 360o front swivel wheel. They'll also pass the same rigorous stability standards and tests as 4-wheel buggies.
If you're looking for a fabric sling seat, they tend to be set lower in the frame than modular seats, so that your baby's centre of gravity is closer to the ground and provides a more comfortable ride and a lighter kerb pop (you do not need to apply the same amount of pressure or exertion to get the buggy up and over the kerb).
Popular for its car seats, Maxi-Cosi has recently added an ultra-light travel system and pushchair to its range with the attractive Citylife. 3 wheel pushchair 3-in-1 is ideal for urban living, and comes with a baby car seat or carrycot. It has 4 wheels and has an exclusive black pewter frame, which the brand claims is 'light and compact'. It's just 2cm larger than the Babyzen Yoyo.
Folding
There's a good choice of 3 wheel buggies that fold down to fit in smaller spaces. They can be folded with one hand and are easy to wash down. Some of the smallest models come with a simple handlebar height adjustment, while others have adjustable suspensions and a 50+ UV canopy that can be extended. They may also have a large, spacious basket and a quick-release brake lever.
The most reliable 3 wheel buggy to tackle rough terrain
A 3-wheel buggy will usually be more able to deal with off-road conditions than one with four wheels, however both can get stuck in tight places. A model with bigger front and rear wheels can assist. This allows them to push over rough ground and will often help with moving up and down the high kerbs.
The brand new Roma Atlas has been praised by many for its surprising agility despite its 3-wheeled design. MFM reviewer Kath tried it with her baby and 3-year-old and said "it does really well on cobbles, bumpy pavements, dirt roads and gravel tracks, as well as on a few hills."
Stella Stella, the all-terrain 3-wheel buggy from Maxi-Cosi is a great alternative. It's suitable from birth when used with the carrycot and is a smaller than the light 4wheelers (with a surprisingly slim frame of 54cm wide) but it comes with big air-filled tyres. three wheel pushchair has 3 recline positions, and a swift one-hand fold.
Its most appealing feature is its modularity. It's compatible with all of the brands' infant strollers and car seats. You can create your own travel system, whether you want to go on shorter walk or a longer one, using the chassis.
Tyres
The tyres for 3 wheel buggies are offered in many styles and materials. Each one has its own pros and cons. For instance, tyres that are filled with air offer an easy ride and excellent maneuverability, while foam-filled tires are more durable. The type you pick will depend on your lifestyle and the location you live in.
If you intend to travel on unpaved roads or rough terrain often you may want to consider a three-wheeler with more robust tyres. Take into consideration the kind of suspension you need. Strong suspensions are useful to tackle humps and bumps but they can also be heavy and add to the overall weight.
The size of the tyre can be crucial. Understanding how to read the tyre size is important for safety, performance and durability. The combination of letters and numbers on the sidewalls of tyres can seem initially, but decoding it helps you understand the dimensions of the tyre. A tyre with a size of 185/70 R14, for example indicates that it is a radial tire with a diameter of 185/70 and has 14-inch rim size.
PU tires are lighter and more puncture-resistant than rubber tires. If you're unsure whether a pushchair has rubber or PU tires, try sliding the tires on a smooth and tied surface. If the tires move easily and smoothly, they're made of PU. If not, then they are made of rubber.
Suspension
The suspension on a three wheel buggy is an important component to look for because it absorbs the bumps and knocks of rough terrain, making it much more comfortable for your child. Large wheels which are filled with air and are lockable for stability during jogging is crucial to ensure your buggy is capable of maneuvering off road surfaces with ease.
There are many choices for buggy styles that will suit any lifestyle and budget. For example the Mountain Buggy pioneered all terrain agility in a 3-wheel buggies. With an engineering and geometry that is perfect their sling seat made of fabric sits snug within the frame, as opposed to on top like modular seats, resulting in an lower center of gravity and sitting at the ideal height for optimal weight distribution that allows it to easily handle kerb pops.
Another option that is worth considering is the Urban Glide 2 from Thule that boasts a sleek style with a massive, manoeuvrable front wheel, excellent suspension, and a simple handbrake that twists. MFM reviewer Kath really put this buggy to the test by taking it for a walk through rough ground and she found that it handled the terrain really well. She said that it 'flies effortlessly over bumpy grass, cobbles, roads dirt tracks, and can be a breeze climbing and descending the kerbs'.
The Roma Atlas, like the Urban Glide 2 is a popular off-road choice. It is available in a variety of colors that will match your style. It also has an adjustable handlebar, a large basket, and an ultraviolet hood that is 50+. You can also select from a selection of infant car seats that will convert the buggy to a pram. This includes the elegantly designed Carrycot Plus(tm) that is a comfortable lie-flat baby bed suitable for infants and newborns until 12 months old.
Safety
Four wheels make the pushchair much more stable and less likely to tip over and easier to handle. It is also more secure for your baby since their weight is distributed more evenly throughout the frame of the pushchair.
A four-wheeled buggy also tends to have a lower center of gravity and therefore is easier to lift up and over curbs. The seats made of fabric are positioned inside the frame and not on top as modular seats. This results in a low seat and buggy that is easily maneuvered.
If you're looking to go for a run with your baby then a 4-wheeler might be more suitable as it comes with suspension that allows the front wheel to move independently of the rear one to allow you to tackle rough terrains and bumpy roads - just bear in mind not all 4 wheel buggies are suitable for running (most aren't like the Phil and Teds). The exception is Mountain Buggies which have a specially designed suspension system that has been independently tested on all terrains.