3 Wheel Buggies
3 wheel buggies provide excellent maneuverability with a stylish and sleek frame. A lot of them have a fabric sling with a comfortable lay flat bed, perfect weight distribution and are suitable starting at birth.
The wheels are larger and typically come with suspensions to allow for smooth, agile mobility on various terrains. The only downside to these wheels is that they tend to be heavier and bulkier to store and transport.
Stability
Three wheel buggies are very stable and don't tip over as easily as four-wheeled pushchairs when going in a straight line and you'll be able to manoeuvre them much more quickly and easily. However, if you try to turn or stop suddenly they'll lose stability and can tip over. This is why some manufacturers add an extra wheel to their three wheel buggy designs in order to improve the stability of the chassis.
The additional wheel can also help you to tackle off-road terrain. Look out for models with air-filled tyres (also known as pneumatic tyres) as they are able to deal with off-road paths and other surfaces like rocks, sand and mud. These models also come with wheels that lock in the front to improve stability on rough terrain.
The buggies are easy to maneuver and agile thanks to the 360o front swivel wheel. They also pass the same stability standards worldwide and test as 4-wheel buggies.
If you're looking for a fabric sling seat, then these tend to be placed lower in the frame than modular seats, so that your baby's centre of gravity is closer to the floor - instantly delivering a smoother ride and a lighter kerb pop (you don't need to apply as much pressure or effort to lift the buggy up and over the kerb).
Best known for its car seats, Maxi-Cosi has recently added an ultra-light travel system and pushchair to its range with the eye-catching Citylife. This 3-in-1 is ideal for urban life, and comes with a baby car seat or carrycot. It comes with four wheels and an unique pewter-black frame, which the brand describes as'slim and compact. It's smaller at 2cm than the Babyzen Yoyo.
Folding
There's a good choice of 3 wheel buggies that fold down to fit in smaller space. Many can be folded with one hand and are easy to wash down. The smallest models will come with a basic handlebar height adjustment, while others could have an adjustable suspension and an extended 50+ UV canopy. They could also come with an enormous, spacious basket and a quick-release brake lever.
The best 3 wheel buggy for tackling rough terrain
A 3-wheeler is likely to be better able to cope with off-road conditions than a 4-wheel model, although both can get stuck in tight places. However, choosing a model with bigger wheels both front and back can help. This makes it easier to push them across rough terrain and will aid in getting up and down steep curbs.
The brand new Roma Atlas has been praised by many for its remarkable agility despite its 3-wheeled design. MFM reviewer Kath tested it with her baby, and she said that "it did really well on cobbles, bumpy surfaces and dirt roads, gravel tracks and even a few hills."
Stella Stella, the all-terrain 3-wheel buggy from Maxi-Cosi is another great option. It's suitable from birth when used with the carrycot. It's a smaller than the light 4wheelers (with an impressively slim 54cm wide frame) however it has large air-filled tyres. It also has 3 recline positions, and a quick one-hand fold.
Its main selling point is its modularity, though it's compatible with all the car seats for infants from the brand and strollers. This means you can build your ideal travel system for your day-to-day or longer walks, using only the chassis as a foundation.
Tyres
The tyres of 3 wheel buggies are available in a variety of designs and materials, and each has its pros and cons. For instance, tyres that are filled with air provide a comfortable ride and manoeuvrability, while foam-filled tyres last longer. The type of tyre you choose will be determined by your lifestyle and the place it is that you live.
If you plan to travel on unpaved roads or on rough terrain frequently you may be interested in a three-wheeler that has more robust tyres. Also, you should consider the type of suspension you need. 3 wheeled pushchair is ideal for handling bumps and humps, however it can be heavy and add to the overall weight of your pushchair.
Another important factor to consider is tyre size. Knowing how to read tyre sizing is crucial to ensure safety performance, durability, and performance. The combination of numbers and letters on the sidewalls of tyres can be confusing at first, but decoding it allows you to understand the dimensions of the tyre. For example, a tyre size of '185/70 R14' means that the tire is a 185/70 radius with a 14 inch rim diameter.
PU tires are lighter and more puncture-resistant than rubber tires. If you're unsure whether the tires on a pushchair are made of rubber or PU, simply slide the tires across an even surface. If the tires move easily, they are made of PU. If they don't then the tires are composed of rubber.
Suspension
The suspension on a three wheel buggy is an important element to look for as it absorbs 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 essential to ensure your buggy is capable of navigating off road surfaces with ease.
Depending on the type of buggie you're seeking There are options to suit all lifestyles and budgets. The Mountain Buggy, for example, pioneered all-terrain agility with three-wheel buggies. With perfect geometry and engineering their fabric sling seat rests comfortably within the frame, as opposed to on top like modular seats, offering an lower center of gravity and sitting at the perfect height for the best weight distribution to easily tackle kerb pops.
Another option that is worth considering is the Urban Glide 2 from Thule that has a sleek design with a massive, manoeuvrable front wheel, excellent suspension, and a simple handbrake that twists. MFM reviewer Kath put this buggy to the test by taking it on a walk through rough ground and she was impressed with how it handled the terrain really well saying that it 'navigates easily over grass, bumpy cobbles, pavements, dirt tracks and even makes a light work of going up and down kerbs'.
The Roma Atlas, like the Urban Glide 2 is a popular off-road option. It is available in a variety of colors that match your style. It also has an adjustable handlebar as well as a large basket. You can also choose from a variety of infant car seats to convert the buggy into a pram, including the stylishly designed carrycot plus(tm) that is a comfortable lie-flat bed for newborns and babies 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 also makes it safer for your child as the weight of their body is evenly dispersed across the frame.
A four-wheel buggy also tends to have a lower center of gravity and therefore is more easy to roll up and over curbs. The seats of the fabric sling are placed inside the frame and not on top as modular seats. This creates a low seat position and an automobile that is easily moved.
If you're planning to run with your child, then a 4-wheeler is the ideal option. It has a suspension system which allows the front wheel of the buggie to move independently from the rear wheel. This allows you to tackle rough terrains or bumpy roads. However, not all four wheel buggies are able to be used for running. Mountain Buggies are the exception since they feature a suspension system specifically designed for them that's been independently tested across all terrains.