Are Bugaboos as good as they look?

[checkmeout]

Hi there

i was just wondering if any you can help me decide on buying a buggie??

I cant help but notice that 99% of mums around East Dulwich are either pushing a Bugaboo Cameleon or Bugaboo Bee.

They look great!!! But as you all know are really pricey. I only have 9 weeks left until my due date, so trying to get everything organised.

I would really appreciate any help or advice on buggies or prams.

Many thanks

BAGABOO VIRGIN

X

[new mother]

Stokke is the thing now apparently...about the same price but better.

(I had neither!)

[nylonmeals]

Bee is light and totally the right buggy if you want to be on and off public transport (which we do) Also front facing which for a young baby I have found fantastic. We got ours on ebay and love it. Cameleon like a 4x4 car - too big for city life IMO

[hanstands]

We bought a cameleon 2nd hand for about ?220 incl some extras and in very good condition on this forum. Its been excellent in just about every way. To be honest the look of it was the last thing on my mind, I just wanted a pram that could fit on and off a bus/train and would be able to handle rough terrain too. It has been great at both. We don;t own a car so use this buggy in the city/country/travelling/carrying shopping home in/camping and it has not yet let us down--so a great city/country pram. It has a nippy wheel system which turn really easily so great for fitting in the buggy area on buses. Baby can face you which is great for Mum to baby bonding, they can see your face and you can chatter away to one another. You also have the option of baby facing away too. Big shopping basket underneath--it really can accommodate alot. The chair seat always looks very cosy for baby and grows well with baby from wee to big. Out baby is now almost two and the Cameleon is still going with us everywhere. The reason why everyone has it is because its pretty great to use, has smooth handling and so far at least for us, long lasting! All the best on your search and go for second-hand if you can...

[lilysmummy2007]

bugaboos are great, but very pricey. I have a bee which i built from getting all the parts and ust putting it together There are several good alternative, there is the first wheels city elite, brilliant buy and very nice to push. A smaller option is the Hauck Infinity which is really nice and compact. Altervatively, you can get something like the Maclaren XLR, one of the best buggies out there, comes in nice colours, from birth to 4, which a Bugaboo is as well, but who want to pust that huge frame when you just need to pop to the shops with a 3-4 year old. Something like a Pliko Pramette is also great, foward facing and rear facing, but still light, looks great and very nice to push, but doesnt pick up the space that the other backfacing buggies do. I am a certified buggy addict and my fave had to be the First wheels city from birth, and almost any Maclaren when she got to about 2.

[born&brED]

I found the Which? pushchairs reviews really helpful when deciding on a buggy. Loads of the leading and well-known makes/models are tested by both Which experts and parents, and given specific and overall scores, which you can filter according to your needs. You can pay ?1 for a month's trial of Which, then within that month read the reviews for everything baby-related - very helpful! I was interested to see the score for the Chameleon contrary to the Bee, considering the price difference. Check out the reviews - a quid well spent in my opinion!

[littlebelka]

All prams have their pros and cons, you just need to know what do you want.

I have Bee (older version). It is light and maneuverable, with hard back. But it is purely urban pram, it is not suitable for rough terrain.

[Ruth_Baldock]

I agree with littlebelka, love love love my bee bt it's rubbish for anything non urban.

[njc97]

We love our chameleon. Disagree with nylonmeals above - they're only slightly bigger wheelbase that an ickly maclaren and incredible maneouvable so perfectly suitable for city living.

[Indiana]

Yes - the chameleon is as good as it looks - buy on the forum or ebay though as very pricey....

[crystal7]

I have the chameleon and think it's great. Not wide compared to other travel systems either, I've had no problems on the bus (outside of rush hour). They are also so comfortable to push which was very important to me as had to walk miles and miles every day to get little one to sleep! Have a Maclaren now too and although handy for trips to central London and holidays it's not as nice to push- you have to put your back into it much more! E still in it now at 18 months. Expensive though...

[DaveR]

Honest answer? The difference between Bugaboo and other (much cheaper) brands is about the same as the difference between a BMW and a Mondeo - it has very little to do with basic performance and everything to do with branding and image.

[njc97]

DaveR - good analogy but not quite right I think. Bugaboo v other brands is like comparing a BMW to, say, a Toyota. The basic performance is the same (they both get you there) but the BMW (bugaboo) has better handling, is much more pleasant to drive (push) and is much better engineered and built. Oh, and looks a lot better. As to whether all of that is worth the extra cost, that's a personal choice. I'm very happy with our bugaboo but I don't drive a BMW.

[DaveR]

njc97, my post was a little bit tongue in cheek, and I kind of agree with you, except that at least if you asked BMW where the extra money goes they could point you to differences in components and build that (for example) make a BMW a hell of a lot quieter and smoother to drive, which over a journey of say 500 miles could make a huge difference in terms of driver/passenger comfort.

That may also be the case for a bugaboo but it's a pretty low-tech product (it doesn't have an engine, electronics or hydraulics, for example), and not many people are going to push one for 10 miles let alone a hundred, so I have my doubts. Better handling? - look out for the fast chicane outside Green & Blue! As for better engineered, I'd be seriously disappointed if any half decent brand couldn't manage the 12 months or so use that most pushchairs get.

I'm glad you're happy with your bugaboo, and I entirely agree that it's a matter of personal choice, but I don't think there's any serious doubt that the price of a bugaboo includes a pretty substantial premium for looks/fashion.

[new mother]

If they are genuinely well made, it is a good time to buy and you could get a bargain as the Stokke is the fashionable one now. The shops will be dumping their Bgboo stock.

[sandy_rose]

I have a Bee plus, it's fab for getting in and out of our v small boot and up/down stairs, in shops, cafes or narrow pavements as well as taking on flights. It's very light and easy to push with one hand, but it's a city pram and not good on gravelled paths or off road as we discovered when visiting grandparents. I was also not that keen on having to strap tiny baby in from birth whereas Chameleon does have proper carrycot, but that's only for a few months and we've used a sling a lot anyway. A big plus is how easy it is to fold and you don't have to take any of the parts off the Bee first, which you do with the Chameleon.

A few friends of mine forked out for the Chameleon and now regret not going for the Bee instead, as they do pretty much the same thing but the Bee is so much more compact.

Ps I drive a Toyota and I love that too!

[littlebelka]

DaveR Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Honest answer? The difference between Bugaboo and

> other (much cheaper) brands is about the same as

> the difference between a BMW and a Mondeo - it has

> very little to do with basic performance and

> everything to do with branding and image.

Still much better than Graco Mosaic :))

[reddevil]

I think maclaren XLR are the best buggies on the market, light and so easy to fold with a baby in arms too. I am a driver and dont use buses, but am sure it would be great for buses too. I have used it many times on trains and tube tho and its been fab.. Its lovely to push and you wont need to buy a lighter weight pushchair months/years down the line.. Its compact, classy and priced at ?250.00 with rain cover cosy toes and head support!!!!! BARGAIN..

[njc97]

Heh, I've just spotted the typo in the original post. I should admit that as well as a bugaboo, I have a bagaboo as well:

http://bagaboo.hu/en/bags/

[Smiler]

Love my Bee but isn't going to work for 2 kids - boo hoo!

[randomv]

LOVE my Bugaboo which we've had since birth. yes, I did get a Maclaren when he was 10 months old as it's easier for going on the tube, getting in and out of car etc etc but we still use the Bugaboo whenever we can and at 2 years, my LO will still take a really good nap of 1.5 hours or more in the Bugaboo because it is so comfy - we never get more than 45 mins in the Maclaren!

People do tend to look after their Bugs so maybe you can get a decent one second hand?

[Helen GV]

we had one for a few months, found it fine on buses etc as well as nice and light. Main annoying thing was when the small front wheels would get stuck in relatively small dips in the pavement.

[caroline_green]

I love our cameleon..so light you can push it with only one hand. I would recommend this pushchair to everybody.

[zv2010]

I think the cameleon is fantastic and well worth the money! My baby is very big but it's so roomy that he is very comfy. Also very easy to push and turn. Carry cot is suitable for overnight sleeping and your baby can take naps in it during the day or when you're out. I have taken it on buses and trains and it was very easy, even when busy. Also easy to take apart if you need to carry it up and downstairs. I do so much on foot and have never regretted the investment!

[sledge]

I love my Bugaboo Cameleon and have never regretted the investment. I think it is a great city pram providing you avoid peak rush hour (but then at peak commuter time, even a maclaren can be a squeeze).