Micralite Twofold 2014 review

Who is the Twofold best for?

The Twofold is ideal is for parents with two children of different ages, perhaps a toddler and baby of six months plus. There’s no lie-flat option so any parents with newborn babies will have to purchase the Air-Flo carrycot at an extra cost of £165.

What’s in the box?

• Chasis frame
• Seat unit
• Hi-vis Rain cover
• Hood
• 40 litre shopping bag
• Rear seat
• Seat liner
• Wheels
• Wheel pump
• Mudguards
• Manual

Are there optional extras?

• Micralite travel bag – £39.95
• Sun and bug shield - (a protective silver mesh shield which blocks out 50 per cent of UV rays) £32.95
• Carrycot - £165

Was it easy to build?

The Twofold was almost ready to roll upon arrival - only needing to slot in the rear mudguards, and fit and inflate the back wheels (there’s a pump included) - literally a five-minute job. The manual included helpful photographs and the written instructions were clear.

Is it travel system compatible?

Yes- the Twofold can be adapted to support a Maxi Cosi car seat, provided you buy the adaptors which retail at £28. You will have to remove the seat fabric to install the adaptors.

How did the two seats works together?

There are two seats, a forward-facing bucket seat, which has two positions; upright and reclined and a rear seat, which clips on, but does not recline.

Eight-month-old Hannah found it easy to sleep in the forward-facing bucket seat, in both the upright and reclined positions. I was impressed with how comfortable and generous the padded seat liner was and liked the fact it can be removed and washed.

Can it stand up to the weather?

I fell in love with the raincover - a high-visibility neon yellow cover with reflective striping that made me feel safe in dark streets. It’s made of TPU, not PVC plastic - ultra flexible for folding down to micro-proportions. I tested the single version - a raincover for the second seat will be available in March for around £35.

However, I was impressed with the clever hood zipped away in the back of the second seat - it has a lightweight metal frame to give it shape and I thought it very generously cut, keeping my toddler dry in a shower.

For sunny days there’s a minimalistic pushchair hood, which clicks forward into one position with a viewing window in the top. However, I could not tell if my baby was asleep through the opaque screen. There was also not enough shade cover when the sun was shining and Hannah turned her head, squinting. On the plus side the small hood gave her great visibility to the sides.

How easy is it to fold?

Very. Micralite promise a one-handed folding action. The levers are well-marked and simple to use - even with baby in the other arm. The easy folding action meant I stored the buggy whenever I came home, rather than leave it cluttering our hallway. Because it is free standing when folded, I can fold it up and walk away, without having to double-back.

What about the built-in buggy board?

I was blown away by the Twofold’s rider board. When you extend the wheelbase, which is separate, you then flip down the rider board, it is very simple to use. Engage the brake, press on the rear pedal and push forward the handlebars in one smooth move to reveal the rider board. Shortening the chassis when your toddler wants to walk is just as easy in reverse and super quick.

A passing mum stopped me in the street and demanded a demo - it has serious wow factor. The board itself is 24cm off the ground, so when your child in on the board they will be 24cm taller then they normally are. The handlebars are 70cm from the buggy board.

If you have a baby and a younger, shorter toddler this would be a great option. Catherine is quite tall for her age and could easily reach to hold on - whilst still being comfortable and having enough room. Quick release levers allow an infinite variety of handlebar positions; meaning tall and short parents would be equally comfortable.

You may have read that there were one or two issues with the handles of the Twofolds, which were not tightened sufficiently. While I didn’t have any problems, I checked with Micralite who assured me that they checked all Twofolds and rectified the problem.

Aside from playground envy, I found the integral rider board easier to deal with than a separate one. Being centred over the rear axle meant I could push the Twofold normally without overstretching. When I walked steeply downhill and needed to lengthen my stride I did find my toes clipping the pushchair occasionally, but on the flat and going uphill I could walk normally.

How was it out and about?

I found the Twofold great to manoeuvre through busy streets as a short wheelbase pushchair for one child. The 30cm rear pneumatic tyres made kerbs easy and bumping up and down steps was not a problem. The smaller front lockable swivel wheels have built-in suspension. Cobbled streets were fine although muddy terrain was challenging - this is not an off-road buggy.

When the wheelbase was extended and my toddler was on the rider board I found kerbs trickier, but placing my foot on the rider board and levering the pushchair up meant baby, toddler and I did not struggle across the road.

Did it work well as a tandem?

I found the Twofold’s second seat was easy to slot behind the first, once the wheelbase was extended and simple to take off too. It’s designed to have your child sitting up higher than other inline pushchairs and away from the luggage rack - no toddler feet in the shopping. My toddler’s legs were comfortably supported but her feet dangled - a loose fitting welly might fall off and be lost.

Also on the downside there’s no recline position so sleepy toddlers can’t lie back. In an ideal world it would be possible to set out with baby in the front seat, toddler walking or riding on the buggy board - then come nap time you could somehow conjure the second seat into position. This is a cleverly engineered piece of kit - but unfortunately it’s not magic.

If you’re not using the second seat you have to carry it. So parents must second-guess their toddler’s mood - buggy board or seat - and hope to get it right when they leave the house!

Any other highlights?

Micralite’s designers have city parents in mind - the Twofold comes with a 40-litre shopping bag that clips to the frame when the wheelbase is extended and rests on the rider board. It’s a generous-sized bag with additional zipped pockets for purse and phone and a huge improvement to dangling shopping bags on stroller handles.

MadeForMums verdict: A lightweight double pushchair with an innovative built-in rider board. Well-engineered and sturdy frame, with a compact fold that makes it ideal for city parents where space is a premium.

Read the full review of the new, updated TwoFold 2018 here.