The $1,495 stroller you can ride, too

At first I was shocked: Who, besides the celebrity parents who are purported to be using them (see reality show mavens Dean McDermott and Tori Spelling with their wee ones, below) would pay $1,495 US for a stroller that converts into a bike with a built-in child seat?



Then I thought about it some more. Many parents spend close to $1,000 on a stroller alone, and that sum again on a bicycle for commuting. If you use both several times a week.... Well, according to the Toronto baby supply store Moms to be... and More, "You will need to use a stroller for 3-4 years. That's 1,068 to 1,460 days of use! Whether you're spending $400 or $1,000 on your stroller, it will cost you less than a dollar a day."
The Taga Child Carrier Bike, like many environmentally forward-thinking products seem to be, started out in the Netherlands, where bike commuting is much more common. Personally, I'm too chicken to dodge city traffic with my preschooler dangling behind me in a trailer, and she's too heavy to ride in the child seat; if she wiggles around, I get thrown off balance. Weekends, fine — but I'll need to feel more secure before I do a daily pedal with my precious cargo.

Well, the Taga designers thought of that. When in bike mode, it has three wheels, for extra stability, and your child rides up front, where you can keep an eye on her. I also like that when you get to your destination, say on a trip to the farmer's market or a great park outside your immediate neighbourhood, the bike converts into a stroller, so can stroll leisurely as you look around. No need to find something to chain your bike to, or worry that it'll have been dismantled when you get back. Here's what it looks like as a stroller:

Right now, if you want one of these babies, you'd have to order it from the United States — but they do deliver to Canada.

So what do you say, sporty parents: Would you consider buying one — or is it just too much money?