Tricycles

[KrystalS]

Those that have the more expensive tricycles, Kettler, Joovy, etc. do you think it was worth it?

I'm trying to decide between getting DS a Kettler with a pushbar or just going with the cheaper Little Tikes rock n roll. I've also seen mid-price Kiddio trikes. He will be 2 and I know it will take him some time to learn to pedal so I really want the pushbar. Plus he loves riding in his step 2 car right now but he's really too big for it, legs are really squished.

I would love to take DS somewhere to try out trikes but all we have local is TRU, walmart and Target. All they have is the radio flyer trike and he is too big for it. He's very big for his age, closer to the size of a 3yo vs 2.

[Smillow]

We have 1 Kiddio trike & 2 Kettlers (don't ask!) all purchased on CL or flea markets. My DS is tall, but all his height (until recently) has been in his torso (At 2 I was buying 5T shirts for him, but he fit in his 2T pants until after he turned 3) so his legs were too short to comfortably reach the petals. The Kettlers have auto-free-wheel, which means the pedals don't have to engage when the wheel is turning. I would try to make sure that whatever trike you pick has some version of that. That way his feet won't get mangled by the turning pedals.

[acmom]

What about the Schwinn Roadster (http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Roadster-12-Tricycle/dp/B003S0HLGA)?

We ended up going with this one for DD and its been great. It is stable and adjustable- she could ride it when we first got it and is still rides it now at 4. DS rides it some now too and he just turned 2. He is still getting the hang of the pedals, but can use his feet to push it along. The both like the little platform on the back to carry stuff too. No push handle though...

[azazela]

What about the Schwinn Roadster (http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Roadster-12-Tricycle/dp/B003S0HLGA)?

We ended up going with this one for DD and its been great. It is stable and adjustable- she could ride it when we first got it and is still rides it now at 4. DS rides it some now too and he just turned 2. He is still getting the hang of the pedals, but can use his feet to push it along. The both like the little platform on the back to carry stuff too. No push handle though...

We love our roadster too! It looks awesome and rides well. :love-retry:

[BabyBearsMom]

Love our kettler for DD1. The push bar is a must because she still hasn't really picked up the peddling thing. I also like that when the wheel turns the pedals don't turn because that would be an issue for her when we push.

[smiles33]

Kettlers are heavy, so my DDs couldn't actually pedal until closer to 3, but we used the parent push bar to push them to the park in place of a stroller. Felt more like a "big girl" but neither kid really liked strollers anyway. Also bought off CL for about $40 (not the air tires of happy navigator--those seem to be $150+).

[crl]

We got ds a kettler and I don't think it was worth it. I don't think he learned to ride any earlier or got any more use out of it than he would have out of a less expensive trike. That's one expensive kid purchase I wish we had skipped.

Catherine

[KrystalS]

What about the Schwinn Roadster (http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Roadster-12-Tricycle/dp/B003S0HLGA)?

We ended up going with this one for DD and its been great. It is stable and adjustable- she could ride it when we first got it and is still rides it now at 4. DS rides it some now too and he just turned 2. He is still getting the hang of the pedals, but can use his feet to push it along. The both like the little platform on the back to carry stuff too. No push handle though...

I think I saw these at Sams Club recently but I just assumed DS would be too small for it. DH doesn't think we need the push handle anyway. I'm going to check this one out, thanks!

[PunkyBoo]

We have a rock & roll trike that was a gift for Punkin's first birthday (7 and a half years ago) . It has a little footrest so they can ride while you push befor they learn to pedal. Boo uses it now and was able to pedal on his own right before he turned 3. We love that bike and recommend it often. It has held up really well and Punkin (who is extremely tall for his age) can still squash himself to ride it when Boo's not on it. Despite the push bar thing not being used anymore, Boo doesn't want mentor take it off. He likes to pull the pin thingout and let it drag behind him: he puts other stuff on it and says he's driving a towtruck! :hysterical: It's a great bike.

[KrystalS]

We have a rock & roll trike that was a gift for Punkin's first birthday (7 and a half years ago) . It has a little footrest so they can ride while you push befor they learn to pedal. Boo uses it now and was able to pedal on his own right before he turned 3. We love that bike and recommend it often. It has held up really well and Punkin (who is extremely tall for his age) can still squash himself to ride it when Boo's not on it. Despite the push bar thing not being used anymore, Boo doesn't want mentor take it off. He likes to pull the pin thingout and let it drag behind him: he puts other stuff on it and says he's driving a towtruck! :hysterical: It's a great bike.

Thanks for the review! I was thinking of going with this one because the price is so reasonable but I can't find one local for DS to try out and the reviews online are so mixed! Do you think the plastic wheels make it harder for little ones to pedal? We will be using on sidewalks and the driveway most of the time.

[PunkyBoo]

Its been totally fine for my kids and has only been used on sidewalks. And despite seeming big, it actually fits in the nanny's trunk (mazdam3 the tiny car) no problem when he has bike days at preschool. Because they are so close to the ground, they can push off a bit with their feet if they can't get the momentum going to start off.

[twowhat?]

We have the Kettler Go Green, which I think is better for smaller kids, though mine are nearly 4 (though not big 4yos) and fit just fine - the seat adjusts back for growth. It's light. It's cheap. It's made from recycled plastic:)

Between our cheap Kettlers and the Striders, I think we're good on wheels:) We're even going to skip the scooters this year so that the girls can really practice and get good on their Striders.

[brittone2]

We have an older KIddio (Supertrike 4 I think was the model??) and it was a good mix of price vs. quality for us. It does not have auto freewheel, but I just kept the front wheel a little off the ground when pushing with the pushbar.

DS2 learned to pedal a few weeks ago (he was about 2y4m).

I definitely recommend a push handle, because it can be useful for slowing them down on a hill, etc. if you don't have a perfectly level driveway or area to ride in. I like having the push handle.

[KrystalS]

Thanks so much for the Roadster recommendations! We picked one up at Sam's Club today for $69. They had one out for display and DS was able to reach the pedals, he was really close to pedaling on his own so I think he will pick it up quickly! Can't wait for his birthday to give it to him!

They had red, pink, and blue if anyone is looking for one. It seems like really solid construction. From the research I did $69 seemed like a great price.

[acmom]

So glad it worked for you! I'm sure he will love it! :)