If you’re shopping for tricycles for a daycare, this is clearly the best brand for you. The Midi, one of Angeles’s simpler and less expensive models, cost $160 when we first named it our upgrade pick, but has now more than doubled in price. The trike has a schwinn bicycles bell that was a hit with my then 3-year-old son (the Joovy comes bell-less) and like our pick it has a storage compartment in back. The Radio Flyer’s storage space is covered, which keeps precious items from flying out (the Joovy’s compartment is open).
Symptom of these screws coming loose is sprocket clatter, chain skipping, and eventually you lose all drive tension (your pedals will spin and the chains move around but you won’t go anywhere). Be sure to check that the rear axle drive sprocket and secondary (short) chain are put back in alignment with the center sprocket off the transfer shaft before tightening the hold-down screws. Tighten these two screws down as hard as you can — this connection point takes a lot of stress, especially on uphill grinds. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.
The high handlebars and step-through frame are better for riders who experience back pain. The rider has less risk of strain when getting on and off the Meridian. The Schwinn Meridian Tricycle for adults makes an excellent commuter bike with its large cargo basket. Many purchasers have also used the Meridian as a gateway to weight loss schwinn tricycle because its extra balance and weight capacity make it the perfect solution for getting more exercise without causing strain or injury. The rider and cargo combined should be up to 300 lbs for the 24- model and up to 350 lbs for the 26- model. It can handle more weight than the average bicycle because of its broad and sturdy frame.
But the Radio Flyer trike is usually less expensive than the Joovy and is still a great option for a toddler who is learning to pedal; it’ll generally work well for kids ages 2 to 5. The high seat back on this trike helps provide the support new riders need to learn to pedal (it’s slightly higher than the Joovy’s) and the bike comes with an old-school bell for signaling parents to get out of the way. Though the Deluxe Steer & Stroll won’t work like the Joovy for the youngest kids, it’s still a good option to use as a stroller alternative with older toddlers. The parent push handle extends as far as the Joovy’s, though unlike that trike’s push bar it is not adjustable. We found that this trike was just as easy for a parent to steer as the Joovy, and easier to steer with one hand. It’s also easier to steer than other push trikes we tested, including the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike, a clearly inferior model that’s similar to the Joovy (and easily mistaken for the Deluxe Steer & Stroll).
This took about two hours with my son (we had to take snack and water breaks because, man, trike riding is exhausting). Personally, I’m a science writer with more than a decade of experience interviewing experts in countless fields, including health, parenting, and child development. I’m also the mom of two small guys who were 1½ and 3½ when I was initially reporting and testing for this guide. I’ve pushed, pulled, rolled, and cajoled kids on tricycles for countless after-dinner strolls and park dashes over the past three years. The Joovy TriCyCoo works for a baby, converts quickly to a big-kid bike, and is easier and more fun for bigger kids to ride than most traditional tricycles.
In 2019, we tested a new grow-with-me style tricycle, the Doona Liki Trike S5. We used the trike while shuttling a three-year old around the neighborhood, and took it to the park for some testing with babies and toddlers, trying out all configurations and modes of the trike. “Trikes are really the first tool that give kids the sense of moving forward,” says Judy Wang, a physical therapist based in Los Angeles. They also help develop a child’s visual processing abilities while in motion. At age 1 to 2, kids can sit securely in a trike, and around 2½ to 3, on average, they are able to start pedaling on their own.
After considering more than 30 of today’s tricycles and test-driving 12 of them with a dozen kids, we think most people whose kids are still toddlers should get the Joovy TriCyCoo 4.1. This grow-with-me tricycle offers significantly more versatility than competitors. It works as a stroller alternative for smaller kids who are still schwinn tricycle learning to pedal on their own, and allows a smooth, fast, fun ride for bigger kids, too. We also like the Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll as a less expensive (though also less versatile) option for older toddlers; the Schwinn Roadster for a stylish low ride; and the Angeles Midi for an upgrade pick to outlast them all.
In our tests, the Classic Red was harder to ride than the Joovy or any of our other picks. The SmarTrike Lollipop 3 in 1 Baby Trike is designed for babies starting at 10 months up to kids 3 years, a narrower age range than other convertible trikes. My 1-year-old was able to sit comfortably in the seat—unlike the Joovy and Radio Flyer this trike has no straps—but he kept sliding forward onto his crotch and standing on the foot rests. On the other hand, the SmarTrike has a completely independent push-steering system, so even if a kid is jerking the steering column to the left, you can still turn right. In the older-kid configuration the trike seemed a little small and underpowered compared with the other convertibles we tested. These trikes arrive fully assembled, which is the first sign they are a different breed of quality.
The Joovy’s parent push handle is adjustable, extending more than 5 inches from its lowest setting to its highest. The Joovy’s UPF 50 fabric sunshade has one more panel than the sunshade in the similar Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike, which makes it easier to keep both arms and legs protected when you’re using the trike in baby mode. The trike has an adjustable, padded seat with a tall seat back and an optional footrest for kids who haven’t yet learned to pedal. The Roadster features a shiny red and silver metal body, black tassels on the handlebars, a bell, and a wooden deck in back—a platform where a friend can hitch a ride. The molded plastic seat slides back on a track to be adjustable for bigger kids. It took a little longer for my son to get moving on this trike than on the Joovy, but the ride was smooth once he got up to speed.
The Deluxe Steer & Stroll weighs 14½ pounds, just a smidge more than the Joovy. The shiny, steel Radio Flyer Classic Red Tricycle is a well-made trike for age 2½ up to about 4 or a small 5. The design replicates that of tricycles from decades ago, though in fact Radio Flyer only started making trikes in 1999 (the company is best known for its red wagons). Nonetheless, this sturdy, metal tricycle has serious nostalgia appeal. We found that the controlled turning radius made this trike harder to tip than some of the others. But it lacks a back support, adjusts only a bit to accommodate taller riders, and is very heavy at 21¼ pounds.