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After testing our existing picks against new options, we’ll be adding two new picks to this guide: The updated Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike is our new top pick, and the INFANS Kids Tricycle is our new runner-up. The rest of our picks remain the same. We will publish our updated review in mid-December. Cutting Machine
You can buy a brand-new tricycle that looks exactly like one you rode as a kid. But you probably don’t want to. 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 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.
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.
This trike lacks a restraint system and sunshade for small kids, and it’s not as easy to ride as our pick, but it usually costs less.
This stylish Schwinn is best suited to kids age 3 and up, who can tear up the road on this larger, heavier, more stable modern take on the Big Wheel.
Stable, durable, and smooth-riding, the Angeles Midi is the tricycle of choice for many preschools—it’s expensive, but it lasts years, and bigger kids can ride it after outgrowing our other picks.
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.
The Joovy TriCyCoo 4.1 is far more versatile than the shiny-red metal trike or the ground-hugging plastic Big Wheel you had as a kid (modern replicas of which we also tested). The trike can be used as young as 9 months in the first of its four grow-with-me configurations, with a padded ring that circles the bike seat and your baby as well as a parent push bar that allows you to use it like a stroller. It also has a storage compartment, a cupholder, and a sunshade that is significantly bigger and more functional than those we found on other grow-with-me models. As your toddler grows, you remove the shade, the safety ring, and the push-bar, and the trike transitions to a big-kid mode where, rated for use with 4-year-olds up to 44 pounds, it continues to excel against competitors. With an average weight and one of the most stable designs we tried, the Joovy was easier to start, pedal, and maneuver than any of the other 10 top trikes we tested. It’s one of the more expensive tricycles out there, and it doesn’t include a bell, but with such a wide age range it’s still a good value for the price.
This trike lacks a restraint system and sunshade for small kids, and it’s not as easy to ride as our pick, but it usually costs less.
The Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll isn’t as versatile as our pick for littler kids, because it doesn’t have a protective ring and straps to hold a baby in place and lacks a sunshade. We also found that it’s not quite as nimble to steer and easy to pedal as the TriCyCoo once kids are riding on their own. 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.
This stylish Schwinn is best suited to kids age 3 and up, who can tear up the road on this larger, heavier, more stable modern take on the Big Wheel.
Larger and heavier than other trikes we tested, the shiny, metal Schwinn Roadster has low-rider style, with chrome handlebars, festive tassels, a loud bell, and a wood platform in the back for an admiring friend to hitch a ride on. Beyond the glitz, we found that the Roadster provides a smooth, stable ride, especially compared with similar low-riders made of plastic (like the modern version of the beloved Big Wheel). The Roadster’s size and weight makes it better balanced than our pick, even in fast turns. Its steel construction is durable, with pneumatic tires that support weight up to 50 pounds.
Stable, durable, and smooth-riding, the Angeles Midi is the tricycle of choice for many preschools—it’s expensive, but it lasts years, and bigger kids can ride it after outgrowing our other picks.
The tricycle a kid learns to ride at school—and usually pedals well for the first time—is often an Angeles trike, a generally higher-quality tricycle than what most kids have at home. Even though the company sells more to institutions than directly to parents, you can buy an Angeles tricycle at retail. It comes at a higher price than our picks, but you can likely pass it on to other kids as well. Despite its heavier weight, we found that the smooth-riding Angeles was as easy to start and pedal as our pick. The preassembled bike is extremely stable, with spokeless wheels and a large banana seat that accommodates up to 70 pounds of weight, so it remains fun for bigger kids after they’ve outgrown our other picks.
I spent seven hours researching tricycles, starting by identifying popular models used in schools and recreation centers. I consulted with Dr. Judy Wang, a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy who practices at Lil’ Peanuts Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, as well as Rebecca Talmud, who has a PhD in physical therapy from New York University with a clinical focus in pediatrics and practices at Dinosaur Physical Therapy in Washington, DC. Both Wang and Talmud work with tricycles in teaching pedaling and balance to kids. I used the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s database to see which trikes had been recalled recently and why. And I called two bike shops to see what models they recommend to parents looking for a first tricycle for their child. I also interviewed product designers, marketers, and owners at four companies that make tricycles, among them a trike designer at Fisher-Price and the VP of product development at Radio Flyer.
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.
A tricycle is a beloved toy for many families. Tricycles also teach important skills like steering and pedaling—both of which lay the foundation for eventually becoming a confident big-kid-bike rider.
Just about every kid will eventually learn to ride a tricycle, and have fun riding. But many modern tricycles also serve as a tool to transport toddlers too young to ride independently around the neighborhood—to the park, a friend’s house, or a local restaurant. These trikes come with a push bar and often a sunshade and security straps and/or belt as well. As a kid grows, these little-kid extras are stripped away, leaving a more typical trike.
Once a child is able to reach their feet to pedals—generally between ages 1 and 2—you can begin training. Pediatric physical therapist Rebecca Talmud suggests starting with a riding toy to practice climbing on and off, forward movement and steering and navigating around obstacles. She recommends parents focus on one skill at a time; taking on both steering and pedaling at once may overwhelm a toddler. That’s one reason why the parent-guided push-bar tricycles can be a good way to start out.
“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.
We approached this guide with families in mind, focusing on tricycles that we think will get the most use over the longest time frame. Grow-with-me trikes that evolve with a child through several developmental stages obviously fit this bill well. We also looked at traditional three-wheelers, which are fun to use and help kids practice physical skills like pedaling and steering—skills that come in handy when transitioning to a bicycle.
After conducting preliminary interviews with physical therapists, talking with bike shop owners, polling parents from around the country, and reviewing the top choices of blogs like Babylist and the most popular and well-reviewed models on sites like Amazon, Target, and other top retailers, we researched more than 30 tricycle models and settled on a testing pool of 12 that were recommended, well-reviewed, and/or included the features parents said they wanted. We determined a great trike should:
Be made of quality materials: We wanted a trike that can be passed down from child to child, so the materials have to stand up to being roughed up a bit. We tested trikes made from steel, aluminum, and plastic, in varying compositions. The experts we talked with didn’t have a strong feeling on which materials worked the best, but they said to look for sturdy, durable trikes.
Be safe and easy to ride: The trike should have a wide wheelbase that provides stability and grips the roadway. Tires made from rubber or foam are softer, which can help cushion the ride; hard plastic tires can ride a little rougher and be slippery on the pavement. Any of these materials can be fine as long as the trike is stable. The seat should also ideally include some back support to help brace a child’s trunk, says physical therapist Rebecca Talmud. “This support will be important to ensure more effective forward motion and help a child build momentum when pedaling.” She also pointed out that a kid shouldn’t have to strain to reach the pedals.
Be fun: We wanted a trike that kids would find appealing and want to play with, ideally for many years. For some kids, the fun is all in the speed, for others extra pizzazz like a bell, basket, appealing colors and/or tassels may mean a lot. Storage for stuff kids might need—like a cupholder for a sippy cup, or a trunk or basket for toys and other essentials—was also a plus.
Have the ability to grow with a child: Though we didn’t consider it a requirement, we knew from our parent surveys that many people are looking for a versatile trike that can be used with the same child over a number of developmental stages. We sought a trike with a push bar that can propel a toddler who is still learning to pedal, and an ability to convert to a big-kid bike for independent riding by older kids.
Have a good price and value: Most of the models we considered cost between $50 and $100. A few are more expensive, but those come with longer warranties as well. To make decisions on overall value, we considered price alongside the trike’s warranty, how long they seemed like they’d last (based on our observations and the user reviews), as well as general features and abilities.
In our initial round of testing in 2017, we ended up considering a broad range of tricycle models and our testing list included classic choices like a red metal trike and plastic low-rider models, as well as more-modern convertible options that grow from baby to big kid. They were:
To test the trikes, I timed the two-person assembly of each of the 11 tricycles, noting any particular difficulties or frustrations, as well as if extra tools were needed. This process consumed more than six hours of my life. I considered how easy each tricycle was to roll or lift out of the way if a parent has to push a child on it.
I had my 3-year-old ride a block on a concrete sidewalk and take a corner at full speed while timing and recording him.
I then spent 18 hours evaluating the tricycles in everyday conditions with my two sons, using each trike for several strolls around the neighborhood and the top contenders for a dozen or more walks. We tested each trike on grass, pavement, and bumpy broken concrete surfaces, paying attention to how the wheels performed on each surface and how long it took to get the bike going. For the combo grow-with-you models, I assessed how difficult and time-consuming it was to convert the trike from baby mode to toddler mode. I checked how the tricycles fit my 1-year-old and almost-4-year-old to assess which models would work best for the same kid over several years.
In addition to several weeks of everyday use, I conducted some controlled tests. I had my 3-year-old ride a block on a concrete sidewalk and take a corner at full speed while timing and recording him. I used this test to help assess how easy it was to start and turn each trike, looking for evidence of wheels lifting up or the trike seat being unstable. This took about two hours with my son (we had to take snack and water breaks because, man, trike riding is exhausting).
We also tested our picks with a dozen riders in a local park. We had an even mix of boys and girls ranging in age from 1 (pushed, in trikes with a baby mode) to 7, a wide range that gave us a feel for how the trikes would handle for lots of different kids. The trike gang tested the options on cement paths, grass, and small hills, and offered some feedback.
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.
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.
The Joovy TriCyCoo 4.1 is a versatile, stable, easy-to-use tricycle with the ability to safely and comfortably hold babies as young as 9 months and sturdily ferry big kids up to 4 years (or 44 pounds). Though it costs a bit more than the typical tricycle, we think it’s still a good value because it offers much more than most—including the possibility of up to four years of use with a single kid and a durable build that will let it survive long enough to become a hand-me-down.
Tricycles are becoming stroller alternatives, and many of the features of the TriCyCoo allow it to go beyond the abilities of a traditional trike. The plastic trike can convert to work for four different stages of development. The most useful are the first (with push bar, seat padding, snap-in five-point harness, infant ring, footrests) and the last (all extras removed, with the child pedaling and steering). 1
When a dozen kids were pedaling all our tester trikes around a track-shaped sidewalk in a local park, the Joovy was noticeably faster and smoother-looking than rival tricycles.
The Joovy’s parent push handle is adjustable, extending more than 5 inches from its lowest setting to its highest. The removable, machine-washable padding surrounding the plastic infant ring—it circles your baby’s waist, keeping them from falling off the trike—is comfy-seeming and keeps a baby from slipping, which happened with the other convertible tricycles we tested (the Joovy was the only grow-with-me model we tested that had padding). A five-point harness also ensures a baby stays safely put. 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.
Unlike some of the other convertible trikes we tested, converting the TriCyCoo from baby to big kid is a snap—it takes less than 15 seconds to remove or add the baby ring and push-bar handle. With the Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll, our runner-up, this process was also short, though it’s because there is only a handlebar to remove. With the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike, the process of converting from baby to big-kid mode took two minutes or more.
My 3-year-old gave the trike high marks for its ease of starting and turning. At 10 inches, the front wheel is larger than that on many other convertible trikes, making it easier to roll over grass, gravel, and other rough surfaces. The Joovy’s performance was consistently smooth in our cornering tests. When a dozen kids were pedaling all our tester trikes around a track-shaped sidewalk in a local park, the Joovy was noticeably faster and smoother-looking than rival tricycles.
Like many of today’s trikes, the Joovy TriCyCoo has a storage bin in the back for treasures, and comes with a cupholder attached to the handlebars. It weighs 14 pounds, typical of plastic tricycles of this type but much lighter than more traditional metal models.
The trike took about 17 minutes to assemble—less than average for the 11 trikes we tested—and though it required an extra screwdriver, the instructions were straightforward.
The TriCyCoo has a two-year warranty.
The TriCyCoo comes in a tired color palette of pink and blue. (The blue is an aqua-like blue.) A company rep told us Joovy is rolling out additional colors next year.
At close to $100, and sometimes more, the TriCyCoo was one of the most expensive tricycles we tested; however, because it performs much better than most and also works as a stroller alternative as well as a traditional trike, we think it’s still a good value.
Like many other tricycles, it is possible to tip over the Joovy if, say, a bigger kid pulls down from the push bar (if it’s installed). Our upgrade pick is more stable by comparison.
The screw assembly that holds either side of the sunshade in place is unnecessarily difficult to access and tighten. The screws are captive in the assembly, which is good because that means they won’t fall off in the dirt, but it also means if you strip their heads—too easily done given their material and cramped position—you’re stuck with them. Wirecutter engineering manager Courtney Ivey, who bought this trike a year ago for her toddler, found that it was difficult to turn due to the same issue of subpar bolts attaching the handle to the trike that some Amazon reviews mention.
Some users have complained that their child’s foot has gotten caught between the pedals and the footrest while the trike is rolling; we could see how that would happen (maybe if you were pulling the trike backward) but we haven’t experienced it firsthand. Some Wirecutter testers and Amazon reviewers have seen their kids’ feet get caught between the frame and the wheels, but we see this more as a point of caution than a serious design flaw. Other negative reviews have reported getting tricycles that were missing pieces, or trikes that broke shortly after purchasing. The Joovy Tricycoo has a two-year warranty for defects; if you receive a trike that is missing pieces, Joovy requires you to submit a replacement request within 90 days of purchase (so we recommend checking the trike once you buy it, even if you don’t plan to use it for awhile). We’ll continue to keep an eye on user reviews for the Tricycoo. In our long term testing over two years, we’ve had no problems with the trike.
This is minor but the storage area is open (unlike our runner-up’s, which has a lid) and stuff can fall out. It’s also a little too easy to detach the storage basket, which clips on with not much pressure.
The tricycle does not come with a bell, but for less than $10 you can add a perfectly fun one like the Incredibell that kids as young as age 1 can enjoy.
This trike lacks a restraint system and sunshade for small kids, and it’s not as easy to ride as our pick, but it usually costs less.
The Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll isn’t as versatile as our pick for littler kids, because it doesn’t have a protective ring and straps to hold a baby in place. It also doesn’t ride quite as well for older kids, and isn’t quite as good as the Joovy at smoothness and ease of starting. It usually costs about $30 less than the Joovy, though, and is a solid option for a kid who is already learning to pedal that will see them through until they’re a confident triker (it’s designed for ages 2 to 5, with an upper weight limit of 49 pounds). Although it was the least stable of our four picks, we still found this tricycle easier and more stable to ride than most of the other trikes we tested, including three other Radio Flyer models.
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).
One unusual advantage to the Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll is that the pedals don’t move if the child isn’t pushing them—basically turning the pedals into footrests—which is helpful in preventing kids from getting their feet caught in the pedal churn when they just want to rest their feet. (The Joovy’s pedals rotate as the trike moves.)
Like the Joovy, the Deluxe Steer & Stroll has a 10-inch front wheel. But while the Joovy’s wheels are made of rubber, the Steer & Stroll’s use EVA foam, which Tom Schlegel, senior VP of product development at Radio Flyer, told us is more typical of stroller wheels and offers a softer ride at a lighter weight. The trike has a 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). The Deluxe Steer & Stroll weighs 14½ pounds, just a smidge more than the Joovy.
The Steer & Stroll has an adjustable seat that you can move back to accommodate longer legs, just like you can on the Joovy trike. We found that the Steer & Stroll took a little bit longer to reach speed, and its center of gravity was a bit higher than the Joovy’s. The Radio Flyer was the least stable of our four picks, although it cornered fine at speed, and was more stable than competitors, with a ride that seemed softer over bumps than the Joovy. Our 3-year-old tester proclaimed the trike to be “completely awesome.”
It comes in one color: bright red. It took about 24 minutes to assemble (it was a little more complicated than our pick), and required extra tools, though the directions were straightforward. Radio Flyer products have a two-year warranty.
This stylish Schwinn is best suited to kids age 3 and up, who can tear up the road on this larger, heavier, more stable modern take on the Big Wheel.
For bigger kids, the Schwinn Roadster 12-inch Trike is a shiny, gorgeous tricycle that’s fast and fun to ride. It’s low to the ground, with more of a Big Wheel style than you typically see in a metal trike. Because it doesn’t have a push-bar option, it’s not nearly as versatile as our pick (or our runner-up) but if you’re buying a tricycle for a kid who is already 3 or older they may prefer the style of this more sophisticated-looking trike. The bike is rated to 50 pounds, 6 pounds more than the Joovy (many kids don’t hit 50 pounds until they’re 7 or 8 years old). In tests with bigger kids, though, we found that their knees were hitting the handlebars, even when the seat was pushed back all the way (if you’re looking for a big-kid trike and this is not big enough, our upgrade pick, which comes in three sizes, is your best bet).
Unlike our pick, the Schwinn Roadster has tires that are air-filled like a bicycle’s—meaning this three-wheeled baby can tear up some ground. Air-filled tires go faster and have more give than foam or rubber tires, though they do require occasional maintenance to keep filled. The tire nozzles seemed sturdy enough—similar to the ones on Schwinn bikes.
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. The bike was one of the heaviest in our testing group at 17½ pounds, and has a low center of gravity, which allows the trike to handle corners well and prevents tips—although our upgrade pick was a bit more stable than even the Roadster. 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.
This tricycle has the largest footprint of any we tested. It wouldn’t be an issue for storing in most garages, but I found it was a challenge to navigate my narrow walkways with this trike (and without a push bar, in narrow spaces, you’re relying on your kid to steer precisely). The platform on the rear wheels is wider than the one on the Angeles, making this trike the easiest of any we tested for a second kid to stand on. It has a bell, but no storage.
We tested the Roadster side by side with two other Big Wheel-style tricycles, the Original Big Wheel and the Radio Flyer Big Flyer, which are both made of plastic. We preferred the Schwinn’s grippy tire to the Original Big Wheel’s plastic wheel, which felt not-that-durable and slipped all over the place—which, yes, is sort of the idea. The Schwinn Roadster was easier to ride uphill than the Radio Flyer Big Flyer, and the Schwinn clearly outperformed the rest of the low-rider pack when it comes to durability and rideability.
The tricycle took about 24 minutes to assemble, and required a screwdriver. It’s available in six vibrant colors. It has a limited warranty (PDF).
Stable, durable, and smooth-riding, the Angeles Midi is the tricycle of choice for many preschools—it’s expensive, but it lasts years, and bigger kids can ride it after outgrowing our other picks.
Angeles tricycles are a common sight at many daycares, public schools, kids museums, and community centers. These simple, all-metal, industrial-strength trikes are built to last not just through two or three kids in a family, but through two or three hundred kids over many years—even decades. The Angeles Midi, intended for kids 3 to 6 and rated up to a whopping 70 pounds, is the midsize version of the company’s Myrider trike line—the Mini is for kids 3 to 4 and the Maxi for kids 4 to 8. (Angeles also makes really fun, unusual trikes like the Chariot and the Taxi Trike.)
If you’re shopping for tricycles for a daycare, this is clearly the best brand for you. But is it overkill to keep one of these trikes at home? Maybe, but if you’re looking for something that is absolutely durable, close to maintenance-free, and easy and fun to ride past the time your kids would outgrow our other picks, you may decide an Angeles is worth the investment, which is considerable. 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.
These trikes arrive fully assembled, which is the first sign they are a different breed of quality. At 28 pounds, the Midi was by far the heaviest of all the trikes we tested, and user reviews and years of seeing these tricycles in action at schools and other public places tell us they’re also by far the most durable. “Quality and safety come before everything else,” David Curry, the VP of merchandising and product development at Angeles Corporation told us. “If you were to buy one of these trikes, your grandkids would still be riding that same trike.” As proof, Angeles has one of its own trikes from the early 1960s—the company purchased it back from a customer for its 50th anniversary—and it’s still rideable.
My son learned to pedal on an Angeles trike at his preschool, and when the yellow tricycle arrived at our house, he immediately hopped on, ready to go.
My son learned to pedal on an Angeles trike at his preschool, and when the yellow tricycle arrived at our house, he immediately hopped on, ready to go. Despite its heft, the Midi gives a very smooth ride and is easy to start pedaling. Going uphill, the Angeles ties with the Joovy for ease of use, even though it weighs nearly twice as much. The spokeless wheels move smoothly and the rubber tires, though narrow, seem to glide easily. I sometimes helped my son out with a little foot-push when he was trying to get going, but once he got started he had no problems. When we did the cornering tests at speed on the Angeles, the wheels didn’t budge from the ground. The trike is the hardest to tip because of its weight and welded steel frame design—the Midi feels more like the body of a high-quality bicycle than a toy. Caveat on that weight: The Angeles is also harder to stop when going fast downhill, and none of the tricycles we tested have brakes.
The banana-shaped bike seat doesn’t adjust, though its ample length allows kids to comfortably push back and stretch their legs as they grow. The Midi is designed for kids 3 to 6 and can accommodate riders up to 70 pounds, which includes many 7- and 8-year-olds, too. We found that bigger kids could more comfortably ride the Midi than the other picks, which you could say is a good reason the higher price tag is worth it.
The spokeless wheels require no maintenance, they have no parts sticking out, and nothing can get caught in them. The tires are rubber. It doesn’t have storage and doesn’t come with a bell (or tassels). Angeles tricycles have a five-year warranty—by far the longest of any trike we tested.
The Doona Liki Trike S5 has some great features, like the ability to fold down to a 12.5 inch by 24 inch by 9 inch rectangle for travel (it’s designed to fit in airplane overhead bins). We enjoyed its three-second fold, padded straps and sleek look. Like the Joovy, it has a sunshade and converts to five different stages that take a kid from a pre-walker (10 months) all the way up to age 3. However, in our testing, the Liki fell short in a few areas. The sun shade is skimpy and the front wheel is smaller than Joovy’s, making for a bumpier ride. The push bar is more loosely attached than the Joovy’s, which made it difficult for an adult to push the Liki in a straight path, especially one-handed. The Liki also costs twice as much as the Joovy.
The Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike has many of the features we were looking for in a convertible trike—but a few flaws too. The adjustable sunshade has two panels, compared with the Joovy’s three, which we found makes a big difference in how much toddler you can keep in the shade. The plastic seat that holds a baby in place is more slippery than the Joovy’s seat, and my 1-year-old was sliding all over the place, even when strapped in. Finally, the wheels are smaller than those on some of the other convertible trikes like the Joovy or even the same company’s Steer & Stroll, making getting over bumps in the sidewalk challenging. The 4-in-1 we tested is the newest model, replacing an older version that doesn’t have a footrest and has a slightly different infant ring and handle design.
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.
The Fisher-Price Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Tough Trike was a surprising amount of fun. Even though it’s small and low to the ground, my son enjoyed the trike’s big pedals, fat wheels and super-large underseat storage container. However, we found that the plastic wheels ride really rough, especially on hard surfaces and bumps. The trike also didn’t adjust in any way, which means it would be usable for only around a year or two before a child would outgrow it. Fisher-Price also makes a version of this trike that’s “Barbie Tough.”
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. In our tests, the Classic Red was harder to ride than the Joovy or any of our other picks.
The High Bounce Extra Tall Tricycle gets high marks from parents of long-legged tots. Made of aluminum, it’s lighter (11.9 pounds) and the seat is 2½ inches higher than the Joovy’s or the Radio Flyer Steer & Stroll’s. Like the seats on those bikes, the High Bounce’s seat moves forward and backward to accommodate growing kids. In our riding tests, we found it would tip more easily than some of the low-center-of-gravity trikes like the Schwinn or heavy trikes like the Angeles, and it doesn’t have the versatility or quite the rideability of the Joovy or the Steer & Stroll. The handlebar grips felt rougher on young hands than the grips on other trikes. The High Bounce comes in a cool lime green or blue and is recommended for ages 3 to 6.
Many of today’s parents (and grandparents!) may have fond memories of rolling down the driveway—and perhaps over homemade jumps, definitely helmet free—on an Original Big Wheel. The actual original Big Wheel was manufactured in Pennsylvania by a company called Marx, which went out of business in the 1980s. Today’s Original Big Wheel (the name was sold) is lightweight, and the wheels slip a ton. It was difficult for my son to get started on the trike, and he soon lost interest. I lost interest even sooner when it took a whopping 54 minutes to assemble, mostly due to the number of decals. Like its namesake, the modern Big Wheel is better for bigger kids: It accommodates those up to 70 pounds and 8 years old—the oldest age of any trike tested. And it’s still awesome at skidding out.
The Radio Flyer Big Flyer is a better version of the big-wheel-style trike, and is meant for kids ages 3 to 7. It has more heft and seems sturdier than today’s Big Wheel brand. Older kids will likely enjoy the speed and easy turns of a lightweight, low-slung trike, but my 3-year-old son had some trouble getting the 16-inch front wheel to move. When it comes to a low-rider-style trike, overall we think the Schwinn Roadster provides a better ride.
Judy Wang, clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy, phone interview, June 15, 2017
Rebecca Talmud, pediatric physical therapist, email interview, June 15, 2017
Gary Collins, senior manager of design at Fisher-Price, phone interview, July 19, 2017
Tom Schlegel, VP of product development, Radio Flyer, phone interview, August 2, 2017
David Curry, VP of merchandising and product development, Angeles Corporation, phone interview, August 9, 2017
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Cutting Machine Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).