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). 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. We’ve updated broken links in this guide and changed cost details for our upgrade pick, the Angeles Midi, which has more than doubled in price since we first recommended it.
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. 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.
Explore trails that aren’t on the app but clearly exist
right here, right now, in real life. Pack extra water and a sandwich in case things go right and you’re having
too much damn fun to head home. “How often should I inflate my tires?” is a common question among many casual bikers. The answer depends on how
often and how hard you ride. Some people break out the pump every few days, others once a week, and still others even
less regularly than that.
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. Like the Joovy, the Deluxe Steer & Stroll has a 10-inch front wheel.
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. 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).
When it comes to a low-rider-style trike, overall we think the Schwinn Roadster provides a better ride. 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 schwinn bicycles 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.
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. 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.
The prevention would be to store the bike in a garage or inside, and to rinse the transmission off after every winter ride – I see a bit of corrosion there which could indicate the cause. I’d guess the single-speed freewheel/freehub on the jackshaft has something wrong with its pawls. The adjustable seat post allows you to raise and lower the seat without any tools.
A five-point harness also ensures a baby stays safely put. 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. 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.
I have one of the best mountain bikes ever built and it’s only been on trails two times. The other “downside” is its range, though, I’ve never run out of power while riding. I pedal a lot without the power, using it on uphills only. With two, 40 miles would be easy even if using mostly with the power on with hardly any pedaling. And with a second battery it still would cost less than any other e-bike with comparable components.