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. That’s the bit that lets you coast along without pedalling, and the rear chain will keep moving with the rear wheels. I’m the third owner of this trike and I ride it EVERY day.I noticed a few days ago that I had no resistance when pedaling and then this morning it stopped altogether, I hopped off and checked it. The axle there the back chain connects was moving, but where the front chain connects was not moving.
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 schwinn cruiser offered some feedback. 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.
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. 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 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.
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. 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. 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.
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. 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.