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 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.
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). 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. 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.
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. 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).
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. I posted about this about two years ago and the other trike is no longer on the road. New trike (got it about a year ago) is now having the same issue as the last.
The High Bounce comes in a cool lime green or blue and is recommended for ages 3 to 6. 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.
I live in a town where NO ONE does trikes or bikes, and I don’t have any way to take it somewhere to fix. The adjustable seat post allows you to raise and lower the seat without any tools. The tricycle took about 24 minutes to assemble, and required a screwdriver. The amount you can expect to receive in store credit when trading in your bike with a dealer. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct. I’d guess the single-speed freewheel/freehub on the jackshaft has something wrong with its pawls.
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. 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.
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. These trikes arrive fully assembled, which is the first sign they are a different breed of quality.
Tighten these two screws down as hard as you can — this connection point takes a lot of stress, especially on uphill grinds. Some customers said they exceeded the weight limit for their Schwinn Meridian with no problems. One reviewer who purchased the tricycle for his weight loss journey was pleased to find that the tires held up for him at 400 lbs. It can handle more weight than the average bicycle because of its broad and sturdy frame. 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.
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. 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. We tested the Roadster side by side with two other Big Wheel-style tricycles, the Original Big Wheel and the Radio Flyer Big schwinn cruiser 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.