Hi- My husband and I are looking to buy our son a training tricycle for his 2nd birthday. Can you please send me some recommendations? Good/Bad, etc. Thanks so much Moms!
I recommend the Strider bike. It teaches kids to balance and glide--there are no pedals! We got one for my son when he was 2 and he started riding it in the house b/c it was the winter, but now loves to go outside for a bike ride every night! (He's now going on 4 and close to being ready for a big boy bike) Here's a link, you can also find it on amazon.com, http://www.balancebikeshop.com/strider_bike_s/14.htm
Hi there. We got a Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go Tricycle when he turned two. Didn't take him long at all to get the pedaling down! He's 3 now and still loves it. He'll race around and put toys in the little compartment on the back. Very sturdy, doesn't tip too easily and was just right for his little legs! Best of all the price was reasonable for a quality product!
we purchased the radio flyer tricycle for our oldest son when he turned two..he still rides it occasionally (he got a big boy bike for christmas) and now my little one who just turned two uses it as well. we did have to order a new wheel for one side, but that was because my husband ran it over in the driveway! the customer service was great and reasonably priced. hope this helps!
Like another responder, I just bought a balance bike. It hasn't come yet, but I'm excited about it. It's supposed to get kids riding sooner. My boys don't spend a lot of time on the tricycles we do have (but if I were to buy another tricycle, I'd definitely get one with a stick I can use to push them).
I bought a Glide Bike (the balance bike), which is basically a bike with no wheels (it has a footrest). My kids push their tricycles with their feet anyway, and I'm excited about this.
we got our 2.5 yr old daughter a Radio Flyer tricycle - it has the long handle on the back so we can push and steer and then that comes off so she can ride it herself. very happy with it. got it at target.
The Kettler trike is what we got our son and we all love it! It is on the expensive side, but it is well built, has a handle bar lock on the front tire so when you are pushing him when he is learning the bike stays straight. It also has a hand brake which provides much fun when they figure it out. Others that have bought this trike told us their children still rode it at ages 5 and 6, so I think it is worth the investment.
Our son LOVED his Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll Trike that he got for his 2nd birthday and he still rides it at almost 4 years of age.
I like that the handle for the adults can actually *steer* the trike while many other similar trikes only allow the parents to push. Controlling the direction of the trike when you're little one is just learning is a BIG bonus! The parent handle/pole can be removed once your child has learned how to steer and pedal by himself. My girlfriend has the same trike for her boys and it's lasted a long, LONG time! Definitely worth the $70 investment!
You can find it on the Radio Flyer website here: http://www.redwagons.com/rafl53destst.html
The balance bikes (without pedals) are great but probably not quite right for a 2-year-old. My son couldn't quite manage one until he was three.
Not a tricycle, but I've been looking at something they call "walking bikes" or "running bikes". It's basically a small (for ages 2-5) bike without pedals. The idea is that the push with their feet and learn to balance. Google it -- one of the companies has some video showing 3 year olds zooming around on them.
My child isn't old enough yet, so haven't actually tried them (would be interesting to hear from some that have). Anyway, it's another option to consider.
Sorry for the late response!! My daughter had a fisher-price tricycle that was convertible form a rocker, to having a push handle for Mom/Dad to being an actual bike. I believe it was called the rock, roll and ride.
We bought our son a balance bike which is a bike with no wheels. and appropriately sized. Ours is a Strider, very solidly built but we have not tried it out yet b/c the weather is just getting right.
The Kettler tricycle is very popular but I would not recommend it at all. I have been very unhappy with it. My son used it first and would get very frustrated with it. My daughter is using it now and also is so frustrated with it. I find it is very tippy. Also when you are trying to teach them how to peddle the peddles don't move around as you push them to give them the feeling of how to do it. You have to bend way down and walk backwards while moving their feet... not an easy thing to do. The push bar is nice when they're starting out and I can understand why the peddles would lock when you are pushing them but when you are not using the push bar it would be nice if the peddles would move as they do to give them that feeling. It is also very expensive and they move on to a bike so quickly that it's not worth the investment. I think you can find a better tricycle for less money.
Sorry to sound negative but I was just struggling with the Kettler yesterday so it's fresh in my mind. Hopefully someone else will have a good suggestion!
We got a Radio Flyer Ready to Ride and love it. It's light and adjusts to fit your child as they grow.
