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 schwinn mountain bike 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. You can buy a brand-new tricycle that looks exactly like one you rode as a kid.
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 schwinn mountain bike 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 High Bounce comes in a cool lime green or blue and is recommended for ages 3 to 6. The Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike has many of the features we were looking for in a convertible schwinn tricycle 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.
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. 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.
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. I spent seven hours researching tricycles, starting by identifying popular models used in schools and recreation centers. Both Wang and Talmud work with tricycles in teaching pedaling and balance to kids.
This took about two hours with my son (we had to take snack and water breaks because, man, trike riding is exhausting). 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. 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.