But we also found the MyRider Midi harder to stop when going fast downhill. Many of today’s parents (and grandparents!) may have fond memories of rolling down the driveway—and perhaps over homemade jumps, definitely helmet-free—on an Original Big Wheel. The actual Original Big Wheel schwinn tricycle was manufactured in Pennsylvania by a company called Marx, which went out of business in the 1980s. Today’s Big Wheel (the name was sold) is lightweight, and the wheels slip a ton. It was difficult for Kate’s young son to get started on the trike, and he soon lost interest.
It also got stuck on any surface that wasn’t pavement. Beyond the glitz, we found that the Roadster provides a smooth, stable ride, especially compared with similar schwinn bicycles low riders made of plastic. Due to its size and weight (17½ pounds), this trike is better balanced than our top pick in independent trike mode, even on fast turns.
That means this trike has more plastic features, but it also means it’s lightweight—a solid bonus for kids who want to take corners with speed. As a child grows, these little-kid extras are stripped away, leaving a trike they can ride independently. The Joovy Tricycoo 4.1 Kids Tricycle (our previous pick in this guide) was loved by our kid testers, and it has a short, five-minute build time. The materials are mostly plastic, which got dinged up after just a few weeks of testing. Many parents complain in reviews about losing pieces of the Joovy over time; the screws, the plastic basket, all tend to fall off.
The long build time is due to the fact that this trike has so many parts; this makes it versatile, but it’s also a pain. The tools needed—a Phillips head screwdriver, a hammer, and a wrench—are not included. This trike held up well during testing, but it’s less durable than some of the other models we tried, including our upgrade pick.
She has a decade of experience reporting on parenting, purchasing, and psychology, and she was previously an editor for Wirecutter’s outdoors section. She’s the author of our guides to the best jogging strollers and the best kids hiking backpacks, and she’s a mom to two children. As Jenni was writing the current version of this guide, her kids were 15 months and 3½ years old—perfect trike-testing age. The low standover aluminum frame makes it easy to get on and off, while the extra-large seat and ergonomic grips offer superior comfort on every ride.
Before they start riding a bike, teach your kid basic coordination with the balanced 3-wheel design. Push and scoot them around the house for fun thrills, or let them pedal and develop their leg muscles. You and your kid are going to have so much fun cycling together.
Thread the hanging section of chain back around the rear axle, but don’t put it onto the gear yet. Push one side of the quick link onto one end of the secondary chain, then push the second side of the quick link over the opposite side of the other end of the chain. Bring the two ends of the chain together and snap both sides of the quick link together, then pull the chain taut. Inspect the quick link to verify both pins are fully engaged in the plates. Tighten the four bolts securing it to the main frame. Install Front Wheel
Loosen both axle nuts at both ends of the axle and slide the tabbed washers out.
We appreciated that the infant harness was padded across the chest, but it didn’t tighten as well as our top pick’s harness. The INFANS trike also has rear brakes; the Radio Flyer trike does not, and we didn’t find them on many other bikes. Similar to brakes on a regular stroller, these rear brakes (one against each wheel) can be operated by parents. They can also be activated by children when they’re riding on their own (they pedal backward), and this is good practice for learning to ride a pedal bike. The INFANS Kids Tricycle is similar to our top pick, but it offers added durability and has a higher price tag.