Writer Jenni Gritters researched more than 20 tricycles, and she built and tested 10 of them in late 2023. 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 Schwinn Meridian Trike offers a smooth and effortless ride with its single-speed design, perfect for cruising around the neighborhood or running errands in town. It also has front V-brakes and rear band brakes, providing versatile stopping power for safe and controlled riding. It’s quick and easy to convert to a pedal bike—and to ride. Attaching the pedals required only an Allen wrench to switch the footrest out; making this change took Jenni five minutes.
The MyRider Midi doesn’t have storage or come with a bell or tassels. Many people are looking for a versatile trike that can be used with the same child over a number of developmental stages. We sought a trike with a parent push bar, to propel a toddler who is still schwinn bicycles learning to pedal, as well as one with the ability to convert to an independent trike for older kids. This combination of brakes is ideal for adult riders who may have limited mobility or strength in their hands, making it easier for them to brake when needed.
Plus, the handlebar can rise by nearly 4 inches and tilt upward and forward nearly 4 inches. You can raise the handlebar by about 2 inches (the Guardian bike’s handlebars can’t change in height), and you can adjust the handlebar angle with an Allen wrench, same as on the Guardian model. The REV 12’s handlebars ranked among the widest of the balance bikes we tested, which made them ideal for taller preschoolers. Compared with our top pick, this balance bike can accommodate a slightly taller kid, which means it might get more use over time. It can also accommodate a heavier kid (up to 60 pounds, versus the Guardian model’s limit of 50). In our tests, however, smaller kids found the REV 12 to be too tall and too heavy for their liking.
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. The XJD 5-in-1 Kids Tricycle is a trike that turns into a balance bike. It takes 10 minutes to build, and it’s easy to adapt from trike to bike by adjusting the two back wheels into one (they slide together) and removing the pedals. It’s sturdier than many of the trikes we tried, with hard rubber wheels instead of plastic. But it doesn’t have a warranty, and the kids in our test group avoided this bike like the plague, probably because the stand-over height for the balance bike configuration wasn’t low enough.
If you want a balance bike, try one of our balance bike picks. Jenni’s son loved riding this trike across pavement, dirt, and even rough concrete. Despite its rigid plastic wheels, the 4-in-1 Stroll ’N Trike could handle all of these surfaces; it moved especially well on sidewalks, where it stayed stable during turns. Compared with other convertible trikes we tested, like the smarTrike and the Joovy, this one had a more-effective handlebar and sturdier wheels. It was much harder to tip this trike over, due to those sturdy wheels and steel frame, and the harness was the easiest to tighten.
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. One of the primary features of this meridian tricycle is its seven-speed gear with grip twist shifters. This provides riders with a wide range of gears to tackle various terrains and inclines with ease. The lightweight alloy rims and galvanized iron spokes help keep the ride smooth and effortless.
Storage spaces for stuff kids might need—like a cupholder for a sippy cup or a trunk or basket for toys—may also be appealing to kids. The seat should ideally include some back support to help brace a child’s trunk, especially if they’re under age 3, said Rebecca Talmud, DPT, a pediatric physical therapist in Washington, DC. “This support will be important to ensure more effective forward motion and help a child build momentum when pedaling.” She also pointed out that a kid shouldn’t have to strain to reach the pedals. “Trikes are really the first tool that give kids the sense of moving forward,” said Judy Wang, DPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy who practices in Los Angeles. They also help develop a child’s visual processing abilities while in motion. At age 1 to 2, kids can sit securely on a trike, and at around age 2½ to 3 (on average), they are able to start pedaling on their own.