When you open a box, you get a first impression. The first thing I saw when I opened the box of this tricycle/stroller is the plastic "trunk." I thought, "Oh no. I hope this thing is not made of cheap plastic." My first impression was in error. Yes, the plastic "trunk" is made of relatively light plastic. The rest of the tricycle is either heavy duty plastic or welded steel. The entire tricycle feels solid and looks solid.When I was much younger, a tricycle was a single use kind of device. A tricycle was three wheels, a seat, and pedals. I can only say that tricycles have come a long way. This tricycle has four different configurations or modes of operation.
The first mode of operation is as baby stroller. There is a plastic safety restraint or insert to help position a baby from ages 9 months to 18 months in addition to straps. The pedals have two settings. One setting lets the pedals spin without moving the front wheel. The other setting lets a child pedal the front wheel, when the child is old enough to pedal the tricycle. The plastic "trunk" is a storage bin that can hold a few small items. Because the storage bin has a divider in the middle, which I consider unfortunate, the size of items it can hold is limited. The tricycle comes with a canopy that is especially useful for babies and toddlers. There is a push handle or a "parent handle" in the back. The push handle has a huge advantage over many strollers in that the height of the push handle is easily adjustable over a reasonably large range.
The second mode of operation is similar to the first. The primary difference is that the safety restraint removes for toddlers aged 18 months to 2 years. The straps remain in place and the canopy is probably still useful to keep the sun off your child.
As your toddler gets to the point where pedaling the tricycle is possible and exciting, the front wheel rotary piece needs adjustment to the second position that permits the pedals to move the front wheels. The canopy may be unnecessary and the restraint straps are easily removable. In this transition phase, a parent still has the handle in the back to keep the child from running amok or just to keep the child close. The recommended age range for this configuration is 2 years to 3 years.
The last configuration is as a standard tricycle, suitable for most children ages 3 years to 5 years. The "parent handle" in the back is removable and the tricycle now looks like a standard tricycle. The storage bin in the back is a great place for a few smaller toys.
Assembly does take some time. You need a hammer, an adjustable wrench or a socket set, and a Philips screwdriver. Strangely, the nuts requiring a wrench are both English and metric, so you if you use sockets you ideally need both types.
The parts come with plastic pieces on hard ends to protect the box and to protect a person assembling the tricycle until they are ready for that part. The plastic pieces remove easily for disposal. The main frame of the tricycle is welded steel, as is the steering bar. The rear axle also seems to be steel. The seat is plastic, but seems quite sturdy.
This tricycle was an immediate hit, with the only problem being the bad weather we had soon after receiving the tricycle. Fortunately, the relatively soft wheels are easy on our wood floors. We do not plan to permit the tricycle on our floors after outside use, when it will inevitably pick up rocks in the tires.
Are there any downsides to this tricycle? I suppose it depends on your point of view. The push handle removes somewhat easily. Alternatively, since the handle adjusts, it may lower enough to let the tricycle fit easily in a trunk or the back of an SUV. However, there is no folding available with this stroller, so if you are looking for the convenience of a folding stroller, then get a folding stroller. The other minor problem is that this tricycle does not have any brakes, which makes it quite different from most traditional strollers, including most folding strollers. Be extremely careful using this tricycle on hills, and if your child is in the stroller, keep a firm grip on the handle. The instructions include warnings against using this tricycle on hills. However, many of us live on hills of some kind, even if they are small hills. A better warning is to keep your hands on the stroller at all times.
I am pleased that Radio Flyer, Inc. is maintaining their reputation of making durable and sturdy products. I love the heavy steel frame and the other steel elements. The plastic is thick and used in all the places where steel or aluminum is less practical. The result is a high quality product that children love and that you can either save for future grandchildren or pass on to a friend, knowing you are giving a quality product.
Enjoy!
First, I want to share what I liked and didn't like...
Pros:
-Durable and Reliable I haven't yet had to rescrew the bolts and we use it a LOT!
-Many options to make a child any age comfortable.
-Easy to steer and very safe, basically feels like pushing a stroller. Can be easily pushed off the sidewalk without picking it up.
-Sunshade is really useful and can be folded for sunbathing.
-Great value, so many options for such a great price.
Cons:
-Squeaks after first walk, needs to be oiled once in a while
-I needed a lot of time to put the bike together; also the tools they tell you to use are not sufficient to screw everything tightly. But all this is worth it to make it feel very safe.
Finally, the reasons why I chose to buy this instead of all the other trikes offered on Amazon:
1. The handle is strong, made out of steel, and doesn't break off. I've read in some reviews that some trikes have handles that come off and feel cheap because of the plastic materials they are made from. This trike is NOT like that. It feels very reliable.
2. The wheels are rubber, not plastic like on most of the other trikes. I feel like they will last a long time.
3. It has a hatchback, meaning there is a compartment on the back that can hold keys, phones, toys, and rocks that your child might collect on your walk. We put flowers there sometimes :)
4. This trike has a little tray that my daughter uses for a drinking cup. Very comfortable if you are going for a long walk. None of the other trikes had this tray.
5. And lastly, the seat moves, the harness can be taken off, the pedals can be adjusted to stay still while you push the bike... Basically many things that other trikes didn't have.
I'm so glad I didn't purchase Little Tikes or Italtrike because from what I hear and read I would've been very disappointed.
Buy Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Trike Red Now
When I saw the opportunity to review this Radio Flyer four-in-one tricycle, I was eager to accept: My cousin and his wife, who live a couple doors down the street, have a three-year-old, and they have just learned that they are expecting another baby in June. So I knew that this toy would be used in all four of its "incarnations" at one point or another.The toy arrived within three days, even though I did not request any special shipping status.
The directions for putting the tricycle together are excellent and detailed. They are entirely pictorial, with no words at all, which is a godsend for those of us who labor for hours trying to read badly translated written instructions. Laura (the mom) put the entire tricycle together with only minimal help from Brian (the dad). Brian did have to help with Instruction #13, and also with tightening screws and bolts here and there. I was delighted to hear that one does not need an engineering degree to put this toy together.
The tricycle went together very easily for the most part. The handlebars are the hardest part of the construction. Laura recommends that anyone putting this tricycle together pull up on the handlebars after attaching the bars and the clamp to be sure that the clamp has tightened properly. She pulled up on the handlebars at least four times and was able to remove them despite that clamp being on. You just have to tighten the clamp as much as possible.
This tricycle seems very durable, though I will add to this review after Brandon (the three-year-old) has used the toy more. The canopy is very nice, and the straps on the seat will be great for the new baby when he or she can use it (at nine months or so). The cupholder that surrounds the infant in the seat will be great for the baby as well. My only wish is that the tricycle had rubber tires instead of plastic tires. We live in a somewhat rural area with no sidewalks, and the plastic tires may not hold up as well as rubber tires. The push handle, to be used for infants, adjusts to the height of the adult pushing the tricycle, which is a wonderful feature.
Now to the acid test: Does the child like the toy? Brandon has been off this tricycle only to eat and sleep ever since it was put together. He even attempted to get on it several times while his mom was putting it together, saying, "I should try it!" With winter coming on he will probably use it only in the house at first, but Brian and Laura have a huge basement, and riding his tricycle there will give him hours of play time.
I highly recommend this tricycle, especially if your child or children are young enough to take advantage of it in all its formations. The product description says it can be used from nine months to five years, and that sounds about right.
Read Best Reviews of Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Trike Red Here
I bought this trike for my 2yo son who used it for several month when the pedals stopped pedaling the wheels. I attempted to contact the manufacturer, but no one responded to my inquires about replacing the faulty item.Want Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Trike Red Discount?
First of all, this trike can't go backwards, which doesn't make any sense at all!!Second, it has the annoying clicking sound when child is not pedaling.
I am going to return it
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