The spokeless wheels require no maintenance, they have no parts sticking out, and nothing can get caught in them. It doesn’t have storage and doesn’t come with a bell (or tassels). Angeles tricycles have a five-year warranty—by far the longest of any trike we tested. The Joovy TriCyCoo 4.1 is a versatile, stable, easy-to-use tricycle schwinn bicycles with the ability to safely and comfortably hold babies as young as 9 months and sturdily ferry big kids up to 4 years (or 44 pounds). In addition to several weeks of everyday use, I conducted some controlled tests. I had my 3-year-old ride a block on a concrete sidewalk and take a corner at full speed while timing and recording him.
The seat features a dual-spring setup that absorbs impact for extra comfort and weight. The seat also has a slight rise in the front for more stability. Both models are suitable for riders between 5’4- and 6’2- tall. Both models of the Schwinn Meridian have a low sweeping step-thru frame. Riders who struggle with balance can easily step on and off the tricycle.
The push bar is more loosely attached than the Joovy’s, which made it difficult for an adult to push the Liki in a straight path, especially one-handed. This tricycle has the largest footprint of any we tested. It wouldn’t be an issue for storing in most garages, but I found it was a challenge schwinn bicycles to navigate my narrow walkways with this trike (and without a push bar, in narrow spaces, you’re relying on your kid to steer precisely). The platform on the rear wheels is wider than the one on the Angeles, making this trike the easiest of any we tested for a second kid to stand on.
With the Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll, our runner-up, this process was also short, though it’s because there is only a handlebar to remove. With the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike, the process of converting schwinn bicycles from baby to big-kid mode took two minutes or more. The cargo basket is fantastic for groceries or other cargo. The manufacturer warns riders that the cargo area is not for pets, children, or other passengers.
My 1-year-old was able to sit comfortably in the seat—unlike the Joovy and Radio Flyer this trike has no straps—but he kept sliding forward onto his crotch and standing on the foot rests. On the other hand, the SmarTrike has a completely independent push-steering system, so even if a kid is jerking the steering column to the left, you can still turn right. In the older-kid configuration the trike seemed a little small and underpowered compared with the other convertibles we tested. “Trikes are really the first tool that give kids the sense of moving forward,” says Judy Wang, a physical therapist based in Los Angeles.