The actual Original Big Wheel 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, schwinn bicycles and he soon lost interest. Kate lost interest even sooner, when it took a whopping 54 minutes to assemble, mostly due to the number of decals. Jenni’s 3-year-old son also screamed in frustration while using the Big Wheel and found it didn’t move well across pavement or dirt.
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. Install Rear WheelsLocate the side of the wheel with a flat section that matches the flat section on the rear drive axle. Align the flat sections on the hub and axle, then slide the wheel onto the axle until it stops. Slide one washer over the axle end, then thread the locknut on and tighten it with a wrench. Repeat for the second rear wheel, then turn the tricycle right side up.
Because it doesn’t have a push-bar option, it’s not as versatile as our top or runner-up picks. But if you’re buying a tricycle for an older kid, they may prefer the style of this more-sophisticated-looking trike. Parents didn’t love the harness, and kids preferred our top pick. The schwinn mountain bike INFANS trike is about 4 pounds heavier than the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ’N Trike; we think the added weight is why our kid testers found it harder to ride independently. Like the Radio Flyer trike, this one also has plastic wheels, but they didn’t work as well on dirt pathways.
Install Handlebars
Remove the plastic plug from the top of the fork steerer tube, then insert the stem quill into the steerer tube. Ensure the stem is inserted past the minimum insertion markings on the stem quill. Loosen the stem faceplate bolts, just enough to allow the handlebar to rotate. Rotate the handlebar into a suitable position, then tighten the stem faceplate bolts evenly.
The INFANS Kids Tricycle is similar to our top pick, but it offers added durability and has a higher price tag. This trike is a solid option if you can’t find the Radio Flyer, or if you want a trike with sturdier hardware. The INFANS trike weighs 20 pounds, whereas the Radio Flyer is 16, so it’s a bit harder for little kids to ride the INFANS trike by schwinn mountain bike themselves. We also liked the pedal covers of the Radio Flyer’s stroller configuration better than the foot pegs on the INFANS trike. But this trike is well made, and it’s quick to build and convert. With a wide rear wheel position, the Meridian tricycle provides more stability than a bicycle so riders of all experience levels can get around easily.