Customer Reviews

Radio Flyer Classic Red Dual Deck Tricycle

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

We bought this tricycle for our son who is almost 2. He is in the 90th % for his height, so we didn't even consider that it may be too small for him. But he can't reach the pedals at all, even with the seat in the lowest position. Not even close. We have to buy him a new trike so he has something to ride until he grows into this one. But in the meantime, he loves the bike. He stands in front of it to ring the bell and play with the streamers on the handlebars. He will sit on the back "step" and say "vroom vroom" pretending he is riding it. I think that once he finally grows into it he will really enjoy it. I can't wait to see him riding on it! But based on the size, I think it's better for a child closer to 3 years old.

This bike is described appropriate for a 24 month old. You can imagine how disappointed our little boy was to see his new bike and barely be able to touch the ground. He immediately fell off and was upset. Ugh! My little guy is not short kid either (80th percentile). So what 24 month old are they using??? Amazon took good care of us though, which made the whole situation more bearable. We opted to purchase a knock off 10 inch bike rather than have him fall off the 12 inch classic. Once he's tall enough it will get a lot of use. The streamers and bell really add to the fun of this bike.

UPDATE AUGUST 2006: It has been nearly five years since I bought this trike and wrote the below review. The trike is still holding its own. It was handed down to my second child, who outgrew it, and then handed down to our neighbor, who is still riding it.
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Yes, this is the classic trike, virtually unchanged from its original design. Unfortunately, that also means that the design has not substantially improved during the past 40 years. I got this for my 3-year old, and she began riding it with a little effort. Now she's 4, and she still loves riding it. No problem there.

One problem is that the child sits high on the trike, and the front wheel is small enough and thin enough that it is easy for the child to tip over when making a quick turn. This is especially true when turning at a sidewalk corner that that has been modified to slope toward the street for wheelchair access.

Another problem is that the handlebars can become misaligned with the wheel (wheel is straight, but handlebars are turned a smidge to one side, and vice versa)unless you screw the bolt in real REAL tight. Same with the seat; because it's held in place by a bolt, the seat can become misaligned by swiveling a fraction of an inch in either direction unless its screwed in really REALLY tight.

The best part about this trike is the bell. It has one of the best bike/trike bells I've ever heard. The second best part of this trike is that it is one of the few these days that have the back platform for another kit to stand on. Yes, I have a feeling that modern trikes eliminate this feature for safety reasons, but I am one of those who think "safety concerns" have gone a little too far. Riding on the back is king.

Even with the above concerns, I love this trike. It just means that you gotta watch the really young ones when they're riding around. My 18-month old son now wants to play with it. He climbs on and pretends to ride, ringing the bell. (For him, this year, I got him the "Rock, Roll and Ride Trike" by Fisher Price. It's a rocker, then a push-trike, then a full-blown trike.)

(...)

It's a beautiful tricycle and pretty irresistible to us parents who had similar ones as a child, but RESIST! It topples easily--very easily. My son is 3 years old, 40 inches tall and 38 pounds. This trike is the perfect size for him and he can ride it really well. But if he turns any kind of halfway sharp turn, it tries to tip over. If he goes the least bit fast, it starts to tip over. I'm a nervous wreck when he's on this trike because it's constantly about to tip over, and sometimes, of course, it does tip over and we have to untangle him from it. He avoids it and prefers to ride an old trike we paid $5 for at a garage sale. We finally bought a REAL trike--the Supertrike 3. It's much, much better.

Don't go for nostalgia, go for function and safety. Don't buy this tricycle.

My son received this bike for his 3rd birthday from his grandparents. We loved it's looks. When the weather broke we took it outside and we were ready for some fun. Well everytime my son turned the bike fell over. When you turn it cuts too sharp and the bike tips over. After three times of getting hurt that was it and he will not ride the bike now. We thought maybe he was too young so we let our neighbors son ride, he is four he also fell twice and will not ride. Last but not least we let a 5 year old try she also fell twice and that was it for her. They look at the bike as if to say, "I'm not riding that bike." So now it sits in our garage. I will say though it is a beautiful bike just not made to turn.

This is not only a nostalgic cute "toy" for my generation but it is also a well-disguised tool to learn balance and control before moving onto a real bicycle for my three year-old son. It may not be the preschool plastic low-riding bike that never tips over or doesn't hurt as much when he takes a spill but it certainly reminds him that everything needs to be approached with a certain amount of knowledge, understanding and respect. Personally, I feel no toy should be played with without any parental supervision at first...it's my job as a parent and a guide to show my child the "correct" way to tackle things and then to have him challenge that and then settle on his own way. I have shown him what to do and what not to do in order to manipulate the tricycle. It's a learning experience for him to remember that he shouldn't turn the wheel fast or too extreme in order to avoid falling off. It's a firm tricycle and it feels more like a grown-up "thing" than a kid's "thing"--he likes that.

And the bell--he really likes that...you should see the proud smile on his face.

I didn't heed the warnings, because some people gave this trike 5 stars and some gave it 1, with little middle ground. I loved the looks of the tricycle so much I decided to listen to the 5-star people. I wish I hadn't. My son is almost 3, and he's 40 inches tall and weighs 39 pounds, so he's not a tiny guy. He's learned he'd better not turn the handlebar very fast or he'll tip over. He's learned he'd better not pedal very fast or he'll tip over. I've learned I'd better be ready to grab him at any moment or he'll be tangled up on the ground with a tricycle on top of him. The center of gravity in this trike is WAY too high and is dangerous. I suppose it must work better for bigger kids (i.e. 5 and up), but definitely not for its intended users, ages 3 and 4. His little Roadmaster tricycle we bought at a garage sale is way better, because it won't tip over no matter what he does.

Trikes should be made to go fast and be stable, and this one does not fit the bill.

We received this 12-inch tricycle (Model #33) as a gift for our son who is almost 5 and very tall. I wish I had found one for him to try when he was 3 so I could have seen how much legroom was available. The nearest ToysRus does not carry this model trike only the smaller 10-inch. Other brand 12-inch tricycles were too small for him. From what I have gathered from this site and experience, it should be labeled 3-7 years. I believe he will get 1 or 2 years out of this before he would outgrow it. With his leg at the highest position on the pedal, he has 3½ inches of room before the handlebar. I think I can raise the handlebars at least another ½ inch and still be safe.

The trike is very sturdy and easy to maneuver so he can ride in our basement. My son is on the reckless side so this trike is perfect, though he has to be careful not to turn the wheel to sharp. I don't want him riding a 2-wheel bike before he can understand that he has to really watch where he is going. (We also live on a steep hill with nowhere to learn how to ride a 2-wheel bike.)

The trike comes with most of it put together which is really nice. Years ago you had to put on pedals, handle grips, etc. All that is needed to put the trike together is a few drops of oil, hammer, 2 adjustable wrenches, & screwdriver for bell connector. Only 4 things had to be tightened besides attaching the bell. I spent more time verifying all the parts were there (some are attached to the trike pieces), than putting it together. The seat is adjustable to 3 levels.

It is nice that the bell comes with the trike. It can be used by thumb or just spun to make the bell ring. My son loves the bell.

Santa brought this for my daughter last year(2000). It is very easy for her to steer and she gets around with ease. She was 3years old in March when she really got the hang of it. Try the smaller version if your child is short or under three. Keep in mind however that this will be a great bike into their 4's. A child of only 2 or younger might not be ready for the coordination of either model. Steering and pedaling simultaniously is a challenge for little people.

My daughter received this tricylcle for her second birthday. She is very tall for her age and already knew how to pedal a trike. She was so excited to get her first bike, but that excitement turned to frustration very quickly. She tipped over every time, even when she was not moving--just leaning over to look at the pedals. The center of gravity on this tricycle is much too high and the back wheel base is too narrow. We went to ToysRUs and let my daughter try out several other trikes and she loves the Kiddi-O Supertrike 4. A great bike that isn't a health hazard!