Conference moira::parenting

    From a kids perspective, both of my sons preferred the plastic "big
    wheel" type of rider.  My 7 year old still rides it (it's really been
    thru the family - the bike is 11 years old).  It is easy to peddle,
    plastic (won't rust), low to the ground (no injury yet-knock knock) and
    NOISY!  But it has been the best piece of plastic I ever bought.  (I
    bought it for my niece when she was 2 and her sister used it and now
    both my boys are using it)
    
    We also have a trycicle - neither of them used it (good thing I bought
    a used one) for more than a few times.
    
    Your mileage will vary!
    
    -sandy
    

    We've had great luck with the blue and yellow plastic
    tricycel from Fisher Price....not sure of any 'name', but
    you'll see them in any kids toy store.

    It is 'adjustable', in that the seat lifts up to allow
    a 'longer and shorter' reach to the pedals.  Most important,
    it is very easy for the kids to 'ride' by pushing with their
    feet.  Kids will move the trike around with their feel a lot
    more than using the pedals, and several of the trikes we tried
    didn't have enough room to do this safely.  the kids would get their
    feet caught in the back wheels or under the pedals.

    The only problem we've had is that the front tire is plastic and the
    'weld' around the center of the 'tire' starts to separate.  Eventually
    the tire does not work well.  I've mended it with a hot knife a few times.
    I'ld like to buy a new tire....anyone know how?
    bob

    I second the Fisher Price trike - it's actually called the "Fisher
    Price Tough Trike" and sells for about $25.00.  I just purchased one
    for my 2 year old and he loves it.  We tried out several of the 
    traditional tricycles ( I really did have my heart set on one of
    these) but he just did not seem quite ready.  My babysitters son
    is 4 and has one and loves it so I think they have a pretty good 
    age span.  My only complaint was the assembly :-) . 
    
    Mary
     
    

    
    From my own experience, if you have a relative or friend with a used
    one in good shape, get that.  I would also recommend the bigwheel. 
    As a guy, I know that if they had bigwheels when I was a kid I would
    have prefered them much more than a stink'n tricycle!  :^)
    
    Chris D. 

    You might also consider another type of "beginner vehicle" than a
    tricycle.  We got my now-4-year old the Little Tikes tractor and
    cart.  In retrospect, I would have skipped the cart, but he *loved*
    the tractor from the day it appeared, and still spends a lot of time
    tearing around on it (indoors and out!).  The tractor seemed like a
    good bet because he's always been fascinated by the farm equipment
    in our neighborhood.  It has 3 wheels and pedals, so riding it is
    the same as riding a traditional tricycle.

						cheryl

    
    We have the traditional "red" tricycle, and also other "plastic"
    versions.  I have to admit, the plastic, low to the ground, wide base
    ones are the best.  Spencer has tipped over many times on the red
    traditional tricycle and much prefers the plastic riding toys.
    
    Maybe you could take your child to a toy store that would let him test
    out the bikes? (child world usually lets you try the display samples)
    
    elizabeth
    

    re:  Test rides in the store...Realize that your child may have
    difficulty with the position of the seat in the official "Big Wheel"
    type bike (low rider feet stretched forward hands at eye level).  Mine
    kid of grew into them.  I did have a "motorcycle-type" pedal bike for
    my youngest until his little legs could reach the pedals of the big
    wheel.  Definately try them out before buying - even if it's a gift. 
    They can try them out and will sometimes forget about them for a few
    weeks - I could always do this at Christmas with my kids
    (outtasightouttamind).
    
    -sandy
    

    Well, we took Michael to Toys 'R Us last weekend and let him ride every
    three-wheeled vehicle in the store!  We have become big advocates of
    Little Tikes things, since they're made to last forever, and generally
    designed extremely well, so we looked carefully at the tractor.  But
    our favorite design was the Bit Wheel type because of the
    low-to-the-ground seat and the stability it provides.  So what did we
    end up buying?  The Fisher-Price Tough Trike.  While we loved the Big
    Wheel design, every one of them was too big for Michael.  Even the ones
    with adjustable seats were too big -- he couldn't reach the pedals and
    couldn't see over the handlebars.  The Fisher-Price seems to be working
    quite well -- he just loves it -- calls it his "Fly-sucker" (meaning
    bicycle).  He's had no problem thus far with it tipping, but since he
    hasn't figured out what the pedals are for yet, he isn't exactly
    achieving blinding speeds either.  Anyway, that's how we ended up. 
    Thanks for all the information and advice!
    
    Steve

    Steve,
    Be prepared for BLINDING SPEED without using the pedals!  David (2.5)
    can FLY on his tough trike...faster than his cousin can pedal! I tried
    to explain to him about the pedals, and how he should push them and go
    fast, but he explained "No mommy, my feet go real fast" and off he went
    like a rocket.  Because his feet are on the ground, he can turn and
    pivot faster than he can turn the wheel. 
    
    We now call it a "Turbo Flintstone-Mobile".
    
    Sarah 

    Last night we went to Toys R Us and had Gina try all of the tricycles
    they had.  She's too small for most of them.  She could fit on the
    playschool brand, but it seemed so cheap to us.  When we tried to turn
    the front wheel (which is a 9" wheel), the pedal would hit the ground.
    
    Gina is short and small. Are we just trying this too early?  She'll be
    2 in a week, not that age is a guideline.  Or is there a brand out
    there that we are missing that would fit our needs?
    
    She wants to be outside constantly, and we want to get her outside toys
    that she can play with by herself.  Right now we only have a swing set
    and it requires one of us there at every moment.  I'd like to be able
    to be outside to keep an eye on her, but do the gardening. 
    
    Thanks,
    
    judy

    What about the "Cozy Coupe" type car?  Katie's had it since she was
    about 2, and still uses it at age 4.  Jenny, at 19 months, has been
    interested in it for several months, although has just recently figured
    out how to make it "go".
    
    Susan

    The Cozy Coup is about $50 - too much for my pocketbook.  However, I
    have seen kids on riding toys in our neighborhood as young at 18
    months.  There are a number of small riders available.  Don't worry
    about not reaching the pedals or knowing what to do with them, time
    will grow them into it and they will figure it out.  My kids usually
    ride the big wheel down the hill without using the pedals at all.  They
    both started using it at two and scooted themselves along without the
    pedals.  We also have a little plastic (read: cheap) red wagon for
    carting things around - they still use this for their rocks, dirt and
    trucks not to mention little cousin!
    
    -sandy
    

    We got the seesaw from Flying Eagle - it looks like a big half circle
    sitting upright, and can accomodate a single rider in the middle, 2 on
    the ends, or 3 all at once. We also got a covered turtle sandbox when
    Ryan was 2 - both items gave him things to occupy himself while I
    worked in the garden.
    
    As for trikes - we had a used one that had belonged to my stepdaughter
    10 years ago - at age 2 Ryan just liked to sit on it. By 3 he could
    ride it a bit, and also figured out how to stand with one foot on the
    back plate and ride it like a scooter.
    

Does anyone know what a 1,2,3 bike is?  My twins turned 1 last week, and my
brother-in-law and his wife sent us some money and a note saying that they
had wanted to buy them 1,2,3 bikes but didn't think they'd ship well.  Is
this a riding toy?  I haven't been to the toy store yet to check it out, and
probably won't make it for about 2 weeks which is when I'll need more diapers,
so I thought maybe someone in here would know what it is and have an opinion
on it.

Thanks,
Cathy

    
    I was going to enter a note about the 1-2-3 bike, but hadn't gotten
    around to it...guess this gives me incentive.  This is a bicycle made
    by Playschool which is great for toddlers, but would probably be a
    little advanced for a 1 year old.  You could buy them and pull them out
    at the end of the summer, when the kids are a little older.
    
    Shannon absolutely loves this bike, and she is 2 1/2 now.  We bought it
    for her second birthday, and she used her feet to push it around the
    house for quite a while.  About a month ago we brought it outside, and
    I was surprised to see how easily she could pedal it.  She now zooms
    down the street, and I have to run to keep up with her.
    
    It is a hard plastic bike, which has 3 stages to the training wheels. 
    At first the t-wheels are very close to the bicycle wheels, which is
    very stable (I think she has only tipped it once).  The second stage is
    to turn the t-wheels around, so that they are further away from the
    main wheel (requires a little more balance).  The final stage is to
    remove the t-wheels completely.  This is a very durable bike, which I
    believe is targeted to 2-4 year olds.  The main wheels are very
    heavy-duty and wide (3-4 in.) and have a rubber-like tread.
    
    My 16 month old also loves to climb on it, and push it around with her
    toes on the ground.  I plan to pick up another one by the end of the
    summer so that they both have one to ride around.  I highly recommend
    it.
    
    Happy 1st Birthday to the twins!!
    Carol
         

I just purchased a 1-2-3  bike for my daughter's second birthday.  Right
now she just pushes it with her feet (actually her tippy-toes).  She
really seems to like it.  I like the idea that it can grow with her and
hopefully lead to an easier time learning how to ride a bicycle.

I agree with the previous noter, I think this bike would be too big for your
1-year olds.  At that age, I would consider one of the many riding type
toys.  They are much lower to the ground and more stable.  My daughter
has one by Little Tykes (the one you can ride on or push from behind) and
still rides and pushes that thing around.

Re: .2

Way late, but .2 may still see this.

With kid #1, we too had our Fisher-Price trike's front wheel wear out at the
seam. We called the Fisher-Price 1-800 number (we keep *all* literature about
stuff we buy) intending to order a new one and after explaining it to them,
they sent us a new front wheel (and back wheels and a new set of decals too) 
for free!!!

Kid #2 used the same trike with a similar result (we have *active* kids), and 
a second call to Fisher-Price got us *another* free wheel.

Call those 800 numbers. It's amazing what they'll do for you.

Bruce (with kid #3 on the way)

    My neighbor (whose youngest is 9) gave me a very worn Big Wheel.  She
    got the bike as a hand-me-down herself.  She said the original owner is
    now
    
    a student at Dartmouth College.
    
    And you thought I would say he is now
    
    a convict in Federal prison.  :-)

    No, I thought you would say he is now
    riding a motorcycle inside the metal sphere cage at Ringling Bros.!
    
    Leslie

Re: my own a few back about F-P 1-800 number...

The number is 1-800-432-5437 for those of you who want to use it.

Bruce

My son is 2.5 and I've been trying to decide which trike to buy for months!!!
I do let him try them out at the store, but still can't decide.

I like the rubber placed around the wheels on the 1-2-3 bike, and wondered
if it might be easier to pedal on carpeting than the Fisher Price Tough
Trike.  He has a small Big Bird Big Wheels, but the plastic wheels slip
indoors.  I know bikes are for outdoors, but sometimes it is fun
to ride some inside, especially in the winter.

A few weeks ago I began seeing ads for the Fisher Price Mountain Bike.
It runa about $39 ($35 on sale), but I havent' yet found a store that
has one assembled.  Has anyone had anyone experience with it as yet?
Opinions?

Thanks,
Ginny

    
    Experineced Parents:
    
    my almost four has expressed strong interest in a TRIKE.. Not a bike - a
    trike.  She tends to be somewhat careful in getting into new
    activities generally.
    
    My concern is that we can buy a trike for Christmas, but is she likely
    to get much use out of it?   The largest size I can find is a 12" - i
    remember having a larger one when I was little, but nowadays itseems
    like the mini-mini bikes are the only nextstep up.
    
    any comments?
    

>    My concern is that we can buy a trike for Christmas, but is she likely
>    to get much use out of it?  

Depends on the individual, which I can't comment on.  If you get her one for 
Christmas, two factors to consider are the weather (over which you have no 
control) and whether there is a safe place to ride it, such as a cul-de-sac 
or a reasonably large driveway.

I think of trikes as things that are best shopped for at yard sales.  If she 
really wants a new one for Christmas (and you'd spend the money anyway), it 
doesn't seem to me that buying one could do any harm.  You can always resess 
it (albeit at a yard sale price).

Clay