Bike Radar Toddlebike Trial Results - Alice 21 months
simon7007
Posts: 6
Following on for a request from Toddlebike for trial riders, I offered the services of our daughter Alice (21 months) given her liking of riding a trike and travelling on a Wee-Ride attached to my mountain bike.
After signing up, the bike was quickly dispatched and arrived wrapped in bubble-wrap as protection. The bike arrived perfectly, but I would say the packaging doesn’t “hero” the product but conversely keeps cost down. As an online sale this is fine, however poses a challenge if you are attempting to get listed in bike shops and want to create standout. The Toddlebike retails online for £23.90 including P&P.
Toddlebike was up against a Galt Wooden Tiger Trike in our house which retails for £56.28 (a present from grandparents) and a Winnie the Pooh ride on from Asda for £15. Alice had started learning to walk and ride with the ride on and moved onto riding the trike around the house, but had not really shown a desire to take the trike outside.
http://www.galt-educational.co.uk/nursery/early-activity/wooden-tiger-trike/?ev=search
First impressions..... the plastic Toddlebike does not look as good quality against the wooden Trike, however it is more than half the price so good value for money. We opened the package together and Alice loved the bike, Alice sat on the bike quite quickly but couldn’t quite master the movement.
As mentioned on a number of other reviews the bike seat is too far away from the handlebars, and Alice started by sitting on the crossbar to try and overcome not being able to really reach the handlebars comfortably. Note the photo of the trike vs toddlebike for seat length…..
The trike offers a range of where to sit depending on height, whereas the toddlebike requires a taller child. However extending the seat is likely to impact the ease of getting on and off. Maybe lower the seat by an a few cms and extend the seat length?
In the early days Alice resorted to pushing, dragging or putting the bike onto the back wheels and doing a wheely to get around with the bike. Due to having ridges on the wheels for grip, the bike can be quite noisy indoors but we soon got used to it!
We encouraged taking the bike outside and overtime the skill of riding the bike improved. We have now had the bike for circa 6 weeks and Alice has really developed balance and stability on the bike. We can now ride easily for 1 mile to the local park, and also get up quite a bit of speed! She has learnt to use her feet to slow down (ruined a pair of trainers though!) The bike is extremely light, so when out and about is really easy to carry back home when our daughter decides she has had enough and wants to be carried. The bike now goes virtually everywhere with us now and appears to have filled a gap between trike and balance bikes which we saw as the next stage.
The bike in action…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBPHGduVQP8
Another benefit is the bike can get dirty when outside, however a spray with the hosepipe and easily cleaned to bring back indoors.
The challenge is would I have bought the Toddlebike if seen in store….. probably not to be honest as we were happy with the trike. I think if you can get the price to £19.99 including postage the appeal increases. Would I recommend the bike…… Yes! Alice really appears to have developed balance, stability and braking skills. So much so we are now contemplating getting a Islabike Rothan balance bike for Christmas.
Simon & Alice
After signing up, the bike was quickly dispatched and arrived wrapped in bubble-wrap as protection. The bike arrived perfectly, but I would say the packaging doesn’t “hero” the product but conversely keeps cost down. As an online sale this is fine, however poses a challenge if you are attempting to get listed in bike shops and want to create standout. The Toddlebike retails online for £23.90 including P&P.
Toddlebike was up against a Galt Wooden Tiger Trike in our house which retails for £56.28 (a present from grandparents) and a Winnie the Pooh ride on from Asda for £15. Alice had started learning to walk and ride with the ride on and moved onto riding the trike around the house, but had not really shown a desire to take the trike outside.
http://www.galt-educational.co.uk/nursery/early-activity/wooden-tiger-trike/?ev=search
First impressions..... the plastic Toddlebike does not look as good quality against the wooden Trike, however it is more than half the price so good value for money. We opened the package together and Alice loved the bike, Alice sat on the bike quite quickly but couldn’t quite master the movement.
As mentioned on a number of other reviews the bike seat is too far away from the handlebars, and Alice started by sitting on the crossbar to try and overcome not being able to really reach the handlebars comfortably. Note the photo of the trike vs toddlebike for seat length…..
The trike offers a range of where to sit depending on height, whereas the toddlebike requires a taller child. However extending the seat is likely to impact the ease of getting on and off. Maybe lower the seat by an a few cms and extend the seat length?
In the early days Alice resorted to pushing, dragging or putting the bike onto the back wheels and doing a wheely to get around with the bike. Due to having ridges on the wheels for grip, the bike can be quite noisy indoors but we soon got used to it!
We encouraged taking the bike outside and overtime the skill of riding the bike improved. We have now had the bike for circa 6 weeks and Alice has really developed balance and stability on the bike. We can now ride easily for 1 mile to the local park, and also get up quite a bit of speed! She has learnt to use her feet to slow down (ruined a pair of trainers though!) The bike is extremely light, so when out and about is really easy to carry back home when our daughter decides she has had enough and wants to be carried. The bike now goes virtually everywhere with us now and appears to have filled a gap between trike and balance bikes which we saw as the next stage.
The bike in action…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBPHGduVQP8
Another benefit is the bike can get dirty when outside, however a spray with the hosepipe and easily cleaned to bring back indoors.
The challenge is would I have bought the Toddlebike if seen in store….. probably not to be honest as we were happy with the trike. I think if you can get the price to £19.99 including postage the appeal increases. Would I recommend the bike…… Yes! Alice really appears to have developed balance, stability and braking skills. So much so we are now contemplating getting a Islabike Rothan balance bike for Christmas.
Simon & Alice
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