Customer Reviews:
  A bike great for kids September 3, 2008
this bike is amazing, we have a dirt driveway, and it has no problems. the handle is very strong and easy to push around the bike. the lock out features are also great. It was worth the money.
most popular trike on the block August 17, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
We have had this trike a little over 2 years now. It is a great tricycle, but some of the features were not as useful as I thought they would be. The trike is sturdy, and gets a lot of use being as it is the favorite of the younger kids on the street.
Some particulars:
The push rod. We used it a fair amount. The push rod is the only parental-control feature we really needed. Probably the best use was as a back-up in case the child got too tired. I think I had visions of taking some of the same walks with the push-rod as we did with the stroller, but I now know that if you need to push the trike the whole way, chances are the child is young enough he/she doesn't really care what the mode of transportation is, and you are better off (and happier) with the stroller.
The auto-freewheel is a disadvantage for the beginner, but turns into an advantage later. I think the marketing angle is that you can push your child using the push rod and their feet can just rest on the pedals. That's fine but once they can do it themselves you won't be pushing much, and if the need to be pushed a lot, then probably they would be just as happy if not happier with a wagon. What I didn't realize is that a child who doesn't have access to a regular trike (where the pedals always move) can have a hard time catching on to the pedaling motion since these pedals don't force the motion. This was more of a problem than I expected. However, later this feature makes the trike more fun because they can pedal really fast and then coast.
The rear wheel parental steering is unnecessary. Using the push rod you have leverage to lift the front wheel off the ground, thus you can steer when you need to, so I rarely used the real wheel steering and I forgot it existed.
The front wheel steering lock keeps the child from turning the steering wheel. I used this some, but if you're using it because the child isn't cooperating direction-wise, then they will probably figure out how you locked the steering and unlock it anyway.
I like the air tires. It makes for a smoother ride on our cracked streets.
Get the red bell.Kettler Bell Red Metal Bell
The dump bucket on the back is not essential but the kids like to carry things around in it.
We later got the tandem insert, and you can look for my review on it. I'm not as happy with the tandem as I am with the trike, but it too is much enjoyed by the kids and made the trike even more of a hit than it already was.
We bought the trike for a 2yr old, but in retrospect there was no rush, and a wagon would have been just as welcome and easier to figure out at that age. I'm surprised that the product description says the age range starts at 1, I would say it should start at 2. One thing I've noticed, the Air Navigator can't seat a child as close to the handlebars as some other trikes (in fact the tandem insert seats a child closer to the handlebars than the bike can do without the tandem!), so if your child is 2 or less, you might want to go see this trike at a bike shop and see how it fits.
I've discovered that other sturdy trikes do exist. If you don't need the parental control features, visit a bike shop and look at a Trek Trikester.
 Not perfect, but well used August 14, 2008
First the bad: This bike is hard to put together. The instructions are amazingly difficult to follow (I have a PhD in physics, so I'm pretty handy). The steering locking never worked (although it never broke for us, unlike other reviewers). As we adjusted the length (from pedals to seat) I had a hard time getting the screw in the hole and often just tightened it against the metal. Some of the screws would not go into the metal holes -- the "trunk" isn't perfectly installed because of this. The mudguard often falls down onto the wheel -- I keep checking it to see if it's missing a screw, but evidently not.
Then, the good: However, despite these issues, the bike has been awesome for riding. We started our kiddo on it when she was two, she's now almost 5 and we still use it for walks around the neighborhood. The push handle is a godsend (and tall enough not to cause Daddy backache) and the gearing which allows the pedals to be still while pushing very useful. The quality of the bike is high -- the complaints above are about the assembly design and some manufacturing quality control -- pins and screws have to be forced into holes. This bike still has a lot more plastic than I like to see on a $200 bike (seat, trunk, pedals, wheels) but after 3 years, none of the plastic parts have failed yet. (We don't store it outside or let it get rained on.)
It was well worth the money, and I would buy it again.
Fun and quality product April 6, 2008
Great build quality, great fun. Your child can rest his/her feet on the pedals if you do not feel like biking. We purchased the tandem extension as well, so big sister can drive around small brother, both of them enjoying the ride.
What an awesome trike!!! January 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
It is a bit pricy... But you're going to love it. I had no idea what I was getting when I found this tricycle. But after receiving it and putting it to use I could not be happier. I had a misconception that the "Air Navigation" meant that the back wheels turned when the child steered the with the handle bars, in unison with the front. That is not the case and probably for a good reason, but the option to lock the front and steer with the back wheels is so perfect, especially for the little guys who can't quite reach the pedals or can't complete a full revolution because of short legs. My son is two and about 35" tall, I thought for sure he'd be able to pedal on his own. His feet reach the pedals, but his legs are not long enough to ride on his own. When you are pushing using the push poll, the ability to steer from the back is priceless. The huge tires are amazing, you can push this tricycle anywhere, and the kid loves it!!! It comes apart great for traveling. I don't know if that was an intended feature, but it sure works well. I got mine for a Christmas present, but as soon as it was given it was time to pack up the car for a six hour road trip. And yes the new trike came with us, among everything else, and it all fit fine.
I have zero regret, this is the perfect start to riding a bike for a little one...
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