Our 2 year old daughter wanted a bicycle for a long time, and after some research, we purchased the Radio Flyer #53 Steer & Stroll Deluxe Trike Tricycle. This toddler bike looks great and has cool features: push bar handle, removable cargo pack, adjustable seat, canopy and ringing bell. The push bar feature is what initially attracted us to this tricycle as we figured it would help us keep our new bicyclist on the road.
While there are many pros to this product, there are also some cons. First, we had a little trouble assembling the tricycle’s front wheel; you need to make sure that the screw is really tight or the steering wheel will not work properly. Our primary disappointment was the push bar. While most of the tricycle parts appear to be high quality, the steering bracket is extremely weak in terms of the material construction (it’s plastic while the bar is metal. It worked for about 5 minutes in our house. What we discovered is that the bracket easily distorts in shape, which reduces the effectiveness of your steering; basically, it no longer aligns with the front wheel, so you are forced to push the steering bar and the collective weight of the tricycle and your toddler harder to change its direction. As much as you hope your toddler will take control of the wheel and make your new job easier, it’s probably will not happen. If you are looking for a workout, this product is for you. Please note that this tricycle is not intended for older more coordinated, safety-conscious kids as it does have a break. It also does not have a safety harness/seat belt, but we have read that you can buy one from a competitive product line.
Net-net, we would not recommend the Radio Flyer Steer & Stroll Tricycle. Our daughter still likes it, so we will continue to build up our arm muscles. Kettler has a similar product, but we have read negative reviews about it as well. Hopefully, these manufacturers will take notice and correct these problems soon.