Tricycles or trikes are great toys for kids who are not yet able to balance themselves on the regular bikes. Instead of having only one rear wheel, the trike has two to make sure that the vehicle will remain standing even when it is not in motion.
The tricycles that are most useful as stepping stones for teaching children how to ride a bike as they grow older are the smallest ones. It is advisable to let the child get used to a tricycle even before he is able to walk. The trike teaches the kid how to pedal and to steer, which are two important skills when using a regular bicycle. It is the steering skill that is usually learned first and some children will even master this skill before they learn to walk.
Once the child has learned how to steer the trike, he can begin to learn how to pedal. It is advisable for the child to learn this either inside the house, in the driveway or in a level courtyard. When the child is two and a half years old, trikes are no longer recommended if they have reached a speed potential that is too fast for a tricycle to be safe because it does not have brakes.
The metal tricycles become dangerous when the riding surface is inclined because gravity can make them run faster than the child would be able to handle. The usual upright trikes can become very dangerous because of their high centers of gravity and the absence of brakes. Without brakes, the child would not be able to stop them and they flip over if the child turns at that speed.
The semi-recumbent tricycles that are made of plastic and have lower centers of gravity are safer for kids. They spin out instead of tipping over during a turn and they often have a crude brake.
Thor is an avid Tricycle fan. He has created a few sites dedicated to tricycles which includes the Best Kids Tricycles a site dedicated to helping you find the best trike. The other site is the Schwinn Roadster Trike site a safe and fun trike for kids growing up.
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