Toddlebike2 Review: The Bike For Toddlers

Now that Little is good at toddling we often go out for short journeys without a pushchair. It makes for a slower pace of life as she stops to pick up leaves, investigate bushes and tries to run up the path to everyone’s front door. Some days we need to move a bit faster, but I still want Little to have her independence. We were sent a Toddlebike2 to review and I was excited to see if it would help us move a bit faster.

A toddler in a coat with hood up on a red plastic bike

What Is A Toddlebike2?

The Toddlebike2 aims to be an early introduction to cycling. It has 4 wheels arranged into a trike formation making it stable for small children. Unlike most ride ons for this age group the front wheels turn with the handle bars, but the back wheels are fixed. It also encourages children to sit further back than ride ons teaching them the position they would use on a normal bike.

The toddlebike2 in red on decking next to a pond

Learning To Ride The Toddlebike2

Jo Hockley, founder of Toddlebike, gave me some great advice when she sent us the bike to try “children get to grips with the Toddlebike at very different rates.” When Little got on her Toddlebike she held the handle bars and walked along with her legs either side. At times she sat down on it, but on the crossbars rather than the saddle (the position she is used to from ride ons). She would also pick it up and walk around because it is so light she could (it weighs only 800 grams). You can watch her reaction to seeing the Toddlebike2 for the first time here.

The first time we ventured beyond the house and garden we went to the local newsagents. In the pushchair this journey takes 5 minutes each way, but it took us an hour to get there and back! At some point on the way back she decided she wanted to be carried, but it wasn’t a problem because carrying her and the Toddlebike up the hill wasn't much harder than just carrying Little. When her big sister fell off her maxi micro scooter a few weeks later and insisted I carried her and the scooter home I very nearly abandoned the expensive and heavy scooter because it was too difficult to carry.

As time has gone on Little has loved using the Toddlebike2, in fact this morning she insisted on hugging it in the car all the way to school. She doesn't always sit on the saddle, but she does now sit further away from the handle bars than at first.

Little is getting faster too so I’m going to be getting her some safety gear. A helmet feels a bit excessive when they are wheeling along at snails pace, but when you have to run to keep up it’s a different story. The Toddlebike2 is suitable for children from when they are able to walk steadily so probably around 18 months until around age 3. They should be able to sit on the seat with feet flat on the floor and bent leg so they can push themselves along. Ideally they should also be stable enough that they can climb on and off themselves, helping them to learn independently. They might progress on to a balance bike or a bike with pedals depending on their age, but as the Toddlebike has been tested to weights up to 100kg there is no need to rush them on.

This is handy as big sister decided she was going to test it out too..

A 5 year old on the toddlebike looking a bit like a clown on a mini bicycle

We chose the Racing Red Toddlebike2, but it also comes in Midnight Blue and Pinky Pink. It currently (2022) appears to not be available for sale.

***Disclosure: We were sent the Toddlebike2 for road testing with Little. All thoughts and images are my own.***

12 comments

  1. This looks like such a good idea for toddlers! I think, like you say, my son might be a little wobbly at 12 months but by 18 months I think he would really enjoy this! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It will be perfect timing for when the weather gets warmer again

      Delete
  2. That’s a really reasonable price and great to get them prepped for a bike xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. We loved our Toddlebike, and I agree it’s lightness was a real selling point for me! I was gutted when it got left behind on a day out x

    ReplyDelete
  4. This looks great and really reasonably priced! I adore the red too. May have to look into one for my son! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the red looks so smart, definitely my favourite of the 3 colours

      Delete
  5. Ive seen these before and always thought they looked fab! Is there much difference between this and the original toddle bike? x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, yes there are some minor changes to make it easier to use, the best of which is making the crossbar more in line with the seat so it's more comfortable if they choose to sit there. There is an image on this page showing the changes http://www.toddlebike.co.uk/whats-a-toddlebike/ I think the Toddlebike2 looks much smarter as well

      Delete
  6. We had a toddlebike for my son when he was younger and he loved it. He took it out everyday with him. Xx

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment (unless it's spam in which case, why?)