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Baby Hero has been desperate for his own set of wheels for quite some time – and when Christmas peeped over the family planner at us, we considered asking Father Christmas to bring him a bicycle of his own. After thinking it through, we realised that in reality we would then have three boys needing quite a bit of supervision on their bicycles and three boys versus two parents essentially spelled disaster.
Thankfully Fisher Price didn’t give up on Hero’s dream to be mobile and offered us the chance to review the Charisma Tricycle this month – and we are so delighted that they did.
Assembly was complete in around 20 minutes and all my husband needed was the alan key and a screwdriver – no naughty words were heard and we were very impressed. No sooner than we had assembled the tricycle, Hero was clambering over it, trying to get into the seat – and once helped into place, his big brothers were right behind him, and zooming about the house.
I’ve been poorly and so the photos of Baby Hero are yet to be uploaded here, but they should be on here by Monday!
We love…
How light the trike is. The boys’ bikes are very chunky and very heavy to carry. When Hero is big enough to pedal by himself, after he’s had enough I’ll be able to add this bike to the load without another pulled muscle!
The storage. One of the trickier challenges when taking children out and about is where to put the essential stuff. The car keys, the phone, the snacks, wipes, change for ice creams, whatever – there’s always more than my pockets can handle and when I’m keeping an eye on the three of them together, I’m prone to leaving something somewhere I shouldn’t – usually keys or phone. Having a handy storage pouch on the handlebar and a little trunk with a flip top lid in the base of the tricycle is perfect – and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t forget the trike like I do with my handbag.
The parent and child steering options. Thankfully I can maintain control of the trike just as my driving instructor was able to retain control of the brake whilst I was learning to drive. I can’t imagine where I would be taken with Hero, but it would probably be in the direction of dogs, cats and birds.
How sturdy it is. We love the construction of the wheels – and in conjunction with the suspension, we can take Baby Hero out and about in the forest and other rocky surfaces in Hampshire without worrying we will damage the trike. Tough is good.
The chunky front wheel. It turns as well and as tightly as my Quinny stroller and the chunky front wheel means that there’s much less risk of tipping as it mounts or dismounts the kerb.
That I can deactivate the pedals essentially. The clever clutch means that Hero’s little legs won’t get bashed by pedals rotating at a speed. Until he can pedal properly, he can just pretend with no engagement of the tricycle gears.
How secure and comfortable the seat is. The three point harness keeps Hero safe, and the padded straps mean he’s not chafing his neck. The seat surrounds Hero as though he were sat in a baby swing at the park – even for children who are geniuses at unlocking harnesses, there’s no immediate escape and no falling in front of the tricycle.
Mudguards! Less mud is less laundry and at this time of year it’s a blessing.
-That the tricycle will grow with him. Hero is 18 months old and by the time he’s 36 months old, he will have grown in confidence using it and be able to transition to a bicycle easily. Fisher Price are quite brilliant at creating toys that grow with our children!
We Wish…
-There was a brake! The prospect of Hero rolling or pedalling away is pretty scary – and the boys love pushing him about so much it would be easier if there was a way to make the tricycle completely stationary.
-The handle looked a little more sturdy. The construction is sound, there’s no doubt of course! It’s just a visual thing with me that I feel I’m essentially pushing my boy around with a pole. Whenever I mount a kerb I worry it will snap off at the base and send him wheeling into the road without me.
-It was made in yellow or light blue – I’m not fond of the green at all sadly!
Our Progress
Hero is enjoying the lunchtime preschool runs to drop his brother off so much more now – and with his little boots he’s quite the biker. He’s also managing to stay awake until he gets back for a nap which means I’m actually getting a break in the afternoon!
If Father Christmas is searching for a present for your little one, the Fisher Price Trike should certainly be on the list. It’s beautifully made and incredibly clever in its design.
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