Radio Flyer Tailspin Trike, Red

That's what my 2 grandsons are saying about me since they have been "spinning" around the house on their Radio Flyer Tailspin Trike. I was really hesitant due to the reviews which spoke of shoddy parts. I had been looking at this on Amazon and other sites for quite some time and going back and forth between a balance bike, traditional bike with training wheels and the trike. Because we are having quite a winter in Michigan, I figured I could wait and get the 2 youngest grandsons, aged 3 and 4, a bike in the spring and finally opted on this. Still hesitant, I read a review which spoke of the wonderful customer service Radio Flyer offers and then, the deal of a lifetime...$29.99 and free shipping! I could hear celestial singing!! Assembly wasn't too bad. Instructions aren't really that helpful and a couple of the parts were kinda bent so it was a little difficult to align. I bought two and one of the handlebars is slightly off-line with the wheel. BUT WHO CARES WHEN YOU CAN SPIN LIKE TOKYO DRIFT!! Took only a few trys riding around the living room for the "kinda tall for his age" 4 year old to get the hang of the pedal fast, pull the lever and spin concept. The lever is easy enough for him to pull and release and he has yet to fall off. Had to actually move the seat closer for him so that's great in regards to usage. The "kinda short for his age" 3 year old sccots way up, without his back against the seat and peddals. He can't really pull the brake to spin but kinda just turns the wheel and drifts. Their uncle, my "slim and athletically inclined" 23 year old got on and had a ball. Said he wished they had these in adult sizes. I think I will have to catch the great deal and get one for him too! We're going to take the trikes and the grands to the gym later this week and really put them to the test. I'll update on the performance then.

We bought this for our 6.5 year old for Christmas after he requested a "big kid tricycle." We weren't sure how much he would use it, and didn't want to go all out for a higher end tricycle. In addition, we showed him the Green Machine, and he wasn't impressed. He wanted a TRICYCLE! His dad put this together in about an hour (midnight Christmas day!). All parts were accounted for and in good condition. It was the first toy my son saw Christmas morning, and the only toy he has played with every day since. It is easy to manuever as a tricycle, but he loves, loves, loves the spin function! For those with "will it fit my kid" questions, my son is a tall 6 year old. He is about 4'4" and though it is on the last adjustment, he still has quite a bit of room to grow with it.What I love about it is that it gets him outside for at least an hour every day and is great exercise for him. I didn't give it a 5 star rating only because we have had to adjust the bolt on the caster twice already, and when you adjust the bolt, you have to ensure that the plastic wheels are still touching the ground. You can't simply crank the bolt to the tightest adjustment. So it seems that will be something we'll have to watch out for. In addition, I wish it came with a safety flag. It's so low to the ground that I hesitate to take it out of our driveway. Still, our son adores it, and it seems to be of good quality, so it was $40 some bucks well spent.Edited on 7-22-11 to add: Unfortunately, the fun came to an end when the handle bar connection completely snapped from metal fatigue. We contacted Radio Flyer and with no questions asked, they quickly sent us a replacement kit. Unfortunately, the replacement kit doesn't fit as well as the original part so turning is a bit affected. In addition, it seems as if this part won't last long either, and my husband has already had to readjust it several times to keep the handle bars on. Regardless, my son loves it and plays with it several times a week. I just wish Radio Flyer would understand that we would gladly pay a few extra dollars for something high-quality that will last longer than the box it came in.

My husband and I puchased this for our kids for Christmas. We have 4 kids who ride it, 12, 8, 6, and 3. I have even taken it on a few spins! The spin out is awesome. My kids LOVE it. They have to take turns with it, which isn't always pretty. We're thinking of getting another just to reduce the drama.There weren't any reviews when we bought it back before Christmas, so when the reviews started coming in about broken handlebars, I was expecting the worst. I can see the flaws in quality and durability; it may just be a matter of time for ours. However, after much use over the past several weeks from the 4 kids (and myself), it has held up. The handlebars are getting wobbley after the abuse it's taken from us and our hilly driveway. One of the spin out castors is slightly bent, but that's my fault. I knew I was pushing the weight limit. :)We bought it for around $40. It was a great deal and worth every penny. I would be singing a different tune if we'd bought it for more than $60. I definitely don't think it's worth the $75 it's retailing for now.Overall, for what we paid we have been pleased. It may not hang on forever, but it's going to be great fun while it lasts!