Comparison Scool XXlite 18 vs Lexus Trike Icon 4

— Tricycle. Classic children's tricycles: one wheel with pedals in front and two in the back. Such bicycles, unlike two-wheeled ones, do not fall, even while standing still. In addition, it is impossible to accelerate strongly on them, and various special devices can be provided in the design, such as a parent handle (see below) or a protective bumper (see "Complete set"). This makes tricycles perfect for the younger age group — some models can be used from 1 year old. However, there are also more “older” options — for children from 2 to 4 years old. But after 4 years, it hardly makes sense to use a tricycle — at this age, you can already pay attention to two-wheeled cars (see below).

— Two-wheeled. Two-wheeled children's bicycles have the same design as adult bicycles, and are distinguished primarily by their smaller dimensions. In addition, they are often equipped with side wheels (for more details, see "Complete set"), but this is not necessary — models for older ages do not have additional wheels. Anyway, such a bike is more difficult to master than a tricycle, but it perfectly develops coordination and a sense of balance; at the same time, many of these machines belong to the age category “from 2 to 4”, so you can start your acquaintance with bicycles immediately from a two-wheeled vehicle.

— Runbike. A kind of hybrid of a two-wheeled bicycle and a s...cooter. On such an apparatus, the child sits astride, as on a conventional bicycle, but there are no pedals in the design, and for movement you need to push off with your feet from the ground. This allows you to develop the coordination and sense of balance necessary for riding two-wheeled bicycles; at the same time, there is practically no risk of falling, since the child’s legs are constantly in contact with the ground. Accordingly, a balance bike can be useful not only as entertainment, but also as a kind of simulator in front of an “adult” design bike. Such models are produced mainly for children 2-4 years old (see "Age category").

— From 1 to 3 years. The youngest age group. It covers only tricycles (see Type) and often includes additional safety features that allow parents to use the bike as a stroller. Such functions include, in particular, seat belts, bumper, visor(see “Equipment”) and parent handle (see below).

— From 2 to 4 years. This group may include all 3 types of bicycles (see “Type”). At the same time, three-wheeled models are usually less like strollers and are more designed for the child to move independently than in the previous group; for two-wheeled vehicles, the presence of side wheels is mandatory (see “Equipment”). And almost all balance bikes are designed for children 2-4 years old.

— From 3 to 6 years. For children of this age, a tricycle is already becoming uninteresting, and physical development makes it quite possible to learn to ride on two wheels. Accordingly, this category includes mainly two-wheeled models (see “Type”) with the mandatory presence of side wheels in the delivery set (see “Included parts”).

— From 5 to 8 years. Bicycles for children of primary school age are very similar to adult models: this includes only two-wheeled vehicles, and side wheels (see “Equipment”), although they can be found, are far f...rom necessary.

— From 6 to 10 years. Models in the older age category provide the opportunity to ride “like an adult.” This category includes bikes with wheels with a diameter of 20 ". Some models for this age already have a handbrake and some additional functions. However, such bicycles must be selected taking into account the child’s readiness for independent riding.

The limits of age groups are quite arbitrary, but it is not recommended to greatly violate age limits. In any case, it is necessary to take into account not only the ages indicated by the manufacturer, but also the general level of development of the child. Also note that children of a certain age may have different heights and builds; therefore, when choosing, you should pay attention not only to the age group, but also to the maximum load (see below)

— Steel. A fairly common material, widely used in all types of children's bicycles (see "Type"). Having a low cost, steel is at the same time very strong, reliable and resistant to shock and shock. Its main disadvantage is considered by many to be relatively large weight; however, the difference in weight with the same aluminium is usually not that big (especially when compared to the weight of the cyclist itself). It is worth noting that different grades of steel can be used in children's bicycles, and the overall quality of this material often depends on the price category of the machine.

— Aluminium. Aluminium-based alloys are very strong, light in weight, and much less susceptible to corrosion than steel. On the other hand, the cost of such materials is significantly higher, and high strength is not always critical (taking into account the peculiarities of riding children's bicycles, especially tricycles). Therefore, aluminium is less common, although it can also be used in all types of machines.

— Plastic. Plastic is relatively lightweight, absolutely insensitive to moisture and easy to process - it can be given almost any shape and color. With all this, this material is inexpensive. On the other hand, plastic is not durable; therefore, it is used exclusively in bicycles for the smallest, mainly in three-wheeled models and balance bikes (see "Type")....

- Tree. The general characteristics of wood are such that this material is not well suited for classic bicycles - both two-wheelers and three-wheelers - but it is very convenient for balance bikes (see "Type"). Wood, even unpainted, looks good, and this material is quite pleasant to the touch. Of its shortcomings, some fragility can be mentioned - if the same plastic is likely to bend from a strong impact, then the tree may crack. However, it is still not easy to damage the wooden frame of the balance bike. But such a product does not tolerate moisture well, so you need to store it in a dry place.

- Fiberglass. As a rule, in this case, not pure glass fiber is meant, but fiberglass - a composite material made of glass fiber filled with plastic filler. This material is noticeably stronger than conventional plastic, however, it is more expensive, and in terms of overall reliability it still does not reach steel and aluminium. Therefore, fiberglass frames are quite rare, and mostly among balance bikes (see "Type").

— Magnesium. Magnesium alloys are similar to the aluminium alloys described above: they are characterized by high strength and at the same time low weight. At the same time, compared to aluminium, such an alloy is stronger and more durable, weighs more, but not much, but it costs much more - and the difference in price rarely outweighs the mentioned advantages. As a result, magnesium frames have not received much distribution, they are found only in certain models of two-wheeled bicycles of the older age group.

Bicycle wheel diameter is traditionally indicated in ". The overall height of the bike directly depends on this parameter, so each age category has its own wheel size - in accordance with the height of the young cyclist. However, cars of the same type and age group may differ in wheel diameter; this is especially pronounced among two-wheeled bicycles. In such cases, it is worth considering the following point: larger wheels behave better on rough roads and allow you to coast for a long time, but they are reluctant to accelerate and require more effort on the pedals; small wheels - on the contrary, they spin without much effort, but they hold speed worse and are more sensitive to pits and potholes.

Tricycles predominantly have a wheel diameter of 10 ", balance bikes - 12 ". In two-wheeled models, there are sizes in 14, 16, 18 and 20 ". Larger diameter wheels are no longer used in children's, but in teenage bicycles (they are listed in our catalog in the section with older bikes).

The design of the wheels mounted on the bike and the materials used for the tyre/rim.

— Inflatable rubber. Wheels with inflatable rubber tyres — the same as in full-size adult bicycles. Such wheels are quite demanding on maintenance: their condition must be monitored and, if necessary, pumped up. In addition, even a small puncture in a tyre makes it unusable and needs to be repaired. On the other hand, this is the most advanced type of wheel in terms of performance: they perform well even on rough roads, smooth out vibrations, provide good grip and are suitable for fast dynamic driving. And maintenance of inflatable tyres can be a good exercise for a young cyclist before switching to a teen bike. That is why two-wheeled models for older age groups are mainly equipped with inflatable tyres. However, this option can also be found in other varieties, including balance bikes and even tricycles (see "Type").

— Rubber. Wheels with a solid rubber tyre. Unlike the inflatable tyres described above, such tyres do not need to be inflated, and besides, they are not at all afraid of scratches and punctures. On the other hand, solid rubber wheels are less suitable for rough roads and high loads. Therefore, they are found mainly among bicycles for the smallest, and in the age category from 5 to 8 years, such wheels are not used at all.

— Polyurethane. By design, such wheels are similar to s...olid rubber wheels (see above), they differ only in the tyre material — this is polyurethane (an elastic synthetic material). Polyurethane is noticeably stiffer than rubber, so it is mainly used in tricycles that are not designed for fast driving and rough roads.

— Plastic. Wheels made entirely of plastic. The main advantage of this material is its low cost; in addition, it can be given almost any colour. On the other hand, plastic is hard and not very durable, it is not suitable for rough roads and high speeds. Therefore, these wheels are only used in tricycles and some balance bikes (see "Type").

— Plastic with rubber. A slightly improved version of the plastic wheels described above. Hard plastic in this case is complemented by a kind of analogue of a tyre — a narrow rubber strip around the circumference of the rim, where the wheel comes into contact with the ground when driving. This allows you to somewhat mitigate the vibrations that inevitably occur even when driving on smooth asphalt, but these differences between such wheels and purely plastic ones, in fact, are exhausted — plastic with rubber is also used only in tricycles, where the wheels are not designed for significant loads.

In the context of children's bicycles, alloy wheels refer to monolithic wheels made by injection molding. This is where they differ from traditional wheels, where the rim and hub are connected by spokes. Alloy wheels are typically stronger and more resistant to damage, and with fewer moving parts, they are easier to maintain.

The type of front brake provided on the bike — if such a brake is available at all (it is mainly equipped with two-wheeled models of the older age group).

— Rim mechanical. Such a brake works by pressing the pads against the wheel rim, and the force on the pads is transmitted from the handle through mechanical traction in the form of a cable. This is the most simple, inexpensive and at the same time quite effective type of brakes.

— Disk. Disc brakes also use mechanical traction (see above), but the pads in them are not pressed against the rim, but against a special brake disc. They are much more powerful than rims, and they work even with a curved rim, but they are more complex and expensive. Therefore, this option is found mainly in the most advanced two-wheeled bicycles of the older age group.

— Pedal. A variant mainly used in two-wheeled models (see "Type"). In order to slow down, you need to press the pedals in the opposite direction; braking itself is provided by pads inside the rear hub. Pedal brakes are simple, inexpensive, maintenance free, and reliable enough to make them extremely popular on kids bikes. Their main disadvantage is that when the chain falls off, the bike loses the rear brake; however, the likelihood of this is not so high that this moment is critical.

— Rim mechanical. Brake in the form of a pair of pads, which, by pressing the handle ( manual brake type), are pressed against the wheel rim; the force from the handle is transmitted by mechanical traction in the form of a cable (hence the name). Such brakes, unlike the pedal brakes described above, work even with a broken chain. At the same time, they are more complex, more expensive and require periodic maintenance, which is why they are rare, mainly in fairly advanced models of the older age category.

— Disk. The brake is in the form of a pair of pads, which, by pressing the handle, are pressed against a special disc mounted on the wheel hub. At the same time, the force from the handle to the pads is transmitted through mechanical traction, as in mechanical rims. However, disc brakes are considered more advanced — they are more powerful, more efficient, less sensitive...to dirt and rim curvature. On the other hand, such systems are more complicated and more expensive than rim systems, which is why they are used extremely rarely — mainly in high-end two-wheeled bicycles of the older age category.

— Trigger sleeve. A kind of brake that combines the features of the two types described above: the pads are located inside the drum in the rear hub (as in pedal ones), however, the braking force on them is transmitted not from the pedals through the chain, but from the handle on the steering wheel through the cable (as in mechanical rims). Due to this, such brakes can be installed on balance bikes (see "Type"), where pedals are absent by definition; in fact, trigger sleeve systems and were created specifically for balance bikes.

— Pedal and rim. Bicycles equipped with both pedal and rim rear brakes. See above for details on each of these varieties; and their combination is used in order to increase the efficiency and safety of braking. So, a bicycle with such equipment is not afraid of a broken chain: the pedal brake will fail, but the rim brake will remain operational. And the simultaneous application of two brakes can be useful for an emergency stop. On the other hand, such a combination significantly affects the price of a bicycle, despite the fact that in fact it is not needed so often. Therefore, this option has not received much distribution.

— Handbook. A type of brake used exclusively on tricycles. It looks like a lever, usually installed on the side of the seat; when this lever is lifted, special stoppers are lowered onto the rear wheels. Note that tricycles are not designed for high speeds, and for braking in them it is enough to slow down the movement of the legs on the pedals. Thus, the handbrake is provided for "just in case" rather than for regular use; in some models, it can be used as a parking.

— Parental. A variant used in the youngest tricycles equipped with a parent handle (see below). In accordance with the name, in such models, the brake is controlled by the parent leading the bike — for example, by pressing a special lever on the parent handle.

A long handle mounted on tricycles (see "Type") behind the back of a child so that an adult can comfortably hold on to it while standing next to it. Thus, the parent can to a certain extent control the movement of the child, stop him at the right time or vice versa, push, or even carry the baby, like in a stroller. And in many models, the parent handles are also connected to the steering wheel with special rods, so you can also easily turn the car where you want.