Our 11 month old son LOVES his Wishbone bike. He isn't walking yet, but already has this bike moving! It was easy to put together and we anticipate stress free adaptations to the other configurations (3-wheeler > 2-wheeler).
No negative feedback.
*Over 3 years later this bike is still going strong. We now have 3 children and they all love Wishbones! All 3 were riding before walking. These bikes are amazing!
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I bought this bike for my 15 month old after a test drive in a local toy store. The first time he sat on the bike, he zipped past us out the door and down the hallway in the mall. He LOVED IT SO MUCH. His height is average and his motor skills development are slightly above average. While there was a learning curve, he's figured out how to steer and back up to get around tight corners. The only trouble he's had with the bike was hitting his heels on the back bar that supports the wheels in the three wheel configuration. The bar catches the back of his shoes and pulls them off of his feet or makes the bike unstable. We solved the problem by having him wear Skidders (http://www.amazon.com/Pre-Walk-Skidders-Skull-Pattern-Shoes/dp/B002ECW7TO/ref=pd_sbs_shoe_7a) while riding. Since the walking surface joins smoothly to the sock top, it doesn't catch on the bar. Shortly after that, he developed enough skill to adjust his stride so that his feet stopped hitting the bar. We haven't had problems with the hardware other than his enthusiasm for tearing off the black foam seat cover. If you have the option, I'd recommend buying the additional seat cover with the bike to protect the padding from enthusiastic little fingers. The seat cover isn't available in the US as a separate purchase for another couple of months. I had to contact the manufacturer in New Zeland to order one. Although international shipping is a pain in the butt, they were wonderfully friendly and helpful.
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I initially learned about this product on the mothering.com forums and put the purchase off for awhile. Recently I happened to go to a boutique store and my daughter, 2.5, jumped right on the tricycle and started moving it right away. Anything my daughter loves, I love, so I ordered it right away and I am confident it will last much longer than any other balance bike.
Honest reviews on Wishbone 3 in 1 Original Bike
My 17 month old loves the bike, would like to use it more often but has some flaws; for starters no matter what I do the seat keeps dropping back. The turning radius of the bike is wide -The rest is up to your child's ability and your encouragement. Happy riding.
Also this bike can be purchased for a bit less on redenvelope.com... Currently there is a promotian going on (additional 15% off of the lowest price) so with the promotion the bike is only $150 and shipping is no more than $10
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We adore the Wishbone Bike. After much research and debate, we finally bit the bullet and purchased the Wishbone for our son's Christmas present at the age of 2. Most balance bikes were at least a little too tall for him to be comfortable. The Wishbone had one of the shortest seat heights AND the option for him to ride it as a trike. That meant he was guaranteed to be able to ride it, one way or another, and the fact that it can flip to get even taller meant it had a long life, too.
The packaging was excellent and everything was neat and orderly, yet with minimal packing materials. I loved that the extra parts fit in a nice pouch to save for swapping to the other mode (though since my husband still managed to lose them, I now also know that you can order extra parts from the company!). The bike was easy to put together. It looked fabulous and was very sturdy.
Our 2-year-old loved it from the first on Christmas morning. He mastered riding it in a circuit in the house on three-wheels and eventually could turn corners with amazing speed never crashing into walls! The bike is super light so that he could maneuver it even off the bike, and it was easy to throw in the back of the van to take to the park (where it gets lots of interest because it is THAT cool!).
When he was 3, our son wanted it to be a "motorcycle," so we transitioned the bike to a 2-wheeler. He mastered that quickly and was soon tearing up the house AND neighborhood on 2 wheels. Being comfortable on 3-wheels definitely helped him master the 2-wheels with confidence.
The bike is QUIET in the house, even on tile floors on which things like a Razor are super loud. The tires are non-marking and hold air well. Despite heavy use for more than 2 years, the wood never cracked or was damaged beyond minor nicks.
The only problems we've had:
The screws holding the handlebars came loose and eventually the handlebar parts came out, altogether. (We lost a screw so couldn't put it back together.) So my son mastered riding it holding onto the holes for the handlebar, in the stem of the bike. Didn't slow him down at all. ;)
The bike is great for riding outdoors, but our kids ended up leaving it outside one day. We didn't realize it until quite some time later, after at least a full week of rain. (Our son kept asking where it was, but no one realized it had been outside.) This wouldn't be good for any bike, but is particularly bad for a wooden bike. It's obviously no fault of the manufacturer, though, and a known caution with a bike made of wood. It simply MUST be stored indoors.
Heartbreaking as it is to realize the amazing, much-loved, and expensive bike is now ruined, we will absolutely be replacing it. Not only is it our (now) 4-year-old's favorite toy, but it needs to be passed down to his little sister, who will soon be ready for the trike version.
We have recommended the Wishbone highly and everyone we know who has gotten one has loved it, too. I'm convinced it's the best balance bike on the market.
