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Aside from the first 3 months of my daughter’s life when stroller walks were a daily ritual, we’ve never been much of a stroller family. My husband and I favor a front pack, and my daughter loves to take in her surroundings. But when she reached 10-months-old and 20 pounds, my hips and back couldn’t withstand our long walks in the front pack any longer. That’s where the Doona Liki Trike comes in: it allows my daughter to be upright and active—just how she likes to be—and is easier for me to manage than a stroller.
Known most for its carseat that converts into a stroller, Doona has recently released the Liki Trike, a grow-with-me tricycle meant to last your little from 10 to 36 months. Starting at $250, the Doona Liki Trike transforms between 4 modes as a child grows, allowing for several years of use. It starts in Parent- or Push-mode, which allows the parent to be in control of the steering, while giving a child the feeling of ‘driving.’ As they get to 24-months-old, the Liki Trike transitions to Tricycle- or Bike-mode, giving control over to the kid to pedal and steer.
I have the Liki Trike S5 Deluxe, the middle-of-the-pack model. It arrived fully assembled and ready to ride, with a carrying case for when the trike is folded. I just had to unfold it, check the settings and attach the parent steering handle, which took only a minute or two.
The Doona Liki Trike advertises a 10+ month age recommendation. I was skeptical that a 10-month-old would be big enough to ride on it, but my then 11-month-old settled right into it during her first ride – a test drive down our apartment hallway. It has a full backrest, straps, and a safety bar, which gave me peace of mind that she wouldn’t fall out of it without making her feel overly constrained.
As we use the front pack less frequently, the Liki Trike is now my daughter’s preferred mode of transit. From her first ride, she knew exactly how to grab the handlebars, set her feet on the footrest, and make friends with any dog who crossed her path. And when she tires of “driving,” there’s no problem when she lets go since I’m in full control of the steering.
The Doona Liki Trike is also a conversation starter among parents. In our San Francisco neighborhood that’s densely populated with new parents, we always get stopped and asked about the tricycle. As word of mouth spreads and more toddlers are riding their trikes around town, I can see the Liki Trike being a runaway hit.
One of the Liki Trike’s hero features is that it folds into a carrying case that’s significantly smaller than a folded stroller. In our day-to-day use, we leave it unfolded since the footprint is small, but I could see this being a useful feature for small-space living. Admittedly, I didn’t find the folding mechanism to be intuitive at first—though I’m confident with practice it will become seamless.
Starting at $250, the Doona Liki Trike is an investment product. But unlike a baby bouncer or activity center, you can get several years of use out of it—and the quality of the materials will withstand that level of use. Right now, we do all of the driving in “Parent Mode,” but I look forward to seeing the Liki Trike transform into more advanced modes as my daughter grows older. I know that in the blink of an eye she’ll be pedaling away on her own, leaving mom and dad in the dust.
5 More Reasons To Love The Doona Liki Trike:
1. Travel-friendly: Because it folds flat and comes with a carrying case, the Doona Liki Trike can be brought with you on roadtrips and plane trips alike.
2. Lightweight: At 14.7 pounds, the Doona Liki Trike is lighter weight and easier to maneuver than most strollers.
3. Celebrity-loved: Moms like Miranda Kerr, Whitney Port and Chiara Ferragni are all fans.
4. UPF 50+ sun canopy: Keep your little one’s skin protected with the built-in sun canopy—which collapses flat when not in use.
5. Easy to navigate: The Doona Liki Trike is a breeze to steer and handles bumps in the sidewalk with ease.
