Radio Flyer Cyclone Review in 2024: An Innovative Ride-on Toy

Editor's rating:
9.3
Reviewed by Bobby Brower
User's rating:
0
1
0%
2
0%
3
0%
4
0%
5
0%
Add your Rating

We like

  • Has lower back support for younger children
  • Helps build upper body strength and better mobility
  • Gets kids off of the couch and out and active with their friends
  • Helps develop problem solving skills
  • Promotes balance and quick thinking
  • Made from sturdy durable materials
We don’t like
  • May be priced too high for some
  • Has an age and weight limit that hinders how long you can keep the toy

How it works

Nothing brings more joy to your child than when they have the feeling they can fly. Whether it’s scooters or bicycles, your child will always have the need for speed and always have the want to move and power their own vehicle and be mobile. Radio Flyer has been giving children that opportunity for decades whether it’s being pulled in a wagon, being on a tricycle, or riding on one of their more newer devices: the Cyclone. The Cyclone is Radio Flyer’s newest and most advanced ride-on-toy to date. It helps your child have fun while getting them out of the house and active. The Cyclone also gives your child the opportunity to not only play with other kids, but to also use their bodies in new ways that will help them build muscle, build coordination, and perform better in physical activities. The Radio Flyer Cyclone is a great toy to buy for the parent who wants to get their child active while allowing them the freedom to use their imaginations.

 

Design

Design

The Radio Flyer Cyclone is a ride-on-toy where the wheels take center stage. While other Radio Flyer products appear to be more cohesive in their design blending together wheels and body, the Cyclone has oversized wheels that give your child the feel that they are on a futuristic ride in the same spirit of being a race car driver.

The Cyclone is designed out of sturdy steel. Although the material is solid, the Cyclone is lightweight weighing up to about ten pounds. On the steel frame is a seat that your child sits on with a foot rest jutting out in front of them for them to put their feet on. The seat has a small area of lumbar support for your child.

The wheels of the Radio Flyer Cyclone are oversized and on the inside of the wheels are cranks that your child will use to make the Cyclone go forward. There is also a third wheel in the back that will serve as further balance and support and the third wheel also helps your child steer the device. All in all, the Radio Flyer Cyclone gives your child the feeling that they are in a race car speeding down the street.
Safety

Safety

As with all ride-on-toys, there needs to be extra attention paid to safety. Although it is not required, your child may wear a helmet while riding on the Cyclone in the event that they fall or the Cyclone hits a hill or bump and turns over. The Cyclone is lightweight, so your child’s weight is what keeps the ride-on-toy balanced and secure. Parents should also monitor their child whenever they are playing with the Cyclone. Younger children should always be supervised in the event that they need help getting into or off of the Cyclone, and children generally should never be left unattended if they are playing out in the street as cars come by as well as strangers.
Steering the Wheels

Steering the Wheels

The Radio Flyer Cyclone is very easy to steer once your child figures out the dynamics of how it works. Because the inside of the wheels contain two cranks that make the wheels turn, those cranks are going to be your child’s “steering wheel” whenever they are operating the toy. Your child will simultaneously crank the wheels with the handles and the cyclone will roll forward. The faster and harder they crank, the faster the device is going to go forward. If your child wants to turn they have to stop operating the wheel on the side they want to turn. If they want to turn left they must only crank the right wheel and vice versa. Your child can also go backward by cranking the handles in reverse and they can turn in reverse the same way: stop cranking the wheel on the side they want to turn. The third wheel in the back is what is going to aid your child in making the moves and turns they want to make. The steering of the toy will help your child build coordination skills.
The Dimensions

The Dimensions

For storing purposes, the Radio Flyer Cyclone weighs about ten pounds. The wheels have a diameter of sixteen inches making the Cyclone stand at sixteen inches high with a length of 27 inches and a width of 26 inches. You will need roughly two and a half feet of space if you want to store the Cyclone in your house or garage. The dimensions also make transporting the Cyclone easy. Your child can take the Cyclone with them wherever they go as the dimensions allow for the toy to be placed in any regulation trunk or back seat. The Cyclone is light enough to be carried, so your child can take the Cyclone with them to the park, along the street, or even to a friend’s house without it being too heavy or bulky. The durable steel and the durable materials that make up the wheels will help it stay intact while you are traveling.
Age and Weight Requirements

Age and Weight Requirements

The Radio Flyer Cyclone is designed for younger children of a certain age. The ideal age range for this toy is for children three-years-old to seven-years-old. The size of the machine is not ideal for kids older than seven as they will be too big for the seat and the dimensions of the ride. Kids three to seven will be at the perfect size and the perfect weight. Because the cranks of the wheels are located inside of the wheels, your child is going to need a certain amount of room to crank, and their arms have to be at a certain length to do that comfortably. After seven-years-old, their arms may be too long and their bodies too big to be able to comfortably crank without hitting their elbows into themselves or into the ride.

The seat is also designed for younger children because there is no back to the seat. A smaller child will fit comfortably into the seat, which has a small lower-back support on it that is ideal for the recommended age range. Bigger kids will lose that support and may fall out of the ride or not fit into it at all.

The recommended weight for the Radio Flyer Cyclone is up to 69 pounds. After 69 pounds, the ride will become unbalanced and could bend underneath your child’s weight, which will make the toy work sluggishly and not at its full potential.
Upper Body Development

Upper Body Development

The Radio Flyer Cyclone works entirely off of your child’s upper body strength. Because it is a ride that you sit in and you don’t use your feet or legs to make the toy work, your child’s arm and chest muscles will make the ride move. With that, your child will be giving themself an upper body workout every time they use the Radio Flyer Cyclone. This type of muscle building is not only beneficial for keeping a healthy lifestyle, but it will allow your child to workout and be active whether they are indoors or outdoors. A strong upper body can lead to a stronger core and that will aid in your child in playing sports and doing other physical activities.
Balance

Balance

The Radio Flyer Cyclone also helps your child learn balance. The entire time that your child will be on the Cyclone they will be seated. By using their upper body strength to operate the vehicle, they will be centering themselves in the seat to perfectly balance themselves so that they can steer the toy and go as fast as they can. By developing a sense of balance, your child will be able to stay active in a way that will allow them to fully be in tune with their bodies and use their bodies in new and interesting physical ways. Your child will be able to perform better in sports or other physical activities that will keep them fit and healthy. The Cyclone is a great toy that helps your child physically while they are playing and having fun. Operating the Cyclone also has psychological benefits as well that help your child sharpen their minds and their reactions times in everything that they do.
Decision Making

Decision Making

Because the Radio Flyer Cyclone is operated in a way that may seem confusing at first, your child will develop the mental skill to figure out how it works and then be able to stop the ride on a dime and change positions. While playing with other children, your child will be racing going down courses that will allow them to think fast. Your child will be cranking and turning and moving the wheels forward and backward and all the time your child will be planning out their next move quick and easy. This type of mental skill building will aid your child when they are in school and learning how to problem solve. Whenever an obstacle pops up when they are on the Cyclone, they will know how to maneuver around it and change course to reach their goal. The same will apply when they are learning in school. They will be able to see a problem for what it is and act accordingly as they come up with the best solution. This skill will be developed by playing and being active, which are two things that the Radio Flyer Cyclone offers.
Price

Price

The Radio Flyer Cyclone is not inexpensive, but it’s not that expensive either. For what you pay, it’s a pretty standard price for this type of toy. Because the toy also has an age range of about four years, the toy has the potential to be with you for a number of years and becomes a sort of investment for your family. Once outgrown, the toy can be passed on to younger siblings and family members giving the toy even more of a lifespan, and because Radio Flyer makes all of their toys out of the best materials, the wear and tear placed on the product will be minimal and the toy can still be able to be enjoyed as it was meant to be enjoyed when originally manufactured. Although the price may be out of the budget for some parents, for those parents that can afford the Radio Flyer Cyclone, it is a great toy with several huge benefits for your child.

Conclusion

The Radio Flyer Cyclone is a ride-on-toy that should be considered by all parents who want their child to be active, healthy, and social. The toy requires that your child use their physical strength to operate the machine and that helps your child develop a better skill of balance, a stronger upper body, and helps your child learn how to use their bodies in a physical way that is healthy and safe. Because your child will be out and active and playing with other children, the Cyclone also puts your child into scenarios where they can be social and build friendships and relationships with their peers. This will help your child to learn how to problem solve with others and will also teach your child how to play well and play fair with others. As far as problem-solving goes, because your child will be racing through courses and changing their minds fast and quick, your child will also start learning how to effectively problem solve and find solutions to how they can reach their goals. With so many benefits both physical and mental, the Radio Flyer Cyclone is a great buy for any parent who wants their child to develop in a healthy and well-rounded way. Although it may be out of the budget for some parents, it is worth considering the buy as the Cyclone will help your child grow in the best ways.
See Deals