My 2½ year old son is currently going through a phase where he copies his father in everything. I'm fine with this, as I think his father is a pretty cool guy. Toy collecting is one of my husband's many hobbies, and my son loves getting into Daddy's collection. My little guy become particularly enamored with my husband's Super-Poseable 18 inch Spider-Man toy (which is understandable, because for a toy it is pretty darn cool), however that particular toy is rather heavy and hard for a toddler to work. At any rate, because of that toy my son has decided that he loves Spider-Man (even going so far as to want to wear his Spider-Man shirt every day of the week non-stop). When I found PlayWell's line of toddler-oriented super hero toys, I knew that it was time my boy had a Spider-Man toy of his own.

Product Description:

The Spider-Man Web Cycle Racer is a motorcycle/action figure set intended for pre-schoolers. You get 3 items with this set -- the motorcycle itself, a chunky Spider-Man figure, and a motorcycle helmet.

The motorcycle it pretty slick (for a toddler toy, at any rate). It measures just over 10 inches long and stands approximately 4 inches tall. The cycle is snazzy and streamlined, colored in blues, reds, and silvers with a close-up of Spider-Man's face emblazoned on each side. The wheels are large and made of rubber, with the back wheel double the width of the front one (for added stability). The bike rests nicely atop those two wide wheels -- it doesn't wobble and isn't likely to fall over. There are large, wide footrests as well (to support the figure's extra-large feet) which also add to the stability of the motorcycle. Just behind Spider-Man's seat is a large red button. When you press the button engine starting and revving noises are played and 2 little red lights (one of each side) light-up inside the bike's yellow-translucent tail pipes.

The Spider-Man figure is indeed the familiar web crawler we all know and love, however his proportions have been "cutsie-ized". He stands just over 6 inches tall. His feet are VERY massive, so Spider-Man isn't usually in any trouble of tipping over either. As with most of the figures in the Spider-Man line that come with vehicles, his outfit is a bit different than your conventional Spider-Man (probably so kids don't get a collection of the same figure over and over if they get multiple vehicles). This Spider-Man is wearing a mostly-silver biker suit with raised-red webbing details. His head is covered with the conventional Spider-Man suit's mask, however. Articulation is confined to his legs, which can be lifted into a sitting position, his shoulders (which can rotate) and his elbows.

Spider-Man sits on his bike very nicely. You simply put him in a semi-sitting position, set him onto the rather deep seat, then slide his clasped hands onto the handlebars. I should mention that his motorcycle cannot be "steered" (the bike is set to go straight forward). Aligning the bike like this probably helps add to its stability, and really hasn't affected my son's fun with this toy in the slightest.

The set also includes a removable helmet. The helmet is silver with the red & black Spider-Man web design at the top. The front of the helmet (where one's eyes would go) is open (no see-through plastic included). The helmet is easy enough to get on and off, although my boy does occasionally put it on Spider-Man backward.

The manufacturer recommends this toy for children ages 3 and up. To make the sounds and lights, 3 button cell batteries (included) are required.

Our Experiences:

In addition to his new-found love of Spider-Man, my toddler is also quite interested in motor cycles (after riding one on a kiddie carnival ride). He always points them out when we see them whilst driving, so I had been on the lookout for a motorcycle-eque toy for him. The problem with a motorcycle toy for a little tyke is its inherent instability -- with only 2 wheels most simply do not stand up on their own. That's why I LOVE Spider-Man's motorcycle -- it is still all sleek and streamlined like a motorcycle should be, but with its double-wide back wheel and large footrests it is quite a stable little toy!

Although he likes to trigger the sounds and lights, my boy usually prefers to make his own engine revving noises as he plays. The wheels turn VERY freely, so just a gentle push against the bike on a hard floor and it will travel quite a good distance. In fact, it even travels well on carpet, which is what we have throughout the majority of our home. It is not at all motorized, nor is it one of those "pull back and let it go" type toys -- but my son has been VERY happy with using manual-power to keep the bike rolling.

Even though the helmet is on the large side, I do still think it would present a choking hazard, so if your little one is prone to putting things into his or her mouth you might want to hide the helmet for a while (it certainly doesn't detract from the toy to remove it). The helmet is pretty easy to lose accidentally -- we've lost it a few times during normal play but have managed to always find it eventually.

My husband, ever the comic book fan, enjoyed looking through the variety of toys in the "Spider-Man and Friends" line of Super-Hero figures for toddlers. Although Spider-Man is the most plentiful figure in the line (there were over 10 different toy-versions of him, and I'm sure that's not all), additional characters available include cute-versions of The Hulk, Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Girl, Cyclops, and Rhino. I won't be surprised if my husband adds a Wolverine to my son's toy repertoire in the near future.

Quickie Summary:
Pros:
+) It's Spider-Man for toddlers!
+) Motorcycle is well-balanced and does not topple
+) Has (small) lights and makes engine-revving noises
+) Cute, chunky Spider-Man figure is proportioned for little hands
+) Wheels turn very freely - it travels far with just a little push
+) Batteries included!
+) Slick-looking, cool little motorcycle toy
Cons:
-) The handlebars do not turn (however that adds to the toy's ability to stay upright)
-) The helmet is small and easily lost

Final Thoughts:

I've been really impressed with the Spider-Man Web Cycle Racer. The bike and chunky Spider-Man figure are just the right size for my rapidly-approaching-3 year old. The bike stays upright and doesn't topple like most motorcycle toys -- thanks to an extra-wide back wheel, wide footrests, and locked-into-place handlebars. My son has had a blast with it, and my son enjoys having a toy that is similar to his father's Spider-Man toy. I honestly couldn't be happier with it.




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 14.99
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years