ByK E-350 and E-450 Reviews

[Mububban]

My kids absolutely love their new bikes they got for Christmas. We put their present money together with both sets of grandparents and got them the ByK E-350 and E-450, the only problem so far is that now they're pestering me every day when I get home from work to go for a ride

E-350 review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ZseHNimds" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


E-450 review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=044oJE6LCp8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Edit - how do you embed videos? Using the [shareyoutube] button doesn't work, and pasting the embed link form Youtube doesn't work either.

[MattyK]

I have the same two bikes (well, single speed E350 though). I wish my kids would pester me to go out. But #1 refuses to ride with pedals, and #2 refuses to ride without training wheels... both are perfectly capable of and competent at balancing, having learnt on a balance bike, but refuse to do it in combo with pedalling. #1 has had her bike for 15 months... FML.

[MattyK]

Good videos by the way.

The brake levers can be reach adjusted, I've pulled my kids' levers right in to suit their fingers, adjusted the pad clearance to the rims, and had to true up the wheels (out by about 1mm) so that the pad clearance can be set properly without rubbing and without the lever bottoming out due to the reduced stroke. Plus I trimmed the brake cables to perfect arcs, and routed the rear cable around the head tube instead of on the left. I also got the blue model for my daughter for the same reason as you, but blinged it with some pink cables and pink chain as she's still in that phase...

I'm with you, the rear brakes are a lot more powerful (presumably due to being a V brake) and I strongly suspect this was deliberately done as you say to avoid front wheel lockup.

One quality issue I've noted is the spokes, they appear to not be stainless. My daughter's bike is just over a year old, has never seen the rain, and the spokes are showing some signs of surface corrosion. Spoke tension and wheel trueness was pretty average, but not bad for the price I guess.

[Mububban]

Good videos by the way.

The brake levers can be reach adjusted, I've pulled my kids' levers right in to suit their fingers, adjusted the pad clearance to the rims, and had to true up the wheels (out by about 1mm) so that the pad clearance can be set properly without rubbing and without the lever bottoming out due to the reduced stroke. Plus I trimmed the brake cables to perfect arcs, and routed the rear cable around the head tube instead of on the left. I also got the blue model for my daughter for the same reason as you, but blinged it with some pink cables and pink chain as she's still in that phase...

I'm with you, the rear brakes are a lot more powerful (presumably due to being a V brake) and I strongly suspect this was deliberately done as you say to avoid front wheel lockup.

One quality issue I've noted is the spokes, they appear to not be stainless. My daughter's bike is just over a year old, has never seen the rain, and the spokes are showing some signs of surface corrosion. Spoke tension and wheel trueness was pretty average, but not bad for the price I guess.

Cheers Matty, I'll look into adjusting the reach of the brake levers, and will keep an eye on the spokes (the current plan is to store the bikes in the spare room along with my bike).

I didn't give my kids an option about the training wheels (bad daddy hahaha). I took the wheels off, took them to the local park which has a lovely long grassy slope, and pushed them down. Because they were used to pedalling WITH the training wheels, and the downhill start gave them the initial momentum, they both took to it instantly and never looked back (quite surprising as my son is quite the whiner when challenged with something new....).
And if they did have a low speed tumble, it was onto soft grass. Worked a treat. 5 minutes later they were riding laps around the nearby playground on the concrete path. To be honest they took to it a lot easier than I thought they would! But then I also didn't give them a choice

[MattyK]

I took the pedals off my daughter's and let her treat it like a balance bike to start with, and since then I've struggled to get them back on. In hindsight I've regretted this approach, despite it being commonly recommended. Despite her protestations of a sore crotch (caused by having no pedals to support her weight on), or seeing her friends riding with pedals, she is still stubborn.

Only once or twice have I convinced her to try with the pedals on, but she is mostly too fearful unless I'm clinging on to her... My son would be more adventurous, but tends to copy his sister...

The reach adjustment is that little grub screw on the inside of them. Wind in until the reach is right for their hands, then readjust the calipers and cable pull so that the brakes bite without the lever bottoming out on the grip

[queequeg]

Likewise, my 6 year old is getting the E-459 3i as above for his 7th birthday in a few weeks. I got it 2nd hand in pretty much mint condition, to replace the E-350 he has now (which was also 2nd hand)

The younger brother is being stubborn about the bike and refuses to sit on the balance bike as it has no pedals.
We're going to take him to the balance bike clinic in the city (Syd) and hope that the sight of other kids doing it can jump start him. I'm getting sick of trailing him on his 3 wheel scooter while my 6 year old shoots off ahead on the bike!

[nezumi]

Edit - how do you embed videos? Using the [shareyoutube] button doesn't work, and pasting the embed link form Youtube doesn't work either.

From viewtopic.php?f=6&t=62196" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hit "share" on the video, copy the url in the box and paste it between the tags. For the first video it looks like this:

Code: Select all

[shareyoutube]https://youtu.be/w0ZseHNimds[/shareyoutube]

[Mububban]

I haven't adjusted them yet, but the kids have started experimenting with their hand brakes. I've stressed to be gentle or they'll go over the handlebars if they lock up the front wheel. So far, so good on my flat road. When we go out riding properly though, they rely on their foot brakes.

[Mububban]

The recent hot weather, and then catching a cold, has kept the kids off their bikes a bit, but they're up to 62km on the new bikes so far (not including countless loops of the street outside our house), and the bikes have had no problems whatsoever. They still love them.

[queequeg]

Mine got his E-450 last week, and he's already showing a Danny macaskil like skills lol

[Mububban]

I don't log the kms they do riding to school and back (2km round trip) but with me the kids are up to almost 100km on their ByK bikes. So far I've only had to pump up the rear wheel a little bit on the E-350 but so far, no squeaks or rattles or bits falling off

They've also done some riding at a little local BMX style dirt/gravel track on their "chunky bikes" that were handed down from the neighbour's kids. They weigh a LOT more than the ByK but they've got wider tyres and I don't care if the kids crash them!
So my kids already have 2 different bikes for different occasions, whereas I only have the one bike, something's definitely wrong with this picture

[Mububban]

The kids are up to 170km on their bikes, not riding to school much lately due to the weather but going for the odd weekend ride.

My son's chain popped off on our last ride even though he wasn't going over any bumps (bike path, good condition). I was able to get it back on easily enough, I didn't think I'd be able to get it back on without a derailleur but but there seems to have a bit of slack in the chain on both bikes. It didn't come off for the remainder of the ride although he was pedalling a bit more conservatively.

Not sure if I can simply slide the rear wheel hub backwards a few mm to tighten it up?

[find_bruce]

Thanks for bumping this thread - I just acquired a 2nd hand E-350 for my son - everything needs adjusting & greasing etc, replace a few rusted bolts, but should be good.

Not sure if I can simply slide the rear wheel hub backwards a few mm to tighten it up?

Should be able to. You will need to loosen not only the axle nuts but also the bracket for the coaster brake lever

[Mububban]

Thanks for bumping this thread - I just acquired a 2nd hand E-350 for my son - everything needs adjusting & greasing etc, replace a few rusted bolts, but should be good.

My kids love their bikes. My son is 5.5 and we did 10km on the weekend's ride, just cruising along (although he loves to go as fast as possible whenever possible of course). They just eat up the miles.

Should be able to. You will need to loosen not only the axle nuts but also the bracket for the coaster brake lever

That's the name of the doohickey I was thinking of See, it's a slow day when you don't learn something new

[StevOz]

They look the goods, though I can't help but feel you would get better bang for buck with a carefully selected BMX bike.

[Mububban]

They look the goods, though I can't help but feel you would get better bang for buck with a carefully selected BMX bike.

I wanted the kids to have gears for some of the hills we regularly tackle. My daughter's inherited my skinny legs so having a climbing gear really helps her a lot.
My son is a little nugget but he still benefits from his automatic "granny gear" for takeoff and when he slows below 10-12kph. Just stop pedalling for one stroke and the springs collapse back in and go back into a slightly easier gear.

[Mububban]

If anyone in the Perth area is looking for ByK bikes in the leadup to Christmas especially, Gumtree currently shows a 3 speed and 8 speed E-450 for $250, and a 2 speed E-350 for $225. As with most kids bikes the description is "hardly ever ridden"

[MattyK]

That's the nice thing about these bikes: They're bought by bike-mad dads or mums for their own desires, less so for their childrens'. The kids would be just as happy on anything probably. So the kids aren't in it for the riding, don't use them much, the parents keep them maintained, then on-sell to the next set of similar parents...

[queequeg]

That's the nice thing about these bikes: They're bought by bike-mad dads or mums for their own desires, less so for their childrens'. The kids would be just as happy on anything probably. So the kids aren't in it for the riding, don't use them much, the parents keep them maintained, then on-sell to the next set of similar parents...

Yep, I picked up a 2nd hand E450-3i for my 7 year old, as he outgrew the 2nd hand E-350 I got him the year before. Anyway, the 2nd hand E450 I bought off gumtree was basically as new at almost 50% off the retail price, but my son is mad for riding and loves it, especially the 3-speed internal hub. My 5 year old is being a bit more stubborn, claiming he can't ride the E350 because "I'm not 6" lol

[MattyK]

Kids logic

[Mububban]

ByK announced on their FB page today that they're adding a 3 speed internal model to the E-350 range. Assuming your little one has the hand strength to operate the grip shifter, this is a good addition.

[MattyK]

Interesting; as you say it would need some decent hand strength.
Where's the Di2 option?

Personally I'd like to see them bring back a freewheel model E350 (ie non-coaster brake). My son's main problem is realigning his pedals every time he starts. He has no problems braking with the levers alone. But I think the lack of a coaster brake violates Aus standards for kids bikes...

I've looked in to a DIY hub replacement but there doesn't seem to be much available (28H, freewheel, 110 or 120mm OLD)

[find_bruce]

I'm with you matty on coaster brakes, seeing as how they already have front & rear brakes. Does the 3 speed have a coaster brake ?

My weehoo has a 28 hole singlespeed freewheel hub so they must be available

[Mububban]

I'm with you matty on coaster brakes, seeing as how they already have front & rear brakes. Does the 3 speed have a coaster brake ?

My weehoo has a 28 hole singlespeed freewheel hub so they must be available

My daughter's 3 speed and my son's 2 speed both have coaster brakes as well as both hand brakes.

My daughter took some adjusting to shift the grip shifter for the 3i but she is skinny like me. My son is more of a nugget and he'd have no problems.