ByK E-450 Review

The ByK E450‘s light weight, larger tire size, and low center-of-gravity design allow kids to ride easier, sooner, and faster. Read the full review below!

boy riding the ByK E-450x3i bike

ByK E-450 Overview

RATING: Highly Recommended

MSRP$299

BEST FOR: Young riders, aged 3 to 5, ready to transition to a quality, but affordable small pedal bike.

ADDITIONAL SPECS

SEAT HEIGHT: 23.2″ – 28.7″
WEIGHT: 19.8 lb.
GEARS: Single-speed
BRAKE: Coaster brake with Dual Hand Brake
WHEELBASE: 880 mm
GAIN RATIO: 4

PROS:

  • Low center-of-gravity design for easier balancing and control
  • Larger-diameter, thinner tires result in a comfortable, fast ride on pavement
  • Lightweight for its price range
  • Large, comfy seat
  • Comes with a bell and kickstand

CONS:

  • Quality of components could use improvement
  • Coaster brake
  • Longer wheelbase makes the bike a stretch for kids with shorter torsos

ByK E450 Review – Results of our Test Rides

From the moment it arrived in our garage, the ByK E-450 became the favorite bike for our confident riders. With its lightweight frame, large wheels, long wheelbase, and narrow tires, this is a bike for kids who want to go fast and have fun.

Like the rest of ByK’s kid’s bike line, the E-450 is designed to make riding safe, fun, and fast. The frame is sized similarly to other 20” bikes, but the ByK E-450’s wheels are slightly larger, its tires narrower, its wheelbase longer, and its handlebars higher. These features make it well suited for riding on pavement and give kids lots of room to grow on the bike.

ByK keeps its prices reasonable by not using high-end components, but still keeps things kid-friendly by building a bike that’s meant for a child’s body. With a minimum seat height of 23”, our 45” tall 6-yr-old with a 19.5” inseam is just barely tall enough to for the E-450. She’s a confident rider, though, and so had no trouble starting and stopping. Although the E-450 is labeled for kids aged 5–8, it’s built for taller kids. As you can see manufacturer size labels don’t always mean the right fit—check out our sizing guide to find the best bike size for your child!

The long wheelbase provides stability, and the V-shaped handlebars put the rider in a comfortable, upright position. Narrow tires and a high gain ratio (the size of front crankset, or gear, compared to the to the rear) make the ByK E-450 fast—a popular feature with our confident riders. Narrow tires could be more troublesome for timid riders, however. A quick-release seat post makes it a breeze to adjust the seat height without tools.

Even with all that extra speed, our testers had no problem stopping the ByK E-450. Easy-reach dual handbrakes are an easy squeeze for little fingers. One downside is the coaster brake, which was never used for braking. It didn’t cause problems for our experienced riders (as it sometimes does for those who are just learning), but they missed being able to pedal backward, and it makes it a little trickier to get the pedals in the correct starting position.

The ByK E-450 comes with a few extras. Kids always appreciate the bell, and parents appreciate a kickstand to help kids take care of the bike. The seat is extra large and comfy and didn’t get any complaints from our testers.

Compared to another Two Wheeling Tots favorite, the Islabikes Beinn 20, the ByK offers a very different riding experience. First, despite technically both being 20” bikes, the E-450 is higher and longer, making it more suitable for taller riders. ByK E-450 is a single speed, and the Beinn 20 has seven gears (which can be an asset or liability, depending on whether your child is ready for shifting and the kind of riding they’ll be doing). The Beinn certainly has higher-quality components, which is reflected in its $500 price tag. And, despite having a rear cassette, the Islabikes Beinn 20 weighs in about 1.5 lbs less than the E-450.

Still, for the price, ByK has created a kid-friendly masterpiece well-suited for long pavement rides. For other solid 20 inch bike options, check out our list of favorite bikes for kids 5 to 7 years old.

FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review.  No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC.  All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.

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