Joseph
Parents who are overly anxious to share their love of two-wheeled speed now have a secret weapon. Stacyc’s 16eDrive Brushless (a combination of stability-cycle, but yes, also pronounced “stay sick”) puts an electric motor on a no-pedal balance bike. You may ask, why would someone do that? Why would someone intentionally attach a rudimentary tool to young children to develop coordination and start learning spatial skills and bike awareness?
Well, the answer is simple: Once you witness your child’s instant engagement with a bike under the force, you’ll have it. That, and their ridiculous rate of evolution in the bike’s general awareness (bearing momentum, spinning, braking) as they progress through the bike’s various training modes. You’ll soon be asking why someone didn’t develop an e-bike product like this sooner.
What is this
The 16eDrive Brushless is a 19-pound BMX-style balance bike with 16-inch wheels. It’s powered by a lithium-ion battery (20V, 4Ah) that powers the high-output motor for 30 to 60 minutes of runtime (depending on the type of torn terrain). This size translates, roughly, to a child who is 5 to 7 years old and weighs up to 75 pounds. Staycyc also makes a smaller 12-inch version that 3- to 5-year-olds can learn (and shred).
The bike features three distinct training modes: Low Mode / Training up to 5 mph; Medium/Standard mode up to 7.5 mph; and High/Advance mode up to 13 mph. Adjusting the red, yellow and green modes is a complex enough sequence of throttle twist, beep and power button that parents like you will really need a consultation. Youtube explanation—means there is no real way your child can adjust settings while riding a bike. This is important because there is a full list of non-powered skill benchmarks that must be checked before you plug in the battery and turn the throttle. Until then, when opened in training mode, top speed is no faster than the momentum of a kid rolling down a slight hill without a motor — or as fast as you can walk to keep up before setting off on a sprint (the parental control pace needed to keep up with the next average speed).
Why do we love it
For parents from a cycling background, Stacyc bikes provide kids with a bridge to keep them interested in cycling once they miss a toddler’s age balance bike, so they’re prepared for the big, traditional pedal-powered games. For motorcycle dads, this bike of size (and power) provides a no-brainer in terms of the sport’s front, and a more natural stride before the massive and intimidating 50cc first stride weighs nearly 100 pounds.
The bike itself is easy to assemble out of the box, has a quality build (a steel fork plus an aluminum frame and composite wheels that can handle heavy abuse) and doesn’t pack a lot of weight for your little rider. The motor is no joke, and while it suits paved/earth flats, it will handle hills and grass well (at the cost of reduced battery runtime). Your child’s magnetic interest in this bike compared to other wheeled toys that came before it – this is no joke either.
In my experience with a 4-year-old daughter, I haven’t been able to get her off the training wheels. I refused removal, and public interest in the bike was dwindling by the day. One sitting on Stacyc, I got the balance. In the next session, as she was rolling down the slope, pulling her foot up on the comfy footrests, she got momentum and direction. Session three, I couldn’t get her out because she had learned to use the hand brake; The fourth session was ready to suffocate. It doesn’t make sense that momentum creates balance. It’s a bit intimidating to give them a good throttle (it helped get them started on more tolerant terrain on an open park field rather than asphalt), but I’d rather ease her up over a few sessions than push her to pedal, every subsequent crash gearing up for speed As another setback to the fuel pack making them bike in the first place. With confidence in how to lean on turns, we’ll both feel better when he’s now more ready and excited to start pedaling.
NETPICK
As with any e-bike, extending battery life is the limiting factor. If e-bikes Are your frame of reference, you might be disappointed with the 16e’s battery life lasting about 45 minutes per charge, more or less depending on how hard you use the motor (in terms of heavy terrain, slopes and kid size). Fortunately, this is usually at the same time that the child’s attention is stretched by one activity. Although this bike has a way of getting noticed with its battery life, it takes another 45-60 minutes to recharge. (Stacyc sells an optional 5Ah battery.)
The other most obvious drawback is the price of an item that is designed for your child to outgrow and outgrow it. However, the build quality is commensurate with the price – this is not some kind of handcrafted nonsense from your siblings or neighbours. A child who learns to take care of his or her devices is valuable. And relatively speaking, this balance bike isn’t as excessive as the Specialized 4.63lb ($1,000) Carbon Hot Wok Balance a bike – or something else in the next steps in the world of motocross racing.
Another potential downside It is knowing your child is clearly enjoying more than you, chasing after them and making sure they can handle throttle and brake pedal; Although if you also enjoy the thrill, the prices become A little more difficult to equal.
Whatever that lightning in the bottle was, the Stacyc definitely took over, essentially creating a whole new riding class. Swipe through feed them, showing the families of mushrooms that adopt early velocity. And the bet on the contagion of parental excitement seems to be paying off: the company was already growing fast even before Bike boom COVID (Harley-Davidson bought 100% of it in 2019) and continues to make gains in the motorcycle and bike world – just this week, the brand announced a partnership with Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and Big Bear Mountain Resort, with plans to build a full Kids Throttle Zone and trail The pump specifically designed to display their bikes in the respective California resort base areas.
It’s time to start your little engines.
[$879, stacyc.com]
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