Scopin’ the slick new Squareback

14 10 2018

Sure, the new Redline RL-275  we checked out last week is pretty cool…but, truth be told, the retro-fabulous cruiser that a lot of people were eagerly anticipating  was this one: the Redline SQB-26.

Clearly evoking the style cues from it’s earlier heyday, Redline brings the Squareback (of old) back to the future as a 26-incher with an aluminum frame, cro-mo forks and the classic double head tube gussets.

Rounding out the look, Redline busts out some vintage graphics, iconic v-bars and tanwall Vee Speedster tires for all the old school fools.

Of course, the classic Redline Flight Cranks are part of the package as well.

Did mention it sports Bear Trap-style pedals too?

Yep, nice touch there.

Geometry Breakdown:

  • Top Tube:  23″
  • Head Angle: 71˚
  • Seat Angle: 73˚
  • Bottom Bracket Height: 12″
  • Chain Stay: 17″
  • Stand Over: 27.75″

Color options are black and the oh-so-classic white (pictured above).

These are dropping next month so, if the SQB-26 tickles your fancy, hitting up your favorite Redline dealer now is probably a good idea.

 

(Pictures: Redline)

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Checking in on the 24s

28 09 2016

The 24s may not get the same love as the 20s in the BMX section of Interbike but there was still plenty to check out this year.

Stolen featured the chrome version of their Saint XLT. The geometry has been tweaked/improved this year so an already great bike has gotten even better.

stolen-saint-xlt-2017-interbike

We The People showcased another favorite, the 24″ Atlas. The added “Wow” factor of the candy apple red paint job for 2017 was in full effect.  Looking good.

wtp-atlas-2017-interbike

Haro also got in the act with their entry-level Downtown 24. Those look-at-me green tires are hard to miss.

haro-downtown-24-2017-interbike

SE showcased the metallic red version of their lineup mainstay, the So Cal Flyer.

se-socal-flyer-2017-interbike

Free Agent featured two 24″ cruisers. The entry-level race cruiser, the Ambush 24.

free-agent-ambush-24-2017-interbike

And their more freestyle-y 24″ Ratio.

free-agent-ratio-24-2017-interbike

By the way, I would love to see the Ratio get a bit more of an update –beyond the cosmetic — in the future.  (Those bars are looking mighty short for one thing.)

Sadly Redline wasn’t at the show (I was hoping to check out the Asset 24 and the updated PL-26) and GT didn’t feature a 24.

But GT did have something else that was super cool to check out.

More on that later.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Old School, Racing

The champs are here

30 11 2015

Well, the Grands have come and gone.

A record-breaking moto count, an exciting Pro Spectacular, and — be still my heart — an-honest-to-goodness water jump.

A weekend for which dreams were made.

OK, I’m laying it on a little thick.

By now you’ve probably learned who the #1 Pro is (in the Men’s/Women’s and Vet classes).

Let’s talk about who came out on top in the Big Wheel classes.

Jason Carnes, a long-standing figure in the race scene, proved that he still had the chops to earn himself a title…in this case, the #1 Cruiser plate.

Jason Carnes no 1 cruiser

An Austin local, he might be more well-known these days for driving the Redline Rig around North America and coaching Flight School clinics, but this title shows the 40-something big guy still has some gas in the proverbial tank.

Olivia Armstrong, is the other Cruiser Champ of the weekend.

After a breakthrough season in 2014, where she earned the #1 Cruiser (Girls) title for the first time, Olivia has continued her winning ways.

Olvia Armstrong No 1 CruiserThis weekend was no different with Olivia going on to win the title again!

Back-to-back titles…if this doesn’t put her comp on notice I don’t know what will.

A tip of the visor to our two champions!

(Pics: BMXNews)


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Categories : New School, Racing

Redline reboots the PL-24 as a 26″

17 04 2015

Redline has let the cat out of the bag…they’re rebooting the iconic PL-24  as a 26″ cruiser. In their words, with a “modern take on the classic.”

Do you think that “modern take” extends to the geometry? We’ll have to see.

If you’re in Monterey for the Sea Otter Classic this weekend, get yourself a sneak peek at the Redline booth where it will be on display. (And if you do happen to be there…be a pal and get some more deets and photos for us, OK?)

Here’s a pic of the PL-26 that Redline has been sharing on social media.

Redline PL-26 sneak peek

And here’s a look at the original Redline PL-24, taken from the pages of the legendary BMX Action magazine.

Those levers, tho.

Zoot scootin’ indeed.

Update:

New photo that Redline has been circulating.

Redline PL-26 update


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Should BMX reduce its carbon footprint?

30 11 2011

If you caught the footage from the ABA Grandnationals this past weekend, you no doubt caught AA Pro Denzel Stein‘s scary crash caused by his carbon forks snapping.

Truth be told, I’ve never really been a fan of carbon forks and things like this are not making me any more comfortable.

Die-hard carbon fork fans claim that carbon is stronger than chromoly but you never seem to see this level of catastrophic failure with a steel fork.

And the lightness argument? The gap between a good-quality chromoly race fork and a carbon fork is so small these days it hardly seems worth it from a safety and price perspective (carbon forks are generally the more expensive than other types of forks).

Word on the street is that some how an insert/sleeve to strengthen the steer tube was  not installed. That’s all well and good but if this kind of thing gets overlooked on a top pro’s bike…how many average joes are riding similar setups (without the insert/sleeve)? Seriously, it’s not worth the risk.

Ironically up until this year, Denzel was often seen running chromoly S&M forks on his factory Redline whip.

Did he make the switch due to pressure from his sponsor? Or maybe to cash in on co-sponsorship money? I wonder if he’s rethinking his decision and whether it was worth it.


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Categories : New School, Racing, Trails/Jumping, Uncategorized

Goldilocks and the three Redlines

1 06 2011

My apologies to fans of the classic tale.

One early summer morning, when the Redline engineers were away on a team-building exercise, Goldilocks wandered into the Redline bike design area after seeing an open door off to the side of Redline’s corporate offices.  A bike enthusiast by nature, she decided to walk around and look at the wide array of cycling goodies in the room.

As she strolled through the bikes, she tried on some of the gear that was on display and occasionally pulled on a brake lever or two to test the brakes of the bikes (it was something she did almost instinctively when she was checking out bikes at bike shops).

Goldilocks looks for a Redline that's just right

Growing restless, she was about to leave when she saw the 20″ Redline Device in the corner. “Wow, what a nice bike” she said aloud, “but a little undersized for my tastes.”

She put the bike down and wandered down another aisle. There she spotted another Device, the 26″ version. “Hmmm,” she thought to herself, “nice, but this seems a little too big.” She leaned it back against the wall where it was standing and looking around some more.

“You know what would be ‘just right’?, she said to no one in particular, “A 24″ Device“.

Just then, the door to the room opened and the main lights were flicked on,  “What’s going on here?”

(Like this story, the 24″ Redline Device is a pure fantasy…but should it be?…a 24″ Device is a bike that should be in Redline’s lineup.)


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Categories : Freestyle, goofiness, New products, New School, shenanigans, Tomfoolery

Limited edition Redline Cup frames

14 03 2010

Well, here’s an awesome incentive to race the Redline Cup series this year:

The chance to win one of 70 one-of-a-kind limited edition frames from Redline!

According to Redline:

While it is up to each track operator’s discretion on how they will be given away, the custom black & gold Flight frames will likely be raffled off to one lucky winner during the RL Cup race – with proceeds being used to fund improvements for each BMX track.

The colors are inspired by both the 1966 Shelby Hertz Mustang Fastback and the Gold Cup series of the ’80s. They come in two sizes: Expert XL and Pro Cruiser (pictured).

In addition to the custom black and gold colors, you also get the 2010 Redline Cup logo clear-coated on each side of the top tube.

These cool frames are going to be collectors items, so good luck to everyone following the Redline Cup series. If you’re lucky/fast enough to score one you’ll definitely have one of the coolest looking rides at the track.



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Live after death: 24s aren’t done yet

2 03 2010

“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Mark Twain


Despite showing  love for the cruiser in recent issues, BMX Plus! seems to have now sounded the death knell for the cruiser in their April 2010 issue in an article called Cruising into Oblivion: The Death of the 24.

It’s  actually kind of amusing however when you take a look at this sensationalist article in relation to the rest of the magazine. For instance, Redline has again seen fit to place a two-page ad for a cruiser in the magazine. And this time it is their top-of-the-line Flight Pro 24!  I’m going to go out on a limb and say there must be some kind of market for 24s to justify that kind of advertising.

And in their mailbag section, a reader writes in about racing Cruiser for two years, “…One thing led to another, and now I race a 24-inch Haro…”.

Are big ads and actual reader feedback not clear enough signs for Plus! that cruisers are alive and well?

Guys like Danny Caluag, Barry Nobles and George Goodall (who is  featured prominently in the Redline ad) are also keeping excitement alive in the National race scene.

And completely ignored by the article is the explosion in popularity of modern trails/park 24s…which I don’t have to convince you of, if you’re a regular visitor to this site.

The death of the 24?

Hardly.

We’re just getting started.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, Racing, street, Trails, Trails/Jumping

Redline runs 2-page Proline 24 ad

13 01 2010

Flipping through the latest edition of BMX Plus! recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find a two-page ad for the Redline Proline 24.

So many companies give short shrift to 24s in their ads,  it’s nice to see Redline step up and recognize that cruiser riders want to see “their” bikes in the BMX mags too. For Redline to do so in a two-page spread makes me respect them even more.

What’s more, I love that they chose the Proline 24 over the Flight 24 for the ad. While the Flight 24 is certainly a sought after bike for the hardcore race crowd (with factory Answer Scythe forks, etc.) the Proline 24 is a simple, well-spec’d bike that works: Chromo forks, Redline Flight cranks…everything you need to win races or ride trails…nothing too fancy, but nothing that needs replacing either.

Even though I’m kind of surprised it wasn’t offered in red, or that cool bronze-y gold of last year, I find that this blue version is growing on me. Great job, Redline.

Respect.


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Categories : New products, New School, Racing, Trails