I was so sad when I had to sell my Soma Juice a year ago. A couple of 26ers kept me feeling empty inside this past year. I am so very happy to be back on the 29er path.
After realizing that my riding style does not lend it self to knarly, extreme trails, I realized that a scaled down bike would be perfect. I love the simplicity of a rigid bike. I would love to be man enough to run a single gear setup, but the truth says otherwise. Twenty-seven is too many, one not enough, but eight is just right! Disc brakes are cool, but I never had a problem with V's. Less to worry about makes for a more enjoyable bicycle ownership experience.
So after scouring the manufacturer websites, I narrowed it down to one bike. I have always liked Redline bikes and was pleased to find out that this model was so affordable. I am eager to get this on the trail for a good ride impression, but I can at least comment on the build quality and parts spec.
The bike is very clean. The frame welds are neat and the paint job is excellent. In this price range you expect to find some items that you will immediately replace. I didnt even try the stock saddle because I knew that I liked the WTB I already had. The pedals are your typical cheapo alloy flats which will be replaced by some nicer platforms that are currently on order. I will also probably replace the grips, expecially if I decide to install my Mary bars (once I get the correct stem).
That said, I do find the stock control parts to be decent. I am in no hurry to replace the stock bar and stem, but I probably will because I love the aforementioned Mary bar. The Redline seatpost seems decent enough that I will not bother with upgrading it for quite a while.
The brakes are surprisingly good for Tektro units, especially the levers which have a sealed bearing pivot. The calipers work great, but don't quite have the firmness that I desire. For most, the stock brakes would do just fine. I did order a set of Avid SD5 brakes and FR5 levers.
As most probably already know, the drivetrain is very decent. The X5 derailleur and shifter are pretty much identical to the older X7 pieces. When SRAM revamped its lineup, they basically did a model name shift which transferred its higher end designs one notch down. I for one prefer the durability of 8 speed cogs and chains.The only thing I am likely to swap is the stock KMC chain for a SRAM 850 chain so I can use the powerlinks. The crankset may be cheap, but its still well made. Its manufactured by RPM and uses a square taper interface. Call me crazy, but I haven't been too impressed by the latest craze in crankset/bb technology. Square tapers are tried and true. I also like the inside chain derailment guard which should keep the chain from popping off the inside of the crank.
Finally, I am also very impressed with the wheelset. The stock redline hubs are very smooth and the Alex rims look to be up to the task. They may not be light, but neither am I so I can't complain. Nothing on this bike is particularly light, but again I shouldn't be worried about it. My right elbow scale says about 29 lbs for my 19" frame size.
Here are some pictures that show a bit more detail than the stock photo on the redline site:
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After realizing that my riding style does not lend it self to knarly, extreme trails, I realized that a scaled down bike would be perfect. I love the simplicity of a rigid bike. I would love to be man enough to run a single gear setup, but the truth says otherwise. Twenty-seven is too many, one not enough, but eight is just right! Disc brakes are cool, but I never had a problem with V's. Less to worry about makes for a more enjoyable bicycle ownership experience.
So after scouring the manufacturer websites, I narrowed it down to one bike. I have always liked Redline bikes and was pleased to find out that this model was so affordable. I am eager to get this on the trail for a good ride impression, but I can at least comment on the build quality and parts spec.
The bike is very clean. The frame welds are neat and the paint job is excellent. In this price range you expect to find some items that you will immediately replace. I didnt even try the stock saddle because I knew that I liked the WTB I already had. The pedals are your typical cheapo alloy flats which will be replaced by some nicer platforms that are currently on order. I will also probably replace the grips, expecially if I decide to install my Mary bars (once I get the correct stem).
That said, I do find the stock control parts to be decent. I am in no hurry to replace the stock bar and stem, but I probably will because I love the aforementioned Mary bar. The Redline seatpost seems decent enough that I will not bother with upgrading it for quite a while.
The brakes are surprisingly good for Tektro units, especially the levers which have a sealed bearing pivot. The calipers work great, but don't quite have the firmness that I desire. For most, the stock brakes would do just fine. I did order a set of Avid SD5 brakes and FR5 levers.
As most probably already know, the drivetrain is very decent. The X5 derailleur and shifter are pretty much identical to the older X7 pieces. When SRAM revamped its lineup, they basically did a model name shift which transferred its higher end designs one notch down. I for one prefer the durability of 8 speed cogs and chains.The only thing I am likely to swap is the stock KMC chain for a SRAM 850 chain so I can use the powerlinks. The crankset may be cheap, but its still well made. Its manufactured by RPM and uses a square taper interface. Call me crazy, but I haven't been too impressed by the latest craze in crankset/bb technology. Square tapers are tried and true. I also like the inside chain derailment guard which should keep the chain from popping off the inside of the crank.
Finally, I am also very impressed with the wheelset. The stock redline hubs are very smooth and the Alex rims look to be up to the task. They may not be light, but neither am I so I can't complain. Nothing on this bike is particularly light, but again I shouldn't be worried about it. My right elbow scale says about 29 lbs for my 19" frame size.
Here are some pictures that show a bit more detail than the stock photo on the redline site:
