My review of the Redline 925 is in issue #122 of Dirt Rag and it's also available online here:
http://www.dirtragmag.com/print/article.php?ID=778&category=stuff_reviews
For those of you who wonder what happens to review bikes after the review is done, in this case my pal Dave wound up buying the bike from Redline.
Buddy has one in his shop...
ReplyDeleteSuch a good bang for your buck bike. Love the fact it comes with fenders...
Have thought about getting one as a back up to my surly but not right now...
Great review by the way Kent!!!
Spot on review Kent. Great bike, terrible handlebars. If I was going to get one for myself, I'd put drops on it, or maybe North Road bars. And a different saddle and different pedals. Nonetheless, it is a great value. I've sold 5 of them at my shop this year.
ReplyDeletenice review, love your honest comments on a moustache, was thinking about one but your comments do let me in doubt!
ReplyDeleteReiner
Belgium
i bought one at my local LBS not too long ago, pure impulse purchase. i made sure it was on the fixie side. yes, i hated the bar. so far i've changed to stem to something higher and more comfortable. next i'm going to find some drop bars really cheap and revert to them. my Surly LHT has Nitto 'Stache bars which i like very much. the 925's bars seem to have a much more severe bend, and therefore limits positions. i have to admit it's fun.
ReplyDeletegood review and great site!!!
Commute/Don't Pollute!
I too bought one locally at the Fat Tire Farm here in Portland for $400 on sale. I can't say enough good things about the bike. I even like the mustache bars! I have the Nitto ones on my cyclocross bike that I race, so nothing new there. I run it in Fixie mode, with a lightspin dynamo for lighting. The perfect commuter.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ken for a great review that turned into a great bike for me.
John Climaldi
http://homepage.mac.com/john4bho/iblog
The bars are bloody fantastic. Just picked up my 2007 yesterday. The problem is that the brake levers are mounted incorrectly. So all you got to do is unwrap the tape to the lever, loosen the cables, move the levers to the inside of the curve so they're sticking out perpendicular from the bar-ish, shorten the cables about 6 inches (varies according to size), and reassemble. Hoods should be angled slighly down. This gives you 4-5 distinct positions, including a very aero on-the-hoods tuck and a wide climbing position.
ReplyDeleteAlso, most shops set this bar up with too much of an angle. Better to have it flat with a very slight lean down.
I like drops as well, got a bike with them, but moustache bars have their own charms. I think they're far superior to drops for urban use, while drops are nicer for long training rides.
If you want to try moustache w/o investing in the pretty Nitto stuff, aebike.com has some generic moustache style bars for $23. Same shape as the Nitto.
Oh, and those folks that say the 925's bars are a different bend than the nittos, I ask to have some of what you're smoking. :P I've overlayed them in photoshop. Identical.
Here's a sloppy composite pic where you can see this. Mind, the pics are taken at different angles, so it doesn't line up 100% Also note the proper placement of the brake levers. Also note that I covet those brake levers. drool...
http://static.flickr.com/85/237186970_d4616c6707_o.jpg
-Max
landotter at gmail dot com
Here's mine:
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=280647897&size=o
I finally figured out the problem with the bars! Basic! The flats need to be level with the saddle--and bingo! Best all-round bars ever. I ride my drops 3" below my saddle. Works fine. Not so with moustache bars. It's almost like Redline designed this for drops and added moustache at the last minute as you can just put some drops in the stock stem and it will be fine for most folks.
ReplyDeleteBut if you want to keep the moustache, get yourself a Dimension stem raiser and get happy!!
http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2446
REI has them in black for $20. As the stock cables are too long when you move the levers to the proper inboard position--you probably won't need to mess with cable cutting.
It's seriously amazing how much cooler the bars are up--it feels like a combination of a Dutch omafiets, Bobby bike, and track bike.
Don't fret over the weight of the stem raiser--you won't notice once it's on and it's sturdy--I take mine off road.
:-D
I've had this bike for 6 weeks and I totally love it. I use it as a daily commuter. I absolutely love the bars as well. Tons of good positions, especially for hills which on a SS is critical. I like the stock braking positions too. Maybe I'm just a freak.
ReplyDeleteI am getting the front chain ring bumped up today to a 46 and am riding the fw16t in back. I can't wait for the increased resistance, though uphill climbs may be interesting.
Dave in Tucson, Az.
ReplyDeleteI found an '07 at my LBS. They were listing it for $350 on clearance. I test rode it and snatched it up faster than you can say "whoiswhatitthingamabobber". After swapping the stem and getting a nice(er) saddle for my bony butt, I'm making my first real commuting trip to work since moving to Tucson. It rolls very smoothly and feels very solid under me...not a small task for a 220lb guy!