Our good friends at Redline just sent us their R530 urban bicycle to test:
Say, what’s in the box?
Here’s a bit about the bike from Redline’s website…
European Sophistication
Lightweight 6061 aluminum frame that is specially designed for utilitarian use. Shock absorbing Suntour front fork with 50mm of travel. Quiet, “maintenance free,” easy shifting Shimano Nexus 7 speed drive train & highly efficient roller brakes. Easy fit handlebars & stem adjust for comfortable upright riding positions. Sturdy aluminum double wall rims with stainless steel spokes, with flat resistant tubes for trouble free adventure. Comes fully dressed with fenders, rear cargo carrier, full chainguard, & shock-absorbing seatpost. Available in a step thru & 4 diamond style frame sizes (S-XL).
The wheels are 700c for smooth rolling, and this bike is absolutely packed with features, including a couple things I’ve never played with before, such as the Shimano hub-mounted roller brakes.
The bike was well-packed for shipping…bubblewrap and zipties galore:
Stay tuned for our first impressions next week and a full review to follow in about a month…but let me leave you with this: this bike is CUSHY and a blast to ride (I took it on its maiden voyage to work and back today)!
Popularity: 46% [?]
Bike Commuter Essentials at PricePoint.com
11 responses so far ↓
1 Moe // Mar 26, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Wow, that bike’s nice! I reminds me of the Breezer Villager sans the lights.
2 Mike Myers // Mar 27, 2008 at 4:04 am
I like the looks, but not the suspension fork. That bike screams out for a big basket.
3 Clancy // Mar 27, 2008 at 8:39 am
Nice bike…. did they mention a price? Website says nothing.
4 Quinn // Mar 27, 2008 at 8:47 am
a suspension fork?? I better be able to take it off road!
-Thoughts of a rigid mtb rider
5 Ghost Rider // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:08 am
I’ll try to locate an MSRP for the bike…you’re right: the website is sparse on pricing info.
The suspension fork is intended for taking the sting out of rough streets, cobblestones and potholes…it only has 50mm of travel, so I don’t think it’s up to the task of serious offroading (nor is the bike intended for such). It DOES take the sting out of the roads, though!
6 Justin // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:43 am
I’d trade that suspension for for a basket and/or some nice lights!
7 Evan // Mar 27, 2008 at 10:52 am
That looks really interesting. I’ve never even heard of “roller brakes” before. The suspension fork seems like overkill on a bike like that, but then again what do I know?
I like the fenders , the rear rack, and the chain guard. Looks comfortable but maybe a bit too gadgety for me.
8 Ghost Rider // Mar 27, 2008 at 11:04 am
Roller brakes have been a Shimano product since the dawn of their Nexus internal hubs…it’s basically a “module” that fits onto the outside of the hub, and gives many of the same benefits of disc brakes without the maintenance hassles.
9 Clancy // Mar 27, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I think someone could hit a homerun with a bike priced at $400 with these amenities including the 7spd hub. So many people do not ride bikes because they are too complex to ride. Somebody returning to cycling does not like the complexity(27 speeds) of the entry level bikes available. I am a firm believer in the KISS theory.
10 Redline R530 -- First Impressions | Bike Commuters // Apr 1, 2008 at 5:16 pm
[...] mentioned in my first article about the bike, this machine comes with a couple of components not usually seen on commuter [...]
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