08 Redline 925

I’ve admired 925s since I first started seeing them in shops and on the road. The 925 is Redline’s popular, single-speed, urban bike with slightly slack geometry, wide bullhorn bars, and a 4130 chrome-moly steel frame. It’s a simple bike to get you around town or campus and is well thought out with flip-flop hubs, fenders, and aero levers for the ends of the bullhorn. Also notice how the tubes are free of excessive decals. This bike is more about transportation then showing off brand names.

The hugga test is to roll down the steep hill I live on and then back up it. I’ll know immediately how a bike brakes and then later how it climbs. As I discovered, I don’t want a bike to brake like a time trial bike with aero levers. Soft and spongy is not good braking and that’ll worsen in the rain. I’d add a second set of levers to the 925 and start changing out the brake pads for a more solid brake feel.

Curiously the bike was comfortable, but not particularly stiff or nimble. Granted that’s a subjective observation and not negative or really a complaint, I just noticed how on sharp turns, the bike didn’t feel balanced and a bit awkward. That has a lot to do with the wheels, big tires, and bullhorn bars. The length of chain stays and fork rake also affect the ride and it’s definitely relaxed (learn more about the geometry from Redline). The 925 is not a “snappy road bike” or “stiff-ass” track bike and that’s perfectly good for riding across town and especially for 500 bones.

We’re going to spend more time with the 925 and I’ll bring a wrench on the next ride to flip the hub over to see if I can get up the hill without walking.

Notes

Update

The 925 we tested is a one-of prototype and Redline told me today that the brake levers will change to address the sponginess I described above. Regarding the ride, as the name says 925, this bike is meant to be relaxed and that it is. Also, a correction that the bike is not yet shipping.

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