BMX Brand
Redline
Redline is one of the oldest BMX brands, founded in California in 1970, known for its race heritage, the Proline frame and the Flight tubular chromoly cranks.
Updated 2 min read534 words
Redline is one of the oldest BMX brands. It was founded in California in 1970 by Linn Kastan and Mike Konle, started building BMX forks and frames in the mid 1970s, and became a leading race brand. It is best known for the Proline frame and for the Flight cranks, the first tubular chromoly three-piece cranks in BMX.
History
Kastan and Konle started Redline Engineering in Chatsworth, California, in 1970, making frames and swingarms for motorcycles. In 1974 the company built a chromoly BMX fork, at a time when most kids were racing on bikes with bent steel forks. Frames followed, and Redline became one of the first companies to treat BMX as a product category in its own right. That early period is covered in Origins of BMX.
The Proline frame of the late 1970s became a benchmark race frame, and the Squareback and MX-II were also widely raced. At the end of the decade Redline introduced the Flight cranks, three-piece cranks made from tubular chromoly. One-piece steel cranks were standard at the time and the Flight design was lighter and far stronger, and it quickly became the crank serious racers wanted.
During the freestyle boom of the 1980s Redline also sold freestyle bikes. The RL 20 II was named after RL Osborn, who with Mike Buff formed one of the best known freestyle teams of the early 1980s. Kastan left the company in the 1980s, and Redline later passed to Seattle Bike Supply, which was in turn acquired by the Accell Group. Through those changes the brand has kept its racing identity and still sells race bikes and cranks.
Products
Redline's range has always been centred on racing.
| Product | Type | Era | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromoly fork | Fork | Mid 1970s | The company's first BMX product |
| Proline | Race frame and complete | Late 1970s onward | The brand's flagship race model, still in the range |
| Squareback and MX-II | Race frames | Late 1970s | Early race frames |
| Flight cranks | Cranks | Late 1970s onward | First tubular chromoly three-piece BMX cranks |
| RL 20 II | Freestyle bike | 1980s | Named after RL Osborn |
| MX series | Race completes | 1990s onward | Entry and mid level race bikes |
Modern Redline completes are a common choice for riders starting out in racing, and the brand also sells 24 inch cruisers for the cruiser classes.
Team and riders
Redline ran one of the leading race teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Riders associated with the brand have included:
- Stu Thomsen, one of the dominant racers of the era
- RL Osborn, whose freestyle demos with Mike Buff helped launch flatland and freestyle as disciplines
- Mike Buff
Redline has continued to sponsor racers at national and international level since.
Influence
Redline helped turn BMX from a kids' pastime on modified bikes into a sport with purpose-built equipment. The chromoly fork and the Proline set early standards for race frames, and the Flight cranks established three-piece tubular chromoly cranks as the normal choice across BMX, a design still used by almost every brand today. The Osborn and Buff freestyle team was also one of the first sponsored freestyle teams, which puts Redline near the start of the freestyle story alongside Haro.
Related
Frequently asked questions about Redline
What are Redline Flight cranks?
Flight cranks, introduced at the end of the 1970s, were the first tubular chromoly three-piece cranks for BMX. They were lighter and stronger than the one-piece cranks of the time and became the standard for racing.
Is Redline still making BMX bikes?
Yes. Redline continues to sell race bikes, including models under the Proline and MX names, along with cranks and other parts.
Did Redline make freestyle bikes?
Yes. In the 1980s Redline sold freestyle models such as the RL 20 II, named after team rider RL Osborn.
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