mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Redline Bicycles =====

Redline Engineering was started in 1970 by Linn Kastan and Mike Konle in Northridge, California as a manufacturer of motorcycle components and frames.  Starting in 1974, they applied their chromoly motorcyle techniques to making BMX chromoly, tubular forks and handlebars in Chatsworth, California. ((Chatsworth was also the home to [[mongoose:start|Mongoose]], were they made 800 bicycles per day.))
Redline is often referred to as the //original// BMX manufacturer.
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Redline's first MTB, the 1984 Conquest Escape Vehicle, was designed by Richard Cunningham of [[mantis:start|Mantis]] and later editor of both Mountain Bike Action and [[https://www.pinkbike.com/news/rc-retires-a-tribute-to-richard-cunningham.html|Pinkbike]].
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In 1988 Kastan sold Redline to Seattle Bike Supply (SBS) and they relocated the company to Kent, Washington.((Kent, WA is also the home to 20+ bicycle brands.  Why is Kent the US mecca for bike brands?  They're not all owned by a single holding company.  Or are they?...))  Seattle Bike Supply was later acquired by Accell in 2006.
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See:
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redline_bicycles|wikipedia]],
[[https://www.redlinebmxfoundations.com/|redlinebmxfoundations]],
[[https://redlinebmx.wordpress.com/|redlinebmx]],
[[http://www.23mag.com/com/redline/redline.htm|23mag]]
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{{linn.jpg?440|Linn Kastan, 2020}}
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Linn Kastan, 2020, continuing to design BMX.
[[https://www.sugarcayne.com/2020/10/redline-rl20-linn-kastan/|sugarcayne]]
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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Conquest Escape Vehicle =====
Maybe 1st conquest ever made, with serial # 0001 RE.
SunTour XC (1984-85) with CB-6000 brakes (drilled arms, aluminum rollers).((Which SunTour RollerCam variant was first?  Drilled arms: yes.  Delrin plastic rollers??  Maybe - they show up in the 1984 & 1985 catalogs and supposedly were recalled in 1985.  At this point brass rollers appear, but then plastic returns the next year with cast arms with no holes.  And where do the silver aluminum rollers come into the picture?  In any case, early Conquests seem to have aluminum rollers, then plastic and then brass.  So, dating by roller isn't reliable.))
Lugged & TIG welded with frame gussets.
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{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Conquest Escape Vehicle  }}
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1984 Conquest Escape Vehicle
[[https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/redline/102384|bmxmuseum]]
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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 Manhattan =====
The head badge states that this is a city bike - but with the fat tires, mountain gearing and cantilevers this is a worthy MTB. SunTour XC rear (1984-1985) and MounTech II front (1984-1987).  It's possible that this is a 1986.  Need a 1985 catalog to verify this, but the coloring and lettering is 1985 consistent.
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{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Manhattan }}
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1985 Manhattan
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/394015275198|ebay]]
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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Conquest Escape Vehicle =====
XC Sport 6900 (1986)
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{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Conquest Escape Vehicle }}
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1986 Conquest Escape Vehicle
[[ https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/redline-conquest-escape-vehicle-36237|pedalroom]]
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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Conquest Three =====
SunTour XCD 6000 (1988-89).  Made in Taiwan by Marui.
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{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Conquest Three }}
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1988 Conquest Three
[[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10225451354218137&set=p.10225451354218137&type=3|facebook]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Conquest Two =====
Full SunTour XCE group (1989-1992).
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{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Conquest Two }}
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1989 Conquest Two
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/295154392501|ebay]]
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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Fifty-Five =====
Full SunTour XC Comp (1990-1992) group, Tange tubing, elevated chainstay.
Reintroduced the down tube frame gusset last used on the 1986 Conquest.
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{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Fifty-Five }}
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1990 Fifty-Five
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1136803-early-90-s-redline-twenty-mtb.html|bikeforums]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Conquest Thirty =====
SunTour XCM (1991-1992)
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{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Conquest Thirty }}
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1991 Conquest Thirty
[[ https://www.mtbr.com/threads/can-you-help-identify-these-redlines.852647/|mtbr]]
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<div column 50% #s1993>
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===== 1993 Rocky Top II =====
1993 Rocky Top II
Shimano RD-TY20GS (1989-1994).  The year is a guess, based upon the 1992 Rocky Top (and all previous Redlines) being wedded to SunTour.  SunTour died in 1992, leaving Redline to finally move to better components in 1993.
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{{1993.jpg?300|1993 Rocky Top II }}
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1993 Rocky Top II
[[ https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1147891-redline-rockytop-ii-mtb.html|bikeforums]]
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