![]() Not everyone could afford the "expensive" $30 chromoly Redline fork. Redlines very first front-cover: Bicycle Motocross News, with John Palfreyman at Saddleback, aboard a 3-of-a-kind looptail Redline prototype. First cover of Bicycle Motocross News with a Redline Fork on a bike John George. Quote: We feel right now that (BMX) is on the verge of exploding. Article on Redline in Motorcycle Industry News paper. After consistently busting single-clamp stems, Redline comes up with a dual-clamp chromoly stem for Byron to try busting. Redlines first product tester is one of their employees a 15 year old punk from the Valley named Byron Friday. Christmas sales of the first Redlines didnt go too well, as not many shops could not sell an $85 frame. From november 1974 to march 1978 we made 10,500 frames.ĭecember. The next version had a larger gusset with two holes in it. The first ones had a small single gusset right in the middle. We were in the motorcycle business, and thats the way motorcycles were made. Linn Kastan, That Squareback design was just the way that I thought we should do it. The front end was very short and featured a small wedge gussett. Redline begins the very first production of BMX frames known as the ∗5 Squareback - due to its angled rear stays. Heavy, bladed Ashtabula forks would soon become a thing of the past. They were known as "chromoly forks" and that's all anybody called them in those days, was "Redline forks" or "Redline chromoly forks." Linn Kastan, We didn't stop making those things for about six years. Either one would do -as long as it said Red Line up the sides. The buyer even had the option to buy the chrome-moly nickel plated fork or the cheaper priced mild-steel painted one (1975). Linn Kastan creates the first pair of tubular BMX forks in the workshop of his company REDLINE, a speedway motorcycle frame builder. A local bike shop called Pedalers West challenged Redline to come up with a stronger yet lighter fork for BMX.Kastan takes em up on it.įebruary. ![]() With the owners son gaining interest, they began thinking of ways to make stronger bike parts. Replacement swingarms were Redlines hottest commodity in 1974, when this new sport called BMX began to gain attention. I didnt know much about BMX as it was in its very, very early stages. Linn Kastan, I made a bicycle, a BMX-type bicycle out of this chromoly material that we used for the motorcycle frames for my son for Christmas in 73. With a 6-peson staff, Redline began producing lightweight, high quality motorcycle frames whether it was for Flattrack, TT, Speedway or Motocross. ![]() Kastan happened to be welding frames at Trackmaster Frames, and the two decided to partner up. He operated cranes and occasionally machined parts for a company called Trackmaster. Redline was born when two guys named Mike Konle & Linn Kastan began making motorcycle frames and swingarms. If you want to add any info, please contact 1970 ![]()
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