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BIKE TESTS: REDLINE CONQUEST TEAM
Road Bike Action
November 29, 2008
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THE STORY
Redline has been at the forefront of the American cyclocross scene for a long time. The first Redline ’cross bike appeared as a frameset back in 1994 and was one of the first ’cross bikes to be constructed from TIG-welded 7005 series aluminum. Aside from the aluminum construction, one of the biggest innovations was the slack 72-degree headtube angle. This was a major departure from most European ’cross bikes of the time and was done to accommodate the rougher, more technical courses. Since then, Redline has continued to push the envelope with innovations like the first TIG-welded 6061 ’cross fork, scandium tubing, lower bottom bracket height and 11/8 headtube. For 2009, Redline continues to push forward by tweaking and upgrading their top-of-the-line Redline Conquest Team.
THE FRAME
The Conquest Team is Redline’s top-of-the-line triple-butted scandium frame. The frame’s sole purpose is to go as fast as possible. To this end, each tube has been butted or shaped with the purpose of adding stiffness, reducing weight or enhancing performance. The seatstays feature an S-bend design to increase rear-braking performance and absorb road and trail shock. The top tube is flattened to increase front-end stiffness and make shouldering the bike easier. A major performance feature on the Conquest Team is the asymmetrical chainstays. While the non-drive side has a more conventional tube shape, the drive side has a CNC-machined chainstay at the bottom bracket area. This adds torsional stiffness to the bottom bracket area, while still maintaining good tire clearance. The down tube also increases bottom bracket stiffness with its bi-axial shape. This also increases the stiffness of the front end, and coupled with the 1-1/8-inch externally butted headtube, keeps the Conquest pointed in the intended direction. A major change for 2009 is the addition of Redline’s own full-carbon fork. The Redline fork replaces the Ritchey WCS ’cross fork from last year’s Conquest Team. While happy with the performance of the Ritchey fork, Redline wanted a fork with less trail and more stiffness to increase steering precision and reduce brake chatter. Redline’s new fork features 44 millimeters of rack compared to 48 millimeters on the Ritchey WCS, while the cross section of the fork has also been greatly increased. Redline did include fender outlets on the frame and fork to appease die-hard commuters.
THE PARTS
The Conquest comes equipped with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain 105 12 to 27 cog set. Ritchey nicely outfits the cockpit with a white WCS stem, WCS handlebars and WCS alloy seatpost. Ritchey Protocol wheels, Selle San Marco ASP saddle, and 23c Hutchinson Bulldog tires round out the Conquest. An FSA Energy crankset breaks up what would be a complete Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, while a set of carbon fiber TRP cantilever brakes handles the stopping duties. Out of the box, the red and black paint scheme gives the appearance of a race-ready machine. The black Ritchey wheels and white-accented stem, saddle and bar tape add to the race-ready appearance.
THE NUMBERS
The 56-centimeter Conquest came with a 72-degree head tube and a 73-degree seat tube angle, connected by a 56.5-centimeter top tube. Chainstay length and bottom bracket height were both race-ready at 43.5 centimeters for the chainstays and 28.5 centimeters for the bottom bracket. The wheelbase measured out to a race standard of 103 centimeters. The Redline Conquest weighs 18.5 pounds.
THE RIDE
The Redline Conquest is a race bike. All the work that Redline did in building a laterally stiff frame paid off. Every pedal stroke launches the bike forward. Out-of-the-saddle efforts are done without a hint of flex from the bike. Climbing performance was first-rate, mainly due to the stiff frame and low weight. Steering is precise and the addition of the new Redline carbon fork gives the bike a confident feel that is appreciated when diving into corners. The reduced trail on the new fork could definitely be felt, and we were surprised at how much it improved the performance of the bike. The Conquest cornered and descended well and rarely got kicked off its line. The Ritchey Protocol wheels are smooth and reliable, and with the Hutchinson Bulldog tires gave a good solid feel to the bike.
THE VERDICT
Most of the time the RBA staff wants things added to a bike to increase performance. The Redline Conquest might be the only bike that we have tested where the opposite is true. Our 56-centimeter Conquest had a 56.5-centimeter top tube mated to a 110-millimeter stem. A couple of testers said they would switch to a 100-millimeter stem for better handling on twisty courses. Coming from the road we would also switch to slightly narrower handlebars than the 44-centimeter Ritchey’s. Along with a tighter cockpit we would remove the top-mounted brake levers. Several riders felt they got in the way when switching hand positions, and we were never able to get a good lever feel when using them. Finally, while we love the look of the white bar tape and saddle, it just isn’t practical for a ’cross bike and looked dirty after a few rides. The Redline is an out-of-the-box race bike. Amazing frame, full carbon fork, great parts, and great handling are sure to keep Redline at the forefront of the cyclocross scene.
Price: $2799.99
Weight: 18.5 pounds
Info: www.redlinebicycles.com
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