Review: 11380 Road Bike
Posted by Huw,
Nowadays it's not often that I am genuinely excited when LEGO sets are announced, but I certainly was when this one was unveiled!
When not working on Brickset, I can often be found cycling around southern Hampshire with my local cycling club, so this model is right up my street...
Summary
11380 Road Bike, 1,015 pieces.
£109.99 / $129.99 / €119.99 | 10.8p, 12.8c, 11.8c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Thanks to a handful of new pieces this is a remarkably life-like model
- Plenty of authentic details
- Freewheeling mechanism
- Introduces new and useful Technic parts
- A few minor scale issues
- Frame is a bit flimsy and its livery is not particularly realistic
- No working gears
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
New parts
With nothing in the parts repertoire that could be used to make a realistic bicycle wheel, three new elements have been introduced: a rim piece, a tyre, and spokes.
The rim is made with 12 of the new pieces which are connected together at one end with two axles and at the other with a pin and an axle. This is to ensure that the holes to which the spokes are affixed alternate sides correctly.
It's just over 22cm in diameter, and when the tyres are mounted the overall diameter is 24cm, or 30 studs. The tyres are the largest LEGO has made and the first that fit onto a brick-built wheel.
The spokes are 8cm/11 studs long. The mounting holes at the ends are slightly angled to give a 1 unit offset.
This new gear facilitates the freewheeling property of a bicycle hub. An axle inserted through the centre will only turn when the gear is rotated in one direction. Sadly, the ratchet is silent: many top-end freehubs make a satisfying clicking or screeching noise when freewheeling.
Finally, as far as new parts go, we have a 64-tooth gear, which is a big step up from the previous largest, which was 40-tooth.
The completed model
It's hard to judge the size of the model from photos, partly because we are unfamiliar with the wheels which might otherwise be used get a sense of scale, but it's fair so say that it's massive, 60cm long and 36cm high, probably much larger than you's expect.
I can't really claim that from a distance it looks like the real thing because it is of course, much smaller, but it certainly looks like an accurate model of a modern road bike, with deep carbon rims, internal cabling, and contemporary geometry such as dropped seat stays and a deep aero down tube.
Using the diameter of the wheels for scale, it's somewhere around 1:2.5.
Here's a minifig and goat for scale:
Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed, which is used throughout construction to hold the model upright as you build it. When the model is completed, the rear wheel is held off the ground, allowing the pedals to be turned and the freewheel mechanism to be observed.
However, I think it looks a bit bulky, and it hides the rear derailleur, so I built a replacement which looks and functions more like those I have for my real bike, which you'll see in photos down below.
The sections of frame are held together at irregular angles that just a few years ago would have been impossible to construct with LEGO. The top tube/seatstay junction illustrates the method used: round-ended plates with 3l bars through their holes which hold it all together very securely. The frame is a bit flimsy, though, certainly not as stiff as a carbon fibre one, but it doesn't come apart.
As you can see the SNOT core of the frame is black while the pieces attached to the sides are red. This has resulted in a livery which is not like any I have seen on a road bike, although I have to admit that it looks OK.
The most inaccurate aspect of the design is the headset, which should consist of a tube on the frame, the 'head tube' and a 'steerer tube' on the top of the forks that passes through it and onto which the handlebars are attached.
There are no parts in the palette that would facilitate such a joint, so instead the fork assembly rotates on Technic pins behind the handlebars, which are directly connected to the forks/headset. It's unfortunate, but I appreciate that there was no other solution with existing parts.
Edit: It's been pointed out in the comments that some recent aero bikes have a similar headset arrangement, e.g. the Factor One.
The handlebars have a slight flare on them, which is common on gravel bikes, not so much on road bikes. The hoods, and brake and gear levers all look pretty good, but the drops are a bit thin and spindly.
Front disc brake with calliper and bottom bracket detail:
The bike has the features of a 2xn groupset, but there is no cassette or dual chainrings. There's no need for a front or rear derailleur, therefore, but it would not look right without them.
The pedals are clipless SPD/SL-style, and the saddle looks suitably hard and uncomfortable without padded shorts! The nose is a bit long, but I like the use of hockey sticks for the rails underneath.
In its promotional material, LEGO made a big deal of the removable rear light and bottle, for some reason!
As I said above I don't much care for the stand which, while functional, is a bit bulky. I therefore made one like those I have for my real bike. The back wheel doesn't turn when the bike is in it, but the details around the rear axle can be seen more clearly.
Verdict
Like many LEGO sets nowadays, this model is somewhat niche. If you have an interest in road bikes, you'll love it, but if you don't, it will do nothing for you at all. I'm certainly in the former camp, and to me, it's the most exciting and innovative set released this year, but I appreciate that not everyone will think the same!
It's not perfect: the head set arrangement lets down what is otherwise an accurate representation of the frame, and while it would be unreasonable to expect a 12-speed cassette, it would have been nice if it had at least two gears. The drops on the handlebars are too thin and the saddle nose a bit long, but that's just nit-picking.
But, overall, I'm just amazed that it's now possible to make such an accurate representation of a road bike, something that's never been modelled before.
£109.99 / $129.99 / €119.99 does not seem unreasonable for a 1,000 piece model, especially given the number of new parts in it. Road bikers do not flinch at spending out on equipment and clothing, so I think those with a penchant towards LEGO as well as bikes will jump at the chance of owning it. Certainly those I've spoken to say they plan to!
It'll be available from tomorrow at LEGO.com.
126 likes
78 comments on this article
"Rim piece" chortle....
Great review Huw! I'm curious how the rear "derailleur" maintains the tension on the chain. Can you advise?
@tomahawker said:
"Great review Huw! I'm curious how the rear "derailleur" maintains the tension on the chain. Can you advise?"
It doesn't, and doesn't need to because the chain position is fixed and it's the correct length for the gear combination.
I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here.
New parts for a Technic set is nothing new. But long gone are the days that you could build the sets you like with the parts at hand.
I have to say, the model is way bigger than I expected.
It looks like my Trek Emonda SL7, even down to the colours, so I'll definitely be getting this.
@jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
I can see the rim pieces being used in Technic sets for a spoiler or other detailing. Even if they were made just for this set, it looks like they could be very versatile.
@Lego_lord said:
"New parts for a Technic set is nothing new. But long gone are the days that you could build the sets you like with the parts at hand."
Flat out no, I am doing that all the time, every year there are sets that I figure make more sense to rebuild with my own parts collection and a few additional parts from Bricklink due to the sets inventory using a bunch of parts I already have too many copies of which I would otherwise not know what to do with. Especially when one also considers recoloring an entire model, it makes it even easier to find all the parts or for cheaper than getting the set. One can even fix the color scheme to be more realistic and less toyetic vomit, like for example the 60425 City Jungle Explorers plane from its orange/white/blue/black/olive color scheme. That set is one of the best examples of how to do it, remove the crocodiles and figures because one likely has similar items already, remove the natural rock arch and with my parts collection of scrapped sets of a 2000s-2010s era childhood most of the parts of the plane are likely taken care of, only less than 10 are new enough that one may have to get them through Bricklink, PaB or new sets, but that purchase of maybe 1$ could enable the use of what would otherwise be a sets worth of useless yet common design parts.
It looks very good, but definitely a bike that's been labeled as Lego rather than Lego that's been cleverly made into a bike.
Really interested in seeing creative applications of that 12th of a circle piece. I feel like it should be quite useful in mechanical structures, maybe with giant turbines, but a more concrete use escapes me at the moment, it really does not help that I mostly dislike Technic.
I was waiting for this review ;o)
@huw: "Sadly, the ratchet is silent: many top-end freehubs make a satisfying clicking or screeching noise when freewheeling."
I am told the sound is a sign for top-end freehubs but must admit that I really enjoy the quietness of mine. Now let's see what my next bike will be: top-end freehub or LEGO? :o)
Cheers, Ralph
PS: I love the photo with the blue road bike in the background!
@doe said:
"I am told the sound is a sign for top-end freehubs but must admit that I really enjoy the quietness of mine. "
Yes it can get a bit annoying after a while, particularly the Hunts on my Ti bike, which make a very loud screech. It's handy for warning pedestrians of my arrival, though!
As a commuter on a normal bike, I have been nearly knocked off by too many of these silly things to ever want a Lego set of one.
@jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
In what way does it rub you up the wrong way?
Lego have probably designed these in mind to also use in future sets, like many versatile parts, that we have no idea about yet.
@Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky.
@Huw said:
"Like many LEGO sets nowadays, this model is somewhat niche. If you have an interest in road bikes, you'll love it, but if you don't, it will do nothing for you at all. I'm certainly in the former camp, and to me, it's the most exciting and innovative set released this year, but I appreciate that not everyone will think the same!"
Let this be a lesson to all who saw a new Lego set reveal on Brickset that caters to a different audience to typical AFOLs and immediately asked "why the heffing pluck would I buy that?" without thinking before hitting the post button.
Sorry to nitpick on your very good review:
A "fixie" is a bicycle without a freewheel: The rear hub has the gear cog fixed to it.
Fixie: No freewheel, gear cog fixed to the rear axle. To brake, you have to pedal slower. Pedals always rotate when rolling
Singlespeed: Bicycle with a constant gear ratio.
So this bicycle is a singlespeed, not a fixie.
My feeling is also that it could have been possible to make a headset using two of the smallest Technic turntables as bearings. A Technic beam could go through the turntables to hold the fork and the stem. But it would be more bulky and less smooth.
I'm looking forward to seeing someone use the wheels off this set to make a wheelchair
Great review, especially with the references to the real thing. That final photo is fantastic! It is indeed funny how Lego made a big deal about the removable back light. Odd that they did not include a front light? Or is it built in the front of the frame/steer?
@fredrigl said:
"Fixie: No freewheel, gear cog fixed to the rear axle. To brake, you have to pedal slower. Pedals always rotate when rolling"
Every fixie I've ever ridden has a rear hub that applies a brake to the rear wheel when you backpedal just a few degrees. This is distinctly different from a proper BMX bike which is a one-speed with a freewheel, and either no brakes at all or cable brakes.
"So this bicycle is a singlespeed, not a fixie."
I think the point was more that the derailleur is pretty much meaningless on a bike with a single gear ratio. The problem is, to make it look even slightly realistic at this scale, the gears would all have to be half-thickness (or less), and the only gears I know of like that (12-tooth and 20-tooth single bevel) are way too small to look right.
@PurpleDave said:
"Every fixie I've ever ridden has a rear hub that applies a brake to the rear wheel when you backpedal just a few degrees."
That is not a fixie, that is a singlespeed bicycle with a coaster brake. I've had many of those.
The term "fixie" refers to the rear gear cog being fixed to the axle, without a freewheel.
I'll stop my nitpicking here.
Why, in the box at top of review, is the bike livery marked down for not being realistic ? I can understand criticism of certain aspects of the frame, but to suggest livery is unrealistic is a stretch.
It makes no sense it exists/ I can get 2 real bikes for this price.
@fredrigl said:
"Sorry to nitpick on your very good review:
A "fixie" is a bicycle without a freewheel: The rear hub has the gear cog fixed to it.
Fixie: No freewheel, gear cog fixed to the rear axle. To brake, you have to pedal slower. Pedals always rotate when rolling
Singlespeed: Bicycle with a constant gear ratio.
So this bicycle is a singlespeed, not a fixie."
Thank you.
@Mattw2 said:
"Why, in the box at top of review, is the bike livery marked down for not being realistic ? I can understand criticism of certain aspects of the frame, but to suggest livery is unrealistic is a stretch."
Have you ever seen a bike which is essentially black, with the sides of the frame only painted red? That would be difficult to do, if nothing else.
I want this more than I should.
I can’t wait to see how these new parts get used elsewhere.
i think maybe it's partly an "I don't have anywhere to display it, it's huge" reaction, but as both a lego fan and a road cycling fan (just finished watching all of the Giro podium ceremonies!) it leave me a bit "meh".
But that's ok!
What i really want to see is a minifig "road bike" and a cycling team do a promo set (it's the only thing i want a modern team to emulate out of what Telekom did in 2000)
(despite my lack of love for Telekom's doping, I do have the full collection)
@fredrigl said:
"Sorry to nitpick on your very good review:
A "fixie" is a bicycle without a freewheel: The rear hub has the gear cog fixed to it.
Fixie: No freewheel, gear cog fixed to the rear axle. To brake, you have to pedal slower. Pedals always rotate when rolling
Singlespeed: Bicycle with a constant gear ratio.
So this bicycle is a singlespeed, not a fixie.
My feeling is also that it could have been possible to make a headset using two of the smallest Technic turntables as bearings. A Technic beam could go through the turntables to hold the fork and the stem. But it would be more bulky and less smooth."
I don't think that turntable idea would work, unfortunately, at least not the way I'm imagining it, because the turntables have a square internal profile that prevents them from rotating when they have a beam inserted into them
How long until a Youtuber rides it?
Indeed, Tis a bike..
Great review (as usual!), and despite some issues I do still like the set. Enough to buy it? Not so sure about that though, as it is a bit of a pain to display nicely. Maybe use some of the wall mount pieces from the Art sets to mount the whole thing to a wall?
on parts:
the free wheel hub and the 60t gear will likely be popular with technic building types, and the spokes are probably more useful than at first glance- is that a whole brick offset they have?
@2GodBDGlory said:
"I don't think that turntable idea would work, unfortunately, at least not the way I'm imagining it, because the turntables have a square internal profile that prevents them from rotating when they have a beam inserted into them"
The square hole through it is the whole point, in my opinion. A beam can pass through it, and the _other_ end of the turntable can rotate freely. So you need to be careful about which end of the turntable is fixed to the bike frame, and which end goes to the fork/stem.
This turntable is very cleverly designed.
BSO!
Not for me but I appreciate clean look of set.
It's funny (or sad?) that @Huw made better looking stand than lego designers which had months :)
But also congratulations @Huw for clever solution!
@jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
Just wait what clever ideas some people will have! I’m looking forward to some nice NPU.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Bicycles don't usually stand up on their own because they're two-tyred
Maybe use the rims for a deep space nine?
@Huw said:
" @Mattw2 said:
"Why, in the box at top of review, is the bike livery marked down for not being realistic ? I can understand criticism of certain aspects of the frame, but to suggest livery is unrealistic is a stretch."
Have you ever seen a bike which is essentially black, with the sides of the frame only painted red? That would be difficult to do, if nothing else."
I remember one from when I was a teenager that had a paint job with a weird gradient design. The top of the upper frame bar was black, the bottom was white, and the sides were very thin nested triangles. It may have been achieved by applying a sticker. This design looks a lot easier to achieve than the B/W one.
Since it has a black internal structure, wondering what other colors LEGO might release.
Gray, yellow, or green would be interesting to me.
@envint251 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Bicycles don't usually stand up on their own because they're two-tyred "
Was that pun wheelie necessary?
@jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
We will see these rim pieces as a shield generator on Hoth soon enough, with the spokes in a Shelob or Aragog set, I'd wager.
@dylanwho said:
" @jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
We will see these rim pieces as a shield generator on Hoth soon enough, with the spokes in a Shelob or Aragog set, I'd wager."
I don't think the spokes would work very well as spider legs. There's at least one similar element already, and I don't think it's designed to engage a friction pin. I really don't think it'd be sturdy enough to support the weight of a spider body.
@fredrigl said:
"I'm looking forward to seeing someone use the wheels off this set to make a wheelchair"
I was about to say that as cool as such a thing would be, Lego hasn't made any figures that would be big enough, but maybe a Bionicle Titan?
@lordofdragonss said:"It makes no sense it exists/ I can get 2 real bikes for this price."
I've never actually priced bikes, but somehow, I doubt that.
@
@PeterT_AFOL said:"Maybe use the rims for a deep space nine?"
Ooh, I like that idea.
@lordofdragonss said:
"It makes no sense it exists/ I can get 2 real bikes for this price."
Make sure to get two tetanus shots before you ride either of those rusty heaps. You'll need them.
@jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
Collaboration with the UCI incoming? We'll get bikes in the colors of all the big World Tour teams. Each model will come with a minifig of the team's biggest rider.
@huw
There are in fact 100% silent hubs that are extremely premium (Onyx Vesper, Tairin S1/ Silen Shogun and you could also count the Shimano Scylence hub I guess). Tho these are less common in road biking due to their weight and most people in road biking don't have custom/ exotic wheels.
The headset thing is actually kinda accurate if we consider, that this is supposed to be an aero bike. There have been a couple of aero bikes with this kind of fork design (Factor One, Colnago Y1RS are pretty new examples of the top of my head, there have been a couple more.)
@PjtorXmos said:
"The headset thing is actually kinda accurate if we consider, that this is supposed to be an aero bike. There have been a couple of aero bikes with this kind of fork design (Factor One, Colnago Y1RS are pretty new examples of the top of my head, there have been a couple more.)"
Thanks: yes, it does appear to be a bit like the arrangement on the Y1RS,
@TheOtherMike said:
" @fredrigl said:
"I'm looking forward to seeing someone use the wheels off this set to make a wheelchair"
I was about to say that as cool as such a thing would be, Lego hasn't made any figures that would be big enough, but maybe a Bionicle Titan?"
We also don't have any LEGO figure to go on this road bike. Nor is there a LEGO figure to smell the flowers from the Botanicals line, or to use the LEGO typewriter, sit in the LEGO Technic Mercedes G and so on.
Perhaps we just need to use our imagination.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Or.... maybe some of them actually used it for what it's meant to do. The last thing you want in a skate park or jump course is a kickstand coming down at the wrong time, hooking your pant leg, etc.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Or.... maybe some of them actually used it for what it's meant to do. The last thing you want in a skate park or jump course is a kickstand coming down at the wrong time, hooking your pant leg, etc."
Just...no. We were pre-teens, and as much as some of the bikes may have looked like actual BMX bikes, none of them had a freewheel system. Most didn't even have cable brakes, and relied entirely on backpedaling. This was probably around the time we were clipping chunks of cardboard to the rear fork so they'd catch on the spokes when you rode. Worst they ever did was jumping 8" plywood ramps, and riding down a well-established path to the neighborhood pond. Mostly they were just used to avoid having to walk to each others' houses.
@PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Or.... maybe some of them actually used it for what it's meant to do. The last thing you want in a skate park or jump course is a kickstand coming down at the wrong time, hooking your pant leg, etc."
Just...no. We were pre-teens, and as much as some of the bikes may have looked like actual BMX bikes, none of them had a freewheel system. Most didn't even have cable brakes, and relied entirely on backpedaling. This was probably around the time we were clipping chunks of cardboard to the rear fork so they'd catch on the spokes when you rode. Worst they ever did was jumping 8" plywood ramps, and riding down a well-established path to the neighborhood pond. Mostly they were just used to avoid having to walk to each others' houses."
That sounds....dangerous. Particularly for kids who when learning to cycle often tend to forget they need to keep pedalling. Though on the other hand, without a freewheeling mechanism they will get plenty of painful reminders of that....
This looks like a fine set for cyclists who hate LEGO.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Or.... maybe some of them actually used it for what it's meant to do. The last thing you want in a skate park or jump course is a kickstand coming down at the wrong time, hooking your pant leg, etc."
Just...no. We were pre-teens, and as much as some of the bikes may have looked like actual BMX bikes, none of them had a freewheel system. Most didn't even have cable brakes, and relied entirely on backpedaling. This was probably around the time we were clipping chunks of cardboard to the rear fork so they'd catch on the spokes when you rode. Worst they ever did was jumping 8" plywood ramps, and riding down a well-established path to the neighborhood pond. Mostly they were just used to avoid having to walk to each others' houses."
That sounds....dangerous. Particularly for kids who when learning to cycle often tend to forget they need to keep pedalling. Though on the other hand, without a freewheeling mechanism they will get plenty of painful reminders of that...."
Without a freewheel mechanism, the pedals just persistently keep pushing your feet forward. Besides, that’s the type of bike we all learned to ride on, and a backpedal brake is the least finicky brake system designed for bikes. You never have to replace brake components because they wore out, and the side-pull caliper brakes were far more likely to randomly engage.
I want the freewheel hub ASAP. Can't wait to mod the 60478 Cement mixer to rotate when pushed forward without dumping on reverse push.
@PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Huw said:
"Cycles don't stand up on their own so a stand is needed..."
High end bikes built for speed, sure, because that's extra weight that doesn't contribute to the actual riding. Casual bikes usually include a kickstand on the right side, because they're frequently used as transportation, and you need something to hold it upright at your destination(s). No bike I have ever owned came without a kickstand. I think I did remove it from a BMX-style bike I owned as a kid, because everyone in my neighborhood suddenly got the impression that they looked dorky."
Or.... maybe some of them actually used it for what it's meant to do. The last thing you want in a skate park or jump course is a kickstand coming down at the wrong time, hooking your pant leg, etc."
Just...no. We were pre-teens, and as much as some of the bikes may have looked like actual BMX bikes, none of them had a freewheel system. Most didn't even have cable brakes, and relied entirely on backpedaling. This was probably around the time we were clipping chunks of cardboard to the rear fork so they'd catch on the spokes when you rode. Worst they ever did was jumping 8" plywood ramps, and riding down a well-established path to the neighborhood pond. Mostly they were just used to avoid having to walk to each others' houses."
That sounds....dangerous. Particularly for kids who when learning to cycle often tend to forget they need to keep pedalling. Though on the other hand, without a freewheeling mechanism they will get plenty of painful reminders of that...."
Without a freewheel mechanism, the pedals just persistently keep pushing your feet forward. Besides, that’s the type of bike we all learned to ride on, and a backpedal brake is the least finicky brake system designed for bikes. You never have to replace brake components because they wore out, and the side-pull caliper brakes were far more likely to randomly engage."
Apart from maybe a tricycle with the pedals directly mounted to the front wheel, all bikes I ever had did have a freewheel mechanism; The early ones did have coaster brakes instead of caliper brakes. And looking at the bikes my brother's three kids learned to ride on, not all that much has changed.
And obviously one downside coaster brakes share with the no freewheel/no brakes/just backpedal-method is that whenever the chain (or a pedal) comes off, you can only stop Flintstone style....
@WizardOfOss said:
"And obviously one downside coaster brakes share with the no freewheel/no brakes/just backpedal-method is that whenever the chain (or a pedal) comes off, you can only stop Flintstone style...."
Flintstones-style on a safety bike beats taking a header on a penny-farthing.
A penny-farthing is actually very safe for small kids.....there's just no way they actually get on the darn thing....
I won't get it, but I like it a lot. Your excellent review confirmed the first positive impressions I had when it was first announced. It can be considered as a model.
@WizardOfOss said:
"A penny-farthing is actually very safe for small kids.....there's just no way they actually get on the darn thing...."
(Meanwhile, offscreen, a small child gets run over by a rogue penny-farthing rider…)
Just built this, a very different and interesting build. A challenge: surely it needs a pro cyclist build to ride it?
@Phil_a said:
"Just built this, a very different and interesting build. A challenge: surely it needs a pro cyclist build to ride it?
"
No, not really. You can ride bikes with almost any build or level of experience, it's not that difficult. We let kids ride these things.
@GotMeBrickedUp said:
" @jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
In what way does it rub you up the wrong way?
Lego have probably designed these in mind to also use in future sets, like many versatile parts, that we have no idea about yet."
I have no doubt that the fan community will use these elements creatively and in ways I haven’t even imagined. They always do! (Sausages as air hoses, for example). My comment is just a personal viewpoint, and I’m a little old school. Circa 2008, it was said that one of the financial challenges for TLG arose from kicking off too many niche parts, and the company worked to reduce proliferation - at least for a while. Now, it seems they’re sitting on such a financial war chest that they can take bigger gambles, both on new elements and in terms of set design.
And who knows - maybe they’re right, at least from a Marketing perspective? For example, I thought the Dots concept was remarkable in terms of creating a new element system within the larger framework. But the sets didn’t do all that well - maybe because the overall concept wasn’t that exciting to the public? With Dots, you had to explain to people what it was, how to use it, and how it fit into the larger LEGO system. (Znap , anyone?). Whereas nowadays these fancy build-once display sets need no explanation. Non-LEGO enthusiasts will just say “That’s cool!” and launch right in. It recruits new people to the hobby.
I have less than zero interest in bicycles, can’t ride one for 2 minutes without getting a sore butt … but I think this is fantastic, and might buy it 2nd-hand at some stage!
Red is the best colour too, so I disagree with Huw on at least 2 comments in his great (as usual) review!
My gravel bike looks exactly like this model. I think i’ll just look at and admire the real thing. Bikes rule! Yay
My gravel bike looks exactly like this model. I think i’ll just look at and admire the real thing. Bikes rule! Yay
@GotMeBrickedUp said:
" @jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
In what way does it rub you up the wrong way?
Lego have probably designed these in mind to also use in future sets, like many versatile parts, that we have no idea about yet."
Or, even more probably, they will end up like hundreds of parts over the years that only saw use in a single set, where to this day I don't understand why LEGO thought they were a good idea and that the moulds would ever pay for themselves.
@Huw I've been looking forward to your review ever since the set was announced! Coincidentally, I had just finished reading your article in the National Trust Magazine from 2024. I enjoyed both!
@bfw6a said:
" @Huw I've been looking forward to your review ever since the set was announced! Coincidentally, I had just finished reading your article in the National Trust Magazine from 2024. I enjoyed both!"
What article is that? I don't remember writing one :-)
@Huw said:
" @bfw6a said:
" @Huw I've been looking forward to your review ever since the set was announced! Coincidentally, I had just finished reading your article in the National Trust Magazine from 2024. I enjoyed both!"
What article is that? I don't remember writing one :-)"
Oh my goodness, how embarrassing, apologies--I made a classic assumption error! There was an article in 2024 about the National Trust's head of data Huw Davies who wanted to ride to all the National Trust sites. I knew you're a cyclist and thought there's strong overlap between what a head of data might do and your work on Brickset, and for whatever reason I was convinced your last name is Davies. Sorry!
I still enjoyed both articles :-D
@AustinPowers said:
" @GotMeBrickedUp said:
" @jschwarz said:
"I like the set, but it rubs me the wrong way that several new moulds were commissioned, seemingly just for this set. A good element design lends itself generically to many purposes, and the spoke / rim pieces just feel a little too specific here. "
In what way does it rub you up the wrong way?
Lego have probably designed these in mind to also use in future sets, like many versatile parts, that we have no idea about yet."
Or, even more probably, they will end up like hundreds of parts over the years that only saw use in a single set, where to this day I don't understand why LEGO thought they were a good idea and that the moulds would ever pay for themselves. "
Ah, but they’ve figured out they can front-load the mold’s cost, which helps with critical parts they don’t think they’ll ever need again. Or CMF releases, which probably average around one new mold for every minifig released (yes, that’s really what I’ve found, every time I checked). Or bringing back a part when the old mold has been damaged or destroyed, like the goat. Or just making a new mold that would be really useful in some situations, but not something they expect to need often enough to actually use up the full production life of the tooling, like the 1x5 plate.
Funny thing about that plate, is I’ve heard they’re not supposed to use odd length plates unless there’s no other option (so 1x10 or 1x4&1/6 over two 1x5’s), so they may have expected that mold to see very little use. I helped another member whose next project needed to start with a 10” sphere. I didn’t realize until she’d already bought all the parts how fragile the sphere would end up (rows of stacks of jumper plates with nothing to tie them together at the base). So I whipped up a design for a 19x19x19 Technic cube that should be sturdy enough to stand on, and then an underpanel design that would require minimal redesign of what she already had the parts to build.
And it wasn’t until later that I found out how much 1x5 plates cost. Even on OPAB, 1x plates of even lengths get progressively more expensive the longer the plate. The 1x5 landed between the 1x8 and 1x10 for cost. And the underpanel design I’d handed them called for almost 1000. Fortunately, they were able to find them on a PAB wall, and bring the cost waaaaaaay down. But I realized they were only using it in maybe three sets at the time, and probably expected it to take years to pay down the cost of the mold. When I first saw it, I knew that every MOC builder worth their salt would want to stock up on them, because of how useful they would be. I haven’t checked recently to see if the OPAB price has been adjusted to be more reasonable, but I bet they paid off that mold a lot faster than they expected.
@bfw6a said:
" @Huw said:
" @bfw6a said:
" @Huw I've been looking forward to your review ever since the set was announced! Coincidentally, I had just finished reading your article in the National Trust Magazine from 2024. I enjoyed both!"
What article is that? I don't remember writing one :-)"
Oh my goodness, how embarrassing, apologies--I made a classic assumption error! There was an article in 2024 about the National Trust's head of data Huw Davies who wanted to ride to all the National Trust sites. I knew you're a cyclist and thought there's strong overlap between what a head of data might do and your work on Brickset, and for whatever reason I was convinced your last name is Davies. Sorry!
I still enjoyed both articles :-D"
LOL :)
Huw is the Welsh spelling of the name. I used to say that my name is spelled the same as a certain UK newsreader but don't do so any more :-)
It looks almost identical to my Trek Madone SL7 Gen 8 that I bought just before this was released. Mine is in red as well! Set arrived yesterday and I am building it now. Question - any opportunity for you to share the parts list for your stand?
This looks really cool to me, a proper innovative and unique Lego set, definitely on my radar to pick up one day.
I feel like this should have been an "Ideas" set rather than Icons. What's iconic about a plain red bicycle?
@MisterZ said:
"I feel like this should have been an "Ideas" set rather than Icons. What's iconic about a plain red bicycle?"
Do you not know how Ideas works? It's not a theme they can put whatever set they want into, it's a theme made up of sets based on models created by and voted on by fans.