Every year at the show, there is one brand that we haven’t heard of, or heard little of, that really catches our eye. This year, for me that brand was Coast Cycles from Singapore. Not because any their bikes were necessarily groundbreaking in technology, but because every bike they brought had great design and looked like it would be a ton of fun to ride.
Some bikes, like the Ruckus above are really meant for nothing but fun. However, other bikes like their award-winning Quinn cargo bike manage to blend fun and utility in a package that has to be seen or ridden to believe…
Literally described as a “Fun Bike” by Coast, the Ruckus combines massive 20×4.25″ tires with a unique frame and one-piece fork/ handle bars. The long saddle can carry two people and the frame is compatible with many additions including racks, lights, trailers, Or even an electric motor that can be bolted to the frame. Like most of the Coast bikes, the Ruckus is available in multiple drivetrain options and starts at $918 for the single speed build.
As the winner of a 2015 red dot design award, the Quinn also pairs fat tires with a unique frame built for carrying cargo. Rolling on 20×3.0″ tires, the frame is built with specific cargo bags in mind that fit within the center tubes or behind the seat which still allow you to pedal. The bike is also available with optional racks and baskets in multiple drivetrains including Gates belt drive.
Somewhere between the Ruckus and the Quinn lies the Juggernaut – a 20″ fat bike with 4.25″ tires. While it may seem like all of the Coast bikes run fat tires, they also have the Coastliner Collection with city, Sport, and ebikes with more traditional sized wheels and tires.
Of course Coast has a number of more traditional fat bikes in their line up as well, including the Goliath Full suspension and SL belt drive compatible hard tail, as well as 20 and 24″ fat bikes.
And then there’s this: 26+. Yes, the size that many (including my own friends) have joked about is here. We’re guessing the 26×3.0″ tire has a similar circumference to that of a standard 27.5″ (non-plus) tire. Perhaps this will allow it to fit in some non + 27.5 frames, but in this case the Axis FS + is built specifically to accommodate the size. Built with adjustable geometry through a flip chip, the bike rolls on 40mm wide tubeless compatible rims with Boost spacing front and rear. Also available in a hard tail, the new tire size should give us plenty to talk about…
