(Written by William)
I’ve been collecting LEGO sets featuring vehicles for several years now, first from the LEGO Creator Expert line, and later from LEGO Icons. I’ve always found them to be excellent building experiences, and they also look great on display. However, when the #11380 LEGO Icons Road Bike was revealed, I wasn’t sure if it would measure up to the previous sets. Bicycles in general already look like Technic sets in real life. Could a LEGO Icons set offer something better?
Turns out there is actually a lot of LEGO Technic construction involved in this model, but there are also a large number of standard LEGO elements. Overall, building this set turned out to be an extremely challenging, yet delightful experience. Let’s talk about why that is and how the details of this bike classify it as a racing machine.
LEGO ROAD BIKE – NEW PARTS
LEGO is the world’s largest tire company. They make more tires than anyone else. It helps, though, when all those tires are really small. However, for this model, LEGO has pushed the envelope. This is now the largest diameter tire they make, and you get two of them.
Of course, a large tire means you need a large rim to mount it onto. Unlike other rims, these ones are brick-built. Each wheel hub has twelve segments that you connect using pins and small axles. But that leaves the center.
Introducing, new spoke elements. These look very similar to LEGO Technic linking elements, but instead of the circular ends fitting around a ball joint, the spokes are designed to fit pins, studs, and axles. This makes it smaller in diameter. Also, because the spokes are fairly thin, it is easy to overlook that they are angled. An easy way to tell how the spoke is angled is to press your finger down on one end of the spoke. If both ends are flat to the table, turn the spoke over and try again. Eventually, you’ll find a direction where the side you are holding down is lower than the other end.
Finding out this direction will turn out to be very important. You always want the higher section to attach to the inner reel that will make up the center of the tire. The lower section will need to attach to the rim. Failing to do this will create a very warped wheel that you want to avoid.
Next is probably the coolest element in this model, and it’s brand new. It is a one-way gear! The way this is made involves a small ratcheting element inside the gear. Don’t worry, this is already assembled. When you insert an axle and turn it the wrong way, you’ll just hear a slight clicking. This is the axle pushing the ratchet away and not engaging the gear. Turn the axle the correct way and the ratchet catches, letting you turn the gear. The result is the ability to pedal the bike, stop pedaling, and let the rear wheel coast on its own momentum. It is an extremely relaxing action to experience.
Finally, I know there might be other elements in new colors, but the one that will catch your eye is the chain. According to the instructions, this is the first time LEGO has made the chain links in metallic silver. It is definitely something that makes the bike pop.
LEGO ROAD BIKE – RACING VS. STREET BIKE
Growing up, my family all had vision issues. We could see, just not well enough to drive. This meant that bicycles were pretty much our form of transportation, and I ended up learning a bit more about bikes than I ever learned about cars. This made it easy to point out to my wife what makes this a pure racing road bike rather than a street bike.
Let’s start with the handles and seat. Notice how much higher the seat is compared to the handles? This is made to put the cyclist’s torso in more of a horizontal position for less wind resistance. This more aerodynamic position also makes it so that your body is not acting as a sail catching the wind. The reason why this isn’t as important in, say, a motorcycle is that a bicycle requires you to power it. Every bit of effort you don’t have to expend is more efficient in giving you speed.
Next up is the brake system. This model uses a disc brake with the faux calipers ready to press against the large discs in the center of the wheel. This gives you more precise control over your speed and doesn’t put any strain on the structural integrity of the outer wheel. In many street bikes, you will have two calipers near the top rim of each tire ready to pinch the tire. This will stop the wheel more quickly, but at the speed racers go at, it will more than likely cause an accident and probably deform their bike’s wheels.
Finally, you can tell this is not a street bike by what is missing. Everything not on the bike is for reducing weight. The less weight you carry, the less weight you have to move. Note there is no kickstand, no bike pump, no light, no horn or bell, and there is even a lack of reflectors. The most you get is a single red reflector under the backside of the seat. Street bikes tend to have reflectors in the tires and on the front as well as some of the extra amenities for the rider’s convenience.
Speaking of amenities, you might also note how thin the seat is. I asked my dad this years ago when I saw how thin of a seat he had for his bike. He explained that it was more of a racer’s saddle. It is designed to be more of a prop for your body rather than a comfortable seat to ride on. It is designed more for wind resistance rather than comfort.
Going back to the handles, I also want to point out where the brake grips are. They are only in the front. This means to ride this bike, you have to be in a racer’s pose to ride safely. Companies do make multipurpose racing grips for bikes. In addition to the brake grips in the front, these will also have redundant brake handles near the top, allowing cyclists to sit a little higher if they are looking to have a more leisurely ride.
Now some might note that the water bottle is an extra feature. Yeah, but many cycling races can go for miles and miles. Keeping hydrated in these races isn’t a convenience but a necessity.
LEGO ROAD BIKE – FINAL THOUGHTS
This is a model that may need a couple of extra hands to put together. Because LEGO designers wanted to use so many standard system elements, the connections can be a bit tricky.
There is a heavy use of bars to pin sections together. Many times, this means they go through a LEGO Technic half pin, but they will also go through a rounded plate with a hollow stud. This gives each connection point a massive amount of flexibility on any angle you want to fix a connection to, but putting it together while lifting a section that is connected to a large wheel that wants to roll or at least turn will require patience.
I think the price is right at $129.99, given the build experience and all the new elements in the set. Though it will help if you have a personal connection to bicycles. But I will say, I haven’t been this satisfied with a working model since the LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine. I was even impressed with the stand for the bike. Check out the attached video, and I’ll show you how the stand works, and if you’re interested, you can find the set at the LEGO Icons section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Icons Road Bike? Do you have the set already? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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The finger-on-one-end test for spoke orientation is exactly the kind of small diagnostic that makes a difficult build teachable. A photo can show the completed wheel, but it will not explain why reversing that angled spoke warps the rim. Working on BrickGPT instruction drafts has made me appreciate cues like this: the best step is not simply a picture of the next state, but a check a builder can perform before moving on. The one-way ratcheting gear also sounds like a satisfying functional payoff after such a demanding wheel assembly.
Fascinating. I would have never imagined Lego making a set like this. I wonder if they are going to reuse those monster tires for anything else.
It’s beautiful. But I don’t have anywhere to put it. I would sure love to build it though! It seems like a fun challenge!
They did a great job with this. I might pick it up before Christmas.