Police officers aren’t just coffee and donuts, and many communities have put patrol officers on bicycles. While it would seem that a fast road bike would be the way to go, police officers need a tough bikes for the mean streets. At last week’s International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) Conference Safariland introduced its newest bicycle for the police. And like many dirt riders, they’ve gone to the 29-inch wheels.
Safariland has teamed with Kona USA, one of the world’s leading all-terrain bicycle manufacturers, to develop the flagship product in the line, the Safariland/Kona Patrol Bike 29er. This new bike is built from the ground up as the premium patrol bike for law enforcement and security markets, and utilizes some of the most technologically advanced components in the industry.
The Patrol Bike is available in both a 29er and 26-inch wheel base and includes advanced features not found on typical patrol bikes, including sloping toptube with padding for more standover clearance, integrated rear rack for superior payload strength, tapered oversized headtube for improved stability and overall riding performance and internal cabling system for non-obstructive riding. Optional light and siren system from CycleSiren are also available.
The Safariland/Kona Patrol Bike is built with the Kona Race Lite 7005 aluminum frame that has been engineered for ideal shape and wall thickness for extra performance and durability. It features Shimano components throughout, including the Shimano 30-speed drivetrain with SLX derailleur Roxshox high-performance forks and hydraulic disc brakes provide excellent performance and additional stopping power.
“This product category has been without a clear leader in the field for many years. Our goal in working with patrol officers throughout the country was to develop a bike that met all the critical demands officers need to do their job. We’ve done that with the Patrol Bike 29er”, stated Corey McCroskey, Category Director for the Bike line. We’re seeing an upward growth due to the substantial escalation of “green” measures, and our objective was to be ready with the right product at the right time for our law enforcement customers.