State Bicycle and Marley Family Drop Green-Infused Cycles and Gear To…..

Legal or not, today’s one of those days when people will set fire to the gigglebush like there’s no tomorrow and where reggae or other chill-infused melodies are blaring through sound systems.
Well, the cycling industry is also celebrating this notorious day, and the crew bringing a slightly slower pace to our lifestyle is none other than State Bicycle Co., the one and the same we’ve covered on several occasions.

Yet, being a bicycle manufacturer, State has decided to commemorate this day with a lineup of bicycles and riding apparel paying homage to the one artist you’re probably listening to right now, the praised and loved Bob Marley; “Redemption Song” is in the background as I write this paragraph. According to State’s website, the Marley family is in on this collab too, so you know it’s going to be a neat one.

Kicking things off for this collab, let’s start with the bicycles, of which there are three. The first is the 4130 Road+ bicycle with the black backdrop and two “Rasta-Stripes” on the downtube. It’s not a very showy machine, just good, clean, fun. The words “One Love” can be spotted on the chainstay, “State” between those two stripes, and the Yellow Lion on the top tube near the seat tube. A cream hemp saddle stands out against the nearly all-black backdrop, and tan tire walls just tie everything off like a cherry on top of a cake.

The second beast on this list is yet another 4130 Road+, but this time around, we’re looking at a tan frame with the same saddle and tire wall tones as the first, but this time around, some of the details mentioned on the first have seen changes. “State” and “One Love” are now expressed with black paint and the lion, too. Of the two versions, this is the one I find works best as a whole.

One neat feature of both bikes that I liked most is nothing more than the visual one. As you’re riding along, leaning forward – it’s a road bike, after all – you’ll occasionally look downward, be it to check your foot positioning or to shift; this one has a manual shifter incorporated into the down tube. As you do, you’ll be reminded of the Rastafari heritage with a green, yellow, and red stripe running from the head tube all the way to the seat tube. Finally, Bob Marley’s signature is also added to the frame, just to you know, remind you what you’re riding.

Now, I could talk about all the ins and outs of just those two bikes for hours, but there’s more to this collab than that. The third two-wheeler on the list is nothing more than a redesigned Klunker, a bike that lovers of this brand know too well.

For this version, the whole Rastafari feeling couldn’t be missed, except if maybe your eyes are half-shut. After all, the entire frame bears the green, yellow, and red tones of this culture. Accents include a trifecta of icons on the fork, the black lion is now on the seat tube, and Marley’s signature has been moved to the chainstay. While it may seem out of place for this collaboration, the bottle opener the Klunker is known for is also in place.

Yet, for this version, State also throws in a special something-something to spice up your life. I’m talking about that frame bag which, mind you, is crafted out of hemp, just like the saddle too. This is the version of the bicycle that’s designed for those of us looking for an old-school feel, set to the speeds of a single-speed and coaster brake.

That frame bag also opens up our discussion to all the other elements to come out of this collaboration. If you’ve checked out the images in the gallery, you’ll have noticed piece after piece of garment, all aimed at those of use that would proudly display the Rastafari colors.

I’m talking about slim-fit cargo bibs for storing some of your ride essentials, maybe even your stash, jerseys with Bob Marley on them, a couple of T-shirts with Bob once again, you know, doing his thing, cycling caps, and finally, a few other pieces of gear for your bike. The latter products are completed from good old hemp, a material that’s finally seeing some recognition and us on a worldwide level.

Now, all this is going to cost some cash, so what you can expect to find this time around are rates as low as $20 for the cycling caps, up to $69 for the most expensive of two cargo bags, T-shirts for $60, and Klunker for a solid $500. The Road+ bikes are going for a solid $600. Oh, and be sure to check the other pieces of gear whose prices I didn’t mention.