Red Star Cycles

Red Star Cycles Born in 2007, Red Star is the creation of owner/ sole operator, John Baldwin in Poland, Maine, USA. Custom bicycles=our passion!
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Drawing on limitless inspiration, creativity and decades of professional experience, "rust (is) transmuted to gold." please make an appointment by reaching out via fb messenger or by texting 207-7onethree-2four2three
thanks! �

Ashley came to me like a lot of you fine folks are lately, by word of mouth! Because that's how undoubtedly high quality...
06/11/2026

Ashley came to me like a lot of you fine folks are lately, by word of mouth! Because that's how undoubtedly high quality work gets out there? Because word of mouth is the only genuine currency in our advertising ravaged minds? Because this is a gratefully busy as heck spring season and yours truly barely has time for most things , which should include facebook?
Ehh, how 'bout all three.
Ashley is participating in the Tri for a Cure and wanted her hybrid running like a top for her training sessions. Turns out her bike needed a complete tune-up✅ ️drivetrain clean ✅️ and tires that were the same size✅️✅️
How about an under-seat bag with a flat kit and a demo on how to swap out a punctured tube✅️✅️✅️
Event-provided mechanical inspection checklist competed and stamped with the official sigil ✅️. (I have a bunch of these checklists printed out now, in case you misplaced yours)
Red Star was her one-stop shop for all of it. It's yours too!

Coming into this charity ride season without a bike?
I have... a lot. I especially have a lot of entry level/ nice road bikes at bargain prices (not everyone rides gravel, yet). I will slowly be posting new bikes but I have had so much success with presenting the customer with a ton of options for me to start from rather than, "how about this one I unboxed, it's your size."
But maybe I'd have a LOT more of that aforementioned precious time if I did subscribe to the latter business model 😄

Have a bike you maybe got at a swap, on marketplace, or from the shed covered in spider egg sacks? Maybe it doesn't work so hot? I can give you a free estimate on what it'll take to make it safe and enjoyable to ride.

Hey!Did you know there's a charity ride benefitting ALS going on right now in Southern Maine?I didn't!Thankfully for Eli...
06/01/2026

Hey!
Did you know there's a charity ride benefitting ALS going on right now in Southern Maine?
I didn't!
Thankfully for Elizabeth (all the way from Michigan), her support team was hip to the shop and came by for a quick tube change and a couple of adjustments to help her on her way.
My shop will also be running support at the rest area held in the Poland Community School on 26 for this fast approaching Trek Across Maine!
Related: I'm thinking about offering flat demos as a scheduled event. If anyone has interest, please reach out!
Also thinking of starting a very relaxed party pace sundown group loop around Tripp Lake here with a mix of 60% paved, 25% "paved", 15% gravel. Beautiful views, minimal climbs (McGuire Hill is certainly a climb, but it's no drop and the view from the top is first class).

Dave rides bikes, a LOT.Like, 20,000 miles annually a lot.So he came out to the shop for an alternate bike to divvy up t...
05/14/2026

Dave rides bikes, a LOT.
Like, 20,000 miles annually a lot.
So he came out to the shop for an alternate bike to divvy up the wear-and-tear punishment.
He prefers a frame size one larger than he might be officially recommended ✅️
He wants to be able to attack pavement and unpaved roads at a 70/30 rate respectively ✅️
He needs a bike that looks unique ✅️
His main rig is in the shop now while Dave puts this tangerine dream through it's paces. His main bike is another gravel rig built to withstand miles and miles of abuse. I told him I'd start stocking a shelf of drivetrain/ brake/ wear components JUST for him. With the amount of miles he eats up (55-60/ day), he's going to need them!

My schedule is pretty slammed at the moment, even if it is the "off-season." All this bike building and component overh...
03/07/2026

My schedule is pretty slammed at the moment, even if it is the "off-season." All this bike building and component overhauling on my end has made me an increasingly popular guy to reach out to. My schedule is also pretty slammed for reasons I'll have to elaborate on later this coming week 😀
Increasingly customers know I have fancy vintage Italian parts, both in showroom-quality, painstakingly overhauled condition and "inbox" quality as they are when removed from a recent trade-in. Pretty much every customer I've had in recent memory who was looking for parts did not leave empty-handed (and usually more full-handed than they may have anticipated.)
Customers know I build cool restomods, dropbar converted/ wheelsize converted/ disc brake converted expressions of love for the history, material culture and aesthetic of the bicycle. The oft mass-produced bicycle, surviving long enough to see it's 26" wheeled, rigid, rim brake identity phase in and out of desirability over ~40 years.
AAnyway... Lars' outgoing order here will be a source for a very classy vintage road bike as a "first build" project with his Dad 🥲
I love supplying the increasingly rare components and being able to offer suggestions and guidance when needed during the concept stage.
Campy cranks, bottom bracket, and pedals. Fancy Brooks saddle and complimentary sigil stickers en route! Happy building 😊

"Explain How!"
03/02/2026

"Explain How!"

Kids have the ideal cyclist mindset.When I plan out a build and sometimes overthink gearing, weight reduction, upgrades ...
02/21/2026

Kids have the ideal cyclist mindset.
When I plan out a build and sometimes overthink gearing, weight reduction, upgrades and additions it's super easy to get lost in the minutiae and data of the planning stage.
When the average consumer overthinks a new bike purchase they are inundated with industry-fed bullplop marketing and chase marginal gains they attach ardent meaning to when in reality it's tech meant for pros and sold to whoever.
Kids do not care about any of that.
"Daddy, can we ride bikes up and down the street?! 😺"
Absolutely.
Nothing beats building a bike for a kid who appreciates the inherent fun and freedom granted by this simple machine, largely unchanged since the late nineteenth century.
Be more like a kid. Ride yer dang bike 😀

Connor is stoked on his custom fatbike!The freeze/ thaw of late is doing SOME work to firm up the trails around the farm...
02/18/2026

Connor is stoked on his custom fatbike!
The freeze/ thaw of late is doing SOME work to firm up the trails around the farm here in Poland, as is our daily family snowshoe expeditions and two running snowmobiles thanks to the expert help of Jon Dillingham
I'm sold out of fatbikes at the moment, though I may sell my personal fatbike mid-winter as is the custom. Probably time to start building entry level road bikes and gravel bikes for the spring.

Address

90 Tripp Lake Camp Road
Poland, ME
04274

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 2pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm

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