Discussion
Some old school BMX enthusiasts suggested I photograph the parts and build of my new toy, as it goes along. I've posted a few pics elsewhere over the past few weeks but I thought I'd put them all together in one thread from now on.
It all started because ~1982/83 the BMX craze had been around for long enough for me to realise it was here to stay a while (I was ~13yo so anything longer than a month seemed a long time). I never got on with skateboards, and I'd had a succession of "trackers" and eventually a Raleigh Bomber which just wasn't up to the task of jumping etc I wanted. In fact, it wasn't even strong enough to support a reasonably soft landing from a wheelie (the forks bent outwards).
Many of my friends bought Burners but I had a school holiday job which paid me £50/week for 5 full days of graft (delivering drinks around the area - loading and unloading crates from a van into pubs and clubs). It was a vast amount of money but it left me with no holidays at all, so I felt I deserved the best.
Over the course of that year I bought the parts and built up this:
^^^ That's on the 1/4 pipe we built up the side of a friend's house (chap in the background - Jake, if you're reading, how did you convince your parents this was in any way a good idea?).
I'm ashamed to say I'm probably double the weight I was in the following pic (Tuffs temporarily swapped for a pair of Arayas):
Then of course I grew up (grew older maybe - I am yet to grow up), bought a car, and sold the Skyway off to my brother's friend for £50. That was a £500 bike back in the mid 1980s. To think I had that little care for it by the early 1990s makes me realise how short-term my hobbies tend to be.
Selling it is one of a very few things I regret in my life. I'm 42 now, and fat. I returned to cycling to get fit when I was in my late 20's. I bought a Specialized hybrid and tooled around on that at weekends (when I could get someone interested in cycling with me - at my amazingly slow pace). Recently I replaced the Spec with a Whyte hybrid which is easier to keep at a higher speed, so I can keep up with my Saturday cycling club members (keep up from a great distance I might add). And today I finally gave away the Specialized bike to my cousin. Nothing wrong with it but I was damned if I was going to let it go on Ebay for £30.
My Whyte:
It all started because ~1982/83 the BMX craze had been around for long enough for me to realise it was here to stay a while (I was ~13yo so anything longer than a month seemed a long time). I never got on with skateboards, and I'd had a succession of "trackers" and eventually a Raleigh Bomber which just wasn't up to the task of jumping etc I wanted. In fact, it wasn't even strong enough to support a reasonably soft landing from a wheelie (the forks bent outwards).
Many of my friends bought Burners but I had a school holiday job which paid me £50/week for 5 full days of graft (delivering drinks around the area - loading and unloading crates from a van into pubs and clubs). It was a vast amount of money but it left me with no holidays at all, so I felt I deserved the best.
Over the course of that year I bought the parts and built up this:
^^^ That's on the 1/4 pipe we built up the side of a friend's house (chap in the background - Jake, if you're reading, how did you convince your parents this was in any way a good idea?).
I'm ashamed to say I'm probably double the weight I was in the following pic (Tuffs temporarily swapped for a pair of Arayas):
Then of course I grew up (grew older maybe - I am yet to grow up), bought a car, and sold the Skyway off to my brother's friend for £50. That was a £500 bike back in the mid 1980s. To think I had that little care for it by the early 1990s makes me realise how short-term my hobbies tend to be.
Selling it is one of a very few things I regret in my life. I'm 42 now, and fat. I returned to cycling to get fit when I was in my late 20's. I bought a Specialized hybrid and tooled around on that at weekends (when I could get someone interested in cycling with me - at my amazingly slow pace). Recently I replaced the Spec with a Whyte hybrid which is easier to keep at a higher speed, so I can keep up with my Saturday cycling club members (keep up from a great distance I might add). And today I finally gave away the Specialized bike to my cousin. Nothing wrong with it but I was damned if I was going to let it go on Ebay for £30.
My Whyte:
My brother kept sending me Ebay links to Skyway frames and eventually I had enough time at work to browse the BMX Museum, and it led me to putting together a "wish list" of the components needed to make the ultimate Skyway. It was rediculously expensive so I parked that idea for a while.
Then, Dad died, and as a family we resolved to get out more - to go camping and to visit places all over the country. We already had our cycling club (My brother is the founding member) but we also now have young kids. My son now has a little single speed, and he and I go to the local parks for 6-7 miles at a time.
The BMX idea never left my thoughts. We have some great BMX parks in our area but I'd admit I'm too old, fragile, fat and unfit for that sort of thing. But I was great at wheelies, and the Skyway is so nicely balanced for that.
Suddenly this cropped up on Ebay, so I nabbed it:
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Then, Dad died, and as a family we resolved to get out more - to go camping and to visit places all over the country. We already had our cycling club (My brother is the founding member) but we also now have young kids. My son now has a little single speed, and he and I go to the local parks for 6-7 miles at a time.
The BMX idea never left my thoughts. We have some great BMX parks in our area but I'd admit I'm too old, fragile, fat and unfit for that sort of thing. But I was great at wheelies, and the Skyway is so nicely balanced for that.
Suddenly this cropped up on Ebay, so I nabbed it:
One thing led to another. Suddenly my house started to fill up with the sort of components I could only dream about in the 1980s.
My frame and forks, Kashimax Aero copy (an original is £250 and even I'm not that desperate for one), Dia Compe Tech 77 levers (so much better than the Tech 5s I once had), Haro bars (although I suspect there's nothing related to the original Bob Haro in these - they're white though, so suit my requirements), Redline bottom bracket (in preparation for the cranks which are on order), and DMR V8 pedals. I nearly went for the V12s but this bike will get used - pedals get knocked about.
Redline chainwheel (42T - perfect for wheelies), and a rediculously expensive White Industries ENO freewheel (16T):
Tom White white walls. I was tempted by the re-issued Comp IIIs but they probably can't take the sort of pressures a fat man like me needs to keep the rims off the ground. These Tom Whites can take 110psi, and anyway, I'll do 90% of my riding on pavement with the other 10% on relatively hard surface campsites. If it's wet and boggy, I wouldn't use it:
Skyway brake pads and some "Illegal Slic" brake cables in white, to suit the theme:
Helix rear dropout savers, and a KMC stainless chain (still boxed):
My frame and forks, Kashimax Aero copy (an original is £250 and even I'm not that desperate for one), Dia Compe Tech 77 levers (so much better than the Tech 5s I once had), Haro bars (although I suspect there's nothing related to the original Bob Haro in these - they're white though, so suit my requirements), Redline bottom bracket (in preparation for the cranks which are on order), and DMR V8 pedals. I nearly went for the V12s but this bike will get used - pedals get knocked about.
Redline chainwheel (42T - perfect for wheelies), and a rediculously expensive White Industries ENO freewheel (16T):
Tom White white walls. I was tempted by the re-issued Comp IIIs but they probably can't take the sort of pressures a fat man like me needs to keep the rims off the ground. These Tom Whites can take 110psi, and anyway, I'll do 90% of my riding on pavement with the other 10% on relatively hard surface campsites. If it's wet and boggy, I wouldn't use it:
Skyway brake pads and some "Illegal Slic" brake cables in white, to suit the theme:
Helix rear dropout savers, and a KMC stainless chain (still boxed):
Edited by Mars on Saturday 2nd April 20:56
Edited by Mars on Saturday 2nd April 22:44
OHHHH you bugger!!!
I have thought about this myself over the past few years on and off.
I used to have a Raleigh Burner with yellow skyway mags and loved it! That bike and me went everywhere together and eventually it got abused, rough looking before going for scrap
I would love to get something similar again and re-live my youth but the mrs would kill me, i can't afford the asking price of these old skool beasts, i would fall off / hurt myself and finally have no room for one. BUT.......... NO! stop thinking like that.
Good luck with the build and keep the pictures coming!
I have thought about this myself over the past few years on and off.
I used to have a Raleigh Burner with yellow skyway mags and loved it! That bike and me went everywhere together and eventually it got abused, rough looking before going for scrap
I would love to get something similar again and re-live my youth but the mrs would kill me, i can't afford the asking price of these old skool beasts, i would fall off / hurt myself and finally have no room for one. BUT.......... NO! stop thinking like that.
Good luck with the build and keep the pictures coming!
And today my original Suntour stem turned up from Australia (Ebay - I love it). The stem is the first "key" component which allows me to start nailing it together:
There's a generic modern seatpost clamp on the frame too. A Suntour original can be £90 which is just madness.
On order I have:
There's a generic modern seatpost clamp on the frame too. A Suntour original can be £90 which is just madness.
On order I have:
- Skyway Graphites - hoping to see those sometime next week.
- Dia Compe MX1000s (white) - these are NOS and are on back-order. They should be with me in May sometime.
- Redline seatpost - I want one in white but there's no such thing. I'll find someone to strip the chrome off this one and powdercoat it one day.
- Odyssey Aaron Ross handlegrips - on order due next week.
- Tioga Beartrap headset - the one on the frame is a bit old, rusty and worn. On order. Should be here next week.
- Redline Flight cranks - I received a set but they sent me one 175 and one 180 length set so I'm waiting for a set of replacements - hopefully next week.
ROB_GTR said:
OHHHH you bugger!!!
I have thought about this myself over the past few years on and off.
I used to have a Raleigh Burner with yellow skyway mags and loved it! That bike and me went everywhere together and eventually it got abused, rough looking before going for scrap
I would love to get something similar again and re-live my youth but the mrs would kill me, i can't afford the asking price of these old skool beasts, i would fall off / hurt myself and finally have no room for one. BUT.......... NO! stop thinking like that.
Good luck with the build and keep the pictures coming!
Ha, excellent. I have thought about this myself over the past few years on and off.
I used to have a Raleigh Burner with yellow skyway mags and loved it! That bike and me went everywhere together and eventually it got abused, rough looking before going for scrap
I would love to get something similar again and re-live my youth but the mrs would kill me, i can't afford the asking price of these old skool beasts, i would fall off / hurt myself and finally have no room for one. BUT.......... NO! stop thinking like that.
Good luck with the build and keep the pictures coming!
My brother has bought a PK Ripper. His business parter has bought an Aero (which is very similar to the GT Pro). All three of us are looking at a couple of Torkers but I think I'll pass - I have spent a small fortune on this one.
It's bloody addictive.
What you want to do to avoid death-by-Mrs is to buy stuff off Ebay bit at a time, over a long period, and have it sent to your Mom's house so Mrs doesn't know. Built it up in secret in the garage and then one day wheel it out to an announcement that "This is something I found on Ebay for 50 quid, love".
Not that I would.
I'm feeling all light headed...talk of skyway graphites...redline flights... keep it coming dude! Cost is a funny thing, Kashi seats £250, more than the cost of the bike they were fitted to back in the day & yet skyway tuff 2's are only a tenner or so more now than in the 80's. I bought a set around 1986 for £55. I bought a pair 6 months ago for £69.
The TA is a beautiful bike, I remember meeting Craig Campbell at a demo in Bristol when he had a TA, so smooth & clean. Excellent choice for a build!
The stuff that is still in production is proportionally cheaper than it was back then, so things like the Graphites and Flight crank are so cheap I can't help wonder why I didn't buy them back then - but wasn't a Flight crank something like £200 back then? I seem to recall it being a significant percentage of the bike's total.
Anyway, stuff that isn't around now is expensive. Suntour stems are ~£100, Kashimax is sheer madness, and there's a guy on Ebay USA with a set of 4 unused Skyway PRO brake pads (with the round "cooling" fins) for $250, that's about £155.
I was tempted by those, because I had them on my original, but only for a couple of minutes.
There's a lot you can't get but there's remanufacturerd equivalents, like the Odyssey grips which I hope will be an approximation of the Oakley B2s, and Tioga now makes the beartrap headset. The brake calipers are original insofar as their made by Dia Compe but they're new - someone convinced them to start production of them again. I wonder if they'll have the adjustable centring mech of the originals.
Then there's the new kit which is undeniably better than the original stuff we used 30 years ago. Well, it would be better with 30 years of experience/development available, wouldn't it? Tyres, brake levers and brake cables. All new and all a lot better than I used to have. The ENO freewheel is nothing more than an indulgance if I'm honest.
Anyway, stuff that isn't around now is expensive. Suntour stems are ~£100, Kashimax is sheer madness, and there's a guy on Ebay USA with a set of 4 unused Skyway PRO brake pads (with the round "cooling" fins) for $250, that's about £155.
I was tempted by those, because I had them on my original, but only for a couple of minutes.
There's a lot you can't get but there's remanufacturerd equivalents, like the Odyssey grips which I hope will be an approximation of the Oakley B2s, and Tioga now makes the beartrap headset. The brake calipers are original insofar as their made by Dia Compe but they're new - someone convinced them to start production of them again. I wonder if they'll have the adjustable centring mech of the originals.
Then there's the new kit which is undeniably better than the original stuff we used 30 years ago. Well, it would be better with 30 years of experience/development available, wouldn't it? Tyres, brake levers and brake cables. All new and all a lot better than I used to have. The ENO freewheel is nothing more than an indulgance if I'm honest.
Mars said:
The stuff that is still in production is proportionally cheaper than it was back then, so things like the Graphites and Flight crank are so cheap I can't help wonder why I didn't buy them back then - but wasn't a Flight crank something like £200 back then? I seem to recall it being a significant percentage of the bike's total.
Anyway, stuff that isn't around now is expensive. Suntour stems are ~£100, Kashimax is sheer madness, and there's a guy on Ebay USA with a set of 4 unused Skyway PRO brake pads (with the round "cooling" fins) for $250, that's about £155.
I was tempted by those, because I had them on my original, but only for a couple of minutes.
There's a lot you can't get but there's remanufacturerd equivalents, like the Odyssey grips which I hope will be an approximation of the Oakley B2s, and Tioga now makes the beartrap headset. The brake calipers are original insofar as their made by Dia Compe but they're new - someone convinced them to start production of them again. I wonder if they'll have the adjustable centring mech of the originals.
Then there's the new kit which is undeniably better than the original stuff we used 30 years ago. Well, it would be better with 30 years of experience/development available, wouldn't it? Tyres, brake levers and brake cables. All new and all a lot better than I used to have. The ENO freewheel is nothing more than an indulgance if I'm honest.
funny, this is the exact same dilemma people face when restoring cars isn't it? where do you draw the line in the sand between originality and usability/improvement?Anyway, stuff that isn't around now is expensive. Suntour stems are ~£100, Kashimax is sheer madness, and there's a guy on Ebay USA with a set of 4 unused Skyway PRO brake pads (with the round "cooling" fins) for $250, that's about £155.
I was tempted by those, because I had them on my original, but only for a couple of minutes.
There's a lot you can't get but there's remanufacturerd equivalents, like the Odyssey grips which I hope will be an approximation of the Oakley B2s, and Tioga now makes the beartrap headset. The brake calipers are original insofar as their made by Dia Compe but they're new - someone convinced them to start production of them again. I wonder if they'll have the adjustable centring mech of the originals.
Then there's the new kit which is undeniably better than the original stuff we used 30 years ago. Well, it would be better with 30 years of experience/development available, wouldn't it? Tyres, brake levers and brake cables. All new and all a lot better than I used to have. The ENO freewheel is nothing more than an indulgance if I'm honest.
Mars said:
but wasn't a Flight crank something like £200 back then? stuff that isn't around now is expensive.
I remember redline flights at about £180, & skyway graphites were £250ish? Totally out of the question for your average 13 year old Burner rider whos bike cost about £100.And as mentioned, things that either broke or were bad quality crap back in the day now fetch higher prices as most people replaced them. For my ET build I needed a tech 2 brake lever, they were really uncomfortable & I remember upgrading them for tech 3s in the 80's so now tech 2s are harder to find so command a higher price. You end up paying more for an inferior item!
Y282 said:
funny, this is the exact same dilemma people face when restoring cars isn't it? where do you draw the line in the sand between originality and usability/improvement?
I have no real interest in historical accuracy - and funnily enough that's how I've approached my cars too..!!I want it to feel the same insofar as the balance of the bike for wheelies, the amount of effort required for braking, the ratio of the gearing, etc. Then I'm after making some visual improvements - I've gone off the CW bars over the years, and I've really switched onto this white colour. Finally, I'm largely ignorant of the modern stuff but I think that's because it has no real identity. So I'm sticking with a Redline crank and Graphites because they represent the best of "what was".
splodge s4 said:
I remember redline flights at about £180, & skyway graphites were £250ish? Totally out of the question for your average 13 year old Burner rider whos bike cost about £100.
Even in the context of my Skyway which, back then, cost ~£500 they were both out of the question.splodge s4 said:
And as mentioned, things that either broke or were bad quality crap back in the day now fetch higher prices as most people replaced them. For my ET build I needed a tech 2 brake lever, they were really uncomfortable & I remember upgrading them for tech 3s in the 80's so now tech 2s are harder to find so command a higher price. You end up paying more for an inferior item!
The Tech 2 was the one with the two cut-outs for your fingers weren't they? I never got on with them. The angle off the handlebar was too extreme and I could never understand why people would choose them.But I take it that, unlike me, you ARE going for historical accuracy? I can appreciate that. In fact, if I happened to be around the local skatepark (and didn't get arrested for being around a group of children), that would stick out like a beacon whereas the modern bikes just fade into the background. They really have no identity.
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