|
Post by spud on Dec 9, 2023 16:58:04 GMT -8
Timewise, in 1972 i was ten. At that time the social scene for my crew was bicycling, and had been that way since i got my first stingray, maybe 67. I lived in pheonix az, which wasnt cali, but it was close. As kids we were heavily influenced by older kids, and stunt riding was simply what we did, because it was what they did. And in order to move up the food chain of coolness, you had to have all the balls it took to do all the ridiculous shit the fuzznuts dared you to do. Because if you didnt you were a baby. And nobody wanted to be cut out of the shit the big brothers and big kids were up too. But anyways we didnt know better, we were just doing what we could to have fun, and immitate the big kids, and the kids that had “ motors” which was what kids called motorcycles back then and there. So we were out on the vacant lots and desert acreage, getting tore up on out bikes. Crashing into cactus and jolla and shit. Bmx was not a term yet, but we were doing it. We drag raced too. The big kids did that on backstreets and on the avenues sometimes. We were just kids but we emulated our tv heros. On bikes. So in about 72, a movie called “ on any sunday” came out, and i saw it and it blew my mind. Kids doing what we were doing on the big screen, and wham it took off. At that time the bmx thinking cap went on high. We were butchering bikes, taking handlebars from mx motorcycles. Getting dads and uncles to weld stuff up, we were hacking frames, Whatever our hair brains could cone up with. West coast kids were ahead of us and had bikes with shocks and stuff. By 74 al manner of trick stuff was about. Yamaha and suzuki had bikes out. There were bikes with monoshocks. Organized bmx was all over the west. I moved to dallas in 74. The kids out here were behind the times. They were a tough bunch though, and i found plenty of sport here, the terrain was very different for bike riding. It was hilly and a workout. Bmx was not a player here quite yet, but the kids were bold and not boring and i had a group of thrillseekers to run wild with in no time. Lots of motorcross action here, with motorcycles and tracks all over. Bmx was just about to hit pretty big here, and it was starting to happen as a sodeline for kids at motocross tracks. Tracks were cutting in dedicated bmx runs for the kids. By 75 i had a fmf frame fork and bars i bought through the mail from cali and the illness had taken root. I was 13. I started seeing a few parts in bike shops, and a couple mongoose bikes were starting to show up. By the time i was a freshman in high school in 76 i was wheeling a serious all out lightweight bmx machine, and thought i was cool. But NOPE. Not in high school. So i wasnt cool. I could still outride the douchebags. Lol. I bought my first car in 79. But i couldnt stop riding. I loved it too much. I figured who cares. Still a geek. Nothing new. Maybe it took a little longer for bmx to get to the east i dunno. I had a subscription to bmx action and figured it was an accepted way of life. Same as skateboarding. Which was another part of our lives.
|
|
|
Post by Captain Awesome on Dec 9, 2023 20:48:50 GMT -8
Hutch buddy just stopped out here tonight. That rarely happens. Wild. I shoulda ask him what year he got his MagScrambler. Cause thats when I first heard of BMX. Before that we raced, jumped, see who could skid the furthest locking up the Coaster bake and did wheelies with Banana seat Bikes.
|
|
|
Post by amxdreamer on Dec 10, 2023 0:19:16 GMT -8
Not sure what the new "good" brands are Joe. I just wanted something to cruise the campsite with grandkids and this one I got for 15 bucks in a facebook bidding group. I handed her 20 bucks and threw it in my truck! I spent more on the new grips! lol
I'd love to find a 24" Ripper etc. but again they are worth so much now that taking them camping starts to not make sense
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 10, 2023 6:36:08 GMT -8
A good mountainbike ( mtb )is a helluva good investmant compared to what a 24” bmx cruiser will cost you. I have a small trek marlin that has been one helluva durable bike. Its got zillions of miles. I got it slightly used for 200 bux. Fantastic machine. I wrecked the front wheel, and it has an oddball wheel now, but thats just how it goes. I also won a snap on fat tire bike . Yeah i had to buy a bunch of raffle tickets so it wasnt free by any stretch of the imagination. Its also a great bike. I take it too the beach. Its a blast on wet sand. It actually goes pretty good through dry sand. Fat tire bikes are good in mud , snow, loose and rough terrain. The tires absorb the shock you get through the seat and bars and are a much easier ride than a skinny tire bike. Thats another reason they call mountain bikes mtb’s … it stands for “ mid tire bike” a bike with tires fatter than a skinny tire road bike. But skinnier than a fat tire bike. I ride the fat tire evrrywhere. Its a decent road machine, but its gives you a heavier workout, and is much more comfortable on your joints with less road jarring abuse. It seems to get about the same amont of tire punctures so no big deal there. I also have a trek “ farley” model. Its geared lower, is very light. Its got better geometry. I am very picky about it. It was super expensive. I use it for cruising. I dont like getting it dirty. It stays in my bedroom. I like looking at it a lot🤣it has a bad habit of getting punctures. But it looks really cool. Nobody has these bikes so its fun. Both my fat tire bikes have sprung forks that you can flip a lever to make solid. A nice feature for when your up cranking on the pedals, going up a hill or rough terrain. The farley is a helluva mountain goat with great traction an super low gearing, it rides over sand, gravel and loose dirt piles with ease. Havent had the chance to snow ride it. Mostly i take the snap on for dirty fun . I hate getting sand in the farley. Its such a masterpiece. Trek’s are works of art and great bikes for the money.
|
|
|
Post by hurst390 on Dec 10, 2023 9:15:57 GMT -8
I was always too fat to be any good at the bmx racing. I tried though. I ended up buying some rollers to ride the torker on and lost alot of weight that way. By then they had closed the local track and we didnt really race anymore. But my buddy Mike Campbell and I built some trails to ride in our hometown of Argenta by the railroad tracks. Mike still has his PK and a supergoose he started out on.I still have mine in pieces and still have the rollers. Mike Lummer built trails in Decatur that were pro level. We would ride there on weekends(about 10 miles) to ride his stuff that was constantly evolving. By the late 80's very early 90 I think his were leveled to finish building houses in that area. Met alot of people through the BMX scene I'm still friends with today. Most are into the cars now. I have some pictures from back then I'll have to find.
Mike Campbell still rides a mountain bike in events all over. High dollar bike. And I thought the bmx stuff was high dollar. His is mostly carbon fiber I believe. I'm pretty sure he has 5 figures in it.
|
|
|
Post by hurst390 on Dec 10, 2023 9:27:04 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 10, 2023 9:38:22 GMT -8
All out race level bikes can be insanely high, but plenty of folks race much more moderate hardware. It like that no matter the sport. I havent seen a supergoose in at least 40 years. That would be a very retro classic cruiser to have. You have to keep an eye out for them, and be into the hobby , but there are clubs and events for bikes. There are classic bmx, classic schwinn clubs, raliegh, all kinds of clubs and rides,cruises , swaps, shows, for old bikes. Vids on you tube of past events… I had a weight problem myself. I could never gain any. Apparantly i had a high metabolism. Biking will surely burn it off. I still eat like a racehorse with little consequence. I have slowed down alot in the past couple years. The last crash i had hurt my right shoulder. I might be changing careers soon. Truck wrenching has become hard and painfull.
|
|
|
Post by Captain Awesome on Dec 10, 2023 10:48:53 GMT -8
We had a Dirt Track out in Darlington Pa called "Fisher of Boys" of all things. It was a Church. We were ignorant to the Touchie Touchie aspect of that name.Oh to be young and Niave again. lol
Anywho, they shut the track down the Winter my Buddy got his Hutch. He raced his Scrambler a year or 2?. He did good. Always 2nd or 3rd place on that Tank of a bike....Then up he graded and didn't have a local Track. Except for North and South Park in Pittsburgh. I think those were both indoor, wooden ramps and all that....he didn't like it... We were "farm area Boys" Dirt was the way. You can pull up an aerial of that track and still see where it was......
Up above his house, in the field, someone went to build a house, dug out for the foundation and gave up. We'd go up there and Jump....
We had a huge hill that I broke my frame on in the strip Mines on Thompson Run RD..... Over where the Bigfoot sightings were....
Then over by Morrow's (two Brother who rode with us, oldest one was my best BMX buddy, younger one hated my guts lol), they built a little track in the Strip Mine across from their House.... Then we had bug Jumps at a place Called "Millies" by the Drive in Theater, Spotlight 88. The Tornado tore that place up, then eventually the owners of the land flattened Millies out a lot and built a Grocery store there.... We really had some great times. We had a lot of Hills in Western Pa, so it was great for BMX....
|
|
|
Post by n2ojoe on Dec 10, 2023 11:41:13 GMT -8
I can't believe how rough the plastics on the right side of this bike are. They must have suffered from extended UV damage facing the windows of the sun room all these years. I was hoping for a quick respray in the SEM white, but instead I'm have a relaxing day with a few brews and spot putty/high build primer, sanding these parts back into shape. 20231210_143533 by Joe Pinsoneault, on Flickr
|
|
|
Post by 69Rebel on Dec 10, 2023 12:44:44 GMT -8
A friend gave me an older Trek commuter. Pretty nice to ride on pavement or gravel. Probably the only complaint with it is the twist type shifters. I also bought a new upper entry level Giant that I like pretty well.
|
|
|
Post by hurst390 on Dec 10, 2023 12:56:14 GMT -8
I still have all my BMX magazines in storage. I need to do something with that stuff.
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 10, 2023 13:29:08 GMT -8
Dammit joe made us all go nuts. Fuck this i’m making a beer run to drown my old age sorrows🤣
|
|
|
Post by n2ojoe on Dec 11, 2023 7:21:38 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 11, 2023 8:29:03 GMT -8
Lol. Its christmas bro! Wait till january🤣
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 11, 2023 11:01:28 GMT -8
Uh oh. I can buy a schwinn krate sting ray brand new from amazon. Its not loaded up like the original, its missing the five speed and caliper brakes, and sprung banana seat. But for around 500 you can buy a new krate. Probably chinese but it looks awesome.
|
|