Wally Watkins TRM tribute build *FINISHED*

[Ady]

Coming along nicely Ady! A little tip when doing stuff like those chainwheels...use fineline masking tape first to get the line, it's far easier to use. you may be able to get it in Halfords but a car body repair supplier is best bet. you will see what i mean if you don't already know what it is...

Thanks mate coming along sweet..

Yes used this product before but couldn’t be arsed too get some to be honest 
Luckily this chainwheel had a lip , so I carefully followed this lip using this spare masking tape but cut small slits to allow for the curve.
Was a bit time consuming but therapeutic at the same time

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[Ady]

This has been my most enjoyable , emotional, satisfying build to date, I have put my heart ❣  and soul into this one.

I’ve waited patiently for 33 yrs for this to happen , finally ..FINALLY.. finished my grail bike.

What you see is exactly to spec what my mate “Wally” Watkins pulled up on in the summer of 1984 ,
Just a few weeks after getting my Rebel freestyle pro.

I would like to say special big thank-you to Simon ( Cherrypicker ) for all your help and input for this build, to be honest if it wasn’t for you with our random email on eBay , this wouldn’t have never ever happened.

This build has brought back so many great memories especially for both of us , myself blasting around without a care in the world with no fear on our home made ramps down the docks with my mate Wally.

It’s been emotional.

Cherrypicker in 1985









Present day Dec 2018
(Took me most of the afternoon to find this exact location of the original pic on this large housing estate  )



1. 1984 TRM U.K. made 1 of a 1000 , 531 Reynolds chrome tubing frame and forks. Previous owners Simon of Birmingham , Nick Baines and Daves both from Weston Super Mare.
2. CW super minty original bars ( from waxintaxin )
3. Sugino power stem chrome (refurbed stash)
4. Blue Tange 125 headset (stash)
5. Tange SK-115 SEIKO grips (NOS Stash)
6. Dia Comp tech 3 84 dated levers chrome (NOS stash)
7. Dia Compe 84 dated black front & rear brake cables (From Brummie)
8. Dia Compe 84 dated Mx 1000 front & rear with NOS stamped brake pads & dia comp bolt caps (rear traded a gold for red off Cherrypicker) refurb stash
9. Aero stem pad Original part off “Wally’s original bike” (a gift off Cherrypicker)
10. Aeroyal Bmx junior seat white (NOS from eBay USA)
11. GT winged blue and chrome minty seat clamp (bmx museum USA)
12. 4130 stamped chrome layback seatpost (stash)
13. Sugino stamped 1PC super minty (From taipan)
14. Shimano DX 1/2 Pedals (Cherrypicker refurbed)
15. Pro Class Power Disc in original condition blue (Bmx Museum USA)
16. Sugino 46t 110BCD chainwheel and bolts (Bmx Museum USA refurbed)
17. Tioga sealed bottom bracket 1PC BB-220 SB with stamped Tioga spanner (NOS Stash)
18. Shimano stamped front and rear coaster hubs (NOS ebay)
19. Araya 7x minty with stainless spokes (refurbed stash)
20. Kenda white wall 20x1.75 Freestyle tyres (New ebay)
21. TRM stamped dust caps (50 th Birthday Gift Cherrypicker)

[Ady]

Finally at home with a good old friend , my old girl original bike , ‘84 Rebel freestyler











 















In the stable




Sad is I am but every night this week I just cannot stop looking at her before I go to bed, my missus chuckles “are you going too tuck them in “.. 

[deeman]

Looks way cool Ady! More like the bikes everyone used to ride bitd....i love the fact it has been reunited with your Rebel! 
Is it as light as it looks??

[factory pilot]

Ady this build and build thread is outstanding!
Rad hasn’t seen anything this good for along while! Thanks for taking the time to share all this journey with us mate!
I love all the resto stuff... people need to see what can be done to keep this hobby alive! Old parts CAN be brought back to life!
An amazing story .. and 2 great bikes! WOW!
That TRM just screams 84 UK BMX to me.. the bars, the tyres, the OPC, the DX...
A bike I love now and would have loved then!
 
Thanks dude!
EPIC 

[Ady]

Ady these build and build thread is outstanding!
Rad hasn’t seen anything this good for along while! Thanks for taking the time to share all this journey with us mate!
I love all the resto stuff... people need to see what can be done to keep this hobby alive! Old parts CAN be brought back to life!
An amazing story .. and 2 great bikes! WOW!
That TRM just screams 84 UK BMX to me.. the bars, the tyres, the OPC, the DX...
A bike I love now and would have loved then!
 
Thanks dude!
EPIC 

Mate..
I had chills reading the above 
I Loved every second of this build .
It’s a shame my mate Wally cannot see this build ..
Thanks bud 

[Cherrypicker]

So glad to have played a small part in this build, it epitomises our time - when freestyle kicked off for us in a small seaside town. Only a handful of kids who didn’t have catalogue bikes and we stripped and modified the bikes as we could afford or swap with others. Wally (Lee Watkins) was one of the major players, although personally I think Shane Taylor was better - sorry to embarrass you Shane if you’re on here. Wally always had a shaved head and a massive grin on his face - and always seemed to wear a big thick sheepskin coat with the collar turned up. What he could do on that TRM used to make my chin drop. What Ady has put together is pretty much spot on to the bike I got from Wally in 85’, although of course Wally had thrashed the buggery out of it. It’s so amazing to see it again. I adopted the Aeroyal mini and had one on my next 4-5 bikes too. The TRM has its lovers and haters, but you could line up all the Haros and GTs etc. and I’d still take the TRM. Fantastic Ady, thanks for sharing this 

[Ady]

So glad to have played a small part in this build, it epitomises our time - when freestyle kicked off for us in a small seaside town. Only a handful of kids who didn’t have catalogue bikes and we stripped and modified the bikes as we could afford or swap with others. Wally (Lee Watkins) was one of the major players, although personally I think Shane Taylor was better - sorry to embarrass you Shane if you’re on here. Wally always had a shaved head and a massive grin on his face - and always seemed to wear a big thick sheepskin coat with the collar turned up. What he could do on that TRM used to make my chin drop. What Ady has put together is pretty much spot on to the bike I got from Wally in 85’, although of course Wally had thrashed the buggery out of it. It’s so amazing to see it again. I adopted the Aeroyal mini and had one on my next 4-5 bikes too. The TRM has its lovers and haters, but you could line up all the Haros and GTs etc. and I’d still take the TRM. Fantastic Ady, thanks for sharing this 

Your input into this build has been amazing mate , taking your own time finding these parts , too even going with myself too collect this bike in Brum..
Lee was very skilled on that TRM and on a crosser was a complete nutter blasting on the fields where the home view leisure center is now and on the docks.
I remember Shane on his yellow Gt Performer with his home mate quarter pipe in his garden, he used to get such big air that he would clear the guttering on top of the roof.
Myself I would hang out down the YMCA patch outside practicing or having freestyle competition with who ever would arrive to take me on  or down the water park in Cadoxton jumping off the bus shelter and walls 
We once did a freestyle show at Romily Park at Scouts show with Gordon Hawkins and unfortunately cannot remember the other guys name . We had two ramps and we great time entertaining the public , we even got into the local paper.
We made our own bmx track as the local community council wouldn’t build one, we had a great summer blasting around.
Till one weekend around autumn time , we arrived too see in completely flattened by a bulldozer for a new housings estate which is called Lundy park today .
Great times..

[Ady]

Looks way cool Ady! More like the bikes everyone used to ride bitd....i love the fact it has been reunited with your Rebel! 
Is it as light as it looks??

It is super light , my rebel is so much heavier compared too the TRM.
I be honest, my Rebel is much more solid with larger dropouts and beefed up frame.
I don’t think the TRM would have taken the same abuse as the Rebel.
It’s look very fragile especially the dropouts are tiny..

[Ady]

Just weighed the TRM and my Rebel.

TRM= 11.4 Ibs

Rebel = 12 Ibs

As a comparison my Haro Gen 1 Sport is 12.1 Ibs
Not too bad taking into account the graphite tuffs.
The TRM could’ve been a bit lighter as the rear coaster brake is heavy .

[Ady]

Shocked by how light they are compared too new schools which are around 26 Ibs which they need to be nowadays.
The old school wouldn’t last two minutes with today’s abuse.
Just looking through an old mag Cherrypicker gifted me.
The TRM was 6.1 Ibs the same weight as a pk Ripper.
The Skyway TA was the lightest weighting 5.12 Ibs
Checkout the prices 
The Quadangle was super pricey

[NORTY40]

Great thread Ady , enjoyed reading that from start to finish 

Its good to see RADsters doing the resto work instead of going out buying new/mint parts or paying other professionals to do it for you . You done good mate 

Both builds scream 80's BMX 

[welsh denny]

Another rad build Ady.
I see a Shane Taylor mentioned in some of the later comments- in our Cardiff Over 40's crew that ride regulary we have a Shane Taylor who still rides his Gt from back in the day. Chrome with yellow tuffs. About 50 so could be the same guy.
Surprised our paths never crossed back in the 80's as I was local to the shops Tom Martin and Dragon Wheels in Cardiff.

[bobafett]

What a great build thread - missed it first time round.

Great story, great resto, great build.... Nice one 

[Cherrypicker]

Another rad build Ady.
I see a Shane Taylor mentioned in some of the later comments- in our Cardiff Over 40's crew that ride regulary we have a Shane Taylor who still rides his Gt from back in the day. Chrome with yellow tuffs. About 50 so could be the same guy.
Surprised our paths never crossed back in the 80's as I was local to the shops Tom Martin and Dragon Wheels in Cardiff.

That’s him bud. Raddest lad in the Vale, still riding too 

[raddad]

Glad you didn't keep it short Ady!
Brilliant thread, what this site is all about, and terrific work too. Bravo!

J

[Ady]

Glad you didn't keep it short Ady!
Brilliant thread, what this site is all about, and terrific work too. Bravo!

J

Thanks J..
And get your arse into gear to finally build your super minty Haro freestyler gen2 built   

[Nick Baines]

That was my old frame. I've been speaking to Simon Richards. I had it rechromed and built it as a tribute to Derrick Owens

Here are a few pics of the frame and forks .
Plus Simon’s bike originally before he let her go..













And the man himself in 86 Young Cherrypicker