RADBMX.CO.UK
Old School BMX 1980 - 1988 => Old School Freestyle (frame stands and kickturns galore!) => Topic started by: deeman on August 08, 2011, 10:19 AM
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Hi,my name is Damian from Watford,37 years old.Recently got the urge for an old school bmx after attending bug jam this year and probably,like most people,i wanted the bike i had as a kid,a PR RACING STYLER.i bought the frame and forks secondhand when i was about 11 years old,from Mud Machine in croydon.the fella in the shop told me it was a prototype that never got released.I never had confirmation of this but as i never ever saw anyone else who had one i was inclined to believe him.It wasnt actually my first bmx,that was a DRAGON FREESTYLER,purchased from wheels cycles in dunstable, a HEAVY taiwanese frame which was white,built up with black ogk's,but just too heavy,hence we bought the PR frame and forks.My father and i built the bike up beautifully with white acorn freestyle mags,haro white tyres,mx 901/880s,spinner etc etc.it was my proudest possesion as a kid and i spent hours riding it.Anyway,as the story goes i ended up selling the whole bike for 75 notes when i was 13 or 14 to finance a new skateboard which i had gotten far more interested in as i found it physically easier to do.I always regretted selling that bike and wished i still had it for years.A friend told me about this site a couple of months ago and i have been in awe of most of the bikes on here since and i resigned myself to the fact that i was never going to find my old PR Styler and the search began to find another one of my iconic heroes from bitd i.e an 84 pro performer,redline RL-20 etc.always liked the GTs but in the back of my mind i knew my old PR was a nicer bike.Imagine how i felt a few days ago when scouring ebay i simply put PR Racing into the search more for the hell of it,not expecting anything to come up,and there before my eyes was a spanking new PR Styler Frame and fork set being sold by a friend of then comany director Peter Rose' family.apparently they had a few frames in storage from back in the day.I nearly shat myself with excitement and felt 12 yrs old all of a sudden!i was pacing round my living room,didnt know what to do with myself!anyway long and short of it i won the frame last night for 296 quid after fierceish bidding,i would have payed a grand for it i had to have it!!!cant wait to start building the bike,probably going to take a while to afford the rest of bits.i was wondering if anyone else has owned a PR Styler in the past or still owns one(maybe my old one!!),or even knows anyone who has one, and if anyone has any pics i can look at for inspiration'the only one i have ever seen built up was my own,anyway heres a few of the frame,note:virgin dropouts lol(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/driftvid014.jpg)
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Welcome to the Site Damian and good luck with the build :daumenhoch:
I cant wait to see some pics of it :daumenhoch:
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thanks very much,stoked to know other people share the same interest!thought i would mention the PR frames were made of T45 aircraft aluminium,same as the curtis frames,i dont know if that is a good or bad thing'mine certainly never broke but then i was a 12 year old kid!!i am going to build the bike to same kind of spec as i had bitd but with maybe one or two bits i couldnt afford then i.e redline cranks!the spec list should read something like this:
acorn freestyle mags with coaster(although will probably go with tuffs)
acs spinner
dia compe mx901/880 brakes with tech 77 locking levers
ame grips
prob tuf neck stem/seatclamp
redline 3 pc cranks
those are the definites anyway,i am unsure about what bars to use yet.i had a pair of halford team wilson race bars on mine bitd but will probably go for something a bit more freestyle orientated this time,maybe old pro performer bar??also i used to have a skyway hot seat on mine but cant seem to find them now?anyone got one?know where i can get one?any help appreciated!
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(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/bike004.jpg)(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/bike005.jpg)
O.K,its starting to resemble a bike now!the spec so far reads:
white repro tuffs
white panaracer freestyle tires
polished tuf neck stem
profile retro cranks 175 mm
polished donut seatclamp
chrome kkt lightnings
mx901/fs880 with tech77 lockers
chrome sugino 44t
parts to follow are:
potts bolt and ACS rotor
green dc brake cables
white ame rounds
forklifter style bars(chrome of course!)
im stoked on the progress so far,just wish i could afford for it to be quicker!my impatience has not got any better in 25 years!im hoping im going to get a chance to ride it before summer is out!
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was'nt there one of these just sold stickered up as a curtis on ebay ?.
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lol fookin thing was in the thread under this one :crazy2:
http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=131970.0
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I have a funny feeling these were actually made by Brian Curtis but I'm old and forget a lot these days... however, there has been about 50 threads on this very bike or one similar on here over the last few weeks.
Curtis or not, that is a cracking bike and you are building it just how you want it so well done. Try and ride the bloody thing as it is a very unusual looking bike and probably never had a factory spec, so it's a blank canvass for you to put whatever parts you want onto it :daumenhoch:
Oh, and Robbo has just put a set of white Ami Rounds up for sale for £7 so be quick if you need them bud :shocked:
Spen
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That's a really nice looking frame!
T45 is a steel alloy though, not aluminium.
Should make a great bike when it is all done. Never seen one before!
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I have a funny feeling these were actually made by Brian Curtis but I'm old and forget a lot these days... however, there has been about 50 threads on this very bike or one similar on here over the last few weeks.
Curtis or not, that is a cracking bike and you are building it just how you want it so well done. Try and ride the bloody thing as it is a very unusual looking bike and probably never had a factory spec, so it's a blank canvass for you to put whatever parts you want onto it :daumenhoch:
Oh, and Robbo has just put a set of white Ami Rounds up for sale for £7 so be quick if you need them bud :shocked:
Spen
The frames were indeed made by Curtis when the company was just 'CURTIS'.There have been a number of related threads,a bit confusing!the thread 'curtis on ebay' was started by bruggers when this frame first appeared on ebay.I started this thread when i won the frame.There has also been one recently started by the seller of a complete bike with a similar 'BRIAN CURTIS FRAMES' frame,titled it think 'BRIAN CURTIS T45 Tubing in 1984'.To clarify,my frame is unique to PR RACING and is not a restickered BRIAN CURTIS FRAME!the BRIAN CURTIS frames are SIMILAR to this one,it looks as if he used the basic geometry from my frame but played around a bit,there are still major differences!PR only ever sold frames so no factory spec,happy days! im simply building the bike as near as damn it to how i used to have it bitd just with all the tasty bits i couldnt afford back then i.e cranks(i still cant afford them now!!)dont worry,i fully intend to ride it,i cant wait!!
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Very nice so far, can't wait to see this fully built.
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BOTM future contender......looking nice :daumenhoch:
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:4_17_5:
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That's a really nice looking frame!
T45 is a steel alloy though, not aluminium.
Should make a great bike when it is all done. Never seen one before!
thanks man,the only other one ive ever seen was my old one!according to the man from PR only 20 framesets were made.His son had one,i wonder what happened to the other 18'the minute its built ill post a pic of the one handed endo!!
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That's a savage seat tube angle.
Hope there won't be a layback on there!
It's almost TRM laid back!!
Building that childhood freestyle bike that no one remembers rules.
I did the same.
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awesome lookin f/f :daumenhoch:
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That's a savage seat tube angle.
Hope there won't be a layback on there!
It's almost TRM laid back!!
Building that childhood freestyle bike that no one remembers rules.
I did the same.
lol,yea,its kinda steep!,keeps the frame compact!(i think the top tube measures 16.5"!)no will be running a straight post,not into laybacks.i just couldnt turn this down when i came across it,it had to be mine,whatever the price!i was getting ready to sell my car cheap if bidding got too silly!thats how much i had to have it.i just never thought id have the opportunity again.STOKED!
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I know the feeling mate!
Looking forward to seeing this completed, and you aboard it doing some endos.
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nice mate :)
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loveing the look of the build mate keep the pictures coming :daumenhoch:
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nice bike damian - look forward to seeing this built :daumenhoch:
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Thanks everyone for your positive comments,im itching to get this thing built now!ive had another minor spending spree on here this week as a few good bits came up,i might just have it built by the end of august!!will keep the thread updated as soon as more shiny bits arrive!
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By the end of august :(
I reckon you can wrap it up before then!
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SHIIIIT!what was i talking about?end of this month,could be sooner,i need a chain,inner tubes and brake pads and i think im good to go!
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Damian, the radbmx own brand clear pads work great on tuffs if you want to actually stop
I tried the new skyway ones first, thinking I'd be ok but they just slowed me down gradually ;D
get it built and lets see some piccies
and then get out on it and RIDE! :daumenhoch:
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Well that settles the pr racing mystery, did the PR racing race frames have unique geometry or were they re stickered Curtis frames do you know deeman?
Matt
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Well that settles the pr racing mystery, did the PR racing race frames have unique geometry or were they re stickered Curtis frames do you know deeman?
Matt
man,as far as i can tell the PR race frames look like restickered Curtis frames.They even have the same names i.e 'expert' and 'pro'.i could be wrong though as im no expert,especially on race frames!Gashead is v.knowledgable about Curtis in general and may be able to confirm this!
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Damian, the radbmx own brand clear pads work great on tuffs if you want to actually stop
I tried the new skyway ones first, thinking I'd be ok but they just slowed me down gradually ;D
get it built and lets see some piccies
and then get out on it and RIDE! :daumenhoch:
i was debating which brake pads to use!i read your post with interest about these!i used to use the old tuff freestyle pads bitd and as far as i remember they used to work pretty well,i suppose i probably weighed a bit less then(only cos i was a kid!)Out of interest,did you scuff the tuff pads up before you used em?.i will be riding this bike,and i love endos too so good stopping is essential!will the new clear pads also mark my white tuffs?i may well go with the new ones,they are a sensible price too unlike the tuff pads!
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can't comment on the marking as mine are black to start with (think not but don't quote me :angel:)
from what I've seen a lot of the marking you get on white tuffs comes from dirt getting onto the rim, but someone more knowledgeable than me will no doubt be along shortly to give you the proper answer
I didn't scuff mine up, just put them straight on - they do work a treat though
will let you know how they get on noise-wise once I've road-tested them on the brighton hills tomorrow!!
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sorry,i meant did you scuff the tuff freestyle pads before you used em'may have had an effect.
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no mate, but I did have them on for a while
just thought I'd give an update on the clear pads after yesterday's ride...
they have now bedded in and squeal like piggies going to market BUT they work really well :daumenhoch:
I was glad of them a few times I can tell you when we were hitting some big downhill speeds only for lights to change on us at the bottom :shocked:
I swear I could smell something burning ;D
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Love the invisible handlebars mate!
I have a few sets of those.
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Love the invisible handlebars mate!
I have a few sets of those.
they work really well,apart from barspins!!im just waiting for the fella to get back of hols who has the bars.they are the missing link at the moment!
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Love the invisible handlebars mate!
I have a few sets of those.
they work really well,apart from barspins!!im just waiting for the fella to get back of hols who has the bars.they are the missing link at the moment!
just ride no-handed and hold some grips in your hands, no-one will notice ;)
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(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/001-2.jpg)O.K,thought this would be done and dusted today,as you can see its nearly there,i ran into a problem or two which i wasnt expecting,I had to substitute my tuf neck for a dk stem and i need to replace the rotor with a gyro,newbie mistake,shouldve done my research!i also need to do something about the front axle on my tuffs as it wont fit the dropouts.then,when i get some brake pads its done!!most of it is just fingertight at the minute but the pic gives an idea of the finished bike.looks a bit like a chopper in the pics but this should be rectified when i fit gyro and sort the front axle out!
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Looks cool mate :daumenhoch:
Whats the problem with the rotor?
Might be interested in it if you want rid :daumenhoch:
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lOVELY LOOKING BUILD :daumenhoch: :smitten: doubt you'll stop it with those brake pads tho :D
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Nice Tyres! If theyre genuine and not pork chop repops of course ;)
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Nice Tyres! If theyre genuine and not pork chop repops of course ;)
nos panaracer freestyle as far as i know!
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Nice! Theyre worth more than the rest of the bike! Where did you find them?
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to be honest i didnt really want panaracers,i wanted white haro tyres which is what i had on my bike bitd but proving impossible to get.To get these I had to buy a set of white GT tyres which i dont really like for £99.99 and then swapped them with someone off here for the panaracers.As far as white tyres go panaracers are probably the most common to find,i was offered another set when i first started the build but didnt get my finger out in time.I didnt realise they are worth that much,give me a grand for them and they are yours brother.ill even post 'em! :daumenhoch:
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:coolsmiley: :daumenhoch:
Is the gyro working now mate?
gyro works spot on mate! :daumenhoch:
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Nice clean looking build! :daumenhoch: Thats some angle on the seat post eh!
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When I saw this a few months ago I thought it had the potential to be something special and you haven't disapointed. Great Job Damian :4_17_5:
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Love it,unique Brit freestyle bike :Great_Britain: :4_17_5:
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Looks the NUTS Damian!!! well done! :daumenhoch: 8)
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looks cool :daumenhoch: need the 1 handed endo piccies though as well :daumenhoch:
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That is quality. Very nice build. 8)
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lovely build :daumenhoch: :daumenhoch:
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Very cool and very bling ... Nice :daumenhoch:
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thanks for comments guys :daumenhoch:did i say it was done?well...its not!a couple of the parts i had were bugging me slightly.this will be rectified in next couple of weeks!watch this space......!!
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very nice indeed..dont see one of these very often..nice1 :daumenhoch:
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Now that is one hot freestyler you built there fella, and have to be chuffed with how its turned out :daumenhoch:
Beautiful :daumenhoch: :-* the bmx not you ;D :smitten: :smitten:
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Missed this first time round. What a great story! Cracking build mate :4_17_5:
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Love it bud first class job :4_17_5: :daumenhoch:
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Now that is one hot freestyler you built there fella, and have to be chuffed with how its turned out :daumenhoch:
Beautiful :daumenhoch: :-* the bmx not you ;D :smitten: :smitten:
:LolLolLolLol:the bike is FAR prettier than me!
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O.K here she is at last,the finished article!as she was before:
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/009.jpg)
And now.....
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/driftvid001.jpg)
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/003.jpg)
the tweaks ive made since it was last built are:
swapped new tuffs for ally hub
swapped dk stem for tuf neck pro model
swapped bars for haro sport
added skyway axle pegs at rear(cos the rear standers are shite)i had pegs on it bitd too!
swapped repop a'me round for original bubble font
swapped sugino chainwheel for chromed tuf neck
swapped new clear pads for original tuff freestyle pads
had pedal cages chromed
thanks to all that have helped with this build,special thanks to Glen,Terry(londonhellboy),and Andy(rooski).Now i think it looks right and wont be changing anything except the chainring bolts(if i ever get hold of some tuf necks!)hope everyone likes,i'm in love with it all over again,and chuffed its done in time for xmas! :smitten: :smitten!! :daumenhoch:
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Nice build and a great story :daumenhoch:
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Damo, that is stunning buddy. I'm really glad you decided to go for the 'older' touches to make it a real piece of history, your history :daumenhoch:
Well done buddy :4_17_5:
Looking forward to your next build now :coolsmiley: :daumenhoch:
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Very nice Damian, great background to the bike as well! :daumenhoch:
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:smitten: :smitten: stunning build :4_17_5:
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Halfords Special...! ;)
Bloody marvelous Damo. Excellent work & attention to detail. :daumenhoch:
Everyone is finishing builds apart from me! :(
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Looks sweet! :4_17_5:
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Sweet ride brother 8), now get the RL sorted for some ridin' next year :daumenhoch:
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Damian, that really is the finished article. Absolutely stunning build mate, really enjoyed following this build :4_17_5:
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That's lovely that is Damo, top job fella. :smitten: :daumenhoch:
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Fantastic build ;) So rare aswell :4_17_5:
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Thankyou everyone for your positive comments!there is something nagging me a tiny bit!...I love the look of the Haro bars I have put on,but something is telling me a set of EZII's in chrome might just look better!anyone got any thoughts?or shall i just tick the 'done' box? :-\
Keep the haro bars! What bars did you have bitd? :daumenhoch:
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some generic halfords 531 race bars,never liked them,but they were 'cheep' like the budgie! :daumenhoch:
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Wow thats stunning mate :smitten: very well done :daumenhoch:
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nice :coolsmiley:
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Been fiddling again,wasnt happy with the look of the profile cranks,so went back to a opc like i used to have bitd,and finally found the elusive ACS locking levers i used to have!
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/008-1.jpg)
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/009-2.jpg)
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i349/deeman37/006.jpg)
I think it looks right now,i have only a couple of other minor changes i might make but thats it for a while!!the bike is now repop free, only thing thats not correct now is the gyro, cables,and freewheel.The gyro may come off yet.if someone managed to unearth an original M-Zone/Mud Machine spinner i'd swap but don't think that'll ever happen!!A couple of bits are still bugging me so we'll see what happens! :daumenhoch:
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Looks a nice, clean build mate, very BLING :coolsmiley:
My fave part is the chainring and powerdisc. :daumenhoch:
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Looks a nice, clean build mate, very BLING :coolsmiley:
My fave part is the chainring and powerdisc. :daumenhoch:
Thanks Dan.i'm loving them too,looks much better with a one piece i reckon! :daumenhoch:
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I use those Sugino's on all mine, they look ace when mint. :coolsmiley:
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Lovely jubly :daumenhoch:
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So,we all know now that this is not the only known survivor of this bike as PR Racing have 'found' 2 more frames.Gashead had one,did anyone else on here grab the other?I'd love to see another built as the only 2 i have ever seen were my old one bitd and my current one,I'd love to see someone elses take on it!
Damo :daumenhoch:
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Kappy was having a bite Damo. :daumenhoch:
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Kappy was having a bite Damo. :daumenhoch:
Nah Kappy thought it was a Curtis freestyler,don't think he was interested!must be someone on here! :daumenhoch:
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Nice work :daumenhoch: , looks like the bug has bit you ! ;D . OPC & ally hub tuffs etc deffo does it for me over Profile repro & new tuffs ;)
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:shocked: wow! ...superbe!
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I love this build apart from the pedals. I love chrome against the white parts.
Matt
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Nice work :daumenhoch: , looks like the bug has bit you ! ;D . OPC & ally hub tuffs etc deffo does it for me over Profile repro & new tuffs ;)
I know,it just got worse the more you look at other builds the more your own bugs you!!I started off just happy to have something resembling my old bike,but i just swapped bits out as they came up or i wasn't happy with them as I kept changing my own goalposts!I'm happy with it now bar a couple of sets of tuf neck chainring bolts but i wont cry if i never find 'em! :daumenhoch:
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I love this build apart from the pedals. I love chrome against the white parts.
Matt
I love the white/chrome too,it's the same combo i had as a kid just when all the white parts started coming out in late 84/85.It looked killer then and i still think now!I mustve had one of the first sets of the white haro tyres in the country back then!sorry you dont like the pedals!They were what i had on it bitd,i was just trying to be as authentic to my original spec!I love them even more now the cages are chromed,not to everyones taste i understand!Is it the fact that they are caged and not platforms that you dont like?I seem to remember them not being my first choice bitd but were all the shop (ACE BMX) had at the time i went to buy them.I seem to remember they had sold out of what i wanted but cant remember what they were!! :daumenhoch:
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I like suntour xc II's but on race bikes, Dx types and mks grafites for the freestyle bikes. That bike is still boss with whatever pedals are on it though. :daumenhoch:
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Cool as foooooook
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Back again...! :D
Cool Damo... :daumenhoch: