Hi Folks. Since rediscovering Old School BMX back in late 2010, I have started building a flatland rider for the coming summer. My favourite rider from back in the day is Martin Aparijo. He had his own style that stood out and he seemed to have a good time, either at shows or when competing. I am loosely basing my build on the bike he is riding in this video;
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nnw7_supertour-87_sportSo far, I have collected the following bits;
A 1990 (I think) GT Performer. This a Taiwan frame with just the three main tubes in 4130. It should still be fine for all I'll be throwing at it.
It has a few hefty scrapes but hopefully there is no serious damage and it will come up nicely after powder-coating. Hopefully Del can supply some decals for a 1987 Pro Freestyle Tour.
Here are the rest of the parts I have collected so far;
A lot of the parts are early-mid-school or even new school but since it will be a rider, it has to be a functional bike too. Since the bike is black, a lot of the parts will blend in nicely. The brake calipers are new Dia Compe Bulldogs, with the brake levers coming from Porkchop (repro Tech 77 locking levers). The gyro is an Odyssey Gyro2. Pedals are mid/new school platforms. The saddle is an original GT item that I think is old school. The fork standers are originals with the GT cut-outs. I'm not sure if I'll get these powder-coated or not. The grips are repro GT-AME's. The chain ring is a 44 tooth and I think is old school. I have a headset that came with the frame and I think it is gyro-compatible. The brake levers are hopefully on their way to me in the post along with a laid back GT seat post, GT seat clamp and a set of Kenda K55 tyres. The bars are Dyno-stamped but are not original Pretzels. I think they are later Pretzels from a Dyno Slammer but they will do. They have a dent in the crossbar but this should be less prominent when painted black.
I have to finish off this bike on a budget as the Irish recession is really beginning to bite now! I plan to fit this bike with a one-piece 175mm crank. I have a few questions in relation to some of the other bits I need and hopefully someone here can help.
1. Can I fit a sealed bottom bracket for a one-piece crank to this frame and if so, can anyone recommend a particular bottom bracket?
2. I want to fit a modern pair of wheels to this bike. However, I want a set of chrome rims with stainless steel spokes. I don't need bomb-proof wheels (I weigh 12 stone) but just want a set that will handle a little flatland stuff. Can anyone recommend a set of wheels that will take a large (15 tooth?) sprocket, are solid and yet won't break the bank?
3. I have a repro GT Mallet stem that I got for a good price for another project. Are these stems any good for a rider or will the bars be slipping all the time if I mount it on this bike? If the repro GT Mallet is crap, can anyone recommend a functional freestyle stem that won't look out of place on this bike?
4. I have seen another Performer resprayed and the guy talked about getting a 75% gloss finish or something like that and not going for a 100% gloss finish as that might be too shiny. Can anyone recommend the best type of finish for this bike?
Thanks for any feedback anyone can offer on this.
Liam.
