Author Topic: Rickman Freestyler (Read 9911 times)

up4asmoke · « **on:** March 04, 2014, 09:58 AM »

Hi rad bmxers. this looks like my first post here. but i used to be a memeber yars ago. but i hadnt been on for ages so my account was deleted for inactivity i presume. but anyway just thought i would ad some photos of my rickman that has took about 5 years to build.

still looking for some parts though

Lke the ilussive blue hatta headset
Need to get a one piece crank so i can get rid of that 3 piece maxy one.
i would love to find a rickman layback, but i doubt that will ever happen
also needs a paint job, but probably gonny get it chromed (Does anyone know a good chromer in glasgow)
Also need the stem and top tube pad.

Parts

Rickman Freestyler Frame, Forks and bars.
Rickman Handlebar Pad
Sky Blue Acorn Mag Wheels.
Suntour NOS Seatpost Clamp, Stem and Chainring. all blue. (blue chainring not fitted yet).
NOS Tioga spider.
NOS Hatta white powder coated alloy headset (not fitted, waiting for a blue one).
Old generic headset fitted at the moment.
Blue Diacompe MX Brakes all round.
NOS Crappy blue Saddle fitted. (Blue Repro Kashimax limited edition Blue suede Saddle to be fitted).
NOS Blue Shimano Pedals.
NOS Blue SM Mushroom Grips (not fitted).
NOS White Tioga layback.

A think thats about it. Njoy

bigfatolly · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2014, 06:02 PM »

Looks pretty cool mate,as all Rickman FS are.
If you are on Facebook there is a Rickman group for all things Rickman related.

up4asmoke · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2014, 04:52 PM »

cool, bigfatolly i'll check it out

Im a Rickman fanatic. i've has 3 all in, started of with a red/yellow burner at 7 year old then when i was about 12/13 my friend moved house and his neighbour had a Rickman in his shed covered in baige gloss. Wheels, tyres, saddle, chain the lot. bought it from him for £5 quid

totaly stripped it painted it white and had the big square c.w. or (c.dubs) bars. never ever got decals for it. but had white acorns white mx breaks white seat, blue seatpost clamp stem chainring all suntour, and what i think is really rare. a blue suntour headset. never seen one since. i read years later that the threads on the suntour headset were different to uk threads and as a result the bike ended up usless cause threads on the forks were all stripped totaly smooth. moved out of home at 18 never set foot back into the garage till i was 30 and it was gone, thrown out along with my burner

so got myself one just a frame and forks set about 7 years ago. then i seen this one about 5 years ago with the bars so i had to get it, and its still not quite finished it. but deffinetly lookes better with blue wheels and breaks n sadle than it did in white gear.

QUESTION: has anyone ever even seen a Rickman layback. i know they done them cause i have seen them in old bmx action magazine adds. where is the doc and the delorian when you need him?

would love a Rickman Racer. only ever seen one picture of one and im sure it was on this site years ago the guy found it in a burnt down shed and it was in pretty bad condition. i think they are very very very rare

oldschoolace · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2014, 05:04 PM »

These blue headsets any good to you

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,151836.0.html

up4asmoke · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2014, 05:19 PM »

I'll get back to you on that mate. a guy pm'd me last night saying he had blue hatta one. Pos for sale or swap. i'll see what he has to say first.

cheers

fischflo · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2014, 04:23 PM »

can't wait to see this get completed - bet it was hard to find the bars. Lookin good so far

Would have loved to help find them pads, but all i found was an Alan Rickman fridge magnet

...Perhaps Steve (Firebird) would do them -think he's done Rickman pads before-, just pm him and ask..

if ya going chrome, check out what chromers Funky used for his Rickman ->http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,168141.msg1683406.html#msg1683406

BMX1973 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2014, 07:51 PM »

Them baby blue Acorn Mags are cool

Nice build too

up4asmoke · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2014, 01:20 PM »

To fischflo. Got frame forks and bars together on ebey. I already had a mint powdercoaded frame and forks at the time. Which a bought from a guy called Dan on here. But when I seen the one with the bars I bought that also so I ended up with 2 at same time. But sold the powdercoated one about a year ago now and kept the one with the bars. I also had one as a young lad with the racing C.W. bars on it. But my father threw it out wile clearing out the garage much to my horror. So I guess im kinda lucky ive had 3 all in. All white. So im going to get this chromed at some point.

Also just want to mention. I've been reading through a lot of rickman posts on this forum and im finding most people are getting the frame re powder coated. THIS IS WRONG THE ORIGINAL BIKES WERE PAINTED WITH ENAMEL PAINT. That's why I sold the mint powder coated one and kept the rough one with the enamel paint and bars of course. cause its original.

P.S. why the hell would you have an Allan Rickman fridge magnet.

I mean i always root for the bad guy. but bruce willis is too coool.

up4asmoke · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2014, 01:25 PM »

To BMX 1937. Yea the baby blues are lovely. there was a guy on ebay ages ago that had loads of sets of these all different colours. claimed he found them in a wharehouse wich is beleivable cause they came in original box that was quite damp and bashed and was smelling of mould. but wheels were fine.

fischflo · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2014, 01:45 PM »

the magnet is the only thing ebay knows when you feed it with 'Rickman pads'

kids should learn already in school about what their parents are up to with their BMX....

Sounds like you might have the bars repainted then and keep the f+f with its scars... If you'll ride it i personally wouldn't mind em anyway

bigfatolly · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:17 PM »

You are right,Rickman did lay backs but as far as I know they just had a Reynolds 531 decal on.
If you check out my chrome one which I think is in museum ,it has one on it .
I am on my third Rickman as well,my original got nicked in 86,bought a chrome one on eBay to replace it about 3 years ago,and got a later type with the extra bar in off of Sawzall about 5years ago which is still undergoing resto.....

up4asmoke · « **Reply #11 on:** March 13, 2014, 08:40 PM »

bigfatolly The one with the bar i think you are talking about was called a march freestyler, is this it?

http://bmx-recollection.com/Downloads/Archive/Bike%20%26%20Product%20Tests/March%20Freestyler%20Test%20-%20Freestyle%20BMX%20Volume1%20Issue25.pdf

it was made by rickman i think for another company. if thats what you have you are a lucky man that is super rare

southern andy · « **Reply #12 on:** March 13, 2014, 08:46 PM »

Quote from: up4asmoke on March 10, 2014, 04:52 PM

would love a Rickman Racer. only ever seen one picture of one and im sure it was on this site years ago the guy found it in a burnt down shed and it was in pretty bad condition. i think they are very very very rare

That was me

up4asmoke · « **Reply #13 on:** March 13, 2014, 08:59 PM »

lol small world, do you still have it? did it survive?

if i remember corectly you never had the forks or maybe the bars.

bigfatolly · « **Reply #14 on:** March 13, 2014, 09:56 PM »

Yes mate same as that March Freestyler,they were also stickered up as Rickmans,as I remember seeing one back in the day.
Mine is stickered up as a Rickmam,will get round to finishing it one day!

Funkyworm · « **Reply #15 on:** March 14, 2014, 04:00 PM »

Hey Up4asmoke !!!

Always nice to see another rickman raise it's head.

I'm no expert just love the Rickman's & as a result set up the Rickman bmx owners group a while back, We have attained & pieced together a bunch of info so I'll, try to answer some of your questions as best i can : you can find us here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rickmanbmx/

LAYBACKS:

When i was a kid there was a guy i knew who's dad was a sales rep for Rickman & he also had a bike shop. I remember seeing first hand lay backs & straight tubes from Rickman with 3 kinds of decals on them along with the 531 logo.

The first ones had the same black (Rickman) corporate logo that came on the race bars (these are in the 85 brochure)
2nd had the red orange yellow Rickman (R) logo from the race bikes seat post tube.
3rd had the Blue Rickman (R) from the freestyler seat post tube.

In terms of Paint verses Powder,

The original white finish is described in the Brochure as a (White epoxy Plastic finish) ? Like i say I'm no expert so Im not sure what the surmounts to...

There are many reasons people powder their frames rather than paint. Powder certainly does give your bike a harder finish & is more appropriate if the frame has been blasted as its more forgiving of any blemishes on the frame, so for any frame thats a little corroded it's quicker & cleaner to remove the rust this way & powder as it's cheaper than having the rust removed by hand (which is not always possible ) to a stage where it can be wet painted which in itself is a slow expensive process to get right so in a lot of cases theres not a lot of choice especially within a budget.

OK the Rickman with the (extra bar)

I'll try to address this as best as I can (but i stand corrected if anyone wants to add to this thread)

in the original tests the Rickman Freestyler was heralded as a great bike maybe a tad long with a little too much flex for the pro riders who tried it out at the time before its launch at the back end of 1984. Also they mentioned that the fork standers were a little high to be really useful to them & having said that it still came 2nd only to the original 84 GT performer as Bike of the year in the same publication (BMX Action Bike).

So far no one's seen an advert for a Rickman with the extra bar or for that matter a March freestyler.

Tim March who's MRD bikes were mostly being made by Rickman up until late 85 said to the Rickman FB group that he has no knowledge of the Pink March freestyler which features in the Freestyle BMX Article of May 86 as actually being a (March) product & the Badlander was already around at this time.

I (think) that Tim said that it could have been Rickman & Tran - Am trying to move some Rickman ) overstock as Rickman's were pricey compared to DP's etc & didn't sell amazingly well.

(I'm not sure if Rickman / Tran am had a licence to sell under the March name) I'm guessing so but i don't think these were ever sold branded this way & (so far) no one so far seems to have ever seen one.

Best guess looking at the (pink March freestyler) in (a technical sense) is that it was Rickman's attempt to stiffen the flex of the bike & the fork standers issue on their 84/85 bike as both of these amendments are apparent on the pink (March) frame, but it's definitely a frame that came out late 85. There's an original picture of this bike back in the day

(BRANDED RICKMAN) on the Rickman page in fact here it is (Martin Allan bought this in 87 New from an ad in action bike) .

From conversations on the site Rafe's came in white the above is lavender maybe even Pink too as someone on there reported having some of the forks in Pink at some stage .

If I've got any of this wrong & Tim or anyone else wants to correct me on any of this they are welcome to do so... but I think generally the frame with the extra bar is being called the Rickman Freestyler Mk2 . As we know it came out & was sold Branded under the Rickman name but theres no evidence that this ever came to market under the name March.

Phew hope any of that made sense

?? Come & have a look at the site mate ,there's loads of pics technical data & build ideas on there etc

All the best

southern andy · « **Reply #16 on:** March 14, 2014, 04:09 PM »

Quote from: up4asmoke on March 13, 2014, 08:59 PM

lol small world, do you still have it? did it survive?

if i remember corectly you never had the forks or maybe the bars.

Yep it survived and yep still got it. The forks were with the bike, i bought Ricky Pro bars at a later date for it and had them rechromed before i fitted them to the finished build.

Got another one aswell now in chrome which i use as a rider.

up4asmoke · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2014, 04:36 PM »

Funkyworm you are the man you are right about the epoxy paint I red the article linked below page 2 a few years ago and I don't know where I got enamel pant from. But I know it wasn't powdercoated. Also I always assumed powder coating would be more expensive.

http://bmx-recollection.com/Downloads/Archive/Bike & Product Tests/Rickman Freestyler Test - Freestyle BMX Volume1 Issue09.pdf

Picture of frame set shows the straight seatpost with red/yellow emblem witch I associate with the racing frames cause that's the only rickmans I've seen with these colour decals

But IM wondering now if the seat posts are not stamped, Witch most aren't. How am I to tell if its a real rickman post. I can see its not as layed back as the renthial ones or my tioga one

up4asmoke · « **Reply #18 on:** March 14, 2014, 04:40 PM »

To southern andy you lucky bassa. think i've only seen one for sale on ebay. if you ever decide to part with one let me know. i'm more into freestyle bikes But i want one just cause it a rickman, ssmple as that

Funkyworm · « **Reply #19 on:** March 14, 2014, 04:50 PM »

Quote from: up4asmoke on March 14, 2014, 04:36 PM

Funkyworm you are the man you are right about the epoxy paint I red the article linked below page 2 a few years ago and I don't know where I got enamel pant from. But I know it wasn't powdercoated. Also I always assumed powder coating would be more expensive.

http://bmx-recollection.com/Downloads/Archive/Bike & Product Tests/Rickman Freestyler Test - Freestyle BMX Volume1 Issue09.pdf

Picture of frame set shows the straight seatpost with red/yellow emblem witch I associate with the racing frames cause that's the only rickmans I've seen with these colour decals

But IM wondering now if the seat posts are not stamped, Witch most aren't. How am I to tell if its a real rickman post. I can see its not as layed back as the renthial ones or my tioga one

Honestly mate i think it would be difficult to tell a real one , If I'm honest seat posts are not something I'm arsed about , lots of british bike builders bought 501 & 531 tubing from Reynolds some i guess stamped & shaped them others just put decals on them. Have a look on the FB page at the brochures from 84 & 85 & there is some close ups...

up4asmoke · « **Reply #20 on:** March 14, 2014, 04:53 PM »

oooooh just reading that facebook page and it says rickman done c.w. type bars my original bike when i was lad might have ad these i always assumed they where c.w. bars. the layback might even have been rickman.

excuse ma i'm away to cry for a few hours cause my father threw it out sometime between 1995 and 2000.

Funkyworm · « **Reply #21 on:** March 14, 2014, 05:17 PM »

Quote from: up4asmoke on March 14, 2014, 04:53 PM

oooooh just reading that facebook page and it says rickman done c.w. type bars my original bike when i was lad might have ad these i always assumed they where c.w. bars. the layback might even have been rickman. excuse ma i'm away to cry for a few hours cause my father threw it out sometime between 1995 and 2000.

I was stupid enough to trade my original chrome freestyler in for some snowboarding kit in 92' only got about £90 for the whole bike from memory