1984 Free Agent

[Mikku]

So I’ve finally got round to getting this Free Agent built!! It’s an ‘84 frameset (the 8-digit serial - on the non-drive side dropout - is 1284****), and I think is one of the early ones built by Brad Shoup in Beuna Park, California rather than VDC, as Voris Dixon was shutting up shop around that time. With what I believe to be og paintwork and decals, both of which are showing their age, I’ve gone for a survivor look using old school parts wherever possible. Nothing fancy, just a simple build using mostly spare parts, much along the lines of a budget-racer from the mid-80s. Here’s the rundown:-

Free Agent pro frame with matching Free Agent forks
Free Agent pro bars
Tange beartrap headset (with new bearings)
DK “square top” stem
Winner Circle grips
’83 Dia-Compe MX890 brake caliper with matching ’83 DC Tech 3 brake lever
’83 Dia-Compe outer rear brake cable with new inner cable
Dia-Compe pads
DK seat post clamp
No-name layback seat post
Black aero seat (made in Italy)
Araya rims (20 x 1.75)
Suzue sealed hubs
Cheng Shin (20 x 1.75) tyres with Kenda tubes
Victor Beartrap pedals
Tioga 175mm opc (made by Sugino)
Tioga BB (with a mixture of old and new parts)
Tioga CDC-1 alloy chainwheel (44t)
Suntour freewheel (16t)
KMC Z chain
Shimano cable holders

Here are some pics taken today:-















& finally, here's the build thread:-

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,179881.0.html

Thanks for looking!

[CustardLips]

Looks great Mick. 

[nosepickben]

Tip top. 

[HUTCHMAN]

ace.. like it 

[Gnarlyscoots]

I'm liking that a lot, Mick. I love the colour, it's a survivor, and great choice of parts.

Superb, buddy 

[griff]

Very nice indeed 

[Mikku]

Thanks guys!

[factory pilot]

It's lovely dude! That green was ahead of it's time the Haro Master came out in 85 ?
I'm guessing it was made in 84 and painted up in 85? Paint does look OG though 

[Mikku]

Yeah, made in Dec '84 so probably painted (I think as a special order, as green wasn't a stock colour) and sold in '85. The '85 Skyway Street Beats came in a similar shade of green, so perhaps that was influential in the choice. In any case I like it!

[factory pilot]

Yeah, made in Dec '84 so probably painted (I think as a special order, as green wasn't a stock colour) and sold in '85. The '85 Skyway Street Beats came in a similar shade of green, so perhaps that was influential in the choice. In any case I like it!

It's real nice mate 

[rooski]

Tis a crackin bike, and I love the colour, kinda reminds me of the shade Santa Cruz used on their mtb's , always liked that!

[dancetothedrummersbeat]

Looks great Mick. 

It looks very mid school to me Nick. What do you think?
It does look cool - different to everything else that was round at the time, even thought the frame is a standard shape with no bells & whistles 

[Mikku]

I'd never thought of that before but yes, I see what you mean. The chunkier profile of the seat and perhaps the CD disc add to the mid-school feeling, though I have to admit that I'm flailing around in the dark when it comes to that era, as I had moved on to cars by then!

[CustardLips]

Looks great Mick. 

It looks very mid school to me Nick. What do you think?
It does look cool - different to everything else that was round at the time, even thought the frame is a standard shape with no bells & whistles 

Perhaps these were ahead of their time Andy.   This ones very much the same as mine (in looks) although a little shorter and a flat brake bridge whereas mine has a round one. I would say the bars are definitely of Old School origin though. 

[insectbones]

I keep coming back for a look at this, really nice build, the colour is ace 

[Mikku]

Here are a few more shots of the FA that I took on the way to and at the Happy Bike Meeting in Tokyo a couple of weekends ago:-









When I first rode the FA, it felt a lot more twitchy than the Laserlite but the more I ride it, the more I like it.

[BMX1973]

Something different 

[Mikku]

I'm robbing some parts from the FA for my Motobecane build, so thought I'd take a photo of it next to my Laserlite for posterity. Hadn't really noticed it before but it was interesting to compare the difference in stance between the 2 bikes. I know the camera angle isn't great and can be deceptive, but you can still see how much lower and longer the FA is. Sure, the Laserlite's a classic but I think I actually prefer the lines of the FA!

 

[MartyC]

Great looking bike    There's just not enough of these about these days, great colour too