Author Topic: The original Trail Boss. (Read 12839 times)

Midschoolfool · « **on:** May 09, 2023, 06:14 PM »

So with Nick B coming down today and taking a whole crapload of excess I have tons of room. I had a few ideas, and this had been one for about 3 weeks. I am absolutely stunned no one beat me to it, especially at the price. However, as I had also bought a Primo Ti axle from the guy and the Standard sprocket for the Pork we worked out a deal. I paid his asking for the frame, he gives me a free set of S&M bars with Animal Edwin D grips. Sorted.

Now you may be wondering why I have titled the thread that. I mean, obviously that is a more modern Trail Boss, and it doesn't have the decals. Now the reason why it is not called a Trail Boss? is because Robbie Morales fell out with Standard during Props Road Fools. Now for most of the video he was riding a dark blue Trail Boss, named after himself. But he fell out with them and stopped riding for Standard that year. At which point he would not let them call it a Trail Boss any more, so it was renamed the TRLS 250. Or just Trails. Now obviously this year that expired, and Standard are now selling Trail Boss frames again.

So the idea here? is to recreate Robbie's Trail Boss. Only much newer and a F load lighter. I mean, this will actually be rideable

I will die cut the decals myself. I don't want the "S" Standard ones, just white "Trail Boss". I have two decals left over from the STA in black and red, one will go on the head tube, the other on the top tube on the drive side. So as much as it pains me to repaint that absolutely pristine frame, but I have NEVER seen any one do a Robbie M tribute Standard. I have seen an absolute bugger load of Jimmy Levan ones, but yeah never a Robbie.

Now thankfully that year I was working at a BMX shop, so I know which colour it was. We sold a bugger load of TBs in the same colour.

I will go into the other parts in a sec. The first and most important thing though? Robbie had a railed Velo dropnose. Now due to it being VHS quality it is very hard to tell exactly what I was. I suspect a S&M in black, but he was not sponsored by them at all in RF. No one was, IIRC. So, it was highly likely to be a GT as it was the most ridden saddle at the time. Now as you just read that I can tell what you were thinking. "Good luck with that, GT parts go for stupid money". And you are correct. They are now the most ridiculous prices on mid school bar none. Especially those seats. Now Shadow did a rip off, but again far too expensive. So, it is a good thing you know the OEM and what to look out for.

Fourteen pounds and ninety nine pence ys pls. And you know already what will happen, I will buy four quids worth of leather or suede and cover it myself.

Fookin easy.

So then another problem, no railed posts. And certainly no sexy ones. BAH. Well oddly the guy I bought the frame from also had this.

So that's on way too

Man that guy not only had banging stuff but it is all mint too.

Right, so off with the old and onto the new. Robbie had chrome Standard forks. Now that isn't happening for two reasons. 1, there aren't any, and even if they were the chrome will be crusty and 2, when they do come up they fetch about 200 quid. Oh and 3, they're heavy. So I went brand new, 70 quid these cost me.

Quick and dirty white "SBC" stencil decal, job done on that. Headset.

Now obviously I have a choice of these "free" S&M bars or I can use the stainless Fly Tierra. When I can hook up my BR player I will see what colour Robbie's 2pc were. If they were chrome? Fly (they are on my Kink Whip ATM). If they were painted black? S&M.

For grips I got these. Always wanted a set tbh.

Now for wheels I have a mint set of blue wheels. Thing is? IDK if I want to use those or not. I think what I might do is just buy a set of custom wheels next week. Not quite decided on tyres yet. Oh and cranks.... Black Profile. These ones.

And I will get a 22mm BB set for that and put the Primo red ones on there with the Ti axle.

Pedals? not decided. Not blue though. I don't want to overdo the blue.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2023, 12:09 PM »

Mornoon. Well I got a shock last night

Robbie rode an STA

Good thing is I already have one of those, so Trail Boss it is. The good thing is I know what colour it was too, as I had several TB frames in the shop when I worked there. Very popular at the time. So I ordered the paint.

I then started drawing. I am not going with the old style decals, where the Trail Boss logo is on the top tube and the Standard one on the down tube. I am going to follow a more modern style, and put this on the down tube.

Instead of Standard logos I am just going to have "SBC" in the same style and "63" in the same style also. In white, and again proper 3M stuff not the shit that doesn't want to stick.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2023, 07:53 PM »

My bum hurts

So yesterday it dawned on me the Boss could be 10mm. And this was a problem for a thousand reasons. It means my crap Stolen wheels will not fit. It also means it is not worth while having my mate spend a whole day converting the crap wheels to female. Fool's errand. The rear wheel is also buckled, and I would not pay to get it trued either.

I started looking at really expensive wheels. Problem is I nearly made a terrible mistake. I did not realise that at some point they were all switched to 17mm axles with 14mm BOLTS. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU - ck.

I then started to like, panic. Really bad. I then found the solution ! and yeah it made my bottom very sore. They cost a friggin FORTUNE.

I need to lie down.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2023, 07:56 PM »

Forgot to add. It is indeed 10mm.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2023, 10:53 PM »

OK. So the last thing I need to do is a solo "S" in the circle for the seat tube. The rest are all done.

There are some copies on Ebay for about a tenner shipped, and I was going to buy those and scan and clean them up but then I realised they are wrong

The 6 looks nothing like it should here.

The ones on Ebay have a split down the middle of the 6. So I would surmise they are mostly incorrect all over, and probably just typed in the wrong font. So yeah this is where I am at.

One more. I also realised I need to buy two lots of 3M. The fork decals should be black. Not an issue.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2023, 01:23 PM »

OK so more planning and scavenging !

I can't remember if in my waffle I said I was going to use the black Profile I have? I think so. There is literally nothing else Robbie would have, or could have been using in 98. So Profile it is.

Of course then I need a sprocket. I wanted a 28t, as I do not want to run into brake issues AND both of my NS riders are 25. Started looking. Had this plan in my head of polished CR, black crank arms, polished pedals. Then I realised I should 99% still have this, I just need to find where it is hiding.

OK brill. If not I have my "made in backyard" graveyard sprocket. Which will be fine also. I wanted polished alu pedals. So I started the hunt. Man expensive. So I gave up on that for now, and the stem. Then I went down the hallway last night for a pee...

Oooo ! rummage !

"hang on, why the fook is the S&M box so bloody heavy?"

DOH. That shit has sat there for over 6 months waiting to be taken to my other hidey hole. What a result. Minto pair of DMR V8.

So all I needed then was a stem and brake lever. I don't have any spare brake levers. I then realised I had this.

It has a front load GT stem on it. Now obviously I don't want to put that on a Standard. However, what it did inspire me to do was think. The Kink beater has a brand spanking new Kink Hi Rise stem on. I even have a Kink badge for that. I will see if I can find a pic.

That is the stem there. Obviously with the Kink being a beater I don't mind swapping parts on or off. So I will put the GT stem on that, and take the Kink one for the Standard. Like I said, I have a badge I bought but it wasn't what I ordered.

And this is the badge I got. It has sat in its packing since I bought it.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2023, 01:56 PM »

Oh and LNEP. AKA, late night Ebay purchase

I was going to use faux snake skin on the Dirt Bike. Thing is it was too light in colour. I then thought about leather, but leather is quite thick and stiff. The pink seat on the Schwinn was a real challenge, and tbh? the drop nose is much tighter especially at the nose.

Being it is a Standard? I got this.

Very subtle. I also remember the other stuff I got was thinner and very stretchy, which is good. TBH? IDGAF so I would actually have used a real one. Problem is snakes are skinny little c*nts so none of them are wide enough, unless you want to pay out the ass for an anaconda skin.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2023, 10:32 PM »

STOP GIVING ME IDEAS TOBY YOU ASSHOLE

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #8 on:** May 12, 2023, 01:23 PM »

hehe actually it was good he messaged me about Shadow stuff. Custom Riders have a great sale on Shadow stuff, so it was a no brainer.

Here is what I got in better pics.

In 28t. It was cheap enough to where I once again didn't want to use the Mirra one. I think one day I will bite the bullet on that Mirra one and paint it as it should be. It just looks crap in silver.

BB.

Lever. I got the longer one, as I actually want to be able to pull it with my crappy old hands.

Cable.

And the tyres. Again, I would not have got these but I know Standards (especially race and trails ones) hate fat tyres. These are 2.2, and look very similar to V monsters in all black. They're also really good, and were cheap enough to make me bite.

The frame arrived at mum's today. It also looks like the Cam Wood is indeed going, so that will be sorted soon.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2023, 02:17 PM »

OK so good news. I forgot what bars he was throwing in with the frame. We chatted back and forth, and he offered me the bars or something else. Mostly as I had already bought a good few items from him. He said they were S&M, but for the life of me I just couldn't remember. So today I thanked him for shipping it and said I would check it out next weekend. He told me they are S&M Fathead bars. Never heard of them. Quick research said they were from 2013, so I reckon the frame is the same era too. Which also explains why there are no Trail Boss decals on it. After Road Fools Robbie parted ways with Standard and he was not happy. So he slapped a cease and desist on his name on the frames. At this point they were called TRLS 250 or something else. It has only been recently that it expired and they called the frames that again, but yeah that is what they were.

Any way, bars. I would say this is the best freebie I have ever had. What a legend.

Uncut, unmolested, absolutely mint bars that have never even had a lever on them.

Amazing.

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2023, 06:36 PM »

Quote from: Midschoolfool on May 11, 2023, 10:32 PM

STOP GIVING ME IDEAS TOBY YOU ASSHOLE

I ask one simple question and you can't keep it in your pants

Nice haul though

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2023, 07:01 PM »

Haha. Well in fairness I did actually need all of it but the sprocket. Decent prices too. Like an an example the BB set was only a fiver more than the cheapest tat I could find.

Can't believe I've only ever bought three Shadow parts too. A blue seat clamp for the Proper I no longer even have, and those Noctus cranks I put on the CW and those are likely going soon too.

I've got 3 or 4 chains though.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2023, 12:20 PM »

Very busy day today, but managed to squeeze in some time to do the "S" for the seat tube. I did the cobra last night.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #13 on:** May 13, 2023, 07:41 PM »

OK so possibly this was an epic buy.

They measure 5cm tall by 3cm wide. I am hoping that they like being smacked with a hammer a bit. If they do? they will make the most epic head badge for a Standard ever. And only 6 quid for two, so I may practice on the one that faces the wrong way.

Mikku · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2023, 11:54 PM »

Interested to see how that ^^^ turns out.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2023, 04:55 PM »

Aye me too. I'm amazed with Standard being who they are that they haven't ever made head badges.

Obviously it's flat and metal so it needs a curve. Hopefully it will not just snap.

Mikku · « **Reply #16 on:** May 15, 2023, 11:52 PM »

Also, how are you going to get it to stay on there? I'm assuming that you're not wanting to "alter" the headtube, so something from 3M perhaps??

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #17 on:** May 16, 2023, 01:39 PM »

It has 3m on it already, but I have piles of it. The best stuff is the clear one. I call it "Atomic bogeys".

But yeah, I certainly won't alter the frame. I also won't use the head tube as the shaping tool either

Will use something old for that.

TBH at 3cm it shouldn't need that much twatting or bending really. Just some mild persuasion. Hopefully with a rubber hammer, not a metal one.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #18 on:** May 17, 2023, 07:09 PM »

Right quick update. No pics but then there doesn't need to be.

I still need a chain and some tubes. Thing is as I mentioned before you don't half ass a standard. Not ever. So it needs to be an interlock supreme but I don't get paid til Friday. I also need some tubes as I popped one on a loft bike the other day as well as tubes for this so I'll get a load.

I've found a decent set of 10mm chain tugs I used to use on the orange PK before I got Box ones. So I'll use those. I also found my old Nopro Not4k camera with the water proof/paint and filth proof body. So I can document the prep and paint on it without worrying I'm going to kill a thousand pound phone.

I bought it in 2018 to record rides. Thing is it rumbled horribly sound wise and the camera splits up the recording so when I stitched it back together the audio fell out of sync. Now that I am getting used to editing though I will just replace the video and do a voice over or what not.

TBH I really should use it for rides too. Would prevent a lawsuit if some asshole walked in front of me.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #19 on:** May 19, 2023, 09:15 AM »

Last order is in. I totally got carried away, but why not. I can't hammer it home enough, no one but no one should ever half ass a Standard.

These are alloy. I wanted to bring down the bling to minimum. Mostly because of the wheels and chrome fork.

I also bulk ordered these as I needed quite a few.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #20 on:** May 19, 2023, 04:01 PM »

OK here we go. So everything I had ordered before is here. The pristine frame. Almost a shame to paint it, but I really don't like military green. I like green, but just brighter shades like my T1. And I don't have a blue bike any more either.

The also pristine free bars, grips and post. I won't cut the grips off.

In case you were wondering what the frisbies are? those are Gsport Glands MK1. He threw those in too, so they will go on a proper tank bike as they are enormous.

The seat. Such a shame it has that green crap on it. Also the snake skin is there, and it is perfect.

It really is a shame. Like, I think it may even be kevlar. But it's gotta go.

Fork, badges, stickers, valve caps, grips and a headset I can't use

I didn't realise the frame uses an external headset, because of the machining there to strengthen it. It looked like an internal, but it ain't.

Shadow parts so far.

Tyres.

Bling bling bling !

The colour the bike will end up being.

Then it was back to not just setting fire to my bank account, but pissing on the ashes. Tange Tank. Got one on my T1, amazing headset.

No gyro so no need to worry. Etch primer.

And finally, 1.5 metres of 3m. Now obviously I don't need that much, but I don't think a 7 quid A4 would have been enough. It was 16 quid for that much, so why not.

I was going to do the frame decals white and the fork decals black. But I just want it all black. The wheels alone provide more than enough pop, the rest can all be muted to F.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #21 on:** May 19, 2023, 06:30 PM »

Sake man it's doing that again. I have resized these. IDK if it is the forum not sizing them down, or just imgur being an asshole because I block ads.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #22 on:** May 20, 2023, 03:08 PM »

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #23 on:** May 20, 2023, 03:11 PM »

Method. F around for about 40 minutes trying to think of a way to shape it. Consider cutting a head cup in half, then realise that all you need to do is put it inside the crown race tool and gently clamp on it with some grips. Repeat at both ends, put on outside of crown race tool and tap with hammer to straighten the middle back up.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #24 on:** May 20, 2023, 05:14 PM »

OK. So if Hermes ever show up I may do the decals today. If it even is the vinyl. No idea until they arrive, and they have changed the time twice now. So it looks like they ain't coming.

Earlier after doing the head badge I jumped back up with the bars and removed the Animal grips.

Proper nice they are. One side next to the decal there is stamped S&M MADE IN USA and the other end FATHEAD. Talking of fathead, the only two tiny weeny chips in the paint were where the guy had removed that decal

So I had a dig through the stash, and found a new one that could cover both chips.

I also removed the Profile cranks again and gave them a good clean. It reminded me why I will never use lithium grease again. It's so bastud hard to remove ffs.

Oh yeah, I am now extremely glad I did not stick those decals to random objects like I planned to about ten times. I want the 63 decal for the seat tube.