Author Topic: Where did you get your stuff from in the mid school days? (Read 2450 times)

generallee · « **on:** August 20, 2007, 09:26 PM »

Been having a think about this, as I was looking at some old pics of bikes I used to have, and back in the mid school days around 92 onwards, I used to travel across Dartmoor to Green Machine every thurs night when Dave Drew would stay open late- and we'd drink coffee and talk bikes, and then eventually buy something - it was always exciting when Dave took the product you wanted and then got out his calculator - you always knew a discount was coming! I remember getting my first ever Dirt Bike frame fromm him, it was the chrome 1" dirt bike with the platform - man I loved that.
I also got from Green Machine over the years a Haro Master, s&m holmes, Revcore race frame, Dirt Bike Oversize, and numerous parts including Chicken Wire cables!
I remember too that The Boarding House in Exeter was a good place to go, [even better now Tim Rucjk runs it]and that Cyclesport/Billys/Alans still did mail order, but for the local bike shop visit for me it was always Green Machine. Happy Days.
Anyone else ever stop the car/chase after anyone else they saw on a bmx in those days as it was so rare?
the mid school was amazing - I miss it.

Lazarou · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2007, 09:27 PM »

Mostly Custom Riders and Backyard for me. Or the odd trip Stateside.

ron burgundy · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2007, 09:30 PM »

Nor'easter surf shop in Hartlepool or the Admag/Yellow Paper...

harris · « **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2007, 09:36 PM »

billys in cambridge or mason at customriders

the_cyclops · « **Reply #4 on:** August 20, 2007, 09:54 PM »

Usually BackYard or Trend
(After Split Skates stopped selling BMX stuff)

I used to get the odd thing from Powerhouse (i think it was called) on the south coast...the owners daughter was HOT! (I could tell you a story now but il save it!)

christhejob · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2007, 09:55 PM »

Quote from: generallee on August 20, 2007, 09:26 PM

Anyone else ever stop the car/chase after anyone else they saw on a bmx in those days as it was so rare?
the mid school was amazing - I miss it.

i came out of a lecture in lancaster uni in 1990 and saw a guy with a 2-hip shirt on. i nearly kacked myself. instant friends.. still are today.
that's the difference with today.... so few people back then you didn't get on with.. i got out my car at the train station a few weeks ago, 3 lads were getting their bikes together.. i was like (in my head) "urrrrrrrrrr do i talk to them?" i didn't bother.. they'd probably have called me a paedo. haha AND what do you say..bmx is different now i think..
i hear a rumour of rob ridge flagging someone down on the motorway as they had a hooligan on the bike rack and simply saying "mongoose hooligan, nice one!" can anyone confirm this (cyclops?)

woody allen bars · « **Reply #6 on:** August 20, 2007, 10:19 PM »

Good topic Steve

BMX was absolutely dead down here in Cornwall in the early nineties, probably less than a dozen of us riding in the whole county, so we got most stuff via mail order. I visited John Terry's once (parked the Scania truck I was driving outside on the pavement!) and got a Wilkerson f+f off him but it was so badly out of line I sold the thing on again (still have the NOS bashguard here in a box). Also popped in at Backyard one time and me mate got a pair of VDC freestyle forks off Stuart for some ridiculously cheap price.

My bro bought a complete Airmaster from Frankford Bicycles in the US for much less than the UK price at the time, and when we went to the States in '92 I got one of the very early Mack frame 'n forks without the AD lugs direct from James when he was at Trend. It's been said before but some of the prices on 'old' kit were unbelievable: I think it was either Billys or Cyclesport that had loads of new DXs for less than a tenner, and Araya Aero rims at silly prices too. MRD freestlyers were also on sale dirt cheap too.

In 94 things started to pick up down here, with Mikey at Truro Cycles getting hold of a lot of BMX stuff, and doing good deals on old stock from Hotwheels. Lavender Comp ST tyres at a less than a fiver 'n suchlike.

Craig

stuntmaster · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2007, 10:21 PM »

custom riders and a shop in sutton that has nothing at all in there now ,shame

the_cyclops · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2007, 10:29 PM »

Quote from: christhejob on August 20, 2007, 09:55 PM

i hear a rumour of rob ridge flagging someone down on the motorway as they had a hooligan on the bike rack and simply saying "mongoose hooligan, nice one!" can anyone confirm this (cyclops?)

No idea Chris!!!

Id be scared if Rob Ridge flagged me down as id think Kevin Keegans burly younger brother in shockingly tight shorts was stopping me to do nasty things to my man fanny!

Although I must admit that a week after one of the KOCs that i'd done the mic bit (along with Steve 'Mr Smooth' Jackson) I was walking past a Pizza Hut in Brighton, and this guy who id never seen in my life was banging on the glass and came rushing out and went 'Si Lock.....Southsea....I was there...cool' and then went back in.......Mad!

Back then things were certainly different...everyone knew everyone or at least who everyone was and if you saw a guy on a bike that you'd never seen before you go over and strike up a convo!

christhejob · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2007, 10:50 PM »

he was and is the ridge!

i used to get stuff from custom/backyard mostly.. then trend and albes when i went out to the states.. i remember getting an american friend to get me some redlines when she went backto the states for christmas.. american cycle express (any port in a storm!) i popped out (nothing more) at shrewsbury mini and the right arm literally snapped in half. warranties back then?? no chance.. and i reckon they cost what wombolts etc cost now. jeezus.. so what i am saying is even if you could get hold of it you payed through the nose and it was still crap...............

Lazarou · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2007, 10:55 PM »

.....and Mental Jimmy's!

theRuler · « **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2007, 09:35 AM »

used to go to sideways cycles near crewe
wicked shop. had loads of stuff!!

and the odd mail order item from custom riders

dialledbikes · « **Reply #12 on:** August 21, 2007, 09:36 AM »

In the UK, it was Custom Riders, Cycle Sport, Hot Wheels and Back Yard.

I also used to get my relatives in the US to bring stuff over from Trend, Dans Comp and another shop I forget the name of now.

se-bmxer · « **Reply #13 on:** August 21, 2007, 09:42 AM »

For me it was John Terry's in weston super mare and as i live in worcester MYcycles

revcore · « **Reply #14 on:** August 21, 2007, 11:56 AM »

I got alot of my Hoffman stuff from Salad Days in the US. I also bought alot of S&M stuff from Mental Jimmys. Alof of other stuff I got from BHQ (Bicycle Headquarters) here in Australia. BHQ imported alot of Crupi, JP, Supercross and Profile stuff.....They also got some CCH Super Cup frames in black and also yellow.

Sean 2000 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2007, 10:59 PM »

For me it was Edwardes in Camberwell, a little shop in Muswell Hill (cant remember name) and Get Pedelling (i think that was its name) in Colchester.

Sean.

team_teapot · « **Reply #16 on:** August 21, 2007, 11:09 PM »

Colin @ get Pedallin in Colechester.

darkersomeday · « **Reply #17 on:** August 21, 2007, 11:16 PM »

mainly custom riders/billys/cyclesport for mail order,

j.e james locally,

langsett cycles before that,

and going way-way back,

AB wheels!

Wayne Ryder · « **Reply #18 on:** August 22, 2007, 01:23 AM »

Wow, J.E. James. Bought some Pro Performer bars (very cheaply) from their Chesterfield store in about '86, they're in the shed at the moment and I can't bear to part with them. Snagged a few bargains from there, including a Trick Star F&F. They had a CW F&F there for years, the one with the beyond-huge platform.
Postal-wise, the ones I remember were John Terry, Offbeat Sportz (for my 1st & second pairs of Airwalks, I think) and Backyard.

christhejob · « **Reply #19 on:** August 22, 2007, 07:45 AM »

remember how SLOW some mail-order was?
on yer bike in nottingham never took credit cards so you had to send a cheque
waited 2-3 weeks for stuff from hotwheels sometimes..

backyard got me aggroman the morning after it arrived in the country though. yeah!

Lazarou · « **Reply #20 on:** August 22, 2007, 08:23 AM »

I forgot i used to go to Bike Pro in Birmingham too.

Philbert · « **Reply #21 on:** August 23, 2007, 12:00 AM »

custom riders, spokes in coventry, laz's old shop attic bikes, DAI leisure in the black country, and some stuff from standard.

used to love a day trip to DAi, it was like an alladins cave of bmx. pretty much everthing that was in bmx in the mid nineties was somewhere in that shop. its DAI we have to thank for the price drop in profile cranks from £200 originally to about £130 with a chainring! all because they bought about 500 pairs at a discounted rate, everyone else had to drop the price to match! treats!

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #22 on:** August 23, 2007, 01:49 AM »

You know what DAI stands for?

Direst Arms Imports. Weapons dealer apparently. They used to fill any leftover space in their containers from overseas with BMX stuff. Hence the fantastic prices

Or so I heard......

Lazarou · « **Reply #23 on:** August 23, 2007, 01:53 AM »

That's totally true Rob, half the shop was BMX and the other half was guns! I assume it's still the same.

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #24 on:** August 23, 2007, 01:56 AM »

COOL! I'm really glad that's true and not another one of my bullshit urban legends

Author Topic: Where did you get your stuff from in the mid school days? (Read 2450 times)

Lazarou

the_cyclops

christhejob

woody allen bars

the_cyclops

christhejob

Lazarou

theRuler

dialledbikes

revcore

Sean 2000

team_teapot

darkersomeday

christhejob

Lazarou

Lazarou