Dennis "The Red Baron" Dain's Rink's Raider

[reilley1]

Many many years ago there was a good man who used to own a shop in Orange County.  He went on to run pedalpower (and later Powerlite) bikes.



But before the frames most of us know, he had a frame known to some as the Rink Raider




Several well known riders including Dennis Dain rode the frame to many great placings:



Eventually, Steve Rink went to a conventional looking frame and Steve Johnson picked up the design and went on to form Torker.

Just a few Rink Raiders were made and even less survive today.  This is an example of what it looked like back in 75.



and what it looked like recently



Sidehacker extraordinaire and good friend Dennis Dain did me the great favor of letting me restore the bike.  I want to thank him for this and tell him it's going to take a crowbar to get me to let go of his bike.

Gentleman and ladies.  The pedalpower Rink Raider.  The only one known to exist





















pedalpower Rink Raider Frame
Ashtabula Non-Stamped Fork
Schwinn Headset
Wald Bottom Bracket
Simi MotoMag Wheels
Cheng Shin Tires
Ashtabula Stem

[Dennis Dain]

I am so excited and proud that Reilley rebuilt this bike for me.

It has been hanging in the rafters out in my garage for over 30 years and was in need of some serious care.

 Can you believe it was 1975 when I raced that? It was cutting edge new BMX technology at the time. WOW! It is definitely a piece of BMX history.

Thanks Rick.

[kdw712]

thats frickin amazing and the history as well   

WOW !

been looking at it for about 10 mins already


    

[dj_benice]

  as ever 

[Lazarou]

That's as cool as BMX gets!

[MartyC]

That is an amazing bike, pure old school 

[Dingobmxer]

That is wicked Rick and Dennis 
Thanks for sharing

  DINGO

[workshyfop]

one of the very first "bmx" style frames as opposed to the stingray. awesome. love the twin top tube. wonder if he realised how that twin top tube would be so inspirational and become a primary factor of the early freestyle frames . i.e - torker,bob haro and the birth of frestyle. love the bike. so far advanced for the period, especially when compared to the 'ray frame next to it in the pic.
just simply wonderful. keep wondering what other old,old school marvels you chaps are going to show us. how will you top this one?? waiting in anticipation

[Dennis Dain]

I got to see the bike today. Rick came up this way today for an OS Gathering with a bunch of old schoolers. I felt like I was 16 again just sitting on it!

I am sure Rick will post some of the pictures he took with me sitting on it. He even took it for a couple of spins in the skate park next to where the gathering was!

This next picture is kind of amazing. It is the first turn at the Corona downhill around 1975. I cannot tell for sure because of the angle of the front riders, but I am almost sure everyone in this picture is on that frame.

That is Brian Ramosinski out front with Allen Underwood on the outside (both were sponsored by Pedalpower) followed by Leo Green and Kevin McNeal, both rode that frame, and that is me in the back, riding the exact bike that Reilley rebuilt.

[theRuler]

that is an awesome bike and a top story behind it

i would love to own that bike!

rick is the man, for older than old school bikes!

[Superkav]

Awesome looking bike for it's day. Top tube design eh? who'd have thought it way back then?

[reilley1]

The bike and the man at the Bellflower get-together yesterday:

[Waxintaxin]

cool as fook guys
cool as a cucumber
fantastic work and thanks for sharing here

Rich

[Mattdub]

Awesome history Rick & Dennis , you guys are blowin' me away with these kind of builds 

[reilley1]

One final touch.  Seat wasn't finished when I took the pics.

33 years ago:



Today:

[theRuler]

that bike is so nice.

*sets as desktop background*  . . . .

[Dennis Dain]

OMG! Rick, that is as close as you will ever get to replicating my old seat!

When I rode this bike in 1975, I had just turned 16 and got my drivers license. We put on alot of miles riding our bikes from jumping spots to other riding spots. You can just look at that bike and tell that shaving ounces (or pounds) off a race bike was not a consideration. At least not for me. So having a spring loaded cushioned seat was more important than a sporty plastic  one.

In other words, we rode our bikes a lot more than we drove our cars.

 Those were the days!