Author Topic: Tech Help (formerly ID) for my Pro-Lite (Read 2073 times)

Antiriad2097 · « **on:** August 26, 2008, 07:25 AM »

Not having looked at BMX for 20 years, a recent nostalgic thread on another forum prompted me to buy a cheap fixer-upper to mess around with. Problem is, my vast teen knowledge is no longer relevant and I'm a n00b again.

Got this old heap for a fiver:

Now I've no idea if Pro-Lite are actually any good these days for starters. Any coments on that?

Anyone ID the frame model? That'd be handy for the spec.

In particular it needs new head bearings and gyro - are these standard size across bikes now or do I need to be careful?

I had a brief ride (hairy with no brakes) and it seems a bit heavy. Feels longer than I remember too - have BMXs grown in 20 years?

toys19 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 26, 2008, 07:42 AM »

This looks like a mid school bike, heavy as hell, and longer....

HEYWOOD BMX · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2008, 10:19 AM »

Headset & gyro for that would be 1 inch.Newer bikes have 1 1/8 aheadsets.

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:27 PM »

Quote from: toys19 on August 26, 2008, 07:42 AM

This looks like a mid school bike, heavy as hell, and longer....

As you've put it like that, I may as well get this clarified. I'm assuming 'old school' <80s, 'mid school' = 90s and 'new school' > 2000 ?
I've seen 'mid school' bandied about and thats the only sense it makes to me so far.

As for the weight/length thing, is there a sticky or site that explains the ins and outs of that?
I think heavy also means more stable thanks to carrying more weight and thus more momentum, but with a downside its going to be harder to throw around. How heavy is 'too heavy'?
Not sure how length affects it other than it seemed much harder to pull the front end up, but I partly put that down to not doing it for 20 years.

Quote from: HEYWOOD BMX on August 26, 2008, 10:19 AM

Headset & gyro for that would be 1 inch.Newer bikes have 1 1/8 aheadsets.

Thanks for that. I've ordered a cheap new headset that size, so fingers crossed it fits.

Gyros I'm not au fait with. Again, is there a sticky or site that explains setting it up? I sort of understand how it works being fairly simple mechanically, but I've not seen one up close and this one is trashed. I just want to be sure what I need in the way of cables and how it fits round the existing head/stem fittings.

[edit]
I've been hunting around and found a thread at VintageBMX.com that does cover some of the length/weight considerations. From what I've read. I'm guessing my Pro-Lite is possibly more designed as a race bike instead of freestyle, though I'd have thought otherwise with twin top tubes. Either that or mid school race bikes are really long.
Thread here for reference:
http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/index.php'showtopic=27017242

Moose · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2008, 08:58 PM »

It's not a racer it's a 'freestyle' frame - there were quite a few of these knocking around 3 or 4 years ago. NOS frames being sold mainly by Emma at Rudewheels

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2008, 09:14 PM »

Fair enough, freestyle it is then. Evidently one of the changes in geometry since my day

n00b time again. I keep seeing references to NOS. This might seem particularly dumb, but is NOS literally 'not otherwise specified' and a generic no brand cheap component, or is it an irony laden brand name?

The seller gave the impression its a genuine Pro-Lite brand bike (though he could be ignorant of the facts). He was certainly very apologetic about the condition of the bearings and the fact it had lost its original bars. This despite the five quid price tag, so I can't see any reason for him to try and mask anything - what can you expect for that little?

jackel · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2008, 09:16 PM »

nos is new old school new old parts
that bikes ok for a fiver

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2008, 09:36 PM »

I see. NOS = old stock. Stuff sitting in a warehouse unsold for years, then demand peaks up again and its sold as new.

Thanks, thats much clearer and makes sense. No wonder I keep seeing it all over the place.

I reckon for a fiver its an absolute steal, I'm glad someone more informed agrees.

I've stripped it right down tonight and I don't think its as heavy as I first thought, so I suspect it is just the change in geometry thats thrown me. The frame seems positively lightweight compared to my old steel one.

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2008, 09:37 PM »

Quote from: HEYWOOD BMX on August 26, 2008, 10:19 AM

Headset & gyro for that would be 1 inch.Newer bikes have 1 1/8 aheadsets.

Bought a 1" headset. Seems too loose. I'm right in thinking that the retaining cups for the bearings that fit into the frame should be a tight fit, aren't I? The current set has play in the frame. It pulls in when I tighten everything up but that doesn't seem right to me.

I'm told the frame is the same as a '93 Haro Master and comparing geometry by overlaying photos seems spot on. Can anyone confirm a 1 1/8" headset should be what I need? Don't want to buy that to find it matches the frame but the nuts don't fit the thread on the fork. I'm not sure what this magic 1 1/8" dimension is - across thread, across frame ID, or some other point.

Oh for a good reference website for these basics, its been so long.

Del · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2008, 09:58 PM »

That frame looks very much like a mid 90's Haro Zippo (or blammo or whatever it was called).

Bigfrawg · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2008, 10:06 PM »

nos stands for new old stock me thinks.

HEYWOOD BMX · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2008, 10:20 PM »

I`d say that`s a 1" headset.However BMX specific 1" headsets sometimes differ(larger) to roadbike 1" headsets.so maybe that`s the reason for the less than snug cup fit?

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 02, 2008, 06:04 PM »

This is what I bought:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250284192188

Okay, it may not be top quality, but I just need a quick fix to get it up and running first and I'll swap out parts as they annoy me/fail later.

Went to the nearest bike shop today to try and suss it out. Fat lot of help they were with their MTBs.

Cups aren't just a little loose, they rattle around, so I'm now sure they're the wrong size. Going to visit the other bike shops tomorrow, with luck I'll find a cheap 1 1/8" to try. I'll measure up first and take the forks with me for comparison. There are BMX kids in the city, so someone must be selling them parts.

S1 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 02, 2008, 10:18 PM »

What was wrong with the old headset? If it was just that it was rusty, try leaving it for a day or so in vinegar, give 'em a wire brushing and see how they come out.

fugazi · « **Reply #14 on:** September 02, 2008, 10:47 PM »

I'm pretty sure that's a late 90's Haro Zippo, a lot of the parts on it are Haro, chainring, forks, stem etc, is it chrome underneath the paint as all those old prolite frames were? Either way both those frames used a 1" headtube.

I had a kid knock on my door a few years back asking if I could weld up his frame for him, it was the same frame and had snapped both top tubes and a huge crack in the downtube

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2008, 06:32 AM »

Quote from: S1 on September 02, 2008, 10:18 PM

What was wrong with the old headset? If it was just that it was rusty, try leaving it for a day or so in vinegar, give 'em a wire brushing and see how they come out.

Completely mashed, with race walls broken, lost bearings and stripped threads. The gyro is just rusty though so I might try a recovery job on that.

Frame isn't chromed under the paint, there are several spots where the paint has worn through and I rubbed it down for a respray. Its now yellow. Not a great job, but good enough to keep further rust away. First time spraying, so can't expect perfection and this one is all about the learning.

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 03, 2008, 04:50 PM »

Success. Despite none of the 3 bike shops in the city centre being able to help, I found a headset in Halfords of all places. The old one I tried was old school 30mm OD on the cups, the new one is the correct 32.7mm OD. One step closer to being back on the street

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 06, 2008, 06:37 PM »

Back in business

Still needs a few tweaks (like a real logo instead of a photoshopped one), but its all in one piece again.

HEYWOOD BMX · « **Reply #18 on:** September 06, 2008, 07:04 PM »

Coming along nicely

Antiriad2097 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 10, 2008, 06:24 AM »

Following a proper test ride, I realised there was more play in the head than tightening the headset would solve. I've pinned this down to a couple of things.

Firstly, the bottom race on the fork wasn't a tight fit. Easily resolved with a coke can shim.

My bigger problem is an ovalised headtube. Tried shimming it and its helped, but I'm not really happy with the result - there's still noticeable play.

As its a bargain bike and a daily rider, I just want a cheap and easy fix, its not really worth paying for a new tube, welding and skimming or the like - I'd be getting to the point where I may as well buy a new frame as I'd need to pay someone else to do it.

I'm curious if anyone has had any luck with metal fillers instead? I'm thinking that properly clamped up and with the bearing faces of the cups protected by putty or similar, it should be possible to flow liquid filler into the gap area for a really tight fit.

Is this a stupid idea that's already been proven disastrous or is it worth pursuing further?