RADBMX.CO.UK
Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: factory pilot on August 07, 2018, 12:56 PM
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There’s nothing quite like going full circle in life is there..
Here’s me BITD on my pride and joy ...
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/553cbb480b7eace83cbaf4ebfd80bd28.png)
You can never look a gift horse in the mouth and when Rob Pickle offered me his unfinished project I couldn’t say no.
The ‘Gratton Special’ GS was a catalogue only Burner.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/19be12290ed7b9139e39c27b9a4c2a38.jpg)
My Dad printed the Kay’s Catalogue in Worcester and hence we had access to the hallowed ‘Kay’s Shop’ where many a bargain was to be found.( My very first trainers - Puma Dallas were from here )
I must of got mine in April 1983 just before my birthday. I can still picture it leaning against the wall in the toys section.
I know I really wanted an Ultra Burner but that was way out of my Mum and Dad’s price range .... here was a close second and at £79.99 it was affordable!
I have chosen to do this as a full spec build just as it was in the catalogue as my bike was exactly like that. ( No tyre reflectors - please note )
The rest as we say is history..
cheap Landar parts eventually replaced some of the Raleigh ones and a Haro Plate topped it off.
I rode this bike up until the early 90s even taking it to college in Liverpool. ( I remember jumping over students on it right after my last exam! )
Rob had put together a fine collection of parts but as he had wanted to ride it some were either wrong, not show quality or repop I had to do my research to get it right.
The levers were too good for example (dia-Compe) and the post was a horrible aluminium thing. The tyres were repop and skinwall and the wheels were shot (literally).
Here’s a few pics of the parts I had or sourced for the build....
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Many thanks to Rad’s Dave Brummie for the amazing tyres - Cheng Shin Gumwall Snakebellys ( fat/thin combo was spec )
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/698eac23c38d3b8ff4e8a4cf5e51f943.jpg)
Super Bike Dan worked his magic on the frame, forks and bars and stem top. The frame was a Fiat 506 Golden White Metallic.
The bars and forks are satin black ( not gloss as some mistakenly say ). The stem top was a flat matt Black. I clearly remember it being different to the bars.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/af6a7eab5cdfbe9e9feff905ff3bdc59.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/30ec6e4749112ba40cfffb7d5dca2015.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/d13b0b7f5e9c15b9fd814d4c6b16786f.jpg)
I won the paint job as a prize for winning Bike of the Show at last year’s MK17. I can’t thank Dan enough for the amazing job he did for me.
Finally it’s onto the little details. These are my favourite part of any build.
First the correct head badge .. this one I believe was NOS .. incredible!
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/444aae75d3292ae379c61f7ca5684dc2.jpg)
Two pieces that bring so many memories flooding back.
The owners manual, guarantee and store locator and Raleigh bicycle tool.
I remember these being attached to the bike when we bought it. I read that manual a hundred times and knew it inside out.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/47761d7b044ea831378657dfc26c8326.jpg)
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OG NOS Decals I love so I got these to go on the bike stand ( Thanks a million Tony Lee for the top one )...
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180807/5213d1d0dbb77250695012e594527d91.jpg)
There’s a few more surprises but the bike (still under construction) will get its first official showing at MK18.
It’s brought back so many memories of childhood and my Dad (RIP) who I’m sure would have loved to have seen it. It’s amazing what emotions run through you on a build like this.
I hope you’ve enjoyed it so far as much as I have.
Ant
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Proper bike Ant, looking good! cant wait to see it this weekend :daumenhoch:
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Looking forward to seeing you and your latest creation at the weekend mate
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Great story & bike 👍
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Cheers boys .. it’s coming together nicely (I hope) fistblump
Can’t wait to see you all and chew the rad fat explosion
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This is what this hobby is all about, great story and sure it'll be a lovely little build too! :daumenhoch:
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Cheers mate ... I bloody love it ... I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for that simple burner :daumenhoch:
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Nice mate. Good project.
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I happen to know at least one of those service dealers is still around ;)
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Just ace.
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Awesome Ant, like yourself all I had BITD was my Burner GS.
My mum and dad (like many i guess) didn't have 2 pence between them so come Christmas 1982 all the presents had been dispatched:
Airfix spitfire
Football
Sweets
Annual of some sorts
but no Bike :-\ :'( I didn't show any disappointment as I knew they were skint as hell so enjoyed the Christmas morning with my brother and sister.
Come the prep for dinner my dad shouted from the kitchen "Rob, we're out of potatoes. go over the road to our neighbours and get some for me?"
Not keen on the idea I took ages to slide on my trainers and walk over the road........there in their garage was a gleeming Burner GS with a big Merry Christmas Rob!! banner on it.
I rode my bike all day until I was made to come in, loved that bike and like Ants it changed spec an awful lot.....ending up street beat green with blue Z's then blue Tuffs :daumenhoch:
Look forward to seeing it on Sunday Ant :daumenhoch:
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Very cool. We also lived out of Kays catalogue when I was little 😉
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I happen to know at least one of those service dealers is still around ;)
Trust you Clint! :LolLolLolLol: :2funny:
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Awesome Ant, like yourself all I had BITD was my Burner GS.
My mum and dad (like many i guess) didn't have 2 pence between them so come Christmas 1982 all the presents had been dispatched:
Airfix spitfire
Football
Sweets
Annual of some sorts
but no Bike :-\ :'( I didn't show any disappointment as I knew they were skint as hell so enjoyed the Christmas morning with my brother and sister.
Come the prep for dinner my dad shouted from the kitchen "Rob, we're out of potatoes. go over the road to our neighbours and get some for me?"
Not keen on the idea I took ages to slide on my trainers and walk over the road........there in their garage was a gleeming Burner GS with a big Merry Christmas Rob!! banner on it.
I rode my bike all day until I was made to come in, loved that bike and like Ants it changed spec an awful lot.....ending up street beat green with blue Z's then blue Tuffs :daumenhoch:
Look forward to seeing it on Sunday Ant :daumenhoch:
Be great to see you mate fistblump
I hope it hits you when you see it mate like it does me every time I look at it :daumenhoch:
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Brilliant stuff Ant! I won't be at MK but look forward to seeing pics of the complete on here! :daumenhoch:
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Nice one Ant....you can't put a price on memories! I bet you soon changed the old Grifter grips pretty sharpish bitd!! the reason I cannot ever sell my PR again is mainly sentimental. It was one of the few things my dad (RIP) got involved in with me....I remember he skinted himself to buy me the frameset second hand as he knew how unhappy I was with my heavy Taiwanese Dragon Freestyler. I can remember the trip to Mud Machine (M-Zone) in Croydon where we bought the frameset...….writing to Peter Rose of PR Racing to get some new decals and fooking up the first set as I was too impatient to get them on....receiving one of the first pairs of white Haro multi surface when they came out....my Sharp XC grips....first fitting my spinner and the difference it made to my riding......the list goes on!! :daumenhoch:
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Nice one Ant....you can't put a price on memories! I bet you soon changed the old Grifter grips pretty sharpish bitd!! the reason I cannot ever sell my PR again is mainly sentimental. It was one of the few things my dad (RIP) got involved in with me....I remember he skinted himself to buy me the frameset second hand as he knew how unhappy I was with my heavy Taiwanese Dragon Freestyler. I can remember the trip to Mud Machine (M-Zone) in Croydon where we bought the frameset...….writing to Peter Rose of PR Racing to get some new decals and fooking up the first set as I was too impatient to get them on....receiving one of the first pairs of white Haro multi surface when they came out....my Sharp XC grips....first fitting my spinner and the difference it made to my riding......the list goes on!! :daumenhoch:
Hahaha! Yes ... the grips were the first to go .. I desperately wanted Oakley but the paper round only raised enough for Fuan’s! ;)
A great story mate .. thanks for sharing fistblump
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Very cool. :coolsmiley: Great story. :4_17_5:
Can't wait to see it built up. :)
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So it finally got finished for MK18 (Thank God)!
Every second of this has been incredible ( I can’t encourage you enough to do that bike you had as a kid ) ... so many memories and emotions came flooding back every step of the way...
I can’t thank SBD enough for getting the paint job soo right! ...
I don’t think I’ve enjoyed seeing a bike come together as much as this one ...
If it wasn’t for this I wouldn’t be here now and I wouldn’t have made so many amazing friends and had so many amazing memories since joining Radbmx!
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180817/516904074d5111d6bdb7cbea6d2ac1a3.jpg)
I’ve done many builds but this is genuinely in my opinion the best I’ve ever done ...
There’s something about this build which makes it the “most right” of all the bikes I’ve done ... as so many commentated at MK .. it looked straight out of the box or straight from the shop floor from the Raleigh factory in Nottingham..
Judge for yourself ...
I just bloody love it and still can’t stop looking at it!
Cheers for looking and reading, Ant
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Ant,
This is one of my all time favourite builds ever on RAD. :4_17_5:
I love your trademark attention to detail, and the quality of the output. The Pickle connection was equally important; chatting to you both about how it all came together was one of the highlights of my weend, quite honestly. :smitten:
Seeing this at MK18 brought back so many fond memories of my misspent youth. ;)
Build of the year for me. :daumenhoch:
Richie Clean.
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Feeling truly humbled by your very kind comments and words Rich..
I think there was just something about this bike that touched many peoples hearts and emotions at MK ..
it’s the build I’m most proud of ..
Thanks again Mr Clean :bow:
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Awesome build . Just PERFECT :4_17_5: explosion
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Quality resto Ant... looks like it's straight out the catalogue. :daumenhoch:
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Forgot to say I got the correct jersey and race pants featured in the catalogue picture with the Phase 1 GS (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180817/714b23c21504baa1d3c68e1880258f7c.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180817/44839e6f5938f25baf33ba56c222a93f.jpg)
I also had OG canvas pads that would turn this build from a Phase 1 to a Phase 2.
Exact same bikes apart from the pads .. Rob had the Phase 2 but mine was like the catalogue picture the Phase 1.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Great story and a sweet! build that fella :daumenhoch:
PS...What size is that Bmx Top it looks super tiny :D
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What a fantastic thread and awesome build explosion
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Ant, it was the BOTS for me along with Paul’s (dp and anal dude) DP. I learned a lot more about the build too off Andy. It’s amazing how you 2 are such great pals and also have the same ethos and attention to your builds.
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Great story and a sweet! build that fella :daumenhoch:
PS...What size is that Bmx Top it looks super tiny :D
I know! Lol .. they’re rare as hens teeth! It was the biggest size I could find... think it’s for a new born baby! :2funny:
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Wow what a build and post! well done it looks spot on. Go on take it back to your old street and re-create that old photo??? Its all about he memories and emotions.
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Stunner
End of
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As ever Ant an ace story to go with a cracking build :daumenhoch:
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Ant with no facial hair!
Top bombing Ant; great story and a cracking build :daumenhoch:
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Love it when a plan comes together ! :Great_Britain: :daumenhoch:
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Brilliant thread and the bit about your Dad really touched me.
There are different ways to value things in life and recreating something that meant the world to you as a kid helps you to understand that.
We all love the rare and exotic bikes we lusted after as early 80's kids and still recall easily the envy we had for other peoples rides.
I've built bikes over the years that were out of my parents financial reach and also some of my later better bikes which are more sought after these days.
However, the Akisu I recently completed holds a more special place in my heart than any of them.
It wasn't even the bike we went to buy (DP Firebird which was sold out) but, the memory of seeing the Akisu built up and leaning against my parents dining room wall on Christmas morning 1982 is still so vivid and makes me so happy every time I think about it.
My Dad is 86 now and when I showed him the completed build it moved him to tears.
It is not easy to recreate memories and feelings long since past.
But one of the greatest things about the old school BMX scene is that it offers you an opportunity to do exactly that.
Brilliant build mate and the attention to detail is really something.
You should be very proud as I'm absolutely sure your late Father would be!! :daumenhoch:
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Brilliant thread and the bit about your Dad really touched me.
There are different ways to value things in life and recreating something that meant the world to you as a kid helps you to understand that.
We all love the rare and exotic bikes we lusted after as early 80's kids and still recall easily the envy we had for other peoples rides.
I've built bikes over the years that were out of my parents financial reach and also some of my later better bikes which are more sought after these days.
However, the Akisu I recently completed holds a more special place in my heart than any of them.
It wasn't even the bike we went to buy (DP Firebird which was sold out) but, the memory of seeing the Akisu built up and leaning against my parents dining room wall on Christmas morning 1982 is still so vivid and makes me so happy every time I think about it.
My Dad is 86 now and when I showed him the completed build it moved him to tears.
It is not easy to recreate memories and feelings long since past.
But one of the greatest things about the old school BMX scene is that it offers you an opportunity to do exactly that.
Brilliant build mate and the attention to detail is really something.
You should be very proud as I'm absolutely sure your late Father would be!! :daumenhoch:
Thanks mate, and thanks for sharing ... it’s so much more this hobby than just “kids bikes”...
It’s that emotion that you speak of that is priceless mate 8)