CruiserXX

As the proud owner of 2 custom made S&M .38 Specials - 1 24" and 1 20", I can truly attest to the the smooth ride and strong construction of these frames. The custom part of them is they both have a 22.5" top tube. If my wife was to get me a bike for Christmas, I'd go for a SE Racing "BIG RIPPER". That bike just looks fun to ride. .......But Christmas has come and gone and no "BIG RIPPER"......Yep, looks like I'll be filing for divorce soon

Maxxis made some 26 x 1.75 a few years back, my lbs has a set I am going to buy. I saw some for sale on evilbay in a store from a company called performancedownhill. The angle they show them in the photo looks like a deep knobby but they're really not that deep in "person". And they're selling them for like $10.00 each. They're Maxxis tires, best BMX racing tires made, nothing more to be said.

Yeah, Thanks. That was very cool.

Thanks, I'm 6' 2". I kept running the longer stems with the regular Pro cruiser sizing and would either almost go over the bars or get sqirrely sometimes. I recently received my 20" .38 Special custom frame set from them with a 22.5" top tube as well. It's almost built, just waiting on an S&M Euro bb. They were way cool about building these frames, Chris Moeller was very cool to deal with as well.

(deep sigh). Wow man, that was much better than watching Seacrest on the Pregame show. And to think this is where my custom 22.5 tt .38 Special Cruiser came from..... No argument here.....S&M Bikes R U L E S

I have these 2 mid-school Schwinn frames. How do you determine if it's a U.S. made frame? You can see the difference in designs first off mainly the seat stay tube. THe silver has the wishbone style, the black one has the flat triangle/beveled "tube". The black one is a Pro modified, from what is left of the decals. The headtube badge is a stick on. The serial stamp is on the inside of the left rear dropout and reads 97BXA0132 E. Also, above the 2 is the letter "L" in the same stamp size as the "E". Top tube measures 20.5" from the center of the head tube to the center of the seat tube. Is this a Limited Edition from 1997? The silver one, not sure of the model, has the headtube badge riveted on. The top tube is one inch longer and has plastic cap on the end of the seat stay tube. The silver one also weighs a little more. The serial stamp, if visible, reads M6J 02298. This tells me February 2nd, 1998. Not sure about the M6J. I recently traded a cromoly Superstock frame and fork for the silver one. The Superstock had the usual serial stamp on the bb shell, evident of most overseas made frames. They're both made of aluminum, the welds on the silver one look a little nicer/smoother than the black frame. I need to know which one to powdercoat Monday. So, to you Schwinn gurus, Thank You for your input in advance. If you need to see more photos, e-mail me and I will send them to you. http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes012.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes003.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes001.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes011.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes006.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes009.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes008.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes005.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes002.jpg http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x32/ker...nnframes010.jpg

MotoBMX, I've been leaning that way. I have excellent health coverage, I just hate going to the Dr. heh heh. Thanks for the input. I actually do have a pinched nerve in my left shoulder, when it acts up it's more bothersome but painful. Bad-Shot, I don't go as hard during practice. I also don't get as much track practice time as I'd like. However I kind of remember it happening, only a minor episode though, after practice but that was like months ago.

I'm debating having some crank arms rechromed and using them. Does the chrome stripping process weaken the steel or the welds around the pedal bosses or spindle bosses? Thanks

Does or has anyone had this happen? So, my first race of the season, last Sunday, was great. I love racing, track dry, good turnout and a win. That is the fun part. Lately though, this actually started happening last spring..After races are done.. motos and mains, when I start to putting bikes back into the truck and cool off I get this pounding headache up the back of my head. It's bad, throbbing, makes me dizzy. I tried to take a decongestant and or some Tylenol right after my main last summer, I can't recall the complete outcome, but I want to say it may have helped a little. But this one was bad and the dizziness lasted into mid morning today. I've asked some other cyclists as well, but they aren't sprinters. I race in the 36 - 40 cruiser class, I won't accept it as an age thing either - LOL. So, fellow BMXers, any input would be greatly appreciated...AND....THANK YOU.

So I go into work today, as soon as I walk in the front door my boss asks me if I want the day off, a little overstaffed. It's a rare sunny day up here so I take it. I'll get gas and go by the grocery store and head home. Those errands complete, heading home I make one more brief stop, kind of debating it for time but I hey I'm off for the day....still , almost kept driving. Now to the good part. I'm driving through town and I glance over at a passing motorists truck. I'm thinking "What do we have here?" Man, that looks like a Torker in the back, I hope he's not junking it, it's probably cracked anyway. I'm watching, keeping even, I finally get his attention at the light. "Are you tossing that bike in the back?" I ask. "No, it was my first BMX bike. I bought it in 1979. Do you know what it is?" "Yeah I do, Cool,..uh, would you be interested in selling it?" (starting to drool) " I don't know, maybe. How much are you offering? What's it worth? "I'm not exactly sure, let me check. Can I call you? "No, I'm moving out of state, like right now, pull over up the road......" After a quick friendly negotiation and a hasty ATM withdrawl, I ended up with a '78/'79 non serial stamped Torker. Original chrome with the typical, but remarkably light, rust - heatube gussets and under the seat tube. Obviously parts had been changed and upgraded over the years. Not a single crack, repair or bend. Chrome Tange forks. CW bars, masking tape grips... and what has to be a very early Torker stem or a different model unknown to me anyway. I have a six bolt Torker stem and this one is a six bolt but the bottom clamp is rounded off instead of the square like my other one. It's aged blue annodize, same "texture" of anno and the same size. Anway, this was pure timing, had I not stopped off one last time...well. Weird huh? Sorry for the lengthy thread. I had to share this one. Thanks to all who read it. :32:

Yeah, lower gearing seems to be the key, spinning like crazy...at Nationals anyway as I found out the hard way. I raced the Blackjack nationals this year. I usually run 43/18, sometimes 41/17, at my local track and usually do well with it. This gearing did NOT hold up at Reno. I got beat so bad I was almost ashamed to be there. I later asked one the other guys in my class what gearing he was using. He said that most use a 40/18 or go up to a 41/18 and it's typical to be spun out by the second jumps going into the first turn. I'm thinking..."Move up to a 41/18?....You spinning fools, HA HA..Well, he did make the mains and did well. This was the 36-40 cruiser class, a lot of you in that class know it has one of the larger turnouts at any given national. So, my goal...or hey a New Years resolution....yeah that's it.....is going to be to drop down to a 40/18, get my spin down, work on my cadence. I'm not expecting to win any nationals, but making it to a semi or even the main would be satisfaction enough. :32: ...and Thank You Bob Coover for the insight.

ALAKRAN, Those cranks you have are GT cranks. I still have a brand new complete set in the box. They came stock on some of the late '90's Power Series Line. They never came with any indication or stamp obviously. Being Powerlite was part of " The Firm" at the time, I'm sure they put them on Powerlite bikes as well judging by the bearing retainer. FSA made the aluminum cranks for GT, Powerlite and Robinson. They all looked cool. My favorites are still the Profile made ones. :32:

Yeah, I agree on the chemical aspect, your health is not worth it. I just dropped off a frame and fork to have the chrome removed at a custom chrome shop. No mess for me and $40.00. Fair enough.

I'd heard that SE/Fuji was going to have some USA made P.K.'s built for the team riders by none other than Sal "The Welder". It's been awhile since that bit of info came my way, very cool though. :18:

I'm upgrading my sons' forks on his Powerlite mini. Debating between the Marzocchi Sinister, Answer Alumilite or Scythe, or Redline Carbon. Is carbon more hype or is it really that strong? What's the life span of carbon? Any info would be great. Thanks in advance to all. Now dance poolboy