Restoring my old Cyclecraft BMX cruiser

And maybe this isn't quite a full restoration. Let's call it "putting back proper."

When I moved to Florida in 1994, I decided to get back into BMX. But I needed a bike as I just had my 20-incher from high school.

So I found this Cyclecraft 24-inch cruiser at a local bike shop. It was used. I think I paid like $225 for it.

I knew the Cyclecraft name, and they were local to Daytona Beach. The bike had some scuffs and scratches but looked solid. Plus, it was built with some good parts: Redlight Flight cranks, Bullseye hubs, etc.

Sold. 

I raced that bike through 2000. That's when I decided to go back to a 20 and built up a DK ProXL. 

The Cyclecraft was retired and eventually hung in the attic, even though all of the other bikes are on display in our loft. I know, I'm a bad BMX owner.

This weekend, we got the Cyclecraft down from the attic. I had pulled the bars for another bike, but otherwise, it's all as last raced, down to the clay. 

So, plans:

The bike had Cyclecraft handlebars when I got it, but I replaced them with S&M Gay Bars. The Cyclecraft bars are long gone. (I think they were bent.) The Gay Bars are now on another bike, so I need to put them back on the Cyclecraft. Then I need to get bars for the other bike. 

I also need to fit the grips that I ran back in the day. For the life of me, I couldn't remember what I ran. I just rememembered that they were freebees that someone had given to me. After some looking through old mags last night, it hit me: ODI Roughnecks. They're NLA, but I see some NOS ones for sale. I ran green ones (because free), but I might not be as committed to that color. We'll see what I can find. 

I'm not going to clean the bike, but I should air up the tires.

And the big question: When was this bike made, and did Brian Foster paint it?

Cyclecraft didn't fully date their frames–just a month. 

A friend, an expert on the brand, says that the stamp on mine means that it was built in May. 

But which May? 

Based on some other details–paint job and color, non-ringed head tube–my friend's thinking 1989-'92. I'd like to narrow that down. 

Before Brian Foster became a pretty famous BMX pro, he painted bikes for Cyclecraft. He was known for leaving a smile beneath the bottom bracket.

Does this count? 

I hear that Brian is rather hard to reach. So, another mystery.

I have a few other bits from the bike needed to make it whole.

My old number plate.

And a handlebar pad:

The bike came with these pedals, but they're now on my cyclecross bike. Not sure if I'll swap them back.

And that's where I am as of lunchtime today. Hopefully more to come. 

Oh, and some of the recent detective work.

We have no reason to believe that the paint isn't original. Cyclecraft did lots of one-offs like that. It totally fits with their M.O.

The decals, though, aren't totally right–one's upside-down, a few are in the wrong places. 

Is the frame older than we think and someone tried to update the look with newer decals? ("Newer" meaning from the early '90s.) 

This is why dating it has been a bit of a challenge. 

I seem to remember a cool shade of baby blue(ish) from Cyclecraft, maybe in the late '80s.  It was a fun era when there were so many mom-and-pop brands of BMX bikes.  The mountain bike business, particularly the steel frame side of things, is in kind of similar phase (like in the late '90s), with lots of cool and different stuff being produced (even if it is in Taiwan) by small builders.  I got a new Canfield last year, and it was life-changing . . .

I love this!

I'm just in the process of a bit less involved restoration of my 90's bmx bike.  All the period correct cool bits on a Bully Piston.  Some fresh tubes, tires, and a wax has her up and running.  I have to find my old numberplates and my bodyglove pad set.

Looks like a Foster paint job to me. If you can find Tedd (Charles) Nelson he could probably verify the paint & stickers since he worked at UGP during that era when Shag owned Cyclecraft before coming back to CT and working at my shop.

I raced a custom built Cyclecraft cruiser for many years I got after racing a standard construction two tone for a while. The standard F&F was a two tone white with the Blue rustomatic mentioned (pre Foster). The custom one was one of very few chrome plated (poorly) ones. Although I had a large BMX store with access to virtually any cruiser I wanted , I really liked and stuck with the custom Cyclecraft for many many years and would swap out stickers and pads if I was being sponsored by another company. I could win my cruiser class at ABA and NBL Nationals etc. anywhere in the country on that custom built F&F.

Pic from one of the NBL grands in the late late 80's. Photo by Tom Izor.

[URL=https://app.photobucket.com/u/NOTATA/a/7009cfe6-c358-4dbc-90c1-18d8bafca313/p/e33df8a2-5105-4d98-abb4-7336283f9f18][/URL]

In reply to NOT A TA :

Wow! I used to ride with Shag and Shawnda and need to see if they can share any additional info. 

When I bought the bike, it was just a used bike. And, yeah, others have said it looks like Brian's work. 

In reply to 84FSP :

Looks awesome. I'll try to spend some time with mine this weekend. 

In reply to NOT A TA :

Also, any chance you still have your Cyclecraft cruiser? I'd love to compare some measurements. 

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to NOT A TA :

Also, any chance you still have your Cyclecraft cruiser? I'd love to compare some measurements. 

Sadly, no. It was stolen along with all the other bikes that were in my house about 15 years ago. My bike had a slightly shorter top tube and was made with thinner wall tubing IIRC.  I was told it had been built for 140 lb. weight limit. Gate keepers told me they could see the bottom bracket move about an inch when I snapped out of the gate due to frame flex.

I may still have Cyclecraft stickers from that era.

In reply to NOT A TA :

Bummer that it got ripped.

I ask because I wanted to compare top tubes. Mine's on the short side. 

Be sure to wear shin guards on the cyclocross bike with those XC II's & Urchins.

Bullseye hubs on the cruiser?

Replace those dried out Skyway pads on the MX 1000's or they'll fall apart if you ride the bike.

That open bottom bracket has special cups and bearings if it's the one that came with the crank set so try to reuse it.

Flip the seat clamp (on the seat rails) and shove the seat back, seat is way to far forward.

In reply to NOT A TA :

No logo/sticker but they look like Bullseye. Spokes are butted, and the rims look like Ambrosios. I bought the bike used from a shop that didn't know much about it. If those parts are legit, someone spent a few bucks on just the wheels. I think I paid like $225 or $250 for the bike (in 1994 dollars). 

I'm not sure how much I'll ride this one, but I'd at least like to make it whole. Thanks for the advice. 

I need some parts for my MCS, too, so been setting up alerts on BMX Museum and eBay. Last night, I found the right seat post clamp for the MCS but in the wrong color. So close....

Been doing some shopping lately–just looking now.

One observation: BMX parts cost a lot more now then they did back then. 

Period parts are for sure expensive.  On the flip side I was able to pickup a brand new aluminum redline bmx with all the cool bits like 3 piece cranks and 1 3/" wheels etc for 239 delivered.  

Welp, just bought something–but it's for the other one of my bikes that I'm also "putting correct."

I guess I need a build thread for that one, too. 

I just had someone offer to buy one of my frames. I'm not ready to sell, I told them.

And just bought another (old) part needed for the other bike. Maybe that one should have gotten the build thread? 

And the other bike has gotten a build thread:

MCS Magnum 2000 BMX bike restoration | Getting ready for Radwood

Sweet cruiser!

I wouldn't ride on the old tires. First, they're more than likely to disintegrate. Second, people pay stupid money for period correct tires.

I'd also swap out the chain and freewheel. Cheaper than a visit to the dentist if the old parts fail.

In reply to RandolphCarter :

Thank you and, yes, been there, done that regarding a snapped chain. The resulting broken arm was only part of the it. It took someone an hour to find me on the side of the road.

Not sure how much I'll ride this one as the setup is a little weird: short top tube but 185mm cranks. But I want to make it whole again so I can at least show it. It needs to be parked upstairs with the rest of the collection. 

Plus my 22-inch S&M continues to spoil me. I love that bike. :) 

And last night was picture day (picture night?). Time to show some bikes and frames on BMX Museum. 

And Craig's actual race bike: