Features

KICKING IT OLDSKOOL: BMX collection and restoration

Intro by Dom Phipps - Words by Dunk - Photographs by Ged McConville + credited

A (sometimes) guilty obsession.

I can clearly remember that Saturday afternoon in 2001 sitting on my sofa at home and waiting to be picked up by a friend of mine and his wife for a night out. I was searching for mountain bike parts on Ebay, and for no reason whatsoever, I decided to change my search term to “Haro Master”. It was a profound moment. I found an internet store that looked like the bike shop that I couldn’t afford to shop in when I was a kid, and by the following Wednesday, my garage was stacked high with branded boxes that I hadn’t laid eyes on for twenty-five years. In a split second, BMX had flooded into my adult life, and a joyful new obsession had begun.

Back then, the collecting scene was quite different to what we see today. It mainly consisted of ex neighbourhood and shop sponsored riders from different parts of the world who had reconnected to BMX in a similar way to myself. In those days there were no Retro re-releases, ride-outs, or Facebook groups, we basically dropped anchor on a couple of internet forums and shared information that we derived from the era correct bikes we found, or the dog-eared magazines that our parents still had in the loft. Ebay became our least preferred market place, but most understood that to “score”, or find the bargains that had no perceived value to the uneducated seller, it was a necessary resource and we capitalised. But the common theme in those days was a collective thirst for knowledge. It seemed like every old brand – Race and Freestyle alike – had a small group of dedicated experts who were obsessively researching and sharing their findings. A sense of camaraderie developed that still astounds me when I look back. A group of forty something year old guys, deciphering serial numbers, matching paint codes and pestering the overworked graphic designer in the group to make decals. An honour system developed, and we became a community. The weird and wonderful shaped parcels started flowing through the international mail system, attempting to dodge “destination” taxes and VAT charges, as we defied logic and trusted people we had never met with large sums of cash.

It is never easy to justify the necessary activities of the vintage BMX Collector. Long hours of apparently staring blankly at a computer screen. The justification and skill involved in getting the wife to agree to the almost inexplicable purchases. The packages that went to a friend’s place, in a bid to dodge these sensitive negotiations. And the hoarding, my god the hoarding. I was a huge offender.

The 2012 Haro re-issue project, managed by Dom

I own very little now in the way of bikes and parts, but I still have a unique connection to the scene through the projects I have delivered and worked on for Haro and now Vans. And although we never invented the sport of BMX, I do believe that the activities of the collecting community in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s was the driving force behind the resurgence of interest, and the re-entry of some of the legendary riders and industry figureheads that we see in the space today. Some were already deep in the scene; some had never left. And for these reason, BMX collecting fucking rules.

Dom Phipps
Bend, Oregon.
October 2015.

Jay Eley – Dom Phipps – Bob Haro – Chris Daly. Cologne

What happens after we stop riding? Do we forget about riding completely, or is it still there in our blood. I think every true rider will tell you that it never leaves you, even long after you’ve put the bike down. The vintage bike collector scene is full of such people. Guys who’ve grown up living, breathing and absorbing BMX ever since they were young enough to hit a wooden kicker. Their riding days might be over, but beyond that, there is still a huge community of riders who get together, share stories and reminisce about the bikes they used to ride. It’s a scene I’m aware of, but one I actually know nothing about, so I asked my friend in the know, Ged McConville to put me on to a few people so I could ask them a couple of questions to find out what it’s all about.

Paul ‘Chumlee’ Freeman used to race and ride freestyle back in the 80’s. He was there at Rom and Harrow right from the word go. He was a big part and shareholder of the RAD BMX Shop in High Wycombe, with best mates Pete and Dave. This was where most of his collection lived before the shop had to sadly close its doors earlier this year. He has one of the largest collections in the world of BMX old school memorabilia, which includes vintage Vans, race shirts, race pants, helmet peaks, gloves, arm sliders and much more.

Steve Gartside is a collector of Skyway bikes and parts. He remembers pining after Craig Campbell’s Green and White two-tone bike on BMX Beat in the mid 80’s, but at the time, he was unable to afford his dream bike and it remained just that, a dream. But he never forgot how much he loved that bike, and at the age of 37 his dream finally came true.

Phil Rowles started riding BMX in the very early 80’s. “I had a ride on a mates Puch Murray and was hooked straight away. Shortly after I saved up enough money to buy my own”. He collects British made race frames, bikes and parts.

When did you start collecting bikes? Was it a case of trying to build up something you once had or did you just never throw anything away?
Chumlee: One of the guys I rode with back in the day (Pete) came round to my place about 12 years ago and said he had got back into BMX and was building old bikes and did I want to go along to a Old school BMX meet. So, I went along, and was instantly hooked. I dug out some of the old parts that I still had and started collecting from there. I managed to get some of my original parts back from people I had given it away to over the years, including my original race wheels, my VDC freestyle bars, one of my original number plates.I also got into new school BMX and started riding a bit again.

Steve: I was trawling through eBay when accidentally a Night Burner popped up as I was searching for something else. This got me thinking and I typed in Skyway Streetbeat for old times sake. Up popped a complete Green Streetbeat and it looked awesome. I kept my eye on it and even tested the water with the Mrs about buying it. She didn’t seem to bothered, so near the end of the auction I had a quick bid and I won it. The bike was listed as being in Manchester where I’m from, and by sheer coincidence; it was on my mum’s street! The same street where I grew up and lived all those BMX years in the 80’s. Anyway, from that day in 2009 I was once again – hooked.

How big is your collection?
Phil: I have ten show bikes in my collection with another thirty frame sets and an original side-hack (BMX side car). I collect British built race frames which are all hand made. I also collect British race clothing and parts. I am still after a mud cruncher as it was my first ever BMX and any SRE frames.

Chumlee: My collection is getting a bit out of hand, I have hundreds of BMX memorabilia items, it takes up a very large part of my garage and shed. My collection includes a few bikes, vintage Vans collection, Hoffman t-shirt collection, race pants and race shirt collection, helmet peaks, gloves, arm sliders, mouth traps, gators and much more, hundreds of items, also new school, Nike Pool, Chumlee at the Nike Pool as the life guard, Nike Tunnel memorabilia.

This may seem like a silly question, but why do you do it?
Chumlee: I just Love BMX; Vintage, old, mid, new, anything to do with BMX, All the people I have ever met through BMX have always been nice, helpful people.

Phil: Now I’m older, I can afford to build the bikes I wanted as a kid and I also get great pleasure in restoring frames and parts.

Steve: The reason I do it? For me, it’s an escape from the hectic life we now lead as adults. I can slip back in time in my own little world and reminisce as though I was a teenager once again. Sometimes, when I see something from back in the day, I almost feel like I’m back there just for a split second.

What was your first, and what’s your favourite?
Phil: My first bike was a mud cruncher and my favourite build so far has to be my SRE pro.

Steve: First, Team Murray, Favourite 86 Two-Tone Streetbeats.

Chumlee: Love my 2 VDC Changa’s, which is the brand I rode back in the 80’s.

Do you or people you know re-make any parts or are they all original? I’m guessing decals are hard to come by for instance.
Chumlee: There are some great people in the old school scene that make repro pads, decals, powder coating of frames, frame repairs and even produce some parts, but it is always great to get hold of original parts, even if you have to restore them.

Steve: Most of my parts are NOS. I try to build as factory spec as possible and only fit era correct parts. No repros.

What do you personally do with your bikes? Are they on display at home or kept hidden away only to come out for shows?

Steve: My bikes are usually on show in my mancave at home for me to ogle over whenever I choose. But I’ve had to remove them recently due to a burglary at my home. Luckily, they didn’t steal them but just in case they ‘clocked’ them, they are now in secure storage.

Chumlee: They are packed away and only come out for shows, which is a shame. They were out in the shop on display but I have not got the room at home to display them. All the memorabilia is packed away in boxes and stored and only comes out if I need to bore someone or visit a show.

What’s the most expensive bike you’ve seen for sale?
Steve: I’ve seen a few expensive bikes for sale. Some are just dreamers thinking their bike is worth more than it really is, but one of the best was a NOS 82 Kuwahara ET, that was for sale for £3k. I have to admit, it was bloody lovely.

Phil: Prices are rising all the time and as it becomes more popular, I’m sure they will just keep rising. I know someone that built a bike which cost well over £7k!

Ron Wilkerson on his original Haro and the re-issue.

How old does a BMX need to be for it to be considered vintage? It’s nice to see some good examples of S&M Dirtbikes and 2Hip’s knocking around, but are they truly Vintage?
Chumlee: Yes they are collectable, they would be entered into the mid-school class, I think it is great that all these bikes are getting restored and collected, it’s all BMX history and some of the 90’s bikes were mad and are actually quite rare, as BMX dipped in the 90’s.

Steve: For me, anything 70’s and 80’s is vintage, but I think it depends on how old you are.

Do you think in 20 years people will still be collecting and restoring bikes from this era? Or do you think people will be less nostalgic then?
Chumlee: I hope so. I think it will take a few years, my son wants to keep his first BMX race bike so we have stripped it down and put it away. It’s going to be mad trying to build a new-school bike in the future, all the different seats, grips, tyres, frames, sprockets that have come out in the last few years. A great reference for building any bike is old magazines, product tests adverts, people will eventually build the bikes that are around today.

Phil: I think the scene will only get bigger over the next 20 years as people try to hold on to their childhood.

Steve: I do think that some people will lose interest in collecting, it’s inevitable. I think though there will still be serious collectors out there who will carry on for decades to come. I’ve seen many people come and go over the six years I’ve been collecting but I think if it’s in your blood, you’ll never lose it.

Now, whilst writing this piece, I noticed some images on Facebook that looked like they would suit. It turned out to be Claus Hvass, 40 years of age, from Denmark. He didn’t just have a few images, he had built his own museum, and has also worked on a skatepark in his hometown of Galten, with the famous Danish pro skater Rune Glifberg, so is still very much in touch with the industry.

Clauss has ridden and been into BMX for the past 25 years and rides with a crew of people that go by the name of OGONB – Old Guys On New Bikes.

It’s certainly an interesting scene. Seeing all the parts and completes makes you think quite differently about what we ride today, the bits and bobs we now take for granted could one day in the future be worth a pretty penny, what to keep and what to throw away?