This 26″ cruiser is Dyno-mite!

18 11 2016

The Dyno Compe was my first freestyle bike so I’ve also had sentimental feelings for Dynos.

To me, they were there the slightly cooler cousin to the more “mainstream” GT Pro Performer…which, as you know, has been re-imagined for the modern age as the GT Performer Pro 26″.

The kid in me wished that GT would’ve brought back a souped up (and scaled up) version of my old fav but to this point…I’ve been out of luck.

But now it appears my luck is changing.

While GT snoozed, Gary Turner (the OG G.T.) cruised….right into my heart with a 26″ Dyno-inspired 26er called the 26D Legend Cruiser!

gary-turner-26d-sideSporting the iconic (in my mind anyway) frame platform, this is the cruiser to rep if you got the soft spot for Dynos like I do.

gary-turner-26d-topIt’s American made and full cro-mo, just like nature intended.

As far as specs go, there’s some customization available but the standard issue is as follows:

  • 72 degree head tube angle
  • 22.5″ top tube
  • 17.75 – 18.90″ rear stay
  • 13.7″ seat mast height
  • 1 1/8 cup style head tube

Custom bits:

You can go OG with an American BB or modern with mid BB. You also have the choice of 990-style or V-brake mounts.

I think the only bummer in this situation is that Gary didn’t go with the classic Dyno fork with the bend in it. The 26D Legend fork is cool in an old-school Bottema fork way, but it’s not the Dyno fork I remember.

gary-turner-26d-forkStill, I think the frame/fork combo is pretty cool.

Word on the street is that a 24″ version is also on the way…I’m really looking forward to that!

 

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Categories : Freestyle, New products, Old School

Collabs, Retros and 26″ Cruisers

29 09 2016

We’ve talked about collabs, Retros and 26″ Cruisers before…but at this year’s Interbike they really came to the fore.

In some cases, certain bikes had a more than one of these things going on at the same time.

Subrosa got on the “collab cab” earlier this year with their collaboration with Slayer.

slayer-subrosa-side-interbike

They had a range of sizes on display in their booth, including a 26″ cruiser. Cool color way, graphics…the whole bit.

slayer-top-tube-interbike

Apparently the Slayer-emblazoned seat is also going to be available as an aftermarket item too…kinda stoked on that.

slayer-seat-interbike

They also had their own 26″ Subrosa Malum on display.

subrosa-malum-interbike

Haro continued their push into the retro market with with a number of updated classics (all 20s) from the 80s “golden era” of freestyle. Unfortunately, no cruisers…with the exception of the 24″ Downtown we featured in yesterday’s post.

haro-sport-interbike

SE, of course, is no stranger to the retro or collaboration game.

The STR-29 brings back the old school era Stu Thomsen STR frame, re-imagined as comfortable riding 29er.

se-str-29-interbike

Likewise, SE ups the collaboration game with another 29er in the form of the Public Enemy Big Ripper.

se-public-enemy-interbike

And the 26″ We The People Avenger…it’s so retro it has a threaded headset!

wtp-avenger-interbike

GT is also dipping their toes into these trends.

GT, with the help of industry icon Ben Ward, brought back the classic Pro Performer…this time as a 26″.

gt-pro-performer-26-interbike

As we discussed in the previous post on the 26″ Pro Performer, this bad boy is tricked out with the iconic Power Series cranks, Mohawk hubs and other goodies.

gt-power-series-cranks-interbike

The rep that I talked to was — as he should be — pretty stoked on it.

In our conversation, he also dropped a line that seems to perfectly encapsulate what seems to be pushing this drive back to the classics:

We’re pulling on the heartstrings to open the purse strings

No doubt about it.

It looks like all these trends have staying power.

We’ve been talking about 26″ cruisers moment in the sun for years now.

More and more companies are also seeing the market respond to the retro-oriented bikes and accessories.

And the collaboration game…that’s just adding a whole other layer to things.

With all these trends starting to intersect at this year’s show, it will be interesting to see how things continue to evolve in the year ahead.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Old School

Bikes like back in the day

24 09 2015

Call it what you will…nostalgia, “retro-inspired” or just a nod to the old school…you could be forgiven if you felt there was a bit of 80s in the air at Interbike.

Over at the Haro booth, the retro fever got started with a teaser photo — released just prior to the opening day of Interbike — of a new re-pop Dennis McCoy Haro Master.

That definitely got the ball rolling!

Haro DMC Master Interbike

Not to leave out the cruiser folks, Haro also showcased this bad boy…so you can get that retro rush while rolling comfortably on a 24″.

Haro 24in Master Interbike

Over at GT, Haro’s main rival back in the 80s glory days, their booth was adorned with a mint GT Pro Performer (paging Martin Aparijo!).

GT Pro Performer Interbike

I don’t think this bike is going to be a re-pop…or what it was even doing there exactly…aside from making me drool a bit and making me reminisce about my own Pro Performer from back in the day.

SE, of course has had its retro game on lock for years now. This PK Ripper, for example, is like candy to an old schooler.

SE PK Ripper Retro Interbike

And of course, SE had the big wheels covered too.

SE Creature 24 Interbike

Redline had their PL-26 on display.

And We The People had the Avenger.

Heck, if even the new school components are going a little retro these days.

Over at the Sparky’s booth, I mentioned to Sean Burns that the new Bone Deth bars reminded me of the old Redline Forklifter bars…he replied that he thought they were more reminiscent of the Hoffman Low-drag bars.

Old school or mid-school…you decide.

Bone Deth Bars Interbike

Word has it that Haro is also updating and re-releasing their Group-One cranks from back in the day.

It’s an interesting turn of events. Back in the 90s/early 2000s it seemed everyone wanted to distance themselves a bit from the 80s era.

Now, it seems people are looking back at it a little more fondly and reinserting some of that style back into the marketplace (albeit with the necessary tech upgrades).


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, Old School

Old school style, new school technology

3 02 2009

Ever since I saw the first couple pics that came out featuring the Knight Proformer 24″ Freestyle BMX Cruiser frame I’ve been anxious to see one built up. Styled after the iconic GT Pro Performer frame, it had the righteous combination of old school looks, new school specs and cruiser sizing.  Well, at long last I have stumbled across some pics of the Proformer built up and I must say, I’m pretty stoked. Someone on OS BMX posted a full-on Eddie Fiola tribute build using the Knight Proformer. This thing is sooo sweet.

knight-proformer

I had a GT ProPerformer back in the day and this brings back a lot of memories.  It’s in the intro to RAD for pete’s sake! According to the Knight site, the Proformer was a limited edition run and is already sold out…I’ve got my fingers crossed that more of these frames have gotten into good hands and more cool builds like this will surface.

Almost makes me want to dig out my old copy of the GT Demo Tape…okay maybe not.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, Rad