Stroker, what's the history? Options

[mr coasterbrake]

i thought they were cool for a very long time and i finally picked one up recently. thing is, i don't really know too much about them. what is their story? what years were they made? i see them labeled as Strokers, IIs, Magnums...what were the differences (was it just parts)?

[Evan]

I don't know a lot about them, but I do know the name of the company that made the Stroker was called Two Wheelers. As of the first issue of BMXA in December 1976, they had apparently been around awhile:

(IMG:http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k205/EvanWby/strokerad2.jpg)

Some ads:

(IMG:http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k205/EvanWby/stroker-ad.jpg)

(IMG:http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k205/EvanWby/strokerad3.jpg)

They later made a round-tube frame called the Two Wheeler's Pro that was tested in the February 1978 BMXA. Pretty trick bike, and came spec'd with parts like Cook Bros hubs, Dura-Ace cranks and Reedy pedals.

[TeamRob]

I just recently purchased one too and I am sure more information will follow as I too would love to know more. Here is mine, I was debating on the heavy duty spokes or the MX-60's, I have two sets, one polished ike the Magnum ad and one set in black (front shown). I have never really wanted one of these bikes but bought it for the Bottema fork and now that it is here I might as well throw it together. Please do not ask about the wheels. I have wheels allocated for many projects and they will all be used or else sold later.
1st image is what I bought it as off eBay.
(IMG:http://www.kuastl.com/stroker1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.kuastl.com/stroker2.jpg)

[Lonny Lierley]

Does anyone have a pair of the Macho Box forks?? I do!! Chrome and stickers still in great shape!! I have the frame to go along with it as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Monster-Robot]

I don't know a lot about them, but I do know the name of the company that made the Stroker was called Two Wheelers. As of the first issue of BMXA in December 1976, they had apparently been around awhile:

I don't know "much" more about the company but it was started by two brothers with the last name of Wheeler.

[Monster-Robot]

Does anyone have a pair of the Macho Box forks?? I do!! Chrome and stickers still in great shape!! I have the frame to go along with it as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

There was a seller on eBay about a year ago that bought out an old bike shop. He had a number of NOS forks. I got a couple, I know TIM got a least one set and I remember a few other members picked up the remainder. The first ones went for well over $100. I think all of them were blue or red...no chrome unfortunately.

[mr coasterbrake]

all cool info, so far.

anyone know what years they were made from/until?

[cheez]

They also had a Two Wheeler Pro that was available with a euro BB, and weighed in at less than 4.5 LBS. They were made for Two Wheeler by Profab of Chandler AZ. If I could figure out why I can't post even my resized pic's I'd post one of mine now and my profab from BITD. Reilley one has a pic of Two Wheeler pro on his myspace page.

[BenOr]

I believe the owner was Marshall Wheeler. Bottema and Tinker rode for them. They must have been close to Norwalk as they appear to have been around the Norwalk Bikers track in early newspapers. Later Brian Lewis rode for them. Bottema was kicked off the team as he showed up one day with a Webco that had Stroker decals. He didn't like the geometry of the Stroker. This was the frame he showed up with. It made a smooth transition to the Webco team.

[osrlracer]

good stuff all. I just bought a frame from a VBMX member and am just waiting for it to arrive !!! I'll post pics when it gets here.

[RAMO]

Here is a picture from roughly January, 1975. While both Jeff Bottema and Mike Schmidt have Two Wheeler jerseys on (the white sleeves) they are not on a Stroker frame as they didn't exist yet. I believe they came out later in 1975. Those early ones were bombproof / heavy frames with hideous geometry.
(IMG:http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q66/ramocinski/scan0002.jpg)

[Richard Vogt - b...]

...heavy frames with hideous geometry.

You said a mouthful there... one of the few frames I've ever ridden that just didn't do anything right... Who could blame Bottema? My friend got one, declared it a "log", and quit BMX for skateboarding... I think I would resticker just about any other frame rather than than have to race one... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Richard Vogt
bmxmountainbiker

This post has been edited by Richard Vogt - bmxmountainbiker: Feb 5 2008, 06:15 PM

[cheez]

The Two Wheeler Pro came out after the Stroker.

Tank and hidious geometry, that desribes the Stroker as well, also add prone to cracks.

[BenOr]

ramo,

You sure the rider in 2nd isn't Tinker?

Jeff left for Webco and Tinker for Kawasaki soon after this.

[Richard Vogt - b...]

Is that Rob Fehd and Stu lurking in the back as well?

Richard Vogt
bmxmountainbiker

[RAMO]

Ben, positive. Yes that is Fehd & Stu in background. Dan Loftus in front (!). Here is a picture of Tinker on quite possibly the same day.
(IMG:http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q66/ramocinski/scan0005.jpg)

[The Red Baron]

You can trust Ramo. Not only does he know his stuff, he was there.

Now, I would not be too hard on the Stroker. Yes it was a boat anchor, I would not be surprised if it was a steel frame. But it was a sign of the times. It was part of an era when we were transitioning from Schwinn type bikes to BMX specific bikes.

I did a test with the Stroker in one of the early issues of BMX News. I have the issue in a box out in garage.

But let me tell you, there were more than a few bikes with questionable geometry BITD.

I remember Marshal Wheeler, I do not remember anything about a brother. He was a pretty good promoter too.

[Jamal Spelling]

Strokers were a funky breed. Heavy, Poopy Welds, weird box tubing with pinched ends and just
plain funky. Frames were genereally tempered steel.
Now looking back at the frames surviving today, I wonder about the QC and how it looks as
though they were just thrown together. BITD, I thought it was the coolest bike I had seen
at the time.
After the Schwinn type era, my strongest BMX memory was the neighbor down the street who
had a maroon colored Stroker Frame. This was around '79.
There were quite a few variations and generations as the Stroker continued production.
First Gen models had no brake bridge and later models had the fork variations and 'speed holes'.
Here's a short pictorial.
Some pics deserve credit to the original owners/posters of these rides from various sources.
First Gen Torker Frame
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerRS.jpg)
Quality and precision craftsmanship
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerJunction.jpg)
Definately Sweet Stuff here
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerRearDOLSinner.jpg)
'76 Two Wheeler Frame/Fork/Box Bars
Credit to owner
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/Stroker1.jpg)
Stroker ll, Ashtabula Equipped
Credit to original poster
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerllLS.jpg)
'77 Stroker Frame
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/77Stroker.jpg)
Magnum Stroker
Credit to original poster
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/stroker_lg.jpg)

[Jamal Spelling]

Some Fork Variation
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerForksSideShot.jpg)
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerForkDO.jpg)
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerForkTop.jpg)
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerForkTop2.jpg)
Super Stroker
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/SuperStroker.jpg)
3rd Gen Variation w/Brake Bridge and Speed holes
(Thanks Reilly for the demo)
(coaster brakes becoming obsolete, getting with the times)
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerGen3SM.jpg)
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerGen3RSSM3.jpg)
1st Gen Cruiser prototype that never saw production
Must be out there somewhere..
(IMG:http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e377/JamalSpelling/STROKER/StrokerCruiser.jpg)

[cheez]

Rick G please post a pic of the Two Wheeler pro