Some of you probably noticed that the JMC DY I brought to Rockford (look for it in, among others, Keep It Warm's first set of pictures) had a chain tensioner in the back... Well, that vintage Shimano tensioner is installed on there as my bike uses what I consider to be the ultimate vintage bmx component, a Browning 2-speed system. Read on.

I remember reading about the unit BITD (articles in October '84 and April '85 issues of BMX Plus if I recall as well as ads in BMXA) and thinking how cool it was. I drooled over that picture of Darrell Young racing at Azusa with a Browning on his bike and also drooled over the stack of Browning boxes in a picture of Jeff Haney's collection. Units costs $250 back in '85 and, sadly, I never got one... I started restoring my JMC in 2000 and after searching for years, I found a NOS, in the box unit (serial number 73) on ebay in April 2005, for $50 (sole bidder, score #1). Can you say ecstatic? I had a long discussion with Darrell and Jim Melton at Rockford '05 about Browning and it was cool to learn how DY became a test rider for them.

I then set out to find a proper chain tensioner. I got lucky when Ken Pliska agreed to sell me a NOS Suntour Holeshot 2-speed system. That system uses a freewheel with two sprockets and a rear derailleur. I was planning to use the derailleur as a tensioner only.

I later found out that the Browning company still existed. They are now called Browning Components and make a similar gear-switching system for city bikes. I contacted them to see if they had any old manuals. They did, and sent me everything for free, including manuals that were only available to Browning authorized retailers back in the mid 80’s (score #2). Installing the unit with these manuals on hand was a piece of cake. But that’s not all, they even had the proper NOS Shimano chain tensioner and sold me one for a mere $25 (score #3).

My JMC is now as i want it. It will stay as-is for the next 50 years

Thanks go out to:

ebay user oldbmxshop2 (sp?) for the 2-speed unit.
Daniel Chiasson (aka Diesel) for the Dia-Compe cable, cable clips and lever.
Helen Maurer (Browning Co.) for the manuals and tensioner.
Chris Pater (buddy of mine) for making a one-off spacer to mount the unit on a Profile spindle.
Ken Pliska for the Suntour Holeshot unit (which I have since given away to my good friend Jay Stark).

Enough typing. Here are a few pictures of the installation. It works like a Swiss watch. Shifting is quick and smooth, even at full torque. All multi-speed mtb and road bikes should be like that.







[ June 27, 2006, 11:10 PM: Message edited by: Marc Tardif ]

Marc,
It was cool talking to you at the Rock, and your JMC is awesome! Picture do not do this bike justice!

Greg

That's dope! I'm wondering if the chain ever derails from the inner ring because of that toothless section...but I guess not.

seen it, felt it, loved it (your bike - not my wife, though the sentiment would be similar)

as with most i have seen you produce --- its pure precision !


as I said earlier -- always a pleasure to get to chill with ya my French-Canadian brother - look forward to the next encounter - be it here or should the wife and i decide to take a little Canadian R&R escapade

lets see the full shot

There is nothing better than having your collection completed with stuff you always wanted, good things happen to good people, Marc Tardif is good people.

That set-up is trick.

very cool setup indeed Mark and hard to find complete.

I had one BITD...It was a great system. It worked flawlessly, everytime. I had a problem w/ the top cable mount slipping up the down tube; my dad helped me make a custom clamp from a pushrod and a hose clamp and it never slipped again. It really was a great system. I'm not sure why it never caught on because it--without a doubt--made me faster.

...OH, and very cool, Marc. Your bike definitely would have gotten my vote!!

That is definitely the right tensioner, too. I had that same one. I wanted to put red anodized Bullseye pulley's in it BITD, but never did.

Looks great Mark, I road Joey Mays JMC 20" and 24" back in the day when they where on his bikes. His dad use to work on DY's at some of the evnts so his system was dialed. To this day I couldn't believe how smooth it shifted. Especially for that time period. The Browning System was way ahead of it's time. No noise, no hestitation, seemless and flawless. One of the few parts that stands out in my head to this day. Thnaks for dialing one it and showing off a piece of history.

[ June 28, 2006, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: Thumperpilot ]

Marc, one of my many projects never built was an exact replica of that chrome DY Browning bike. I ahd it all including the rare early DK Hi Flange hubs. It just was never put together. Great Bike Marc!!!!

Trick as hell! Lookin at 'em now, you wonder why more guys didn't run them back then. At first it seemed a little gimmicky (a la Huffy Z2) but that was quickly dispelled when guys like DY showed up at the track with 'em. Nice!!!

Thanks to all for the kind words. I have had the system installed for close to a year now. I only unveiled it this year in Rockford. It did not win the Best '80's category but it's Numero Uno in my book and that's where it really counts.

Bonus info: Browning units had to be installed by a factory-authorized retailer. Manuals go to great lengths explaining how the warranty would be voided if the installation was altered. For dual brake bikes, they recommended the use of an old Sturmey-Archer twist-grip shifter. They sent me NOS one but I did not have to use it. Besides, it looks like girly bike equipment from the '60's !!

If I had used the Suntour Hoeshot system that I had for a while, I could have built a 4-speed bmx bike. It would have been trick but silly.

One huge additional thank you goes out to Greg Folk who let me use his home address for shipping the Browning unit to as it was one of those dreaded "US only" ebay auction... He's helped me more than once with this shipment method. And he hooked me up with the other component I had been wanting for a long long time: curved, finned Mathauser brake pads.

Randy: You experienced first hand the feeling of accomplishment yourself when your blue 'goose was completed, huh? You can't put a $ sign to this.

Greg: I remember when you took those dk hubs out of your bag in Rockford a year ago to show them to me. Send 'em my way instead of the city dump if you need to clear some room at your place...

Cornfed John: Yes it is the correct Shimano chain tensioner as it is listed in the Browning installation manual's 'required parts list'. It can clearly be seen in DY magazine pictures too. Incidently, I had both DY and Jim Melton sign that cool two page BMXA spread of DY at Azusa. The same tensioner is also shown on the Bobby Encinas bike in a recent thread. This one uses a trick 'dual chainring on DX cranks' setup with a standard front derailleur.

Dr F: You are my favorite Cuban friend, well second favorite after Che Guevarra You are welcome to stay at my place if you travel to Montreal. And thanks for the free wine at the Rockford banquet.

Shannon: who is Ted? LOL

Ted , Mark, it's all ball bearing now. LOL!!! I was half a sleep when I was writing.

no doubt homie --- but for the record Che wasn't really CUBAN --- and don't let my DAD hear you say that, he feels his country was stolen from him by the Socialist rebellion that ultimately ended up Communist - and supressed the country's people and bueaty of what it formerly was

next time we have a minute I'll fill you in on some serious truthes of that era -- as my DAD now 75 actually work with CHE in the Nat'l Bank of Cuba those days of the revolution and he knew "FIDEL the Degenerate" while my Dad attended the Unversity of Habana and FIDEL just infultrated young republician meetings ---- its pretty crazy really the connection my DAD had to the whole era


--- so what I'm saying is ---- I guess I am your favorite CUBAN afterall your INVITE is great appreciated and of course equally returned if you ever decide to come down the NYC way ......


although we can substitute the beer for wine - lol

I know, I know, Ernesto (the Che) was actually an Argentinian doctor. It can't be denied that he pursued his ideal to the fullest, and his goal was ultimately to help the helpless people. At least that's what I hope it was.

I respect all opinions on the subject, including your father's of course.

I'm a Euro-like sophisticated hombre. No beer for me, thanks - LOL.

That is one sweet bike indeed Marc. Glad to help you out anytime.

If anyone is interested, I've got a complete Browning/Shimano tensioner setup (just like Marc's) sitting in storage. I have sold off all of my JMC treasures so I have no use for it anymore. I'd be glad to help someone out by letting it go.

That set up is GANGSTA! Well executed. Would love to have one on my n/s race bike.

Jesse D

How about a full picture of the bike?

Very nice build. Any way we could see your full set up? What shifter did you end up using?

ahem. Bump