what year or years were the patterson avalance frames made?
was there more than one version of it?
thanks

I'm gonna say mid 1979.2 versions I believe, can't remember what the changes were. Was lucky enough to ride the very first Avalanche before Mr. Anderson had it nickeled early 79' in Oakdale(Pioneer Raceway).

so were they only nickle or did they chrome plate them as well?

Not positive, mine was nickel.The later versions may have been chromed.

Wonder if the first Avalanche I saw
(pic in Bicycle Motocross Action late 70's)
with the drop outs pointing down
was ever a production model or a prototype?

They did make the 1979-81 nickel then the 1982 chrome, as far as I know.

I thought they phased it out around '82 according to the BMXA Patterson long test . Had Richie outgrown his own frame & perhaps started running a Pro model by then ? My question would be when did he start racing W/ graphites ?

He probably started racing with graphites in late 1981, going and continuing into 1982. The chrome mass-produced frames are called "1982" by collectors. Even though a few chrome frames were made towards the end of 1981 by trackmaster, I still call them 1982, like a 1964 -1/2 car is often called a 1965. They were made by trackmaster, according to the patterson long test in bmxa. I have heard from other collectors that they did indeed make a 1981-1982 chrome avalanche, but then they were phased out for the "PR-200" era which is largely 1983-86, as far as I know. I only have a nickel avalanche but have seen photos of the chrome ones.

pat,do you know if they ever changed any features over the few years they were made?
can i tell by the serial number?i think i know the answer to that question but figured i would ask.

yeah, like the chrome pro sized frames, i think the chrome avalanche frames have the tube brake bridge instead of flat and the hole drilled in the gussett behind the bottom bracket, and the serial number on the bottom bracket instead of the rear dropout. just a guess, since I do not own one.

the geometry on the nickel avalanche i own is strange. it has a real long rear triangle. keep in mind the avalanche has a euro bottom bracket as well.

ok,so i was looking at pictures on my computer and found this one.i know we have all seen it before but the frame in the pictur has no brake bridge,unless i am missing something.i take it this was a prototype or something and not a production bke?

that's an early nickel one, like 1978 or early 1979-look where he mounted the brakes down low. keep in mind they were playing around with stuff in people's garages and shops back then, and that one was probably welded up with no brake bridge-who needs it-if you mount the brakes down there.

[ October 29, 2006, 08:26 PM: Message edited by: pquinnbmx ]

I finally got to stripping down the Patty I won earlier this year.



The only pic I have at the mo is this from the auction, looking at it I don't think it is an Avalanche, but maybe one of the late 81 models. It has the old style drop outs and is chrome, so perhaps is like the pic below. How long would the seat/chainstays need to be for it to be an Avalanche?



It does have a tube brake bridge, but no hole in the gusset behind the bb, the serial is on the bb 1188, if that means anything.

Ohh and unfortunately the frame has been welded on downtube just behind the headtube. Maybe a job for Rod to get back to as new!!

Paul

for it to be an avalanche it would have a euro bottom bracket which it does not since it has one piece cranks-so it's just your standard chrome 1982 {or so} patterson

Thanks, I forgot that part from the previous post.

I'm looking it to getting the repairs done to the frame. Then the hunt for forks begins, but I'll make do with the similar redlines for the time being.

The "Avalanche" frame I was talking about was from 1977 or 1978.
A few years before the "Complete Racer" article was run.

This the shot you're referencing, Johnny? I'm thinking prototype:



[ October 30, 2006, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: Evan ]

Geez, he was caled the avalanche even as a small tyke!

Very weird dropouts, I'll bet it made for a strange ride in how it must have raised the BB height.

quote:

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the frame in the pictur has no brake bridge,unless i am missing something.i take it this was a prototype or something and not a production bke?

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They were production. From '79 BMXA Buyer's Guide:



December 1980 BMXA advert: