I was rummaging around this fall and ran across these hanging in the corner of my grandfather's old workshop.

Reminded me of why I have such a bond with BMX bikes. In a time when we scrounged, bartered, and begged parts anyway possible my family never once told me something was beyond use or a worthless endeavor. They would figure out ways to refurbish whatever I brought home to help me "upgrade" that bike I loved so much. Great lessons for a growing young man. Much better longterm lessons than going down to the shop to buy me a complete cool bike for big $$$.

So as folks like Mr. Quinn wonder how to make today's youth feel bonded with a concept we hold dear, I think the answer comes at the simple grassroots level. Get these kids involved, don't make it about high dollars and extreme competition, and make it about very basic human connections.

Cheers!

I hear what you are saying. My brothers and I were always scrounging parts to build up bikes--some of them were real beaters. As I saved up money, I got better bikes. But I have the best memories of those beaters that I spent so much time riding and working on.

Looks like you tried the BMXA clean things up with Pam tip to remove anodizing. I know I tried it on a tuff neck and it looked like gaga. Thats the technical term. I usually let bikeshops work on my stuff or I ended up with extra parts. Thanks to Pedalers East, Martys, Petes, Langleys and Action Wheels or I coulda never raced.

Man, those babies are worn down. Must have been a lot of good times on those.

My first "BMX" bike was a scrounged black rattle-canned Stingray. Probably around 1974. I still remember walking out my back door and seeing it laying there on a pile of other junk in the yard. My brother had upgraded and left it for dead so I nabbed it.

My early bike experiences were all about the independence of getting really far away from home and not being a passenger. I was exploring the city with my brother, friends or by myself and my bike was a key part of that. Building and tweaking the bike was part of the whole thing.

Long live Bob's bmx of Ottumwa, Iowa. That's most likely where those pedals came from. Thank you for the memories.

by the way, what I meant to point out-
if you look closely at that silver pedal.

It is completely reproduced from a piece of aluminum. That's my Grandfather's handywork.

the dust covers, too.