As a kid my first decent BMX bike was a DB senior pro. However, I had to buy almost all my own stuff, so I sold it off to upgrade to my next bike. After seeing a few nice DB's being posted up here, it got me thinking about the good times I had on mine. Anyways, I was offered frame, that I could not refuse. Actually a number of really cool people on here helped me get this one together. So thanks to caferacer, matt black and db rad pads!

As I tried to keep it pretty much stock, it was a bit cheaper than most builds, because it didn't require flights, bullseyes, etc That being said, it is one of my favorite bikes.

My photo's are a little ordinary because I was messing around with my camera settings...

Wow! Stu, as always, a really classy build!

One of my old racing buddies rode one of those senior pros, and I remember bringing a set of those pads back from Aussie for him once. It sure brings back some memories.

Diamond Backs in chrome and black look fantastic, and yours is a premium example!

Dontcha just love one piece cranks?

Well done!

What a gorgeous build. That's awesome Stu. I can almost smell it . . . looks so clean.

Nice one Stu. One of the best and cleanest DB's I've seen. Really nice mate.

Love it Stu - beautiful job.

[ June 09, 2007, 04:44 AM: Message edited by: Kurt. ]

That's a real sweet DB, I'm actually really warming lately to one piece cranks-I had it in my mind that '3' was better, but for old school looks the one piece do it for me!
It's a nice bike that plenty of guys would be proud to have in their shed! Well Done!

Nice build bro........Love it.

Thanks boys...forgot to thank you to Natty...thems are the NOS silver 7x's....fresh ano black now...I finally got my black 7x's! Thanks for your help...

Mate....Thats awesome! You've done a brilliant job.

Nice one Stu, A DB to be proud of!!!

sweet

Excellent stuff

Quick change from when I saw it last. Very nice, do you have any old pics of you riding you original bike?

I'm DB stupid, but the frame looks like so many other designs, what ( if so) did it derive from?

It is really cool, man, excellent taste

BA

Hey Rohan,

It scrubbed up okay...unfortunately photo's from those days are few and far between...do you remember how much camera's used to cost?...This was one of those rare days I got to use Dad's "good" camera, but I had already sold my Senior Pro by this time (around 83-84), from memory I think I sold it to my mate, who is riding it in this picture...




Brad, are you asking what was the senior pro's differences from all the other DB's...if so I'm probably not the best person to be asking...but from my limited understanding, the the seat and head tube angles are steeper than all the other models, with the exception of the turbo, which I think had the same basic geometry. It was a good length frame for it's time. the top tube length is about 19.5" about the same as Hutch Pro Racer. They seem very strong with the exception of the forks, that had tendency to crack at the diamond cut out on the fork tab, although I never experienced this problem.

[ June 09, 2007, 07:05 AM: Message edited by: 84profile ]

WOW

84 profile, I was thinking it had a Hutch geometry to it.. I'm probably way off though. I think for EX: the Robinson's and Tahoe's almost identical and just wondering if the DB's shared geomtry with any other makes..?

Cool action pix.

Brad,

DB's originally were US made and welded up by the FMF folks. Commenced in '77 and only stayed as US production for less than a year before moving to Japan. Koizumi factory. Quality.

The original forks were dual dropouts. Frames came in Mini, Standard and Large sizes. These were all cro-mo looptails. There was a non-loop tri-moly frame that was lower end.

In '81 there was a major change to the Large frame's geometry - development was driven by Sandy Finkelman and new recruit Harry Leary. This resulted in the Senior Pro. There were still 3 serious frame sizes in the range from mid- '81 - renamed Mini, Medium Pro and Senior Pro. The dual drop fork was dropped.

There was continuing very subtle refinement to the rear end of the Senior Pro and this resulted in the black smoke Turbo in '82. An iconic DB. These were the golden years for DB.

Also released in mid-'82 was the tri-moly Silver Streak - same geometry as the medium pro, but a mild steel rear end including thicker dropouts. They sold a squillion of these.

In late '83 things started to slide for DB (in my opinion). Most production moved to Taiwan, though the higher end frames continued with Japan production for a little while longer.

The original "large diamond" gussets went in '84, replaced by a noticeably smaller diamond. After that I don't care...

Cheers

Kurt

[ June 09, 2007, 07:45 AM: Message edited by: Kurt. ]

thanks for the run down Curt... FMF huh? I would have never guessed that one..

Ya, 83 was the beginning of the end for lots of bikes wasn't it.. So to speak

[ June 09, 2007, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: Brad Apold ]

Very, very and I mean very nice. Thanks for posting!

Spectacular. Was the frame/chrome in that condition when you got it? That thing is stunning. Black ano'ed the 7Xs... awesome.

Brad, the FMF folks didn't do the original square brake bridge DB's, according to Sandy, FMF had a fabricator who did their frames, DB used the same guy hence the similar drop-outs...Sandy said those early frames were **** both quality and in geometry.

But this beauty, nice job, really nice job. Someone mentioned on O.S. that is was nicely understated, I totally agree, the absence of Flight cranks, high-end hubs give it a real "down to earth" quality that is lacking in a lot of builds that emphasize exotic parts rather than the beauty of the heart and soul of the bike, the frame and fork.

Nice and clean.

DBs were popular back at out track and can always remember a heap of them with one of the welds breaking on the gusset. Think it was usually the rear top one.

Thanks guys, yeah...this one has become a bit of a sentimental favourite in my little collection...I think because this "new" BMX thing was just starting to make it's way into my blood, when I first got this bike bitd..and as Ramon says the "down to earth" feeling really struck a cord when I was feeding the one piece cranks into the bottom bracket. Last time I did that was like 25 years ago (as all my current build have 401's on them)..

Oh yeah johnson99...I gave it a fresh dip of chrome (even though it was in very good shape when I got it from Rohan/Damon) cause I wanted that I "just rolled it out of the shop" kinda look...

Great bike! I have a medium pro that I have been building to mimic my childhood bike I had that got stolen(except I have upgraded to Profiles, as I always wanted them as a kid, but couldn't afford them). However, seeing you bike has me thinking of putting 1 piece cranks back on.

wow looks a little different from when i picked it up back in january !
looks like it came straight outa the box now, even cooler that it was almost what you had as kid.
would look good in the back of a maloo ?

maloo, pft.............give me a super pursuit anyday.
very nice build, 84profile.

Sorry boy's she will be ridin in the back of Suby Spec B wagon...gotta keep it safe with some airbags!

Very nice DB build mate. Nice and clean.

another nice one Stu, cool!

That bike looks better than new.
What do you mean your pictures are ordinary?
Is it because there is nothing in the picture but the bike?Wait is that windex?JK!

Thanks...I was hoping to get a few better pictures, with a little more detail.....I saw the windex after I posted it up ha ha..that is NOS Windex, I'll have you know!

Stunning. Looks even better in the metal.
Reminds me of the pro bikes that the Diamond Back team boys used to ride.
Perfect parts pick.
If your chasing Windex, I got a line that a shop nearby still has bottles and bottles of the stuff......could be a score!

Great Build Stu!!!! I love every bit of it....and one piece cranks look good and fit the build. Where did you get that plate??? I am looking for one of those. please let me know!


Jon

Awesome build! DB had the best stickers/gfx.

Jesse D
ssssssssssssssssssssss

man do i love me some classic diamond backs.

killer bike sir.

Very cool build. One of the nicest DB's I've seen!

Hey Jon, thanks for the comps....the plates are still kind of easy to get..vert-ego.com, does them.

Jesse, I was trying to work out what I really liked about the old DB's and I have to agree, the graphics are a big part of it. The prism stickers just scream 80's and the pad set kinds looks like a KISS t-shirt design!

...I need professional help!