HOLY CRAP!
The rarest minnesota made frames have surfaced!The ever elusive RACE-TEC!
Those things are sweet! I wish I never would have traded mine...but hey I traded for a TA.
The RACE-TEC frames were awsome! ahead of their time with the adjustable steer tube angle.

American stopped production of these frames because the frames were breaking and being returned on warranty.
There was no problem with the frames themselves per-se, Its just that racers of the larger size were racing them.
Thats why I traded mine away...I was always the big/heavier rider and did not want to chance the frame breaking on me. I never did see an original fork designed for the race frame though.I used a hutch and a thruster on mine.

Super sweet to actually see one of the freestyle frames.I had heard there were a dozen made but never sold or marketed because the company was bankrupt or was sold or something.
ANYWAYS THOSE THINGS ARE SWEET.

Rumor has it someone has a bunch of NOS 20" frames in storage. A company relative maybe?

How about...HOLY CRAP! JACK CRAWLED OUT OF BED TO SAY HI!!!!! That's gotta be rarer(sp) than the American frames!

Show thy face more Jack!

LOL!!! Ya Jack, were ya been?


Those American bikes were the real deal.

Howdy Jack & Sean, hope to see you both at the Condo Classic.

Nice race bed there, that one looks way faster than the one I used, from what I can remember.

No kidding, ware you been Flapshack.

That rolling bed looks like it'd be hard to captaindeer.

I wonder if that would get stuck?

Scott, trade me your Hutch for the rare rusted Laguna frame I have in the garage. I'll even throw steel rims in for free.
[/quote]
Mikkop- Are you saying you have a Laguna? Is it chrome-moly or aluminum? Gt or 101?
If its rusty it must be cro-mo...

Ol' flapjack came off the mountain long enough to post!

This spyphoto was snapped of a local hot shoe coming out of retirement for the Condo Classic:

I didn't know Race inc made Cromo frames?? Weren't they just rebadges FMF's or was it the other way around? I have a Race inc seat post stuck in a Torker frame....

Shawn, I got some numbers from Nate. The Freestyle frame has a number of FH3, and the race frame has a number of 047. I didn't get a name, but he got them from a guy who was roomates w/ an ABM employee in his college days.
Nate is also asking about pics of the orig stickers (if any). Thanks for your help!
-Bill

I would be loving it if it were AL, it's a chromo 101 that I bought (or did he GIVE it to me?) from Pete Q a few years ago... it has a stuck SP but my buddy has a method we're going to try over Christmas break.

Bill, that would mean they are both production frames - so the roommate would probably be a good guy to talk to about how many were built, where they ended up - etc. I heard they were dumpstered, but I never believed that someone didn't grab them up.

I have my business card with the old logo - I'll try to get it scanned for you, but those frames would have come with the full down tube glitter graphics. There used to be a photo of one here on the boards (the only time I've seen the newer stickers). They were beautiful bikes with those stickers. You could always reproduce the sticker from my logo, as the logo was the same, just much larger. I could recreate it in vector quite easily.

I need to chat with the ex-employee. There are some other American Bike issues I'd like to get to the bottom of in regards to the MTB's from the first gen. Fred (American founder) passed away a while back and there is very little history documented. I only know the first few years (as well as John Palmershime) - I hired John to design the first MTB, I believe he still has one - although he may have sold it to the collector that was linked earlier (I gave him John's info last year).

I'm often questioned about the history, it would be good to start documenting Minnesota's most well-known bike maker.

If you could help me to find the prototype (or another production frame), that would be a real thrill for me. It was the first bike I designed, and I only collect bikes that have personal value - the FS frame is definitely on the top of my list in that category.

I'll try to bring my frame to Condo - it won't be built up.

Here's a pic of me riding the proto racer at Maple Plain Circa. 1984:

Mikko - what I know of Race Inc. is that they made most of the early AL frames (Kawi, Yamaha, FMF, Laguna, SE) and since they owned one of the only tube benders at the time - they made many of the early bars, posts etc.

We toured the factory in 1984 for American, we were thinking of having them build the frames but it never panned.

Shawn, drop me a PM w/ your e-mail & I'll try to get you & Nate in touch w/ each other.
Maybe from there you can get hooked up with someone that can help you find the info you are looking for.
And yes, a scan of the buisiness card would be a good place to start. I couldn't the old post you spoke of. I see you started a new topic in search of the pic - thanks!
-Bill

Shawn- Have you transferred all your Dad's video to CD yet?

If not, get on it.. By the way it is good to see you back on here..

You were my #1 comp BITD.. Oh yeah who can forget "Get Layed" Lembke..HaHa

Why, I can't ever forget get layed Lembke, lets not forgot when he did get lucky it was I who had to sleep in the same room as Marvin after a night cap...

Jeff, nice avitar

No tapes, I'd be willing to pass them off to a trusted soul though - I don't think my Dad is going to get it done. I can pick them up at Xmas.

You were my #1 competitor for sure, we always seemed to be trading places for many years. Over the years of racing it seems there was alway that "one guy". In downhill and slalom it was Eric Killenen, we traded wins for 5 years. Keeps you honest I say.

Should be seeing more of me here, I'm back to freelancing - so working from home leaves a lot more flexibility to screw off.

I've been having a hard time logging into the site though, I have to reset of my password to get in. Hopefully that gets straightened out soon.

So, here's a sneak peak at the bike I'm putting together - the first ride will be at Condo Classitch.



The fork looks long in the pic, but it dials down to 75mm for BMX. True to the BMX roots, it's running a Profile stem.

Shawn , I have a dvd to cd burner if you trust me with them. get them over Xmas and bring them to the barn and I can work on getting them to CD's.

Sure, just so you know - we have VHS tapes. Is that the kind of transfer you have Scott?

I've never heard of a DVD to cd burner before..

26 inch.. if I had the money i'd be all over this.. can someone borrow me?
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/bik/474660591.html

Is that a 26" bike?

CHUCKY-AKA KRACKER-----

Not to far behind of the next spot here .......

1 JOSHUA JUVLAND 15 2898 0 Expert -
2 BILL NELSON get a profile 41-45 2355 0 Expert -
3 DAN WENISCH 31-35 2003 0 Expert -
4 SCOTT KRAKER get a profile 36-40 1866 0 Expert -
5 CHASE KUNST 9 & under 1835 0 Expert -
6 CHRIS AUSTIN 26-30 1512 0 Expert -
7 JUSTIN SAMPSON 9 & under 1350 0 Expert -
8 JASON KOSKI get a profile 31-35 1216 0 Expert -
9 LYNN AUSTIN 51-55 1155 0 Expert -
10 RAINIER CONLEY 15 1141 0 Expert -

Thanks Mark. I'm just trying to make my sponsors look good.

I'd watch out for Captain P. Morgan, he just may start cracking the whip during his layoff....eating BonBons while laying on the couch and watching Oprah everyday has made soft during the week.

Guess he's gonna bring a stop watch and his little clipboard every weekend now to the Barn, then send the info to his Booberry which spits out the stats, which then goes to his software he designed, which then sets off an alarmwith team rider points, which then tells him it's time to take a nap, which at that time he is to tired to remember why he even left the couch....

Ok, I'm just bored and I made all of that up except the BonBon, Paul and him watching Oprah thing

Shawn, yes its a vhs tape to cd's player.

I have a 4 point lead right now. 4 races, 400, points and I'm in the top 10. It humorous to me comparing that to 1983. 400 points wouldn't have got me #4000.

Bradly- I didn't realize you were Distric 6? Thats odd how your only 5 miles from Paul and where the cutoff for districts is

Its because Paul lives in Hennepin County and I'm in Wright County. I'm sure that's the deal. Darn Crow River separates us... Oh ya, then let me point out that Paul has raced his little heart all year to achieve 4000 points and he's about the same # status as I am, only in District 3... Amazing!

I heard were getting measurable snow by Friday/Sat??? Crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright there sticker boy, I can see that your trying get the feathers flying. My shoulder is still a wee bit sore but I am making good progress. I must agree that Oprah has been good lately with her favorite things show, man I wish she would have picked me to be on. Me and KOP could have driven down to Chicago, that would be stoke. I am feeling a little more confident about the Condo Classic but I need to get a new brain bucket before then.

O' I think I classify with sticker "man" with this new setup

Click to view attachment

Ohhh nice!

I think to get on Oprah, it's like a year long waiting list.. I'm more a Dr. Phil type person.. My legs and back are cracking all the time like i'm walking on crackers...

Lembke banged so many chicks back in the day... hell he probably nailed most of us, too. At least those of us who had long hair.

Sandbergs are riding Rehbeins tomorrow. I will be attempting a backflip on my first lap.

If anyone can do it, its you box-o-sand. I haven't riden in a while myself and I miss it. My hand is still bothering me and I'm not sure if I should attempt it yet. Last time I rode (after the crash) my hand slip off the grip in the first berm and my chest ram'd into the cross bar.... since then I thought I better sit out for a while.

.

Alright, I will give you sticker "goddess". Your going to have to earn sticker man.

I think I am going to try and head to the barn Friday just to hang, I look forward to seeing you Mr. Sandbone and your little giblet friend Cal.

Is that an Easy Bake Oven?

Whatever my camera toating friend..

Pauly my neighbor recommends you try this if sitting on the couch has you down...

I haven't been sofa surfing for a while. Loaded the tractor of the trailer and went to St. Cloud to swap it for the snow blower and snowmobile. Shoulder is doing better, Condo Classic is looking hopeful.

Springer injured.....

You better take care of that shoulder and not push it too much right now. We have a whole new season of points chasing to do next year. I really want to go to Nebraska in Feb so heal up my friend.

Hey Mark Conley (and anyone else that might remember me from the Brooklyn Park area in the late 70's & very early 80's). Dave C. told me about this site. Very cool. I really miss the BMX days - they kept us off the street (not really).

I scanned some pictures I had, find them at this link (click for bigger images). Some are racing, some are just being a corn-ball.
http://www.gwrra-txh.net/viktor/bmx/bmx_pics.htm

I've thought about racing again since it seems old folks like us are beginning to do it more. I've never left the bike completely. Mountain biking, road biking, avid triathlete in the mid 90's. Now I pretty much ride my Cannondale 29'er all the time.

I hope all are well. I look forward to visiting often.

Nebraska is definetly in the cards, I look forward to it...


Step away from the bong KOP.

Viktor, great to see you made it over to this thread. You probably stopped racing before I started but I'm sure you'll get a lot of responses from the group. Give us a little background on your racing days and some info on the pictures. I think I recognize Jeff Manning in one of those BJ's photos.

You'll also have to check out Mark's website (alltheracing.com). Click on the old school section for more old race photos. I'm sure someone around here could also post the links for the slide shows.