I can't say how amped I am to have a Cook Bros again....it has been a long search but it finally happen, can't believe my luck!

When I was like 13, I had been into BMX for a few years working my way through a bunch of clunkers like a dragster (like a stingray) and a bunch steel framed economy bikes. Well that was all about to change wandering through a toy shop on a family holiday, looking at all the regular bmx bikes, I noticed a shiney chrome frame and fork set in the corner under jig saws and pogo sticks...it was a Cook Bros (buy price $149)! I was like...gob smacked...my eyes literally blew out of my face....I was broke (as all 13 years generally are) so I was begging my dad to buy it for me for my birthday...didn't work that day, however after a week of ear bashing and car wash/ lawn mowing promises on our holiday, Dad relented, and we were taking it home...I had the longest 2 month wait till my birthday (my folks made me wait for my birthday before they gave it to me)...when that day finally came around, I think I had it built quicker than an Indy Car crew can do a tire change!!!

Anyway, after about 2 years of riding the wheels off this bike, I ended up selling it to a mates brother, so I could buy my Diamond Back, really don't know why I thought that was a good idea, as the Cook Bros was actually a much better made bike, just nobody else had one I guess (go figure)...

Anyway, fast forward 23 years, I have been wanting to get another, but I really wanted to get the exact model that I had, there are a lot which have the euro BB and without the cross brace behind the BB...I was doing my daily trawl of ebay, when I came across what appeared to be EXACTLY the frame set I was looking for...the seller kindly agreed to ship to Australia, so I bid and won (no other bidders!). As most of you guys know Ebay can suck, because it so hard to tell the condition of the goods you are buying, especially by the the photo's so I really wasn't sure what I was getting...My original was serial 1435 and the one I just received is 683.

Well...when it showed up last week, I think I screwed (adamantly it is all finger tight)it together as fast as I did on my 13th birthday....Now, I'm normally of the opinion that I want all my bikes to look like brand new (I know that makes some people squirm) so I thought it will need a full re-chrome etc...but once I put this together, I just stared at it for like 1 hour...the frame set looks exactly as I last saw my old one...pure time warp for me.

I have decided to put a new decal set on and leave the original finish....I have been collecting all the components that I had on my Cook Bros BITD for about a year (I have ever part), however I'm still un decided about doing my replica or just leaving as it is...I've built about 10 bikes, however this is possibly the cheapest complete bike I've ever had, however it is now my second favorite (behind my Profile bought in 84).

Anyway enough lip smacking...I'm sure a lot of people won't see what all the fuss it about...but I love it!

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Couple of questions, I know the crankset is not era correct, but I've never seen this style of Sugino BB can anyone fill me in on the era of the cranks and the BB?

A couple of days after my birthday in 83



It's final guise before I sold it and what I'm thinking of duplicating



Today (after a bath)

Awesome bike. The chrome is in great condition.

Last ones I promise...I was just floored by the condition of the drop outs...maybe I've been playing with to many Hutch's and GT's

gorgeous, gotta love the cooks!!

What is funny is that from 1977 to the end, Cook Bros frames were the same. Chain tensioners and turned BB shell aside, they stayed the same for so many years. Great looking find.

AWESOME bike.

Would love to see some older pedals on it ie. KKT Rat Traps etc and those bars you should sell to mcam and get some Cooks - lol

Thanks Andy.

I actually have another full component set (which I have been collecting for about a year) which matches the bike in the second of the old photo's. It would be great for making my replica, however, it would mean I would not be using any of the parts that are currently on the bike. Problem is I think it looks pretty cool as is....

Don't twist that knife in Mcam again, I said to the poor bugger that I would sell him the bars, before it arrived...then when I bolted it together I dug the way it looked with them on! Mike you will be the first to know if I decide to sell them.

Stu, its great to see such a nice bike, going to a real deserving enthusiast such as yourself... Stu has been acquiring some insane stuff lately!

I agree with Andy, some KKT Rat Traps would look killer on that.... Bummer I only have one chrome set though...

Cooks have always intrigued me. They were waaayyyy ahead of their time.

Glad it all worked out for you Stu. Sounds like all the worrying was for nothing or perhaps it has made the build even sweeter. Now get out there and replicate the jump. Maybe over the tabletop at Ashmore as I'm sure the front will come up easily like in the second photo.

Now is that the last one? Except for the other that's on it's way of course.

um er yeah, um sure that's the last one.....yeah it's the last 20' ....

I was going to build a freestyle bike...but I used my Cook Bros on ramps back then..perhaps it could be my new freestyler....or not...

Yet another stunner Stu. Beautiful Cooks mate.

Very nice Stu. I love those cranks! Man, those dropouts are in top nick
Mick

Stu you have a real knack for building attractive bikes, you've done it again

Very nice. I love Cooks Bros. stuff- I've got frameset #666.

I'm not sure if that is good or bad?

It is a good thing to have a Cook, but #666... well I guess you could just get inverted and have #999.

I have #15.

Very nicely done , i love cook bros and hope to build one soon !!!!

thats sweet.. cool that you have your old bike again, now dry it off and go ride!

Can anyone give me a heads up on the cranks (CQP) and sugino BB, it looks to be nicely made, but I have no clue of the era or the history...I'm thinking mid school..although it is a guess...

Nice to see a Cook reunion finally worked out!
Did you send a message to Masterstint about the cranks? He is a great Cook resource.

Thanks Bridgey, I haven't sent Claude an email regarding the cranks yet, but you would think I would I thought of it! Duh.

Like I said earlier I can't stop staring at it, it is soooo good to have it right in front of me. Now I don't have to try to remember what it looked like......it is such a great survivor example...

Every now and then, the right stuff just falls in your lap...I guess this was my "score"...not big dollar, not ultra rare, just exactly what I wanted!

holy moly! that is a beautiful bike! congrats!
mike

84, im guessing mid 80's (84-85) on the cranks,, purely speculation on my part though,,,im confident that is the last model cook bros frame produced before company was sold to the current owner,,, im gonna get you some more definite dates over the next few days,,,is the bb stamped sugino?? that thing looks awesome all chrome!!!

Thanks Claude you are the man.

The bottom bracket cups are stamped Sugino and the end caps are also Sugino. After closer inspection, I note that the cups are also stamped "CV - SB".

Nice to see you sporting a classic pair of KT-26's in the ramp photo Stu ! Looks to be in great shape and real nice drop outs.

Ha ha, thanks Damon, the KT 26's were the ultimate all purpose shoe but you obviously didn't notice my sisters repro hand drawn Cook Bros. shirt!!! Now that was the business! I wore it till it was thread bare!