Seems like all of a sudden, the 85 - 86 RL20II projects have just disappeared. Nobody seems to be building them, and they are becoming quite rare on Ebay. Is this the beginning of a new trend?

Everything is kinda slow right now...2 more months until buying/project season starts again...

I'll have something pretty neat to show... hopefully soon.

Paul,

I'm chasing your postings today it seems.

I bet I know what you have up your sleeve to show us. I'm thinking something manufactured in 1984???

Here ya go proof that RL20-II's are still being restored...Long process 1st restore for me so huge learning experience.

Mike


Hey lemme know if the pic don't work!

Mike

Sick Mike,

that's gonna be a tight build. Keep us posted on progress.

Mmmmm.....looks like candy!!!!!!!!!

my chritsmas present build is coming along



and its evil sibling is in waiting

Is that a California red 86?

One RL20II and two RL20s in progress here, but it will be a lonnng time before I can get them done; too much to take care of before then.

Yup 86' Cali Red by Chip at C4 along with the bars and neck and on a set of Nippons that I'm messin around with...also pictured are the matching forks and RL pegs, NOS Peregrine super pro hubs, Peregrine super pro 48's in chrome, Full wrap 180mm flights, and an Elina seat. Still lookin for a few misc. items to move forward but I'm gettin there.

Mike

Post could be tricky, huh?

madmax72....

where in NJ are you at?

Yeah a few parts are providing a vast modicum of anger lol.

And as for Jesrey I'm down in Monmouth County (Ocean twp) and work up at Newark airport and Port Elizabeth Seaport. Was hoping to get in on one of the recent NYC rides but 3 2 week work trips with a week in between put a monkey wrench into getting the RL completed...Patience my young Padawan lol.

Mike

i never really seen them to much on ebay. i consider myself lucky to have got mine.. the ones i see above are looking very sweet, nice work...

Mine will be my next build. So far I've got my frame/fork, cranks, seat clamp, chain and stem. Still deciding on a few parts, but I have a plan. Then of course I have to find and get the parts, but I'm on my way.

Great timing on this thread - just finished this tonight. 1987 NOS. Looong in coming...

Nice! You didn't happen to score that frameset from a member here did you?

Whoa! That black one's awesome!!!

Kmpap sweet build dude congrats she looks awesome...How about a breakdown on the build would love to hear the details.

Mike

Thanks guys! I'm very happy with this build.

Pauly - I've actually had this f/f set for over 10 years. It was the very first NOS set I ever bought. Here's the scoop behind the set (a true story):

In 1996 I had been out of the sport for almost 10 years, and decided I really wanted to find a brand new Redline RL-20II. I had ridden a '20II BITD, and just loved them. So I started calling bike shops. Lots of 'em. I bought myself a Ride BMX magazine and turned to the spread that listed all the shops across the country, and began cold-calling. From Alaska to Maine I must have called over 100 shops over the course of a year - literally. And then one day I rang a shop in Pennsylvania and the dude who answered the phone said: "Yeah, I have a new RL-20II frame set sitting in my basement. Still in the box. I think I have bars, too..." I couldn't believe it. To this day I still have the Fed-Ex slip that he attached to the box when he shipped it to me (lol).

Anyhow, Mike - here's the parts breakdown. Completely NOS, unless otherwise noted.

1987 RL-20II frame and fork
Forklifter bars
Hutch freestyle stem
Peregrine HP Super Pro 48s
ACS RL Edge tires
Redline 401 cranks (re-chromed)
MKS Graphite 2000 pedals (just got them today!)
Eline Flyte Tech seat
Clear Jive Handles
ACS Pro Rotor
Dia-Compe Nippon front and rear brakes
Flight chainwheel (not an '87 - a little later model)
Peregrine seat clamp
Redline seat post
Skyway axle pegs (I actually cut down a 24t axle and used it in the fork holes and put the Skyways there, too - a little personal mod from BITD)

That's about it. Point of interest: in the first pic below the two black and white photos above the bed are actual prints, signed and dated, by Robert Osborn himself. 1987, as coincidence would have it...



Here's another shot taken a little bit ago, before I changed the pedals...

Kevin,

That's a sweet black RL20II! It's good to see it completed.

That black RL20 II is wicked sharp! Just awesome... possibly the best black one I've ever seen. I bet it just shines in person. Top build for sure.

Beautiful!! i have the same bike! Very cool story!!

Pennsylvania???

Aw man. Nice one Kevin.
Which shop did it come from? any local to me?
There were some great freestyle oriented shops here in PA back then.


Absolutely beautiful bike.

well i just pick one up and regreted selling my last one to subwax this one is original green colour , just need to source a few bits for it ,long term project so no rush either

Thanks for the props, guys. I really appreciate it.

Chromey - honestly I can't remember what shop I called, or whereabouts in PA it came from. I bought this about 12 years ago - I think the entire set-up cost me $250, overnight Fed-Ex included (which seemed like big bucks back then). The happy coincidence is that the fellow who picked up the phone just happened to have (stashed away) the very frame set I was searching for. It didn't actually come from the shop itself, and I've often thought of the uncanny timing of calling this shop and the fact that the guy closest to the phone owned, incredibly, a NOS '20II he didn't mind letting go of...

Another wild story: you know my NOS red '20II? Years ago, the original owner called me over a holiday weekend - at my mom's house, of all places - and said "I hear you're looking for a Cali red RL-20II...", which I was. This was 9 or so years back. He lived in CA, and I sent him the money and he sent me the frame set. To this day I have NO idea who this guy was, how he heard I was looking for a red '20II or how he found my mom's phone number - or how he'd of known she was my mom to begin with...!

You mean turquoise? I dont think Redline did a green one.

That bike needs to be in the Redline Club line up for sure!!!!!!!!!

I have a nos 86 F&F pegs and stem just need bars!!! Can some one help with some uncut originals please!!!!! Thanks,Ben

Thanks, Ride-A-Bike!




Ben - Pics!

that what i mean sub

Oh right.

If you wanna sell it, you know where I am.

not this time and keeps this one is

SUPER SECRET SPY PHOTO!!!




Well, not so secret anymore, I guess. These two got put on the backburner
while I shaped up a couple quick-builds and tended to life.
The main thing holding me back now is figuring out how to remove
the headset cups. Or at least just doing it. I'm lazy, therefore...where was I?

And a nice paint code for the Kiwi. (some may call it green)

NOS!!

Yeah a nos white one with no stickers, the paint is a little shop worn but I have nos hazard yellow stickers and a nos hazard yellow forklifter stem & just need bars to do it up! I have had it for like 2 years nos and want to get it powdered but just trying to locate some reasonable bars.

HEy Neil why dont you start building all the frames you have bought instead of lookin for more

Dont be so daft - always on the lookout for more.

OMG! That black one deserves its own post. Absolutely stunning. You are one seriously lucky dude to have that!!!!! I wouldn't trade that thing for a Ferrari!

Its nice - no doubt about that, but I'd have the Ferrari, to be fair.

HEre yea go my latest greatest find next to my original 85RL20-II A NOS!!! yes 85 but with a color twist, one of one only!!! you wont find this color on any RL, candy apple red, their is a story as to why its this color, just dont feeling typing. but here she is and its abeauty. I already have all the NOs parts for her just will take time to put here together.

O.G.
I shouldn't say a find it belong to a good friend of mind, that not to many people knew he had this. times got tough so help him out in return I got this.

Nice one! You gotta let us in on the story of the color though.

Holy $$$$$$$$$.$$ smack !!!!! Man I LOVE RED !!!! Yes what is the story???? OG-RL20II

So whats the story then - Redline didnt do candy colours on their freestyle bikes - is this an experimental one? I have a similar one - a NOS orangy red RL20II, I think the precursor to the California red bike. Never seen a candy colour one though.

Spill the beans then.

I'll be putting this one up for sale soon. How much should an RL-20II with full kit like this bring? (I know exactly what it is, by the way, so no low-ball offers, please).

If you know exactly what it is, why are you asking others how much it is worth?

Sorry Neil, that came out kind of hostile. My apologies. What I meant was that I'm not a newbie who shows up with the holy grail of BMX (which most people would agree a hazard yellow RL-20II with 401 flights is) and isn't aware of its approximate worth. I've been away from the scene for a while. When I last checked, a bike like mine would bring upwards of $1,500. In light of the posts above talking about how the market has gotten crazy, I was looking for a sense of the current value.

That looks to me to be an 86, so it wasnt originally hazard yellow - they were 85 only. The decals are not era correct either. Whats the serial number?

ALso - did you see that Radberry 86 RL20II sail by on Ebay with a BIN of 1500 - no bids. I would rethink the value of the bike. I recently won a fantastic black RL20II (not original colour, like yours) for 900. She really was a beaut too. Took her to Rockford.

I'm not trying to be the fly in your ointment, just trying to impact what little knowledge I have on the subject. It helps avoid disappointment.

It's a 1986 frame. Originally white/chrome. I had the frame, stem and handlebars powdercoated. As you noted, there are no '86 Hazard Yellow RL-20IIs, only '85s . Hazard Yellow was a poor seller because it reminded kids of school buses, so Redline replaced it with California Red for '86. I put on '86 stickers because I like the fade on the seattube and chainstays

So the market has gotten a little soft at the high end? That makes sense - people feeling a little hesitant to drop some significant funds on a toy in light of the doom and gloom in the papers every day. That's actually good news for me, since I really don't want to sell it and would only do so if the values have gotten high enough to make it crazy not to. Thanks for the perspective.