My 4 yr old just taught himself to ride his bike and now, Im trying to get a bike to knock around with him on. My buddy who is a MTB guy had this "big BMX frame" laying around.. He asked me if I wanted him to build it for me for the cost of whatever he didnt have laying around, so I said sure.. Well he built it up with some leftover Walgoose parts and built me a functional bike for about $40.. I go to get it and its a FA Pro..

Well Im pretty sure its a Pro anyways.. I dont have the bike as Im away on business right now, but its got a fairly long TT, a ringed headtube, its chrome, has a serial number on the dropout (1088xxx, I believe), no support between the chainstays, and has graphics like the ones in the center here below..



OK, as it sits now, its a frankenbike and Id like to correct it.. My main goal with this bike is to make a cheap, reliable, semi-period correct, beater to cruise around with my 4 yr old on.. Im 6ft tall and need to get a longer (or lay back) seatpost and a new seat. I cant get the bars to hold tight in the DK stem, so Im guessing the bars are stripped (plus they are kind of small anyways)..

So, Id like to get some direction on a seatpost, seat, and a set of bars.. Its been a lot of years since I drooled over bikes that my family couldnt afford as a kid.. I cant remeber what everyone used to run, so help me out guys.. Remeber, cheap, reliable.. I dont care one bit if the parts are used or not..

Try making a list and posting it in the wanted section.

I was looking for suggestions.. I dont even know where to start as far as models are concerned.. Ill get some pis up in a few days.. Thanks..

I see good parts on Craigslist often. There's also online shops like ediscountbike.com and cycle4less.com that have good prices. Ebay is another source of parts. Things have changed a bit over the years, like threadless stems/forks, seatpost size and that seats don't come with guts since the post has them built in, most frames are Euro bottom bracket (though some are mid and spanish) but the good ol' American bottom bracket just doesn't exist on anything quality made these days. Luckily, you can still buy the actual bottom brackets in most cases. It never hurts to check your local bike shop (LBS). I have bee surprised over the years at the stuff I have found in the past couple of years, like Powerlite jr. bars ($10), a sealed bearing Redline stickered wheel set ($80), GT stem ($10), Ecko fullface helmet ($20), A'me tris ($1). Old stuff like this is usually in the back and you have to ask if they have any old BMX stuff. Even if they don't, they'll just say no, it's not like anyone is going to hit you (unless I had a shop, then I'd tell you that they are all mine, mine hahahaha! and then disappear with my cape and a cloud of smoke)

I smell an addiction coming on.

hehe, Just dont tell my wife... At least with this one (v/s motorcycles, guns, and trucks) I can enjoy it with the boys now.. Thanks guys..

I would look for a set of GT pro bars, GT seat post, and an Odyssey Svelte seat. I have a post and a clamp you can have free, pm me your address and they are yours.
Jacob

Exactly the kind of info I was after.. Thank you sir.. PM to you..

Could I run mags on this and still be alright, or were mags pretty much done by '88? I think Id like to run a set of Tuffs on it maybe.. Do the new ones hold up alright?

Tuffs would be cool, go for it!

Let's see a pic, Free Agents rule.

OK, lemme get a few here in a sec.. I got home from vaca today and Jacob (kcmobmx) had sent me 2 seat posts. some seat guts, and a clamp.. I threw the seatpost on and sent for a ride with my boy and the kids on the corner.. The kids on the corner thought the bike was the weirdest thing that thy had ever seen... Ive been having an issue with the bars slipping, so I sanded the paint off the bars and sanded the inside of the stem and retorqued everything and they hold like a champ now.. When they saw me bunny hop it, they were all over it.. So A lesson ensued and fun was had by all.. I ended up hopping over my kids scooter and had a damn good time.. I won a Odyssey Svelte on Ebay and hopefully itll be here this week.. Now I need some bars... So whos got some... And tires.. What should I be looking for for tires?? I wont be racing it, just dicking around on little kickers and whatnot on the street in front of the house.. The bike is a huge ugly work in progress, but damn its fun...

for the tires go for the 20.00 a pair comp III copies that can be found on ebay. I have an inexpensive set of S&M race bars I could part with, pm me if interested.

did you find those decals I put in there?

How big are the bars? Are they fairly tall?? The ones on there now are way to short.. I got the decals as well.. Again man, thanks tons.. Ill get some pics up tonight..

Something like these??The price sure is right...

white ebay gumwalls



Here are some pics..











As I said earlier, I know its ugly, but all I want is a bang around bike and its starting to fit the bill perfectly.. My buddy put the brake on the wrong side, but I dont care enough to fix it right now.. Im pretty sure its a Pro v/s a Limo due to the lack of a suport between the chainstays.. The SN in the one shot is 0388072 which would be a 88 vintage correct? I thought they were still using the other style graphics in 88, but guess Im wrong..

those tires above are exactly what I am talking about. I would shoot for the black ones though..
the S&M bars have an 8 inch rise making them pretty tall.
your FA is the pro model. I know they started using those graphics in mid 89 but they may have had them earlier.

I think those bars are what Im after, but Im not sure.. I measured the ones on there and they seem a hell of a lot larger than I thought, but they look and feel small to me.. That seatpost and clamp work great by the way.. Im going to try the layback post when I get me new seat here shortly..

the 8x28 bars are going to be alot bigger than the ones you have and are pretty much the standard big size that were available.

that is an early 90's FA
sweet bike!!!!!

Thats what Im figuring.. Ill take 'em.. Ill get with you on $$ in a few days.. I had to sand the paint off the ones Ive got in the clamp area and sand the stem clamping area bit to get them to grip correctly.. Im guessing that chrome bars dont have those issues??



Thanks alot man.. Im really digging it.. I like having and riding a bike that I couldnt have as a kid.. From the serial number, its an 88 model right???

the bars I have have nice knurling in the clamp area so that they won't slip.

your FA is indeed a March of 88 frame. if those decals are original it may have been sold as an 89.

I got my NOS Svelte today.. I mounted it on the Dyno layback that you (kcmobmx) sent me and wow, does it ride better... I think when I get the correct bars on finally, it will be just about perfect.. Thanks for everyhting thus far guys, I really appreciate it..

Thanks again for all the help everyone.. My wife built htis ramp for my 4yr old, and I just couldnt resist...

Sorry for the double post.. Damn computers... Im still digging for some big rider bars.. Thanks again..

OK, now for crank problems.. Im running a square spindle three piece crank.. The left side loosened up on me a couple times and I put some Loctite on it and thought the issue was taken care of.. Well after last weeks trail ride, its loose again.. So does this mean the arm is toast and the spindle is OK? If so, Id like to just replace the arms.. Any ideas for budget square drive cranks?

Also, any tips on how to properly adjust a Bulldog rear brake? Its pretty poor as it sits.. Thanks..