Author Topic: What's happened over that last 11 years?  (Read 2919 times)

Offline maddo

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What's happened over that last 11 years?
« on: May 29, 2009, 12:47:04 AM »
Hello Riders.

I sold my bike back in 1998.  I really wish I hadn't as now and again over that last 11 years I've just felt like going out and doing a bit.   Anyway, now I'm thinking about getting a bike again just to mess around doing a bit of flat, a bit of street, local skatepark stuff, etc.  Nothing too serious unless I get hooked again.

The bike I had was a Standard Shorty which I had setup great.  I loved the size of it.  I'm just looking to get hold of a second-hand bike at the moment - so my question is, what bike should I be looking for?  There's all these new names out now which I don't recognise.  Is there anything that's like the Shorty?  Also, I had a freecoaster that was built by Custom Riders (UK), but now I see that there's plenty of freecoaster hubs on sale.  What's a good choice?

Anything else I need to know?

Offline megarawdeal

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2009, 01:07:59 AM »
Look into the Hoffman Strowler. It's strong, has great geometry and size options, it's cheap(check flatlandfuel for 2008 1/2 models), and it's designed by Kevin Jones!
Most freecoasters on the market nowadays are pretty good.... I'm partial to the Nankai Bamboo.

Offline tod miller

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2009, 01:30:14 AM »
Strowler!  Hoffman is a name you recognize, and many people swear by the Strowler.  I am one of them!  Cheap at flatlandfuel.com.  I don't know your size really, but look into the 19.75 if you want to get some street and skatepark action in. 
"A puppet no more!"

Offline brian84corvette

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2009, 04:27:20 AM »
welcome back !

I say go with what you know.
altho finding a standard shorty and building it cheaply now is impossible.
collectors hoard those good ol parts like crazy and jack up the $ of them.

+1 hoffman strowler.

the bike aspect from 1998 to now - has gone from being as heavy as you can get a bike to weigh,   40+ pounds with front and rear brake + filling frame with concrete
to bikes that weigh 18 pounds of today,  brakless or front only setups.

bars went down to about 5" of rise,  and are now back up to 7.75 or 8" of rise.
bar width is still all over the place.   I run from 26" wide to 23" wide
but there r lotts of ppl running way more narrow than that and like it. ?

riding aspect -  people have learned how to pump everything,  and scuffing is a dying art.
everything is rolling still,   altho I feel like pogo will make a come back to some extent.
haha.  jk about pogo.

we are pretty much in a lul right now for complete bikes brand new out the box that are "good to go"  as only a fiew are realley capable out of the box.

flatland fuel is a super good website selling the good stuff.
http://www.flatlandfuel.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=2

feel free to hit me up with any questions on specifics or what ever.
pretty much all the freecoaster hubs out now are pretty good.
naki is a name from back when - still around and still verry good when setup properly.
ive owned one thats had to been 10+ years old ,  and it still ran fine.
Old dudes can still rip

Offline pawnshopmike

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2009, 05:17:20 AM »
I love my Strowler, but building a bike from scratch won't be cheap. If I were starting all over from scratch I'd go with the KHE Militant FF from flatlandfuel. Quite the bargain at 399.00 complete.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2009, 05:21:24 AM by pawnshopmike »

Offline maddo

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2009, 10:25:26 AM »
I don't know your size really, but look into the 19.75 if you want to get some street and skatepark action in. 

I'm a short guy - 5'6", so a small bike suites me well.

Offline maddo

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2009, 10:32:00 AM »
...to bikes that weigh 18 pounds of today,  brakless or front only setups.

Yeah, I remember Chase Gouin doing brakeless stuff, but now I see local skatepark riders riding brakeless - what's all that about?  Don't think I want to go to that extreme - in fact it would be suicide.

I need 2 good brakes so I have a hope of doing the stuff I used to do.  Don't think I'd have the time and nerve to learn brakeless stuff.

Offline maddo

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2009, 11:12:57 AM »
feel free to hit me up with any questions on specifics or what ever.

What's the deal with bottom brackets/cranks these days?  I used to have a one-piece in a large BB.

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2009, 11:32:03 AM »
feel free to hit me up with any questions on specifics or what ever.

What's the deal with bottom brackets/cranks these days?  I used to have a one-piece in a large BB.

Thats why it was large, because the one piece had to fit through the hole.

These days there are 4 bb. US, Mid, Spanish and Euro. You just buy the cranks you want, then get the appropriate bb set. Check them out at flatlandfuel and learn more.

Also of note, check out post your hybrids for all types of riding. You may find you break frames and stuff riding steet and park on flat specific items.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2009, 11:51:40 PM by Paradoxium »

Offline tod miller

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2009, 04:56:04 PM »
I don't know your size really, but look into the 19.75 if you want to get some street and skatepark action in. 

I'm a short guy - 5'6", so a small bike suites me well.

Strowlers come in 18.75 too...which is the one I ride.  I ride some street and skatepark with it...and I'm 6'02"!   You can make any frame "shorter" or "longer" by what type of forks and stem you run.  Zero offset and short stem or zero offset stem will make a bike feel shorter...but will make it feel weird(in my opinion) for street and skatepark.  I ride the short frame, with 35mm stem and minimal offset forks.  Feels good, and more like an all around rider. 
"A puppet no more!"

Offline tod miller

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2009, 04:58:39 PM »
...to bikes that weigh 18 pounds of today,  brakless or front only setups.

Yeah, I remember Chase Gouin doing brakeless stuff, but now I see local skatepark riders riding brakeless - what's all that about?  Don't think I want to go to that extreme - in fact it would be suicide.

I need 2 good brakes so I have a hope of doing the stuff I used to do.  Don't think I'd have the time and nerve to learn brakeless stuff.

Yeah, some guys still ride with both brakes.  It doesn't matter...set your bike up how ever you feel comfortable.   If you feel comfortable or want to try brakeless later, you can always take them off.  My back brake goes on, comes off...goes on, comes off. 
"A puppet no more!"

Offline Gensanity

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2009, 07:04:38 PM »
I would say look @ the new S&M bikes since you are interested in riding more than just flat.

http://www.global-flat.com/smf/index.php?topic=26035.0

Nankai freecoasters are reliable too.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2009, 07:11:57 PM by Gensanity »

adamguild

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2009, 01:32:57 AM »
Hey Naked...Things have changed a lot in the bmx game..You will be back to your old flatland trickery like the Lake Wood Mall days..

TJ Perry

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Re: What's happened over that last 11 years?
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2009, 01:34:33 AM »
feel free to hit me up with any questions on specifics or what ever.

What's the deal with bottom brackets/cranks these days?  I used to have a one-piece in a large BB.

The smaller ones are much lighter and more streamlined. I've never broken a mid BB or a spanish, while I have torn euros apart (threading sucks). The american ones I used to break all the time too for some reason. I just think it's a good change though.