Seat: Answer Bmx Seat
Seat Clamp: Answer Bmx Seat Clamp
Chain tensioners: Answer Bmx Chain Tensioners
Chainring: Rennen Chainring
Pedals: HT SX pedals
Special: Answer Bmx Titanium bolts
Pics by James Palmer.
Written by Bart De Jong
With the Olympic Games coming up shortly, a lot of the athletes have built up a special bike for the event that they worked towards to for 4 years, actually 5 for the Tokyo edition. Customization is always a fun project. Colour matching with the best part on the market usually results in very nice equipment. The fact that 'Rule 50' needs to be followed for the Games makes it a challenge sometimes but it's good to see the colours of the nation back in the colours of the bikes. Here's James Palmer's bike. Canada represent.
Parts list James Palmer's Olympic Clayborn BMX race bike:
Forks: Answer Bmx Dagger Forks
Hubs: Answer Bmx Holeshot Hubs
Rims: Answer Bmx Pinnacle Pro rims
Name: Frederick James Weeks Jr.
Hometown: Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA
Started riding BMX in: 1978
Number of BMX bikes in your collection: 27 currently
Have you been a Mongoose fan from the start?
FJ Weeks: Well yes, started out w/ a hand me down spray bombed Huffy. I got my first Mongoose Supergoose in 1981 which is still w/ me today.
What's the story behind the Racer's bike?
FJ Weeks: It’s a fairly new to my collection. I purchased the frame only. These kind of frames/bikes are mostly passed from collector to collector and rarely seen on the open market for sale. I was fortunate enough to become friends w/ a really great and generous guy Richard Coolidge aka ‘Rick Cool’ who has passed down to me a few rare ones from his collection.
Any guess how rare that bike is?
FJ Weeks: There are only 4 or 5 on the bmxmuseum site. I’m sure there are a lot more out there. It’s definitely a grail bike in the ‘Bmx Products INC’ circle.
When you hunt for BMX stuff, is it basically products that you have a feeling with? For instance parts that you could not get/afford when you were younger?
FJ Weeks: Absolutely. When I have an idea for a build it’s usually a combination of 3-4 bikes I admire and I put my own spin on it. I didn’t alter my childhood Supergoose much at all, It was custom when I got it new. I brought it to a more catalog spec build after getting into it again.
Do you believe your hobby has gotten out of hand a little?
FJ Weeks: Yes definitely. Covid didn’t help this in my opinion. I believe it’s mainly due to the sellers who are just in it for the money and saw an opportunity to cash in if you will.
Do you like Pit Bikes just as much as 20 inch BMX bikes?
FJ Weeks: No, the 20” BMX’s are my true passion right now.
Do you repaint yourself?
FJ Weeks: No, I have them done locally by professionals. I’ve only had frames and a couple sets of Motomags done. I’ve never had anything re-chromed or re-gold plated before. I try and buy original stuff in really good shape and a bit of elbow grease and polish I have them looking newish again. In person up close it really adds some character to the the builds.
Have you built up a bike in your collection specifically based on one photo (of a rider that you admired)?
FJ Weeks: Oh sure, I do customs a lot but I do try to replicate some of the catalog pics I see quite often. Nothing better to hear than a stranger tell you “that’s the exact same bike I had as a kid”
Do you collect BMX gear and number plates as well?
FJ Weeks: Yes, not really anything I don’t use though or have used. I’ll end up doing a custom build using certain parts, pads or plates etc. and get tired of it and bring it down to a more catalog look leaving me with some extra collectible parts here and there.
What BMX Oldskool shows do you try to visit each year?
FJ Weeks: All the ones local to me in Massachusetts, RI and Conn. I'd like to venture out of New England more eventually and do some road trips.
Do you think a National/International BMX museum is something that could work?
FJ Weeks: Yes. I do think it would have to be somewhere that other attractions are around that area, so then you’re able to plan a family trip and you get to go to a BMX museum at the same time.
Do you ever take out your bikes to show them to people?
FJ Weeks: Oh yeah. I do have a ‘bike room’. When some of my non BMX friends or family visit we always end up in there at some point. They all know I collect BMX from conversations and pics but when they actually see the bikes in person the look on their face is truly priceless when they enter the room. I do a lot of casual riding with my 7yr old son and have my daily Mongoose rider but will take out a bike and ride it a few times then put it back and won't touch it again for another year. When I ride these more pretty ones it’s really cool how strangers yell out the car window, stop us on bike paths and tell me their own story of the Mongoose bike they had, wanted or the friend had.
Every bike has a story. What’s the best story you have on a bike that you have in your collection?
FJ Weeks: I’d say it would have to be my childhood '81 Supergoose. It’s not the best or prettiest one in my collection. For my birthday I got a birthday card and a cut out picture of a Huffy, a blue and gold BMX bike, it was one of those ones on the grip you can shift gears, Z something? Told my mom I didn’t want that bike. We were poor as she worked two and three jobs I think that disappointed her as the Supergoose was three times the money. My dad said he would get me the bike I wanted. I received my Supergoose a year later on my next birthday. It means a lot to me. When I moved out at 18 and went to college I took it with me. I was kind of a partier and vagabond in my 20s and 30s, me and Jack Daniels got along real good and had several apartments in my day. I honestly don’t know how I kept it.
When my son started to ride a bike at 3 years old I has been riding a Redline Romp 2000s I think? A tenant had left it at one of my properties. I said to myself I want to ride ‘my bike’ I pulled it out of my basement, cleaned it up and joined a few Mongoose groups on Facebook and here we are. Lol
What bike/part have you been looking for and haven’t been able to find?
FJ Weeks: A 1975 Mongoose Motomag’ and a BMX products ‘moto-trac’. A red minty first gen Tuff Neck for my team Rampar.
Where can people contact you if they have that product in the shed and want to make your day by sending it to you?
FJ Weeks: Facebook, FB messenger. My ph # is listed on there too or join ‘old school BMX Mongoose owners’ group on Facebook that I help manage.
Thanks to?
FJ Weeks: Keneth Vega Velazquez, Brad Nash, Richard Coolidge ,Warren Eales, Gary Mallia, Ross Rasby, the builds and collections these guys have and the look of the bikes they did inspire me and still inspire me so much. The help, encouragement, praise, generosity and friendship from them pumped me up big time and sent me on my own path.
Many others have influenced me also, too many to list. Random strangers and group members on Facebook who give me compliments and private message me heartfelt messages. My wife for always encouraging me and never blowing me shit for how much money BMX things cost lol.
Written by Bart De Jong
Check out more from this series on FATBMX.com
Pics by FJ Weeks
The Savoie Mont Blanc Freestyle Tour kicked off in Tignes, France this past weekend with 80 competitors and a crowd of 5000. Next stop this weekend in Avoriaz!
BMX Open Final:
1 ROCARPIN Hugo FRA 82.00
2 DUCHêNE Adrien FRA 80.00
3 PAUL-CHARMASSON Kervens FRA 74.00
4 BOURGEOT KRISTENSEN Emil 72.00
5 GERARD Florian FRA 65.00
Written by: Bart De Jong
This recent weekend, Toby Henderson, president of Box and former pro BMX racer, attended the 2021 NBA Racers Reunion & BMX Legends Party where he caught up with his old DG teammates and was honored for his career as a DG Factory rider in the late 1970s. The long-awaited reunion that brought together hundreds of veteran BMX racers and legends from near and far was held at the beautiful Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys, California on Saturday evening. Notable BMXers at the event included founder of the National Bicycle Association (NBA) Ernie Alexander, former Mongoose pro racer Stanley G. Robinson, and Mark Mandeville, the famous “On Any Sunday” Wheelie Kid.
One of my goals with this Blog is to pass on information I’ve collected. Since day-one of my entry into vintage BMX collecting, I’ve been frustrated by the lack of accurate information on the various bikes, frames, parts, etc. that are attractive to the collecting community. When I had questions, most of the answers I got were based on guesses, gossip, 30-year-old foggy memories and hearsay. As a reporter and a 20-year member of the bike industry, I knew the answers I sought were out there. So, I began researching and reporting—I actually talked to the people who made and sold the stuff I was collecting. Two of my first goals were to decipher the serial numbers Torker put on its frames and to better understand Torker’s corporate and product histories.
What follows is the serial number guide I’ve complied based on the accumulation of scores of Torker serial numbers over a 3 year period.
A few months into collecting serial numbers (SN), I had a theory on how Torker’s system worked month-by-month. At the time, however, I overlooked a few details and couldn’t make all the number fit my theory. I also had a few odd-ball numbers (still do) that exist due to: 1. Misread/inaccurately reported SN; 2. Poorly stamped SN; 3. Factory Mislabeling; 4. Unreadable SN; 5. All of the above.
As it turns out, my first theory was dead-on. Those few odd-balls not withstanding, I’m 90+% sure I’ve cracked the code from May 1978 when the Low Profile and Big Bike production began to October 1984 when the original U.S.-based company went bankrupt.
Prior to May 1978, Torker seems to have used the “standard” BMX SN system that many companies used. I have only two SNs from that time, but I am pretty confident of how they work. The two I have are T877188 and T977270. My best guess: “T” for Torker, month (August and September), year (1977), frame production number (188 and 270).
Starting in May 1978, Torker went with two letters (T? or ?T)—a “T” for Torker and a second letter corresponding to the month of production. The first letter in the series is “A” for May. Next is the production number of the model. The final letter represents the frame model. For example: TJ 3344 L = February 1979; the 3,344th frame in the model series; “L” for Low Profile (L.P.) or, The 3344th L.P. was made in February 1979. One caveat to this is if Torker used a letter to identify the model through 1978. I only have two SNs from 1978 and neither has a final letter.
The first series starts with “TA” in May 1978 and ends 26 months later in June 1980. In July 1980, a new series starts with “AT” and runs 26 months to August 1982. The model production numbers continue sequentially through both systems.
In September 1982, Torker switched to a new system starting with three letters TZZ to TAA. Around this time, Torker also changed its product line, dropping or changing all previous models and/or names. For example, the L.P. was renamed the 280 and all mild steel models were eliminated. The SN system, however, remained the same, with the exception of the three first letters and that it started at the end of the alphabet rather than the beginning. For example: TRR 8122 = May 1983; the 8,122 frame in the model series; no letter for 280. Frame production numbers started over from “1” with “TZZ.”
Most SNs end with a letter. The letter identifies the model. Those SNs that lack a final letter are either L.P.s or 280s, depending on when the frame was made. Torker dropped the “L” when it discontinued the Big Bike (B). At the same time, Mild steel L.P.s went from LM to M.
Previously, I wrote that a frame with the SN on the BB was made prior to 1980. As I collected more SNs, I began to question this theory. I now believe this is incorrect. Indeed, Torker used the SN on the BB early on, but it used it until mid-1980. From about that time, depending on the model (but there is no obvious solid date) the SN was put on the right, rear dropout. Using the SN location to date your frame should be avoided. The best way to ID your frame is to use the SN code that follows. These codes also can be found on my web site: http://www.fortyfour16design.com.
My research is only on the frames made by Torker in its own factory in Fullerton, CA, USA. I do not have any research on frames made in Asia after the Oct. 1984 bankruptcy.
I must thank the guys who put together the Haro frame registry. Their work made this job much easier.
Here are the date codes followed by the model ID codes:
TA=May 1978
TB=June 1978
TC=July 1978
TD=Aug. 1978
TE=Sept. 1978
TF=Oct. 1978
TG=Nov. 1978
TH=Dec. 1978
TI=Jan. 1979
TJ=Feb. 1979
TK=March 1979
TL=April 1979
TM=May 1979
TN=June 1979
TO=July 1979
TP=Aug. 1979
TQ=Sept. 1979
TR=Oct. 1979
TS=Nov. 1979
TT=Dec. 1979
TU=Jan. 1980
TV=Feb. 1980
TW=March 1980
TX=April 1980
TY=May 1980
TZ=June 1980
AT=July 1980
BT=Aug. 1980
CT=Sept. 1980
DT=Oct. 1980
ET=Nov. 1980
FT=Dec. 1980
GT=Jan. 1981
HT=Feb. 1981
IT=March 1981
JT=April 1981
KT=May 1981
LT=June 1981
MT=July 1981
NT=Aug. 1981
OT=Sept. 1981
PT=Oct. 1981
QT=Nov. 1981
RT=Dec. 1981
ST=Jan. 1982
TT=Feb. 1982
UT=March 1982
VT=April 1982
WT=May 1982
XT=June 1982
YT=July 1982
ZT=Aug. 1982
TZZ=Sept. 1982
TYY=Oct. 1982
TXX=Nov. 1982
TWW=Dec.1982
TVV=Jan. 1983
TUU=Feb. 1983
TTT=March 1983
TSS=April 1983
TRR=May 1983
TQQ=June 1983
TPP=July 1983
TOO=Aug. 1983
TNN=Sept. 1983
TMM=Oct. 1983
TLL=Nov. 1983
TKK=Dec. 1983
TJJ=Jan. 1984
TII=Feb. 1984
THH-March 1984
TGG=April 1984
TFF=May 1984
TEE=June 1984
TDD=July 1984
TCC=Aug. 1984
TBB=Sept. 1984
TAA=Oct. 1984
Model Codes:
B = Big Bike (from May 1978; had rear-facing dropouts; previously the MX)
BM = Mild Steel Big Bike
E = Eddy King Replica (European BB)
L = L.P. (Low Profile)
No Letter = Standard L.P.
LM = Mild Steel L.P. (1978-1979)
M = Mild Steel L.P., 1980+
0 (or O) = Long L.P. (has longer top tube (19”)
0M (or OM) = Long Mild Steel L.P. (has longer top tube (19”)
No Letter = Standard 280 (from Sept. 1982)
0 (or O) = 280 Long, (has longer top tube (19”) (from Sept. 1982)
0X (or OX) = 280 Long (has oval-hole gusset and 19” top tube) (from some time in 1983)
P = Pro XL, late-1983, (has longer top tube (19.5”), Haro/Redline-style gusset, butted tubing and 1 1/8” down tube)
SC = 24” cruiser (Small/Short Cruiser)
C = 26” cruiser (Cruiser)
R = Mini
RP = 1984 Mini Pro (Only known frame belonged to Factory Torker rider Craig Bark)
F = Haro fremaes (F = Freestyle?)
Written by: Michael Gamstetter
© Michael Gamstetter 2010
Original Article: https://fortyfour16.wordpress.com/torker-frame-serial-number-guide/
]]>How did BMX get started? Who invented BMX? When did BMX become an Olympic sport? You may have been wondering this after seeing BMX pop up in the mainstream sports news media recently amidst all the pre-Olympic buzz. Or maybe you already know the basics, the nuts and bolts of BMX riding and BMX bikes, but you do not know much about the sport’s origins and development. Whether you are a veteran racer, a rookie just learning the rules, a BMX enthusiast, or simply a curious sports fan, the history of bicycle motocross is a fascinating story you definitely do not want to miss.
BMX in the Limelight
What makes BMX special? Why is BMX worthy of your time and attention, besides the basic fact that the watching, cheering, and racing make it an incredibly fun event for the whole family? The reason is simple, really. Like every other sport, BMX is about competition and skill, who can ride the fastest and perform the most difficult, awe-inspiring tricks on two wheels. But BMX is just as much about community and connection, people coming together to support and celebrate something they believe in, an endeavor that has in some way changed their lives for the better. More than the insane stunts, the crazy speed, and the expert handling, the ever-growing BMX community is what makes the sport really special.
Over the past few decades, this exhilarating action sport has captured the hearts of millions of cycling fanatics and thrill-seeking youngsters around the world, and it continues to gain momentum among all age groups because of its bold originality, seductive riskiness, and easy accessibility. Yet, even with all of its amazing attributes, BMX’s rise to its present status was by no means a sure thing from the start. There were many bumps, shifts in trajectory, internal divisions, and near deaths on BMX’s path to the Olympics. These challenges and changes together shaped BMX into the sport it is today.
Now, with the Tokyo Summer Olympics in sight and countries assembling their teams, BMX is once again enjoying the attention it deserves. Unfortunately, however, despite its Olympic status, BMX remains widely misunderstood by those outside of the cycling community, to the detriment of the progression of BMX as a sport and potential BMX riders and fans. With the Olympic season drawing near, now is the perfect time to learn more about the inception and evolution of one of the newest and coolest Olympic sports—BMX.
Compared to the ‘traditional’ summer Olympic sports such as swimming, basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics to name a few, BMX has a much shorter history as a sport and a smaller, more select following. When stacked against these behemoths, BMX is really still in its infancy. Yet, while BMX is one of the lesser-known sports on the Olympic programme, its unique roots, continued evolution, and highly dedicated and tight-knit core of followers make BMX a distinctive Olympic event well worth keeping one’s eyes on now and in the future. So how did BMX get to where it is today?
The Birth and Blossoming of BMX
The roots of the BMX scene can be traced back to dirt tracks scattered across Southern California in the mid 1960s, around the same time that motocross was taking off in the U.S. Young kids who were captivated by off-road motorcycle racing but either could not afford to ride motocross or were not allowed to by their parents instead raced bicycles on their own self-made courses in their backyards, eventually leading to the development of formal, specially-built race tracks for bicycles the following decade. Races quickly got bigger, spawning a nationwide movement that became known as BMX.
In the very beginning, kids simply raced on their garage bikes. Breaking them down roughing it on the dirt was fun, but these standard mass-produced factory bikes could never satiate young BMXers’ appetite for speed and agility. Kids started to take their old 20-inch bikes and customize them by replacing the factory seats and handlebars with “banana” seats and tall “butterfly” handlebars to increase their speed and control. At the time, bike technology was also extremely limited. There was little variety in bike models and bike components simply because no one was yet aiming to launch themselves twenty feet in the air from a dirt jump and perform tricks while flying upside down. The BMX bike market was nonexistent.
Then came the Schwinn Sting-Ray, known as “the bike with the sports car look,” a bike that revolutionized cycling and dominated the early BMX scene because of its one-of-a-kind design and ease of customization. The original Sting-Ray was modeled after the way kids in Southern California were refitting their own bikes. BMX riders loved the Sting-Ray’s high-rise handlebars, short frame, and long, bucket shaped saddle that allowed them to perform quick maneuvers with ease. The 1972 motorcycle documentary ‘On Any Sunday,’ widely acknowledged as one of the biggest inspirations of the BMX movement and a pivotal point in BMX history, shows a group of kids going off-road on their Sting-Ray bikes in the opening scene. Toby Henderson, BMX legend and President of Box, said this about his experience racing on a Sting-Ray at the start of his career: “It handled everything better than any other bike I rode at that time.”
Soon BMX bikes were being made custom. They were built with smaller wheels, lightweight frames, and only one gear to maximize speed, control, and jump height. BMX bikes were distinguished from mountain and road bikes by their superior mobility and strength as well as their ability to perform jumps and to respond to rapid speed changes better than any other type of bike. Advancements in cycling technology and engineering breakthroughs every decade since the 1960s have made the modern BMX bike nearly unrecognizable to its predecessors.
BMX has no doubt come a long way from its humble beginnings in Southern California, rapidly developing from a mere backyard hobby for kids and adrenaline junkies to an official Olympic sport with millions of riders and followers and thousands of annual competitions worldwide.
BMX Racing Becomes an Olympic Sport
In order for BMX to become an officially recognized sport, it needed systematized rules and regulations. The American Bicycle Associate (ABA) became the national body for BMX in 1977 and proved instrumental in organizing and promoting the sport within the U.S. In 1981, the International BMX Federation was formed, and the first world championships were held in 1982. The following year, BMX was integrated into the organizational framework of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the worldwide governing body for cycling.
Every year the Union Cycliste Internationale hosts the UCI BMX World Championships and the UCI BMX World Cup, a series of competitions held across many countries leading up to the World Championships that, among many other things, determines BMX world rankings. The UCI World Championships are the capstone of the BMX season, attracting extensive international attention and media coverage. World champions wear the prestigious rainbow jersey for the entire year. The UCI rainbow stripes are one of the most renowned and coveted marks in cycling.
BMX racing made its Olympic debut at the 2008 Games in Beijing. The setup of the Olympic event is as follows: Eight riders launch themselves from an eight-meter-high ramp and race over a 350-meter circuit featuring alternating bumps, banked corners, and flat sections. Riders who finish in the first four of the heats earn a spot in the next round and then in the final.
Exposure at the Olympics along with televised competitions such as the X Games have helped the sport grow exponentially over the past couple of decades, attracting a wider audience in all corners of the world.
BMX freestyle will be a medal sport for the first time at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Freestyle competitors will perform two-minute runs executing a sequence of tricks on ramps, walls, box jumps, and spines throughout the sports park.
Box Bike Parts and Sponsored Riders
Box bike components, in particular Box One and Box Two parts, are widely used by World Cup champions. These BMX racing parts are engineered using Box’s signature, cutting-edge Oversized Technology that delivers enhanced power, control, and speed by reducing energy loss due to flex. By optimizing both pedaling and steering stiffness, Oversized Technology allows riders to fully utilize and translate their strength into precise handling with less delay. The science behind the design of Box Oversized parts makes a winning difference and has helped Box’s riders qualify for UCI World Cup competitions.
Box’s engagement in the bike industry and BMX community extends beyond its products. Box is an official partner of UCI. Box designs and creates official BMX racing number plates, side plates, and decals used by all competitors. Box bike components and the team behind the brand are trusted by professional athletes and international organizations alike.
Pros Sponsored by Box
Multiple professional riders sponsored by Box are competing next month at the Tokyo Olympic Games, including the Dutch Team (Team NL), Saya Sakikabara, and Alise Willoughby, who will represent Team USA in the Women’s BMX racing event. Box’s partnership with Olympic silver medalist and two-time world champion Alise Willoughby is particularly special. Box has worked with Alise for many years now, offering her direct support with top-quality BMX racing parts and using the company’s platform to promote her remarkable career. Box’s development as a company and Alise’s progression as a racer have even somewhat mirrored one another. At the same time that Box became the leader in BMX components, Alise became one of the best BMX racers in the world with a personal story as captivating as her skill.
Alise started racing when she was six years old. In 2006 at the age of 15, Alise turned professional and was voted Rookie Pro of the Year by BMXer Magazine, the first woman to receive the title. Later that same year Alise became the youngest female racer in BMX history to win the American Bicycle Association national title. Alise is also the first female to have earned all three existing Girls division classifications: No. 1 Girl Amateur, No. 1 Girl Amateur Cruiser, and No. 1 Girl Pro. She won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and was the 2017 and 2019 UCI Women’s World Champion. Suffice it to say, Alise’s career has been full of broken records and extraordinary achievements, but it also has been anything but a smooth ride.
Throughout her career Alise has undergone multiple serious surgeries, including a knee and hamstring reconstruction one year before the London 2012 Olympic Games and a broken tibia plateau only a few months before the 2014 world championships. The year her mother passed away from late stage melanoma, Alise won the USA BMX Women’s Pro Series title. Alise embodies the fight, drive, and passion that make the BMX community a formidable force.
Looking Backward and Forward
As BMX and its riders continue breaking boundaries and reaching new heights, it is important to commemorate the sport’s history and to appreciate the people, the bikes, and the stories that propelled BMX to the status it holds today. During its time of decline, BMX could have easily faded away into obscurity, but the people who loved it, racers and enthusiasts from all walks of life, fought to keep it alive. Together they won that battle. And it is because of them that BMX is now a thriving Olympic sport and that radical bike technology like Box Oversized parts is possible and matters. The future of BMX, its exciting and promising future, is built on its past. That is why it matters.
Box wishes its riders the best of luck and smooth riding at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics that will start this July 23, 2021 due to pandemic delays. We cannot wait to see what the Olympic season brings for one of the world’s greatest sports.
Articles referenced:
https://www.uci.org/bmx-racing/about-bmx-racing
https://bikehistory.org/bikes/stingray/
https://www.fatbmx.com/bmx-oldskool/item/53081-preserving-bmx-history-episode-59-toby-henderson-usa
https://mpora.com/bmx/short-history-bmx-sport-got-started/
https://boxcomponents.com/collections/oversized/oversized
https://www.teamusa.org/usa-cycling/athletes/Alise-Willoughby
Written by: Ashley Thomas
]]>Custom BMX Number Plate Timeline*
1972: First organized BMX races take place in Southern California. Pie plates and motorcycle motocross plates and numbers are the standard.
1977: Bob Haro, Dennis Dain and many other young racers start customizing their own plates. Haro begins selling custom-made numbers to local Southern California racers. Later, he starts making custom number plates, using his hand-cut vinyl numbers and Preston Petty number plates.
August 1978: Bicycle Motocross Action magazine features Haro’s Factory Plates in the “Products” section. The write-up says, “Each Factory Plate is unique and original. Haro hand cuts the numbers from several colors of glossy adhesive vinyl, sticks ‘em on a genuine Preston Petty unbreakable number plate, pre-drills and rivets the mounting holes and even includes four tie downs.” Price was $6, which included shipping and handling. ($6 in 1978 is equal to $20 today.) According to Bob, many of his early plates, including the Pro Plates that would come later, were decorated with Contact paper, which he said, “didn’t stick very well and would get dirty right away and peel off.”
October 1978: Bicycle Motocross Action magazine runs a pictorial titled “Number Plates. . .an Art From.” It features a variety of customized plates. Most are standard oval and square plates with a variety of custom and homemade numbers and lost of stickers. One plate is made from clear acrylic.
December 1978: First contoured Haro plate (Pro Plate-type) appears on the cover of Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. Brent Patterson is using a blue, orange and yellow hand-cut vinyl plate. Instead of darts or lightning bolts to cover the seam between the two main colors, Haro used a simple rectangle. This is one of Haro’s earliest hand-molded plates and was like made using Contact paper.
January 1979: DG pro rider Clint Miller is on the cover of Bicycle Motocross Action magazine with a custom-made Haro Pro Plate. It’s done in yellow with blue darts. The issue shows that many racers were now running Haro’s plates, among them, Jeff Bottema, Eddy King, David Clinton, Jeff Ruminer, John Crews and Brent Patterson. At this time, Haro was making the plates in his kitchen (and or bedroom).
March 1979: Haro runs his first ad in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. The ad features the Pro Plate Round and Pro Plate Square models. Both are made from hand-molded LDPE with hand-cut vinyl and have lightning bolts. Many of Haro’s lightning bolts at this time were made with chrome vinyl. Each plate had a signature and date on the back.
May 1979: Cover of Bicycle Motocross Action magazine shows six pro racers. Of those, five are using Haro Pro Plates. The sixth, Dennis Dain, is running one of his own custom-made plates. Mongoose racer Brain Curnell’s plate is a Pro Plate Square. Also note the DG rider with the 2072 plate. it’s the same plate hat appears in the above ad. The yellow is missing from the top. It was likely made with Contact paper and peeled off soon after the rider started using it. Many photos of riders at this time show them missing one, both or all the colored panels. Stu Thomsen raced with a plain plate for a long time. In the same issue, BMXA featured the Factory Plates in “The Hots” column. The article says Haro was in the process of moving away from making “one-off original. . .individual works of arts” to production plates. He also was discussing distribution deals. An Oakley ad shows Bobby Encinas, Stu Thomsen and Jeff Bottema with custom Haro Factory Plates. Haro also was making custom plates for DG’s new limited-edition California Pro bikes. Haro’s Factory Plate ad in the issue introduced the Werks numbers. It’s around this time that Haro begins renting space in the BMXA building.
July 1979: Another cover shot for Haro, this time on Harry Leary’s JMC. Bicycle Motocross Action-branded Haro Pro Plates are available for the first time for $9.95 (Approximately $32 when adjusted for inflation.). They are still made with hand-molded LDPE but the graphics are silk-screened on vinyl instead of hand-cut vinyl. They came in one color—yellow and blue with lightning bolts and the Bicycle Motocross Action logo. Haro Werks numbers are 6 inches tall, solid black and cost 50¢ each. The Haro Factory Plate ad shows a hand-made plate, but the accompanying Haro illustration shows the “Factory Plate” logo for the first time. Cook Brothers plates appear in the magazine for the first time.
October 1979: Thruster’s Timmy Judge gets the cover of Bicycle Motocross Action magazine with a custom-made Haro plate. Round and Square silk-screened Factory Plates appear throughout the issue, as well as numerous handmade plates. One Haro illustration shows a Pro Plate with the “Haro” logo on it. Up to this point, Haro was using the Factory Plates logo in his illustrations. The Haro ad is bigger and shows the Round Pro Plate with lightning bolts and the “Haro” logo. Available team colors included Redline, DG, Mongoose and Torker. Werks numbers are available in solid black or white. The original one-piece Haro Handle also appears for the first time. Company is now referred to as Haro Designs instead of Factory Plates. Square Pro Plates are no longer available.
November 1979: Bicycle Motocross Action magazine’s annual Buyer’s Guide features BMXA-branded Haro Pro Plates as well as Haro’s Factory Plates with the out-dated Factory Plate logo.
December 1979: JT offers JT/Haro Replica Plates in three colors and two-color JT Dirt Digit numbers. Jeff Ruminer is pictured with a solid black plastic Haro-style plate. (Manufacturer unknown.)
March 1980: Neal Enterprise’s Proto Plates appear in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. They were available in flat, colored plastic with silk-screened graphics. The handlebar “wings” were not formed like Pro Plates. All varieties of Haro-made plates appear in various photos.
April 1980: Haro runs half-page black and white ad in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine.
June 1980: Curiously, BMXA SE Quadangle test bike has a Proto Plate on it. Until now, all test bikes were equipped with Haro BMXA plates.
July 1980: BMXA CYC Panther test bike has a JT Plate.
August 1980: MCS Hot Plates appear in ad in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. Like Pro Plates, the Hot Plates were made from contoured LDPE. BMXA Kuwahara test bike has an MCS Hot Plate on it.
November 1980: Haro runs full-page black and white ad. Ad features Pro Plate, two-color Werks numbers and Haro Panel Covers in green and black. BMXA Scorpion test bike has an MCS Hot Plate.
February 1981: Haro runs full-color, full-page ad in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. Zeronine advertises number plates and numbers. They are flat and have multi-colored fire-themed graphics.
April 1981: Most of Diamondback Team runs modified Haro plates. The lower color (yellow?) is removed so plates are black and “white” with lightning bolts. Jason Jensen’s bike has custom, one-off, black Haro plate.
June 1981: Haro Series One and Wizard plates start showing up in magazines. Both are made from contoured LDPE. Hot Inc. drops “MCS” from Hot Plate logo. RL Osborn is running a yellow and blue Haro Pro Plate with black Haro Panel Cover and his name and BMXA logo in white.
July 1981: Uni Plates appear in Bicycle Motocross Action ad. BMXA Trick Team switches from Haro to Wizard Plates. Some pros pictured using Haro Type 2 plates.
September 1981: Type 2 and Series One plates now the norm with Pros. Both are made from contoured LDPE and have Velcro fasteners. Coincides with the trend to use wider, flatter-bend handlebars. Max starts selling Max/Haro Pro Plate-style number plates for $10.95. Pro Neck Cam (flat) and Saber (flat but folded to create aerodynamic profile) plates advertised. BMXA-branded plates available in all Haro Pro Plate color combos for $9.95. Neal Enterprises offers Werks Oval stickers and Pro Line numbers. No Haro ad in BMXA.
November 1981: Haro runs full-color, full-page ad for Type 2 plate and Haro Handle in Super BMX magazine. Vera’s unveils number plates.
December 1981: Aero introduces contoured LDPE Stadium Plates. Zeronine introduces three sizes of Airflow plates with colored Velcro. The plates are made from perforated colored plastic. Neal Enterprises replaces Proto Plate with contoured LDPE Type 2-style plate. BMXA now selling BMXA-branded Neal plates in four colors. JT now sells flat plastic plates. (Manufacturer unknown.)
January 1983: Haro advertises colored Series One and Color plates and Stadium numbers in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine. Haro Flow Panel Plates also appear in magazines. These are no longer made from LDPE, but rather injection molded plastic. Aero, JT and others introduce number plates with “open” faces for better air flow-through.
April 1983: BMXA closes out BMXA-branded Neal plates at the discount price of $8.95. They are no longer advertised by June.
May 1983: Steve Veltman pictured in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine with a black and silver Hutch plate. Robinson ad shows Haro Series One Mini plates.
Summer 1983: Haro introduces injection-molded Tech Plate and injection-molded plastic numbers.
*All info was gathered from a variety of BMX publications between 1978 and 1983, though the collection of magazine was in no way comprehensive. Introduction dates are based on the cover dates of the magazines, which may have been three to four (maybe more) months behind the date of actual introduction. Info is regarding U.S.-based number plate market only.
Written by Michael Gamstetter
© Michael Gamstetter 2010
Original Article: https://fortyfour16.wordpress.com/the-history-of-bmx-number-plates-the-early-days/
]]>This is my attempt to compile an accurate history of Torker. I’ve been wanting to do this for years, but only got serious about doing it in mid-2008. My background as a journalist reporting on the bicycle industry, life-long love of cycling and deep interest in Torker as a company as well as the people behind it and its products, hopefully, qualify me to pen this brief history.
I referred to a collection of advertisements and articles found in various hard and digital copies of Bicycle Motocross Action and BMX Plus magazines, conversations with company founder John Johnson, former Torker racers and factory employees who were there at the time and my observations and measurements taken from Torker frames and products.
This is a history of Torker for the collector or BMX historian. It starts at Torker’s beginning in 1975 and finishes at its end in 1984. I tried to include as much information as I could with a focus on product development, business relationships and the company’s ups and downs. I hope in the future to add more information about Torker’s final months under the Johnsons and try to understand why the Johnsons shuttered the company.
This history is in no way complete and is open to corrections and additions. Feel free to send me documented corrections. I will update and correct as needed.
I’d like to thank those who helped with this: John Johnson, Steve Rink, Harold “McGoo” McGruther, Doug Olson, Howie Cohen, Dennis Dain, Brain Ramosinski, Eddy King, Bob Osborn for his photos and for producing the greatest BMX mag ever—BMXA, Bob Hadley, Craig “Gork” Barrette and Mike Aguilera.
Photos are from BMXA, BMX Plus and other undocumented sources. Please contact me if you would like credit or would like to have them removed. —MG
The Beginning Before there was Torker, there was a small family-owned and operated company called Texon, operated out of the Johnson Family garage in Anaheim Hills, California. Founded in 1975 by John Johnson, Texon included John’s wife Doris and their sons Steve and Doug. It’s reason for being was to build a handful of prototype BMX frames.
The company was soon renamed Johnson Engineering, a name that would later appear in tiny type at the bottom of the earliest Torker headbadges. Around 1976, it was renamed again, to Torker. “Steve [Johnson] didn’t like Texon, so he renamed it Johnson Engineering. Then, he came up with Torker, a name that no one was using. He took the name from the work Torque. I think it was a good name,” John Johnson said.
Harold “McGoo” McGruther, who raced for Torker between 1979 and 1981 and worked for the company from 1982 until 1984, said the Johnsons were interested in BMX bikes from the beginning.
“John made the company’s first 4130-chromoly prototype in 1975 from tubing salvaged from a small airplane fuselage. John was an experimental airplane test pilot for the FAA so he knew chromoly and fab work as well as anyone during that era,” McGruther said.
“They made the original Peddlepower frame as a job shop on a wooden jig in their family garage. Peddlepower went on to become Powerlite,” he added.
Steve Johnson is often the family member credited with seeing the potential in BMX, designing the frames and building the brand.
“Steve and his mother ran the company,” said Howie Cohen, founder and owner of Everything Bicycles, one of Torker’s earliest distributors. “Steve did design and sales and his mom handled the bookkeeping. I never had any dealings with his dad,” he said.
Almost from the beginning, Steve Johnson was Torker’s president, front man and later team manager. Although he certainly contributed to Torker’s product development, but he didn’t come up with the early frame design.
The first BMX frames the Johnsons made were for Steve Rink, the owner and founder of the Peddlepower Cycles in Orange, California, and later Powerlite.
Those frame, built by Texon in the Johnson’s garage in 1975 and nicknamed the Rink’s Raider, featured what would become Torker’s trademark twin top tube. According to many, the design was Steve Johnson’s. But the truth is it was Rink who brought the design to the Johnsons.
“I knew Steve’s dad John from the FAA. I did flight tests and knew him through that. He’d come into the bike shop [Peddlepower Cycles] and I told to him I was going to do a frame. He wanted to help out, so I started working with John. I’m not sure when Steve got involved,” Rink said.
“John only made the first Peddlepower frame. Rink’s Raider was a nickname, but it was never sold under that name.
“I came up with the twin top tube design because it was easy to make. The top tube and seat stays were one tube and needed just one simple bend. Construction-wise it was easy to make,” Rink said.
Although the frame was a snap to build, Rink said it had a big problem.
“It was a big frame. It was good for pro riders, but kids couldn’t ride it. That’s why I came up with the single top tube Peddlepower frames. John and I were good friends and there were no problems between us when he started Torker, using the twin top tube design,” Rink said.
John Johnson remembers his involvement with Rink with a little more detail.
Youngest son Doug was racing BMX in the early-1970s on a bike he bought from Peddlepower and he wanted something lighter weight.
“Steve Rink got us started in this. Our son Doug was racing over at the Lincoln Avenue race track. Most kids were racing stripped down Stingrays. Doug thought it was too heavy, so he asked me to build one. I thought I could build one out of aircraft tubing,” he recalled.
“I talked to Steve and he gave this frame with a double top tube. I don’t know where he got it. I used that to build the jig. I built a jig on an old wooden school door. I built four of these. I took them to a local welder to have them tacked up and then welded. At the time, we didn’t have a heli-arc welder yet,” Johnson said.
The first frame built for Doug Johnson had some of the same features as later Torkers would, but it was crude.
“Frame number one was mild steel and the top tubes were cut and welded to the seat stays. They were two-piece, not the one-piece design we did later. I didn’t have a way to bend the tubes, so I cut them,” Johnson said, adding that he still has the frame today. “It’s pretty well beat up after all these years.”
After that first frame, Johnson built the Peddlepower prototypes. He couldn’t recall exactly how many he built, but thought the number was between eight and 50.
“I built two, then four, then eight. We kept doubling the number. Around this time, Steve [Johnson] got involved. He wanted to start his own business. I was working full time for the FAA as a test pilot and engineer and building frames at night and on the weekends. I let Steve take over.
“We were in the garage and had a Southbend lathe and a Bridgeport mill. Steve bought a heli-arc welder right away,” Johnson said.
Before long, their differing goals and visions for the company led to a split between Steve Johnson and Steve Rink, John Johnson said. “Steve wanted to sell the bikes under the name Johnson Engineering. Steve Rink didn’t like that name and wanted to use his name, Peddlepower. Steve started making bikes for himself and then came up with the name Torker,” Johnson said.
John’s wife Doris also is credited with much of Torker’s early success. Besides running the Torker offices, Doris managed the Torker team. “Much of the credit for the success of the Torker team belongs to Doris Johnson. She was the team mom and tour rig driver. Everyone loved her,” McGruther said.
Torker Factory Team racer Mike Aguilera agreed. “Doris was the team mom who cooked, cleaned, did laundry for all of us boys while on tour,” he said.
In 1979, Doris drove the team to races all over the country in a motor home. Son Doug would later run clothing maker Max, Torker’s sister company. “Doris and I worked for free, but everyone else got a pay check. We worked 14- and 16-hour days and on weekends. I continued to work at the FAA full time until I retired in 1981,” Johnson said.
Torker Takes Off Johnson Engineering became Torker BMX Products sometime in late-1977 and officially introduced its first frame and bike in mid-1977. As late as August 1977, the company was running ads for its blue or red Torker frame in Bicycle Motocross Action magazine (BMXA) under the name Johnson Engineering.
It was in late-1976 that the editors at BMXA learned of Johnson’s plans to launch a Torker frame. A photo of the new bike appeared in the February 1977 issue.
BMXA then published a product test of the Torker in the October 1977 issue. The staff described the frame as being made entirely from TIG-welded, aircraft-quality, 4130-chromoly tubing. It was called the Torker MX. Torker would later change the name to Big Bike after it introduced a second, smaller frame called the L.P. around May 1978.
Touting its “superb engineering” and “flawless handing characteristics,” BMXA publisher Bob Osborn called the Torker MX “The Husquavarna of motocross bicycles.”
As if in agreement with Steve Rink, the BMXA staff said the MX worked great for bigger riders and those looking to throw in a little style while in the air.
The BMXA test bike was equipped with Speedo forks, which bent during testing. Torker’s first forks were in development at the time of the test. They would hit the market along with a variety of other Torker-branded components and accessories later that year.
Much of the BMXA article focuses on the technology and engineering Torker put into the frame.
Besides 4130-chromoly tubing, the frame featured double “fish scale” gussets at the head tube and Torker’s ubiquitous twin top tube design, which, according to BMXA, nearly eliminated flex at the bottom bracket.
It also was one of the first BMX frames to be stress relieved. Varco International baked Torker’s frames at 1,000º Fahrenheit for two hours after welding to relieve, “internal stresses, and, in effect, make it one continuous piece of metal, as opposed to a bunch of pieces with a bunch of welds holding them together,” Osborn wrote.
The MX frame had a 70-degree head tube angle, a 37-inch wheelbase and when built with number plate and pads the bike weighed 25 to 27 pounds. It was available in chrome, blue or red (Osborn wrote that it looked more like maroon.), powder epoxy, which was electrostatically applied by Aquarian, which also did epoxy coating for JMC.
According to Chip Bowers at C4 Labs, a company specializing in refinishing bicycle frames, the epoxy process was similar powder coating. “The frames were painted in a way that can be considered powder coating. Now, most powders are polyester based instead of epoxy,” he said.
The MX came with Cheng Shin tires, steel Araya rims, Sunshine black alloy front hub and Bendix coaster brake, 105-gauge spokes, Takagi 7-inch cranks, KKT pedals, Addicks sprocket and spider, Ashtabula single-clamp stem, box handlebars, Elina Super-Pro padded saddle and Speedo forks.
Torker’s first ad ran in December 1976 in BMX Weekly. The stickers on the frame featured the red Torker MX/Johnson Engineering headbadge, lightning-bolt logo down tube stickers and either two “Chrome Moly” stickers or nothing on the seat tube. Yellow headbadges appeared on some frames, as well. The retail price of the bike was $210 on the West Coast and $220 on the East Coast. The price difference was due to the cost of shipping.
The MX took what several collectors describe as an “odd size headset.” This odd size is likely the standard road size headset that fit frames with 30.1 mm I.D. head tubes. Many companies used these early on. Some MXes also had un-drilled brake bridges. Serial numbers on the frames show month, year and production number. For example, T877128—8 = August, 77 = 1977 and 128 is the production number.
Torker introduced pads, box-style handlebars and a few pieces of clothing, such as hats and T-shirts later in 1977.
Kevin McNeal, Torker’s first big-name sponsored rider, began racing for the company that year, too. Riding a Torker MX, he became California Champion and won the NBA/Mongoose Grandnationals.
A New Design Just one year after making it’s debut, the MX was facing obsolescence. There was a new kid on the block and it had a faster, sleeker and more modern look. It also fit a wider range of riders. Torker’s new low-profile L.P. frame, or minor variations on it, would become Torker’s mainstay frame until it’s bankruptcy in 1984. The gangly MX, now renamed Big Bike and later updated with rear-facing dropouts and a BMX-size (32.7 mm I.D.) head tube, but its appeal was limited to larger riders.
Production of the L.P. seems to have begun in or around May 1978. The frame and the new Big Bike are featured in a never-produced or distributed Torker Dealers Catalog that was put together in the spring of that year and with a cover date of July 15, 1978. Although there are no detailed descriptions of any of Torker’s frames there are four new frames featured in the catalog. Those frames include the chromoly G.T. Big Bike, mild steel Big Bike, chromoly L.P. (Low Profile) G.T. and mild steel L.P. Each was offered as a frame and complete bike. The suggested retail price of the G.T. Big Bike was $84.95, the L.P.G.T. was $89.95 and both mild steel frames was $59.95.
The L.P. appears to have made its public debut in an advertisement in the June 1978 issue of BMX Weekly then later to a broader audience in the August 1978 issue of BMXA. (Steve Rink’s low-profile, single top tube Peddlepower SR frame made its debut in the Feb. issue of BMXA that year.)
At the heart of the L.P. ad is a photo of a complete bike Torker called the L.P.G.T. It has a European bottom bracket shell, Shimano Dura-Ace three-piece cranks, KKT Rat Trap pedals, new Torker alloy handlebars, MCS 6-bolt stem, steel seat clamp, Cycle Pro Snake Belly skin-wall tires, alloy wheels and Torker forks. According to the Dealers Catalog, the retail price was $185.
The new L.P. had an 18.5-inch top tube, dual head tube gussets, round brake bridge (like the MX), relaxed 64-degree seat tube angle and was available in chrome, red, blue, black, white and, according to the Dealers Catalog, gold. The only L.P. frame to appear in any ads through the end of 1978 had a European bottom bracket shell. It’s unclear if the L.P. also was available with an American bottom bracket shell. This, however, is unlikely due to the fact that L.P.G.T. was designed for smaller riders while the Big Bike was designed for larger riders and therefore spec’d with an American bottom bracket shell. At that time, many smaller frames were sold only with a European bottom bracket shell.
The sticker pack on the L.P.G.T. in the ad was the same as the one used in 1977 on the MX. The logo on the new vinyl pads was in the original Torker logo font—the lightning bolt logo minus the lightning bolt.
Serial numbers for Torker frames made through 1978 were on the bottom bracket shell. With its new name, the Big Bike had serial numbers that ended with a “B.” And, although I have yet to see a confirmed 1978 Torker L.P. frame, it is assumed the serial numbers on those ended with “L,” as they would in 1979. With the introduction of the L.P. and Big Bike, Torker started using a new serial number system. (For more on this, please read the Torker Serial Number Guide on this Blog.)
In most photographs, these frames had two “4130 Chrome Moly” stickers on either side of the seat tube. By 1979, chromoly Torkers had only one “4130 Chrome Moly” sticker placed in the center of the front of the tube. Forks at this time were not drilled for brakes and had lightning-bolt logo stickers.
According to John Johnson, however, the frames were not 100-percent chromoly. “We used mild steel for the headtube, bottom bracket shell and all the flat parts like the dropouts and gussets. There was no advantage to using chromoly on those parts,” he said.
The 1978 Dealers Catalog, the only remaining copy of which belongs to John Johnson, mentions three products that were in development at the time—a Torker Double stem, a mini Torker and the EK Special. Eddy King (EK) was and amateur racer who was co-sponsored by Torker at the time. He would later become one of the Torker Factory Team’s best-known racers.
The Salad Days The years between 1979 and 1981 were good for Torker. The company had begun sponsoring races, including local and national events and up-and-coming Expert racers such as Doug Davis, Mike Aguilera and Eddy King in 1978. Torker cosponsored King while he was racing for Wheels ‘N Things and signed him as an amateur to its Factory Team in the fall of 1978 at the U.S. Nationals.
During this period, Steve Johnson established very good relationships with the editors at BMXA and BMX Plus!. Torker was advertising consistently in both magazines and in turn received a lot of coverage in its pages. Many company chiefs and racers at the time, claim that the amount of coverage your company and racers got in BMXA was directly related to the amount of advertising you did. This does not, however, diminish the fact that Torker was a leading BMX company with one of the country’s best factory teams.
Not long after King joined the team, Torker began marketing a 3.5-pound L.P. with a European bottom bracket called the E.K. Replica, after Eddy King. The frame took its place at the top of the line and, despite the fact that it was basically an L.P. with a European bottom bracket shell, was priced $2 to $3 higher than the standard L.P.
Other new products that year include an aluminum and chromoly, six-bolt stem; chromoly mini and 26-inch cruiser forks and at least two complete bikes—the Maxflyte and Torkflyte.
The L.P. and Big Bike were available in 4130-chromoly and mild-steel versions, giving consumers the ability to buy a Torker at a lower price. The frames were identical except for the tubing material.
BMX mail order giant Wes’ BMX in 1981 listed the mild-steel L.P. frame for $69, while the L.P. cost $99 for painted and $107 for chrome. The lower-price, mild-steel frames lack the “Chrome Moly” seat tube sticker and have an “M” at the end of their serial numbers. Mild-steel Big Bikes had “BM” at the end of the serial numbers, while the mild-steel L.P.s had “LM.”
By the end of 1979, the Big Bike appears to have been removed from the Torker catalog, replaced by the L.P. Long, which had serial numbers ending in “0” for chromoly frames or “0M” for mild steel frames.
That year, all Torker frames were available in chrome, black, blue, red or white and had a new sticker pack. The headbadge no longer had Johnson Engineering on it. The down tube and fork stickers had the new, non-lightning-bolt logo and on the seat tube was either a single “Chrome Moly” sticker or nothing in the case of the mild-steel frames.
The company had developed a reputation as a maker of some the best forks available at the time. Its forks were lightweight, featured neutral steering and had heat-treated steerer tubes and stress-relieved legs, making them popular with many racers and early freestylers, such as BMXA test riders Bob Haro and R.L. Osborn who had them on his SE Racing P.K. Ripper.
Building on its reputation, Torker added two fork sizes to the catalog filling voids in the burgeoning mini and 26-inch cruiser markets, despite not yet offering compatible frames.
The mini forks weighed 1 pound 4 ounces and were built with 7/8-inch O.D. chromoly tubing rather than the 1-inch used on the standard and cruiser forks. Over the years, Torker offered two sizes of mini forks. One had legs equal in length to the standard and fit tires up to 20 x 2.125. The other had shorter legs and barely fit 20 x 1.5 tires. It’s unclear when each was sold by Torker. Some Torker Factory Team members, among them Jason Jensen, raced on E.K. Replica frames with mini forks. In photos, his forks appear to be standard length minis. Confirming this is the fact that he used Mitsuboshi Competition II 20 x 1.75 tires in the front.
At least two Torker bikes were offered in 1979. The Maxflyte was Torker’s top-of-the-line bike. It came with an array of high-end alloy parts such as three-piece cranks. The 1980 Hutch BMX Racing mail order catalog lists the Maxflyte at $288.75. A year later, the price jumped to $318.75.
The Torkflyte, which was available in mild-steel or chromoly, was similar to the Maxflyte, but it had Takagi, chromoly, one-piece cranks. From Hutch in 1980, it cost $209.75 in mild-steel and $239.75 in chromoly. Its low price and solid spec made it Torker’s top seller.
The bikes came in all the Torker colors with contrasting anodized parts.
Also in 1980, Hutch listed a bike called the Torker Trashflyte, which cost $164.75. Other than colors, no information on the bike is listed in the catalog. The bike was probably one of the “street thrashers” that were sold at the time. Most “street thrashers” featured mild-steel frames, single-clamp stems, steel box-style handlebars and other entry-level parts.
Torker’s in-house bike line wasn’t the only one available at the time.
In the Jan./Feb. 1979 issue of BMXA, Everything Bicycles ran a full-page, full-color ad featuring the distributor’s own take on what a Torker bike should be—the $369.95 Torkflyte and the $495 Tork Pro.
“We took Torker frames and forks and make bike kits,” said Howie Cohen, Everything Bicycle’s owner.
“We bought special boxes and packed the bikes in them. One box took the frame, fork and wheels. Another box had the parts kits. We sold them as bike kits, unassembled,” he said.
The spec on both Everything Bicycles Torkers included: alloy bars, Oakley I grips, MCS stem, fluted alloy seatpost, Everything’s own PL-1-style seatpost clamp, Suntour VX cranks, Araya rims (7bs on the Tork Pro, 7Cs on the Torkflyte), and Mitsuboshi Comp II tires. The chrome and blue Tork Pro is pictured with Reedy pedals, unidentifiable small-flange hubs and a suede saddle, while the white and blue Torkflyte has KKT rat traps, large-flange hubs and a nylon saddle.
Besides the Torkers, the full-color, full-page ad also features two similarly spec’d Powerlite bikes and a third Powerlite street thrasher also spec’d by Everything Bicycles.
On the facing page of the Everything ad is a full-color Torker ad featuring a drawing of Eddy King by Bob Haro.
It was these ads that first attracted me to Torker. I fell in love with those colorful bikes—the Torkers with their twin top tubes, in particular.
After many hours staring at the ad, it occurred to me that, with the exception of the top tube, Powerlites and Torkers were almost the same—the forks, gussets, rear dropouts, even the geometry appeared to be the same. From that point on, I always associated Torker with Powerlite. A connection I would only verify while working on this article. By this time, however, Steve Rink was working with other sub-contractors and had no relationship with Torker.
“I’m not sure about any similarities between the two bikes. I know our forks were made with 7/8-inch tubing and I think Torker used 1-inch,” Rink said.
Throughout most of 1979 and into mid-1980, Torker continued to stamp serial numbers on the bottom bracket shells. As mentioned previously, serial numbers now had the additional ending of “M,” indicating that the frame was made with mild-steel tubing rather than chromoly. The serial numbers on Eddy King Replica frames ended with an “E,” which may or may not stand for Eddy. Because L.P. frames with European bottom brackets were available before King joined Team Torker, the “E” may have stood for European bottom bracket.
King said his personal bike had a special serial number. “I remember EK 1 was stamped on the bottom bracket,” he said.
Another change to the frames in some time in 1978 or early-1979 was the move from a round brake bridge to a flat plate bridge. Torker forks are still undrilled.
A line of Torker clothing and accessories such as pads and gear bags also was available.
The Greatest Team In 1980, Torker’s team was the team. It included BMX Hall of Famers Eddy King, and Clint Miller (joined in late-1979) and Doug Olson, Jason Jensen, Doug Davis and Mike Aguilera. This is perhaps the team that Torker is best remembered for.
“Life on the Torker Team was a dream at the age of 13. I got to tour the country. It was an awesome experience. Steve Johnson was a great guy to be around. He was a great influence on all of the team members,” Aguilera said.
Bob Haro also was riding a modified Torker in his freestyle shows. Two years later, he would become Torker’s biggest frame customer.
The company and its racers were getting major coverage in all the major BMX magazines.
BMX PLus! interviewed and featured the entire Torker team and reported on Eddy King and Clint Miller’s bikes in its May 1980 issue.
In the June, BMXA gave the cover to Eddy King and Torker and devoted five pages to a pictorial of the popular rider. His chrome and gold bike was one of the most tricked-out on the race circuit.
Here’s a rundown of how it was built up: Eddy King Replica frame; Torker forks; Torker aluminum V-bars; Torker stem; Grab On grips; Tange headset; Shimano pre-bent brake lever; Shimano Tourney brakes; Mathauser Finned brake pads; 170 Campagnolo Gran Sport cranks; Phil Wood No. 3 bottom bracket; Sugino 44T chainring; filed KKT pedals; Suntour 16T freewheel; 36-hole Phil Wood hubs; 80-60-guage stainless steel spokes; Araya 7b rims; Cheng Shin 1.75 front tire; Mitsuboshi Competition II 1.75 rear tire; Cinelli Unicanitor saddle; Addicks seatpost clamp and a chromoly seatpost.
Eddy King’s personal bike had the yellow headbadge and the lightning-bolt Torker logo down tube stickers used on the pre-1979 frames. These stickers are sold today as part of SBS’s retro Torker sticker packs. They were not, however, standard on the Eddy King Replica frames sold by Torker.
King said his personal bike was basically a standard L.P. with a European bottom bracket.
“I think I had some input on the toptube length and the head tube angle,” he said, adding that he couldn’t remember why he ran the custom stickers.
King left Torker in October and joined the new Diamondback team.
“Torker was a great experience, but I saw that Diamondback had more money and better support. They had the budget to blow everyone else out of the water. I do wonder what would have happened with Torker if I had stayed,” King said.
Torker received a big plug in the December 1980 issue of BMXA when the magazine tested the Maxflyte. The 12-page article featured an in-depth review of the bike, a peek at Clint Miller’s personal bike, a look at the team, which then included Miller, Jason Jensen, Cathy Hanna and Patti Gammill, and a bit of info on the company itself.
The Maxflyte that year was spec’d as follows: 4130-chromoly Torker frame available in standard, long or European bottom bracket (formerly the E.K. Replica) models in chrome, red, blue, white or black with blue, red or gold components; Torker forks; Torker alloy handlebars; Finish Line grips; Torker 6-bolt stem; 36-hole Araya 7X rims laced to Shimano freehubs with 80-guage spokes; Shimano Tourney brakes front and rear; Mitsuboshi Competition III tires (Not available at test time. Test bike had Competition II tires.); KKT Lightning pedals; 175 Shimano 600 EX cranks with One-Key Release; 44/16 gearing; Kashimax MX saddle; 4130-chromoly seatpost and an Addicks seatpost clamp.
Miller’s personal bike featured a custom fork (painted black) with special geometry for quicker steering, Cook Brothers chromoly handlebars, Haro Handle brake levers, Redline non-pinch Flight cranks with a Takagi spider, a Carlisle Aggressor MX 20 x 2.125 front tire and large-flange hubs.
A month later, in its January issue, BMX PLus! tested the Torkerflyte with Greg Hill as the test rider.
Bikes such as the Maxflyte were at the forefront of Torker’s marketing that year. A chrome and gold Maxflyte was featured in full-color, full-page ads in BMXA and BMX Plus. Like the test bike, it was spec’d with a full battery of Shimano components. Torker’s new stem (introduced in 1979) was front-and-center on the bike, as were its alloy handlebars, which were available in V- and straight-crossbar models. The company continued to tout its engineering prowess.
Torker added visors and Haro number plates to its clothing and accessories line.
By the end of 1980, the Johnsons started Max, which was run by Doug Johnson and produced a line of racing leathers, jerseys and other soft goods and accessories.
Starting in late-1979 or at the beginning of 1980, serial numbers were located on the inside of the right rear drop out and some forks are drilled for brakes.
Reversal of Fortune The year 1981 seems to be the beginning of the end for Torker. In the magazines, it appears to be as strong a company as it had been the previous three years, but it’s line was in a constant state of flux. Several new frames hit the market, but so did a line of components, most of which never caught on with BMXers or may have never even hit the market.
It was a crazy year for the BMX industry. Sales were strong and the small companies that dominated the market were experiencing rapid growth—growth that hurt as many companies as it helped. Other companies were beginning to look to overseas manufacturing.
Like many small BMX companies at the time, Torker may have been unable to react quickly enough to the market, or it over reacted, expanding its line too quickly, straining its financial and manufacturing resources to “the max.”
Despite what may have been happening behind the scenes, Torker continued to develop new products.
Torker introduced its first cruiser frame—a 26-inch model—and a mini frame that year. Both were available in a smaller color pallet than in the past—chrome or black. It also unveiled sealed European and American bottom brackets.
According to one full-color, full-page Torker ad, the company’s full line of products included “six complete bikes, six different frames, three styles of forks, two types of bottom brackets and four varieties of handlebars.”
The six frames probably included chromoly and mild-steel standard L.P.s and L.P. Longs, the 26-inch cruiser and the new mini, which took the place of the L.P. with a European bottom bracket (E.K. Replica).
It’s often said that the 24-inch cruiser was introduced in 1981, but it isn’t featured in the ad showing the Torker line-up and all evidence shows that the 24-inch cruiser hit the market in early-1982.
Doug Olson offered his recollections about the line. “In 1981, I think we were still making a mild-steel version of the L.P. The 24 came out at the end of 1981 because I was racing it,” he said.
“There was a Long L.P., which I thought was used for the 280X. I also made a few really long L.P.s with 4- and 5-inch longer front ends. I think I was the only one to race them, but everyone that rode it fell in love,” added Olson who, at 6-foot 3-inches, towered over his Torker teammates in 1980.
The new mini was featured in the April issue of BMXA in a story about 9-year-old racer Jason Jensen and his tricked-out bike, a black Torker mini with custom copper lacquered components. The frame, like the cruiser, lacked head tube gussets. It had a 17.5-inch top tube, 7/8-inch O.D. down tube, European bottom bracket shell and used 13/16-inch O.D. seatposts.
Jensen’s bike was spec’d like this: Torker 4130-chromoly, mini frame and forks; custom-modified Torker stem; Tange MX-5 headset; Laguna alloy, mini, V-bars with a 5-inch rise; Oakley .5 grips; Shimano Tourney brakes; Team Products, two-finger brake lever; Uni Seat; Tange seat clamp; Araya 7X rims; Shimano Dura-Ace road hubs with track axles; 80-60-guage, stainless steel, DT spokes; Mitsuboshi Comp II 1.75 front tire; Raleigh Red Dot 1.75 rear tire; 16 x 1.75 inner tubes; Suntour 16T freewheel; Sedisport 3/32 chain; Suntour MP100 pedals; 170 Shimano 600 EX cranks; O.M.A.S. bottom bracket with alloy crank bolts and a Dura-Ace 44T chainring.
BMX Plus also featured Jensen in a profile in its Sept. 1981 issue.
Torker’s other big product introduction that year, a 26-inch cruiser, made its debut in BMXA in the September 1981 issue when the magazine wrote about Clint Miller’s new bike.
The frame was built with larger-diameter 5/8-inch tubing (20-inch frames have 1/2-inch tubing) for the top tube/seat stays and the chain stays. The rest of the tubes were beefed up by a 1/4 inch to 1 1/4 inches. The wall thicknesses, were 30 to 40 percent thinner. In the 1981 Wes’ BMX mail-order catalog, the frame and fork cost $170.
Clint Miller’s 29-pound, 14-ounce bike included the 26-inch frame and fork; Tange headset; Torker stem; Prodyne cruiser handlebars; Oakley .5 grips; 36-hole Shimano large flange hubs; Ukai rims; 80-guage spokes; Dia-Compe, side-pull rear brakes; Mathauser brake pads; Shimano DX brake lever; Mitsuboshi 2.125 and 1.75 Silver Star tires; filed MKS BM-10 pedals; Redline non-pinch Flight cranks; 44T Addicks graphite sprocket and Addicks spider; 20T Shimano freewheel; HKK chain; Elina Lightning saddle; Addicks seat clamp and a chromoly seatpost.
At this point, all Torker frames still have flat brake bridges and serial numbers on the inside of the right dropout. Forks appear to have been available drilled or undrilled as both appear in photos throughout the year. In the April issue of BMXA (photos were likely shot the previous winter) Jensen’s mini has undrilled forks while Miller’s 26-inch cruiser forks in the September issue (photos likely shot in the summer) are drilled for brakes.
The new 26-inch cruiser serial numbers end with the letter “C,” presumably for cruiser. The mini’s serial numbers end with an “R.”
L.P. frames were still available in chrome, black, red and blue. The stems and bottom brackets came in red, blue, black and gold.
Torker also began building frames for Haro in 1981.
Chasing a New Market Nineteen-Eighty-Two was a year of big changes year for Torker, as well as the rest of the BMX bike makers.
As many serious BMX racers were custom building their high-end racing bikes rather than buying complete bikes off bicycle shop showroom floors, retailers were asking for less-expensive bicycles to meet the growing demand from kids who wanted BMX-style bikes, but who had no need for expensive race-quality builds.
For Torker, this meant the introduction of the 280, 280X and 340, three low-price bikes. The 280 and 280X chromoly frame sets are identical to the L.P. and L.P. Long, which no longer appear in Torker marketing materials. The 340 was a 24-inch cruiser.
BMXA tested the 280X in its September issue. According to the article, the name came from the suggested retail price of $280. Unlike their pricier predecessors the Maxflyte and Torkflyte, the 280 and 280X were spec’d with price-point components. In many cases, Shimano and Torker components were replaced with less-expensive Sugino or Sakae Ringyo (SR) parts.
The BMXA test bike looked like this: Torker 4130-chromly frame and forks; Torker chromoly Pro “T” handlebars; SR MS-240 stem; A’me Tri grips; Tange AW-27 headset; Araya 7X rims with Suzue large-flange hubs; IRC Z-1 tires; Dia-Compe 890 rear brake; Dia-Compe Tech 2 lever; MKS BM-10 pedals; 175 Sugino one-piece cranks with Sugino 44T chainring and spider; Suntour 16T freewheel; Torker saddle and SR fluted alloy seatpost.
Torker, however, didn’t forget about the high-end. Prior to the release of the 280 and 280X, Torker replaced its 26-inch cruiser with a professional-level, 24-inch frame set—now the standard size cruiser for racing. Many pros had started racing the new cruiser class the previous year and the smaller bikes were gaining popularity with amateurs and the general public. Like the 26-inch cruisers, they were available in chrome and black.
Torker also organized its growing component line under a new name—Ultra Series. All the components were machined by sub-contractors and assembled in-house, sometimes by Torker Factory Team members.
“Every time I flew into town, we were at the Torker Factory discussing racing strategy, and we sometimes would help assemble the Torker goose necks. It was great every time we got to visit the Factory. We always got to pick out any kind of part we needed for our bikes,” Mike Aguilera remembered.
Ultra Series components included the Ultra-6 and new Ultra-4 stems, sealed European and American bottom brackets and sealed bearing hubs. The hubs, which closely resemble Sunshine’s three-piece hubs, appear to have been sold in very small numbers. Only one set is known to exist.
The new, four-bolt Ultra-4 stem was similar to Jason Jensen’s custom-modified stem and made its appearance in the summer of 1982. They had the same dimensions of the Ultra-6 stems, but featured a split cap, 1-inch hole in the base and a shorter quill. Several non-split, four-bolt, stems also are known to exist. These are often considered to be prototypes, but this has not been confirmed.
According to Torker ads, the stems, American bottom brackets and hubs were available in red, blue, black, gold and silver, while the European bottom brackets came in black, gold and silver.
Rarely seen and virtually unknown, Torker also dabbled in the new sport of mountain biking, building four Summit bikes. The location of one bike and one frame are known, while the remaining bikes belonged to the Johnsons until they gave them to friends several years ago.
“We had them on our motor home for years. I gave one to a friend for his kid to ride and the other to another friend on extended loan,” John Johnson said.
The known bike appears to be stock with the exception of the grips, saddle, tires and pedals. The bike features a Torker-made frame with an American bottom bracket shell, cable braze-ons, cantilever brake bosses and forks with standard Torker BMX dropouts. Among the components are a Torker Ultra-6 stem, Torker sealed bottom bracket, Torker chromoly mountain bike handlebars, Ambrossio rims, Galli hubs, Mafac cantilever brakes and a Suntour drivetrain.
“We made a handful of these things [mountain bikes] and I remember at that time I thought they were really ugly,” Doug Olson said.
Johnson said the reason they never made more was because mountain bikes at the time had silver brazed frames.
“We were welding our frames and we didn’t want to get into silver brazing. We didn’t think a welded frame would sell,” he said.
The Torker team was still finding success with Clint Miller in 24-inch cruiser and new addition Kelly McDougall, while Eddy Fiola was winning freestyle competitions on a Torker.
Torker’s marketing also consisted of ads in BMXA and BMX Plus promoting the component line. They were less-expensive, 1/4-page, black and white ads.
Torker started promoting the 280 with the infamous full-color, full-page Torker the Barbarian ad. It featured a shirtless Clint Miller covered in war paint a la Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian.
Starting in September 1982, all serial numbers start with three letters as opposed to two and look like this: TYY 244 SC (24-inch cruiser) and TWW 2339 0 (280X). The serial numbers, perhaps for the first time, easily identify the frame model and the month and year it was built. Frames made in September 1982 have serial numbers that start with TZZ. The last frames made by Torker in Fullerton in September 1984 have serial numbers that start with TBB. To decipher a three-letter serial number, start with TZZ and go backward consecutively toward TBB. (TYY = October 1982, TXX = November 1982, etc.)
The new 24-inch cruisers have serial numbers that end with “SC,” which may stand for small cruiser. Torker stopped using the “L” at the end of serial numbers on its standard 20-inch frames (Now the 280.), but the 280X frame serial numbers still end with a “0” just like the L.P. Long. Torker-built Haro frames had serial numbers such as TNN 2185 F, with the “F” presumably representing “freestyle.”
Frame and fork stickers remained unchanged at the beginning of the year, but by the end of 1982, some frames had a new oval headbadge as seen in the September 1982 issue of BMXA. The following year, the 280 and 280X got totally new graphics. Frames were available only in chrome.
End of an Era To be honest, it has been difficult from this point on to track the Torker product line. Torker seems to have developed a split personality. It was developing high-end products for its racers, but was pushing its price-point bikes on the general public.
Close inspection of race photos featuring Torker Factory riders Kelly McDougall and Dave Marrietti show them riding the new Pro X frames, but Torker’s advertising was focused on the price-point 280. The ads were again high-production quality, full-color, full-page ads, but they featured arguably cheesy themes.
The Pro X, a longer frame set with a 19.5-inch top tube, made its debut in 1983 and was the frame ridden by racers such as Tommy Brackens, McDougall and Richie Anderson, but it got relatively little media coverage. Torker also rarely, if ever, promoted the frame in advertising, opting instead to put its marketing dollars into promoting the 280.
The frames got a variety of new features, some of them technological in character, others simply cosmetic. The Pro X, for example had a machined head tube and bottom bracket shell. The design innovation improved strength and helped prevent flaring.
Torker built the Pro X frames with Ishiwata butted tubing and replaced the fish-scale gussets with gussets under the down tube similar to those found on the Haro frames and Redline Prolines as early as 1978. The Pro X serial numbers ended with the letter “P” and looked like this, TLL 0125 P.
In August 1983, the 280 and 280X saw the first change to the fish-scale head tube gussets since 1978. Vertically oriented elliptical cutouts in the two gusset plates replaced the old round holes.
Torker began to alter its frame graphics in late-1982 and introduced a new oval headbadge late in the year. But this was short lived and was replaced by a “T” headbadge that was part of a totally redesigned graphic look used on all Torker frames from 1983 on.
Getting a handle on just what Torker offered in its 1984 line is not easy. Based on what can be seen in photos of racers that year, the line appears to have grown and evolved. But few ads or marketing materials have surfaced that clearly outline what the company offered.
Photos of a small (You might call it a mini.) bike under team racer Jason Foxe show a frame that, like the earlier mini, lacks head tube gussets, but unlike any Torker before it, seems to have a single top tube and an integrated seat clamp.
Another bike recently surfaced in a collection that shares some of the characteristics found on Foxe’s frame, but that definitely has a new style double top tube.
Instead of two tubes diverging from the head tube and connecting to a plate at the seat tube, the frame’s two tubes run parallel to each other until they wrap around the seat tube and become seat stays. No gussets or plates connect the two tubes.
Its serial number, TEE 1260 RP, shows that it was made in June 1984. The ending letters, “RP” are interesting in that they are a combination of the “R” used on minis and the “P” used for the Pro X. The frame shares some characteristics of both, but its size—it has an 18.5-inch top tube—puts it in between both frames.
The frame also has a 7/8-inch OD down tube and fork legs. The head tube is machined and there is an integrated seat clamp.
The sticker set on the frame is the new 1984 version where Torker’s traditional white, black and yellow logo received the addition of a red stroke. Pads and jerseys at this time also got this treatment.
The bike appears to have been sold as a complete. Besides the frame and fork, other Torker parts include Junior T Bars (25 inches wide with a 5 1/2” rise), four-bolt stem and Torker-stamped cable clamps.
The stem is nearly identical to the so-called prototype 4-bolt stems made a few years earlier. (See the “Torker Made Sweet Components” sidebar.)
Some Torker frames made during this time had round brake bridges. Torker frames were available in chrome or white.
It was at this time that Haro took its production off shore, leaving a hole in Torker’s fabrication business.
“Haro left in 1983 and by early 1984 was importing frames and later complete bikes from Anlun in Taiwan. Our job-shop cash-cow dried up,” said Harold McGruther.
John Johnson, however, diagreed. “We didn’t make a lot of money off Haro. Bob was a big help to us in the beginning. He helped a lot with design work,” Johnson said.
Yet, despite their close relationship and the fact that Bob Haro was a pioneer in the freestyle movement, Torker made little effort to enter the scene when it was starting to boom.
“The Johnson family was extremely slow to embrace the freestyle movement, too, even though their sister company Max leathers sponsored a bunch of freestylers like Mike Buff, Martin Aparijo, Woody Itson, Fred Blood. We built a freestyle prototype for Martin Aparijo in the summer of 1984, but the company filed bankruptcy four months later,” he said.
Aparijo’s two prototype frames are now in the possession of friend and fellow freestyler Woody Itson.
In the summer of 1984, Steve Johnson put together a top-notch team and went on a media blitz to promote the team and the brand. His push, however, came too late.
Super BMX magazine published an article on the new team in the November 1984 issue, but Torker was already headed for bankruptcy.
Clint Miller left Torker for Kuwahara in 1983, and was replaced shortly afterward by Tommy Brackens.
Mike Miranda joined Team Torker in January 1984, but left in September when the company was unable to pay him. Richie Anderson joined the team in July and left in November when the team was disbanded and Torker filed for bankruptcy.
Johns Johnson said Torker’s bankruptcy was the result of more than 10 years of losing money.
“Torker was always a non-profit organization. By the time you paid everyone off, there wasn’t much profit left for the family. Doris and I worked for free.
“The big guys were getting into BMX like Murray and Schwinn and we couldn’t compete with them. We couldn’t lower the price. Now, I think we didn’t charge enough for our bikes. We never figured in the overhead. And we had a very expensive team. The ads alone cost a lot of money,”
Johnson said.
He added that he and his family saw the bankruptcy as a necessity.
“It was our planned exit strategy. You might say we were tired. We didn’t hurt a lot of people by going bankrupt. Most of our suppliers shipped to us C.O.D. and we paid our bank in full. We saw it was going to happen, so we bought extra parts for the Haro frames and sold those to Bob.”
The Post-Johnson Years
According to McGruther who was there, in November 1984, the owner of Seattle Bike Supply (SBS) bought the bankrupt company at public auction. “Bob Morales bought the Max name for $300. Seattle Bikes bought the Torker name for $3,000. I bought my wooden desk and office chair for $25,” he said.
Johnson said he didn’t remember how much money the auction raised, but it was insignificant. “We didn’t get much out of the bankruptcy. We paid our big creditor, the bank, and that was pretty much it,” he said.
Todd Huffman said he and Morales walked the auction and bought all of Torker’s excess parts inventory. “We got all sorts of components. I remember getting a lot of Torker stems and wheels. We used those to start a distribution company that eventually became Auburn,” he said, adding that all of Southern California’s local builders were there. “They were buying the jigs and tooling. Some of them were just walking around. I think everyone was in shock to see all that being sold.”
Morales said he wanted the Max name just to put it out of business. As the owner of Dyno, one of Max’s main rivals, he got a bit of a thrill buying his competitor for next to nothing and then removing it form the market.
Torker would quickly find its way into the hands of the Marui Brothers, who also own Tioga. At the height of the freestyle movement, Marui reintroduced Torker as Torker 2 with freestyle bike and frames like the 360 Flite and 540 Flite and a newly designed 280X, which were built by Akisu in Japan.Torker operated under Marui until about 1989.
In the mid-1990s and under new ownership, Seattle Bike Supply (SBS) reacquired the brand from Marui, an acquisition that reportedly cost SBS $1, and brought it back to life with a race team anchored by Matt Hayden and Clarence Perry.
“We had a relationship with Tioga because we used their tires. They weren’t doing anything with Torker, so we asked about it and bought it,” said Craig “Gork” Barrette, SBS’s marketing manager.
The high-end ST frames SBS sold under the Torker name in the 1990s were built in California by Mike Devit, who also was building SE frames.
The Torkers were built using 6061 T-6 aluminum with modern features such as 1 1/8-inch head tubes and cantilever brake bosses, but retained the dual-top tube design.
Torker also offered a range of low-end and price-point frames and bicycles, some with the double top tube, some without. The revival, however, was short lived.
Torker is now a beach cruiser and unicycle brand. At the 2008 Interbike Expo, the bicycle industry’s largest U.S. trade show, SBS unveiled the U-District, a single-speed bike for college students. The all-black, flat-bar road bike has the original Torker logo on the down tube and the Torker 2 headbadge.
Now owned by industry giant Accel Group, SBS also owns Redline, which has become the focus of its BMX business.
SBS does, however, offer a re-manufactured sticker packs for early Torker frames. Sticker packs for later models are expected to hit the market in the future.
The Johnsons Now. John, Doris and Steve still live in Anaheim while Doug splits his time between Sitka, Alaska, and Puerto Princessa the Phillipine Islands.
After John, now 86, retired from the FAA, he wrote inventory control programs and operated a billing service for about 10 years. He remains active with computers.
Steve, Torker’s president, went to work at Hughes Aircraft in Fullerton, CA. He retired after 20 years with the company.
Today, he enjoys spending time with his kids. His hobbies include photography and computers.
Doug built a home on Maui, Hawaii, and worked a number of years for the Parsons Company, which removes exploded and unexploded ammunition from the island of Kahoolawe.
After the bankruptcy and prior to this article, no member of the family spoke publicly about Torker. “No one ever asked, “ John said. “We thought everyone forgot abut Torker. —Michael Gamstetter
© Michael Gamstetter 2010
Original Article: https://fortyfour16.wordpress.com/torker-history/
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