Anyway, from that day in 2009 I was once again – hooked. The bike was listed as being in Manchester where I’m from, and by sheer coincidence it was on my mum’s street! The same street where I grew up and lived all those BMX years in the 80’s. She didn’t seem to bothered, so near the end of the auction I had a quick bid and I won it. I kept my eye on it and even tested the water with the Mrs about buying it. This got me thinking and I typed in Skyway Streetbeat for old times sake. Up popped a complete Green Streetbeat and it looked awesome. Steve: I was trawling through eBay when accidentally a Night Burner popped up as I was searching for something else. I managed to get some of my original parts back from people I had given it away to over the years, including my original race wheels, my VDC freestyle bars, one of my original number plates.I also got into new school BMX and started riding a bit again. I dug out some of the old parts that I still had and started collecting from there. So, I went along, and was instantly hooked. When did you start collecting bikes? Was it a case of trying to build up something you once had or did you just never throw anything away?Ĭhumlee: One of the guys I rode with back in the day (Pete) came round to my place about 12 years ago and said he had got back into BMX and was building old bikes and did I want to go along to a Old school BMX meet. He has one of the largest collections in the world of BMX old school memorabilia, which includes vintage Vans, race shirts, race pants, helmet peaks, gloves, arm sliders and much more. This was where most of his collection lived before the shop had to sadly close its doors earlier this year. He was a big part and shareholder of the RAD BMX Shop in High Wycombe, with best mates Pete and Dave. He was there at Rom and Harrow right from the word go.
Paul ‘Chumlee’ Freeman used to race and ride freestyle back in the 80’s. It’s a scene I’m aware of, but one I actually know nothing about, so I asked my friend in the know, Ged McConville to put me on to a few people so I could ask them a couple of questions to find out what it’s all about. Their riding days might be over, but beyond that, there is still a huge community of riders who get together, share stories and reminisce about the bikes they used to ride. Guys who’ve grown up living, breathing and absorbing BMX ever since they were young enough to hit a wooden kicker.
#EXPENSIVE FREE AGENT BMX FULL#
The vintage bike collector scene is full of such people. I think every true rider will tell you that it never leaves you, even long after you’ve put the bike down. What happens after we stop riding? Do we forget about riding completely, or is it still there in our blood. The packages that went to a friend’s place, in a bid to dodge these sensitive negotiations. The justification and skill involved in getting the wife to agree to the almost inexplicable purchases. Long hours of apparently staring blankly at a computer screen. It is never easy to justify the necessary activities of the vintage BMX Collector. The weird and wonderful shaped parcels started flowing through the international mail system, attempting to dodge “destination” taxes and VAT charges, as we defied logic and trusted people we had never met with large sums of cash. An honour system developed, and we became a community.
#EXPENSIVE FREE AGENT BMX SERIAL#
A group of forty something year old guys, deciphering serial numbers, matching paint codes and pestering the overworked graphic designer in the group to make decals. A sense of camaraderie developed that still astounds me when I look back. It seemed like every old brand – Race and Freestyle alike – had a small group of dedicated experts who were obsessively researching and sharing their findings. But the common theme in those days was a collective thirst for knowledge. Ebay became our least preferred market place, but most understood that to “score”, or find the bargains that had no perceived value to the uneducated seller, it was a necessary resource and we capitalised. In those days there were no Retro re-releases, ride-outs, or Facebook groups, we basically dropped anchor on a couple of internet forums and shared information that we derived from the era correct bikes we found, or the dog-eared magazines that our parents still had in the loft. It mainly consisted of ex neighbourhood and shop sponsored riders from different parts of the world who had reconnected to BMX in a similar way to myself. Back then, the collecting scene was quite different to what we see today.
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