The flatland bike project..

So for the past couple of months I've really been spending a lot of time on bicycle related projects. I pseduo-restored my childhood bike, an ~1985 mongoose expert, and I've also been piecing together a flatland bike.

I started with a 1999 Dyno Slammer frame and fork that I bought from another local BMX enthusiast. I was pretty into it because it's got the "pac-man" dropouts which both protect and align the pegs. This should save me from bent axles. I also liked the amount of foot clearance behind the front tire.



From there I went in search of some inexpensive, used three piece cranks. I ended up getting a deal on some profile SS cranks. They came a little beat, but with a sealed bottom bracket, 3 DC990 brakes and a pair of Dia-compe tech-77 levers which I'd also been on the lookout for. The downside is that I didn't realize that the SS cranks had an oddball size spindle, which turned out to be kind of a pain. They are the only cranks with a 7/8" spindle, so I ended up having to machine out my sprocket and spacers..

I went crazy on www.flatlandluel.com and got a St Martin 26T sprocket, Odyssey Bar Mitzvah bars, a KHE Geisha/Sun Big City Lite rear wheel, clear Odyssey brake pads and red Twisted PC pedals. I grabbed a new Gyro GTX off of ebay, and got a pair of old school Odyssey Bermuda tires and 4 of the aluminum GT pegs that go with the special dropouts from www.bmxmuseum.com. A stem, seat, headset, front wheel and cables came from a donor 2000 Dyno Compe from Craigslist.

The parts I'm still waiting on include Odyssey Griswald grips
that match the pedals, a 27.0mm seatpost, headset cap and a chain.

The super cheap closeout prices at flatlandfuel have been really helpful in putting this project together, as was all the help and scores I've gotten at the BMX museum, and as usual, the help from Old Skool Cycles in Lafayette. I've been learning a lot about "newer" BMX technology from this project (even though it's probably considered "mid-school" by most) and I've especially come to have a great appreciation for the Odyssey company for the amount of really cool/useful products they are making, and the research and development methods they employ in doing so. Back in the day, they just made Gyros and goofy looking brakes, but with offerings like Evolver brakes, Twombolt cranks and their 41 thermal steel treating process, they really seem at the front of the pack.

With any luck I'll have this project wrapped up within a week. Perhaps some time riding it will make me forget about the crazy idea I have to build some Odyssey 7k-a/g-sport homer wheels.