Help model IDing a Foldable Aluminum MTB
05-12-20, 03:43 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Help model IDing a Foldable Aluminum MTB
Updated on 26 May to include photos.
Context:
A few days back I bought this bike for $45 whose past owners treated it atrociously. I had intended to part it until I realized the frame is lightweight aluminum, foldable and dual-suspension, so I'm now in the process of restoring it.
Foldable Aluminum MTB. Someone horribly brush-painted the whole thing black. Scratches and dent-marks indicate past failure to remove the pedals without a pedal-tool. Frame axle bearings were destroyed. Bought for $45 off FB marketplace, almost unridable. Currently undergoing restoration.
Can anyone help me ID the model of this bike?
I'm leaning towards the understanding that this is some sort of early, almost prototype, version of the aluminum folding MTB. You can see the lower parts welded together are all simpler on my mid-frame compared to any other. It's still very light-weight aluminum.
Anyone else have more concrete info about this thing? It's super obscure to me.
Context:
A few days back I bought this bike for $45 whose past owners treated it atrociously. I had intended to part it until I realized the frame is lightweight aluminum, foldable and dual-suspension, so I'm now in the process of restoring it.
Foldable Aluminum MTB. Someone horribly brush-painted the whole thing black. Scratches and dent-marks indicate past failure to remove the pedals without a pedal-tool. Frame axle bearings were destroyed. Bought for $45 off FB marketplace, almost unridable. Currently undergoing restoration.
Can anyone help me ID the model of this bike?
- NXB260008 serial number (production year '08? 8th bike produced? No further info found anywhere, stickers also removed).
- This folding-frame concept was introduced in February 2006 by the now-defunct Onyerbike. One of their bikes matches the colour scheme, while their Hornet matches in terms of brakes and build quality. The mid and rear-framing don't match exactly.
- The Bazooka Navigator below is very similar, matching in build quality, brakes and the exact colour scheme, but also with a mid and rear-framing that don't match.
- Very light-weight aluminum frame (unknown alloy), 6061 alloy rear Xrims (AleXims) with Joytech hub, cheap steel front rims also with a Joytech hub. Both wheels 26".
- A lot of Promax and Shimano parts.
- Mismatching tires, one from Thailand-origin Camel (May 2006 production date possibly?), the other from Kylin Brand.
- Pedals are perhaps non-original as they are non-foldable, but that is debatable if this bicycle is from very early production and foldable pedals were not widely available yet (I'm very uncertain on this).
- Promax handlebars have a manufacture date of April 2003, found on the column within the aluminum housing, making them likely non-original, especially as I have never seen any common foldable bike using them.
- The K2 Sports seat and seat-post are certainly non-original, they're way too big for the aluminum housing, which subsequently has a top-to-bottom crack that we'll be getting welded.
I'm leaning towards the understanding that this is some sort of early, almost prototype, version of the aluminum folding MTB. You can see the lower parts welded together are all simpler on my mid-frame compared to any other. It's still very light-weight aluminum.
Anyone else have more concrete info about this thing? It's super obscure to me.
Last edited by ivangohome; 05-26-20 at 11:27 AM. Reason: Couldn't put photos when I was new.
05-12-20, 09:29 PM
#2
Clark W. Griswold
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It is probably some low end thing from China possibly one of those Montague things or something from Amazon? It doesn't sound like an item of quality given what you are telling us and hopefully you didn't overpay. Sometimes those project bikes can be fun but they can also turn into a money pit.
Folding bikes have been around a while Moulton was doing his thing in the 1960s and I am sure there is stuff from well before that.
If you are interested in bikes you should join these forums and post and interact with people. If you are just here to ask one question and then leave, just leave now and save yourself the time and effort. The whole idea of the 10 posts thing is one to prevent spam but two to encourage you to enjoy these awesome forums and talk about bikes and bike related topics and other stuff should you desire in some of the sub forums. It is a magical place full of opinions and sometimes facts (well at least everything I post
).
Folding bikes have been around a while Moulton was doing his thing in the 1960s and I am sure there is stuff from well before that.
If you are interested in bikes you should join these forums and post and interact with people. If you are just here to ask one question and then leave, just leave now and save yourself the time and effort. The whole idea of the 10 posts thing is one to prevent spam but two to encourage you to enjoy these awesome forums and talk about bikes and bike related topics and other stuff should you desire in some of the sub forums. It is a magical place full of opinions and sometimes facts (well at least everything I post
).
05-13-20, 01:27 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
It's not cheaply made, that's the odd thing. It just uses simpler, lesser engineered aluminum pieces welded together to make the frame. We don't yet know what kind of aluminum it is, but as we've stripped the thing down to just the frame I can tell you it's very light-weight. $45 Canadian was certainly worth it.
I have a contact that I will be sourcing parts from, a building manager in Vancouver. Once in a while he has to remove bicycles that have been abandoned, so I've told him to send pictures of the bikes when they come 'round (usually the end of the month when people move out).
I'm quite fond of both tinkering and commuting with bikes, for the entirety of high school I've cycled to and from school and beyond. Ya know what? I'm going to make an introduction post.
I have a contact that I will be sourcing parts from, a building manager in Vancouver. Once in a while he has to remove bicycles that have been abandoned, so I've told him to send pictures of the bikes when they come 'round (usually the end of the month when people move out).
I'm quite fond of both tinkering and commuting with bikes, for the entirety of high school I've cycled to and from school and beyond. Ya know what? I'm going to make an introduction post.
05-13-20, 04:16 PM
#4
WALSTIB
https://www.bazookabikes.com/pages/about-us
Hopefully at least a Bazooka. Where your located a good chance. Only thing I know to tell you is to contact Bazooka and ask if that's one of their serial numbers. Good luck and happy biking
Hopefully at least a Bazooka. Where your located a good chance. Only thing I know to tell you is to contact Bazooka and ask if that's one of their serial numbers. Good luck and happy biking
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05-13-20, 06:24 PM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Will do! It's our best bet at the moment.
05-13-20, 08:18 PM
#6
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
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It's not cheaply made, that's the odd thing. It just uses simpler, lesser engineered aluminum pieces welded together to make the frame. We don't yet know what kind of aluminum it is, but as we've stripped the thing down to just the frame I can tell you it's very light-weight. $45 Canadian was certainly worth it.
I have a contact that I will be sourcing parts from, a building manager in Vancouver. Once in a while he has to remove bicycles that have been abandoned, so I've told him to send pictures of the bikes when they come 'round (usually the end of the month when people move out).
I'm quite fond of both tinkering and commuting with bikes, for the entirety of high school I've cycled to and from school and beyond. Ya know what? I'm going to make an introduction post.
I have a contact that I will be sourcing parts from, a building manager in Vancouver. Once in a while he has to remove bicycles that have been abandoned, so I've told him to send pictures of the bikes when they come 'round (usually the end of the month when people move out).
I'm quite fond of both tinkering and commuting with bikes, for the entirety of high school I've cycled to and from school and beyond. Ya know what? I'm going to make an introduction post.
05-26-20, 11:30 AM
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
05-26-20, 01:49 PM
#8
WALSTIB
Oh well. More important to just repair and replace to get it on the road. Can be The Mystery Bike
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05-28-20, 06:56 AM
#9
Senior Member
Maybe there's a name underneath that rattle-can black paint?
05-30-20, 12:21 PM
#10
Junior Member
Thread Starter
