80's BMX bike - what brand is it?
04-15-22, 11:12 AM
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80's BMX bike - what brand is it?
Friend of a friend inherited somehow an 80's BMX bike that he was told was a Redline . I'm the resident "old bike guy" in my little circle of friends and this gentleman is a guy in his late 40's also who likes the bike for nostalgia reasons but was curious as to what he actually had
I saw the serial number and immediately thought it could be a Merida built Mongoose due to the M and a 1984 model because of the 4 . Or it could be a Redline?
I dont know but thought id post my little puzzle here also while i am continuing to research a little myself --- I see pegs on it but it appears to be a more competition oriented frame -- and being as old as it is, who knows if anything on it is OEM or not
I saw the serial number and immediately thought it could be a Merida built Mongoose due to the M and a 1984 model because of the 4 . Or it could be a Redline?
I dont know but thought id post my little puzzle here also while i am continuing to research a little myself --- I see pegs on it but it appears to be a more competition oriented frame -- and being as old as it is, who knows if anything on it is OEM or not
04-15-22, 11:25 AM
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That rear brake needs some attention
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04-15-22, 11:52 AM
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The serial number is consistent with a 1984 Merida manufactured frame. However, I don't know who was contracting them to build BMX bicycles at that time.
04-15-22, 12:31 PM
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Thats what i figured too - my first thoughts were Mongoose, but the vast majority of their little machines had looptail chainstays -- did find a Euro market Mongoose Grand Prix with conventional chainstays, but i doubt this little bike is European
04-16-22, 07:30 AM
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Bit of a puzzler this one. Serial number similar to early 80s Mongoose indicating a 1984 bike built in Jan. But as you note, they were all loop tails in ‘84. DC MX brakes were an early 80s standard and the cranks sort of look that way too. Bars and stem look newer. Foot pegs and rubber would indicate later 80s but they’re likely later adds. The thing throwing me the most are the safety tabs on the front fork. I don’t recall seeing these in the early part of the 80s.
