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How can I determine what kind of BMX frame I have if I there no decals on the bike when I got it? I got it from my dad who found the frame and we put it together, but I am clueless as to what brand or make it is. Can someone help me?

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Posting pictures might help. – Neil Fein Jan 28 at 3:21
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And I'd imagine there's only minimal sarcasm in @neilfein's tone. Once you strip the decals off of many bmx bikes, it can be extremely difficult to tell what brand they are. It's akin to trying to determine where a skateboard blank came from, only harder. – jm2 Jan 28 at 3:57
@jm2 - No sarcasm meant at all in this case. But this site doesn't have the largest BMX community. Other stuff that might be helpful to know in a case like this includes how old the frame is, where it was bought, and so on - none of which is known here. – Neil Fein Jan 28 at 4:28
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@Jordan - if you check the bottom bracket, there might be a serial number or other info there etched into the metal. – Neil Fein Jan 28 at 4:33
Post a picture and look for any identifying numbers / letters on the frame, and if any of the parts came originally with the bike list what they are if you can. – ekaj Jan 28 at 21:00

1 Answer

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There was a time when bikes (and cars, and food mixers, and whatever) were manufactured to last, and the same model would be manufactured and sold, unchanged, for many years.

From somewhere in the 90's, there seems to be an obsession with the NEW, so now bikes (and cars, and cell phones, etc you get the picture) change their designs overnight, so people might want perhaps to purchase a NEW one every year.

To make matters worse, in the world of bikes there has been a relative epidemics both from bikes manufactured in Asia (which might or might not be a Bad Thing, depending on perspective) and WalMart bikes (which are always Evil).

So, if your bike is a "vintage" bmx, I think the best to do is to go to an oldschool BMX bike store and ask the shop crew. There are some bike models which are very distinctive (for example, the classic GT triple triangle), and folks used to see the same bikes over and over might remember some subtleties.

But if your bike is very new, then I'd say it's nearly impossible. Sometimes bikes from two different brands are identical except for the logos, and sometimes bikes that are SUPPOSED to be identical are not, just for being from different batches.

In the end, it matters most to know if your bike is GOOD (aka, real bike), or if it is just a Bicycle-Shaped Object, which I hope it is not.

Hope this helps!

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