26" ? BMX Cruiser ID

[spistols]

I know some people here are BMX guys, and a lot, if not all, are 26" people. I am looking for more information on a very strange find...

So far the guess is Black Light- same owner as Rebel BMX and Blazer BMX (out of TX), made this frame before the Rebel and Blazer. I cannot confirm, but based on information from other sites, this is what I have.

Here is the twist.... I think it is a 26" frame!!!!

The Top Tube length is 22 3/4" and the chain stays are 19 1/2". I test fit some 26" wheels and they fit the rear triangle with no clearance problems.

Did Black Light, or the later owners of Rebel and Blazer make 26" frames?

Here are more detailed pictures:

 

[icyuod2]

can we get a look at the remnants of the sticker on the head tube?

 

[spistols]

The sticker is a late model BMX sticker that someone just slapped on. It is not original to the frame, guaranteed.

can we get a look at the remnants of the sticker on the head tube?

 

[vibr8shun]

Wow , that is an awesome looking frame :mrgreen: , But back to the subject...
It could be a prototype(in general). The reason I say this is because back when I was a kid in 1978, my neighbors dad was a welder for a one of those bike company in southern Cali (Cook Bros, Laguna? not saying that your bike is... I forgot) and on his spare time he would make these awesome bikes using the company welding jigs. I could swear that those rear dropouts were one of his :roll: ...but thats ancient history :|

 

[spistols]

Thanks for the info. Some research I have done links this frame back to a builder in Texas, by the name of Ken Burleson. His son was Kendal Burleson, and raced BMX. Ken was connected to Rebel, MCS, and Titan- ? Not sure though.

 

[icyuod2]

i'd say mcs is a good bet based on the dropouts and rear stays.

for comparison purposes
http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/mcs/29111

ya might also want to check out vector.
http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/vector/33741

 

[spistols]

EUREKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found out what this is- 100% guaranteed!!!!!!!

The bike is one of 2- 26" frames made for ESP Bikes (Eddie Sigmund Products). ESP had a need for a bike racer that was big, and so Ken Burleson (Titan) made the two 26" frames.

I personally spoke to Ken today, and he stated it is not a Black Light, since the Black Light frames were aluminum, and this is not.

Ken was really cool to talk to, and hopefully he will chime in with his story on the complete history of Titan, Black Light, and others he was involved in.

 

[texasbigjon]

very interesting. i found a 26" bmx bike for a friend of mine on craigslist. covered in flat black paint with old painted street tires.i threw some 20 yr old gary fisher mtb tires on it for him. try to get a few pics of it!

 

[Rat Rod]

Awesome find with great history...thanks for sharing!

 

[spistols]

More to the story...I am telling you, I need to be a friggin' private eye. I just spoke with Dugan Finnell, former owner of ESP. He just reconfirmed this 26" frame, was one of two he ordered to be made from Ken Burleson (Titan). This may be a keeper frame!

 

[spistols]

One more thing I noted from Ken Burleson on the making of the frame, it does not have a pass through hole for a bolt on the brake bridge. So I asked, how did they put brakes on this frame? He said they used the side pull brake with the post that bolted on the seatstays (wrapped around- removable style). I did not realize they had these this early in the 80's. Low and behold I looked at the frame, and you can tell where these brake mounts were clamped.