Original Decal Set

I have just one decal set, so obviously its not for sale. I will try to scan it and make copies for people that want to make their own set. Our decals were not silk screened. My partner Ted was a printer so he made them at work and we just hand cut them out. Had we gone into full production we would of course had a die made for that. Ted was a master printer so the average printer probably couldn’t get the quality we had.
But if you just get some decals printed it should be close enough. Those black thin lines are not registration marks but a guide for the cutting tool. You know one of those mounted kind that slide.
To get the curves on the downtube decal lettering I hand cut those bits with scissors.

Frame Specifications

American Bicycles X1al frames.

All had American Bottom Bracket and same chain stay length of 14.5-15.5″

Top Tubes 

Pro XXL –  21 3/4″

Pro XL – 21 1/4″

Pro – 20 3/4″

Expert – 20 1/4″

Weight of the frame was around 3 1/2 lbs.

1998 Jersey

This is my actual Jersey from 1998. We only issued them to the team riders.  We had matching Answer pants but I dont have mine.

 

Closeup of the 1998 test bike

American Bicycles of Atwood, CA

In late 1996 my landlord had asked me if I wanted to start another BMX company (I co founded Hyper Bicycles).  I will eventually go into more details, but that lead to the foundation of American Bicycles.  I planned a Summer Tour for 97, picked up a couple Pros and Amateurs. Meanwhile the frame builder was supposed to be making a prototype for the tour. It didnt get done by the time I left I was bummed and frustrated. Not only that but my investor backed out due to personal circumstances.

Still I toured the USA in 1997 with Pros Brandon Taylor (TX), Mike Gul (IL), Troy Kendrick (MN) and Adam Provo (CA). We also added a couple Texas Am’s Kevin Herring and Casper Green.

Without the prototype getting done and no investor the company was off to a misguided start. Still if your on the gate you have a chance. I turned to an old friend (Ted) who said he had an investor. We pooled our own money and got two protoypes made in the fall of 1997. We debuted them at the ABA Fall Nationalswith Adam Provo racing AA Pro for the first time on one.

The bikes were well recieved and we expected a investment thru my partner and ordered 25 frames. We picked up Yess (Canada) as a co sponsor adding to our long list. They provided forks. We contacted “Snap” Magazine and they tested the bike in the June 1998 issue.

The second investor also never came thru and the remaining funds went to pay for the bikes, leaving no money for advertising, to support the team or come out with new products. With money gone my partner pulled out unexpectedly the weekend of the Reno, NV Nationals and a short time later the company vans transmission went out and the company was put to rest.

1998 Snap Magazine bike test

In the June 1998 issue of Snap Magazine appeared a test of our bike. The below are two pictures I took from the magazine. Sorry I dont have a scanner. Tim Strelecki did the test with Keith Mulligan the words and pictures. The test took place at the Bastanchury trails (near ex GT rider George Smoot’s house) in Placentia, CA.  A place me and Ted Aguirre rode since I moved to California. It was known as “Killer Hill” in the old days, because it had a huge downhill trail that the city removed. Ted was my partner in American. The Candy Orange bike was his bike.

Part of our brochure

The below picture is from our 4 page color brochure we put out. The picture was taken at the famous Coal Canyon BMX track in Yorba Linda, CA in late ’97.  Sitting on the fence next to the blue bike is Pro Adam Provo of California. Holding the red frame is myself. The red bike would go to Troy Kendrick (Minnesota).

Those two bikes were our first two prototypes we debuted at the 1997 ABA Fall Nationals. Adam would make his first ever AA Pro race that weekend on the bike. His first race on the bike was his first AA Pro race? Wow talk about a challenge.  Adam did great though and held his own against all the big names but failed to make the mains. Still he said it wasnt the bike and he absolutely loved it and wanted no changes.