1983 Cook Brothers Racing Cruiser
This Cook Brothers Racing Cruiser with 26 inch wheels spent many years kicking around the mountain bike mecca that is Crested Butte, CO. Careful examination of the cross tube reveals the faint outline of a long gone decal which spelled out "Paradise Bikes." Paradise Bikes was the shop in town that was owned and operated by Steve and Don Cook, who had no relation to the Cook Brothers company out of Santa Ana, CA. This was the third Cook Brothers bike owned by Steve, following a fully geared 1980 Cruiser and another cruiser known as "The Crispy Critter" because of the fire it endured. Besides advertising the shop, this bike would have been ridden on some of the easier trails around the area. Among the BMX cruiser frames available at the time, the Cook Brothers Racing or CBR was known to be of the highest quality. Other top quality components available from CBR included hubs, seatposts, stems, and bars, all of which are very collectible today. As tribute to the Marin County bombers in California, the bike has been rebuilt as typical of that scene, with Morrow coaster hub, Brooks saddle, Magura handlebars, high-flange Campy front hub, and Carlisle knobby tires. It's hard to image how fast these bikes were ridden with just one coaster brake in the rear, but the art of going downhill fast is learning not to waste speed by braking too much. Skid your way down and then repack that sizzling hub at the bottom.
The Build
Year: 1983
S/N: 657 Frame: Cook Brothers Three Bar BMX Cruiser Fork: Cook Brothers BMX Cruiser Stem: Suntour BMX Headset: Tange MX Bottom Bracket: Sugino Cartridge Bearing BMX Handlebar: Magura L363.20 Rear Brake: Morrow Coaster Crankset: Sugino Mighty Chainring: Sugino Mighty Pedals: Suntour BMX MP-1000 Hubs: Campagnolo High-Flange/Morrow Coaster Rims: Ukai Aluminum 26 x 1.75 Tires: Carlisle Made in USA Seatpost: Mike Rust Nickel Plated Chromoly Saddle: Brooks B-72 Grips: Magura Pow-R-Grip Seatpost Clamp: Suntour BMX Front Skewer: Campagnolo Nuovo Record Cog: Morrow 1/8" Chain: Sachs |