Daughter build, BMX mini, done

[Indyjps]

Got 3 builds going,in the anything goes build off. I'll put this one here. Going to rebuild this wih my daughter, 6 years old. She didn't want a "boy" bike.

2003 Diamondback RM Jr. Aluminum frame, Euro square bottom bracket, sealed flip flop hubs. Mini rims aren't iso 406 like BMX, they're iso 451 if you guys aren't familiar.

As found, complete and rideable but pretty worn. Talked with the seller, his kid raced it, bought it from another racer, never been a street bike.

 

[Indyjps]

All set up on a moving blanket, next to the heater. She'll be wrenching on each part.

 

[Indyjps]

We kicked it in gear. Daughter was there for all the wrenching.
Notice the plastic, caustic chemicals on the way. I was planning on trying out salvage the OG paint and just shoot pearl over it, but it's pretty beat. Definitely not "pretty"

 

[Indyjps]

Clean aluminum, here we go.

 

[Indyjps]

Sanded the aluminum with 500 for even texture, then wetsanded with 600 and PPG panel prep and shot paint immediately.
I think a lot of adhesion problems with aluminum come from oxidation, by sanding and keeping the aluminum wet with panel prep until right before paint I've eliminated a lot of that.

Pink pearl in automotive clear directly over aluminum on the frame, fork has black base with same pink pearl clear. Looks black in fluorescent garage lights and pops under a 400w halogen.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Looks good!!!!

 

[Indyjps]

Decals and bar assembly, you can see how much this paint flips colors.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Looks awesome! That paint is cool!

Love 451's, had some bitd, they rode fast!

 

[Indyjps]

took a few days of cleaning parts a few minutes at a time and got some assembly done tonight. Cleaning and waxing parts is not my daughter's favorite and she is entirely unimpressed with stinky gasoline I used to clean bearings. But we got thru it.

 

[Nocash18]

Absolutely amazing work

 

[Indyjps]

Pink pink pink. Material is a zip up pencil bag from walmart, woven outer, vinyl backed. Got it all glued and clamped, ill staple it later, then hit it with heat gun and tighten it up.

Brakes mounted, chain on, may run a chain tensioner, got a new one somewhere in the parts pile.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Cool thinking for the seat covering!

 

[Indyjps]

Put the time in together this weekend to knock this out. Also attended a daddy daughter dance, very cool weekend.

Here it is, calling I done for now. Think it turned out pretty nice.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Put the time in together this weekend to knock this out. Also attended a daddy daughter dance, very cool weekend.

Here it is, calling I done for now. Think it turned out pretty nice.
View attachment 49007

Pretty darn sweet!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Very cool! I bet it is quick too!

 

[Indyjps]

It is fast, i have a set of tiogas on another bike, 70 psi, these fly.

There's some unfinished area near where we live, conveniently with piles of clay and topsoil. Won't take much to get some small dirt jumps carved out.

 

[Indyjps]

Tearing it up.. might try a taller bar. We ride every day.

 

[IrishManson]

very nice where did u get the decals?

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I wonder if she might benefit from some shorter cranks?

 

[OneHorsePower]

very nice where did u get the decals?

a local print shop should be abble to do this , lazer cutters are not so uncommon anymore