Name: Ediz Tensi
Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
Started riding BMX in: 1981
Number of bikes in the collection: 25
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Ediz Tensi: It was about 10 years ago and I saw Akman Atilgan on Facebook sharing his BMX builds, who is now also my BMX business partner. He was a big influence to me and I decided to collect BMX bikes.
What kind of bikes do you focus on?
Ediz Tensi: There are not many old school BMX bikes in Turkey, therefore I am collecting whatever I can find. My main focus is freestyle BMX but I collect race bikes too and I enjoy finding different types of BMX.
Do you have a favourite BMX brand?
BMX action bike was the real UK BMX bible back in the 80s, it set the standard for uk bmx mags in its approach to covering BMX and how the many themes of it grew.I don’t know where to start with this intro, this is the first person on the show that has never ridden BMX, but contributed so much to it and many people have requested I get him on the show.
Name: E (Six-Pack-To-Go)
Hometown: Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey
Started riding BMX in: As a kid in the '80s, just around town, never raced or rode anything organized.
Number of bikes in the collection: Fluctuates but I’ve had up to 50 at one time.
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Six-Pack-to-go: Yes, at was at the Race of Gentlemen in Wildwood NJ years ago and I saw a woman riding a Skyway TA and I was like damn, my buddy had that bike. That’s what sparked it. It was probably 2017.
You've got a museum in your shed, how often do you go in and just sit there with a 6-pack looking at all the stuff?
Name: Brett Jackson
Hometown: Hudson, Massachusetts, USA
Started riding: 1983
Number of bikes: 22
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Brett Jackson: Yes, absolutely. I’m still green in the BMX collecting hobby. About 2 1/2 years ago I was looking for bikes for my twins. One wanted a BMX, one a mountain bike. While searching for a good quality bmx, all of the old feelings of riding came flooding back. I ended up buying my son a 2016 Redline and myself a 1998(?) GT. I quickly learned the difference between old school, mid school, etc. I became determined to build a few old BMX bikes for my kids to ride. I found a couple great local guys into the hobby that turned me onto great Facebook groups. I was hooked.
What kind of bikes do you focus on?
Brett Jackson: I focus on bikes from late '70-s to mid '80-s. I do not like to go beyond 1985. (I have one or two beyond '85). I love both race and freestyle. I started collecting freestyle, and fell in love with so many race bikes.
Name: Bob Lipsett Jr
Hometown: Hamilton NJ, Mercer county, USA
Started riding BMX in: 1980
Number of bikes in the collection: 8 bikes
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Bob Lipsett Jr.: Exactly when! I bumped into my buddy 2 years ago that I used to ride with back in 1980. We were talking about his business and what I do and he made mention that he just bought a new SE racing PK Ripper. I instantly thought of my 1981 Super goose that I lost in my parents divorce when I was 12 so from that day until now I've been back involved with late seventies an early '80s BMX racers,
Name: Luke Haralambous
Hometown: Birmingham, UK
Started riding BMX in: Around '81
Number of bikes in the collection: 9 left (8 VDC, 1 GJS)
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Luke Haralambous: Late '90s, it felt like I was the only one into old school BMX back then. Many friends questioned why I had BMX.
Is the focus on VDC, Vincent Frames and Vector Bikes for you mainly?
Luke Haralambous: Now it's just VDC freestylers I own, I have stopped buying BMX, don't get me wrong if I was offered another MK1/2 , VDC freestyler, it would be hard to turn down... I've collected Vector, Hutch, TRM and Vincent over the years
Where does the love for these brands come from?
Luke Haralambous: Good question, because the brands I have collected I had never heard of as a kid! Think it comes down to my love of quirkiness. The wackier the better. Rarity is also a big draw.
Name: Bill Ryan
Hometown: Apple Valley, CA - USA
Started riding BMX in: Torrance, CA - USA
Number of bikes in your collection: I have never counted —— and I am afraid if I do the number will scare me.
Since you were part of BMX in the early days over in California do you wish you had saved more from the early days?
Name: Karl Chalk
Country: UK
Number of bikes in the collection: I've had many bmx but always only owned 1 at any time
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Karl Chalk: I'm not a collector of memorabilia but enjoy seeing people's BMX related memorabilia.
Who were the first people you came across that helped you out to find the stuff you needed?
Name: Jeremiah Grimes
Hometown: Washington, PA, USA
Started riding BMX in: 2003
Number of bikes in the collection: 16
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Jeremiah Grimes: I started collecting old school BMX bikes when I got my first bike in 2003, a 1987 GT Performer
Who were the first people you came across that helped you out to find the stuff you needed?
Name: Maurice Meyer
Hometown: San Francisco, USA
Started riding BMX in: 1975 or so?
Number of bikes in the collection: 4 fully built, 1 complete unbuilt, a few frames, many Tuff Wheel sets, parts, etc.
You put together your first 'collector' bikes some 15 years ago. What made you decide to put these three bikes together?
Maurice Meyer: I was seeing a lot of really cool stuff being done on VintageBMX.com so I went back to mom's house and dug in the old shed. Found my first Skyway TA frame and fork in really rough condition all rusty from laying on one side on this damp plywood floor. It was probably the best thing I could find though since it was my the bike I rode on my first tour and in my first contest and also had a rare fork since Skyway welded it up with no rake for freestyle. Robert Peterson got the same in white and I think that's it - two ever made and just this one left. At first I thought I'd just put some used parts on it and make it look as used but the people on VintageBMX started hooking me up with mint parts which meant I had to step up and get the frame repaired and chromed. Doing the really personal stuff like making the number plate and custom stickers got me some heavy flashbacks which was awesome.