Early 1980's Bruiser bike w/ rear drum brake

[FirstFlight]

We just picked up this Bruiser and thought we would share some quick photos. The bare metal spots are where I removed the rear canti braze-ons. The previous owner had tried to fit a cantilever rear brake and the posts ended up in the wrong place so we took them off. The drum brake, Mongoose bars, Pro-Neck stem, brake levers, MAFAC brake and Brooks all tend towards 1980-82. The AT crank, Deore XT derailleurs, Stumpjumper fork and XC pedals are all 1983/84. Might have went through a rehab? We did get a copy of the original receipt but most of the items were just listed by part and not by brand name. Unfortunately, the receipt is undated. The receipt did list a Tange TRX fork so I would be on the search for one of those.

Campy drop outs

Pro Neck stem, Mongoose bars, Oakley grips.

Phil hub, MAFAC brake, Stumpie fork.

Brooks B66, seat sandwich and reinforced?? post

Atom drum brake.

Pump "peg"

 

[antogoof]

sweet the bars look the nuts! this is truly retro are you gonna resto it? i wish i had this

 

[jango]

Gangster machine

I had handlebar grips like that on my BMX when I were a Nippa!!

Time-line.....'when I were a Nippa' is before BITD

 

[FirstFlight]

I want to try and figure out what parts should be on it and then properly restore it to as close to original as possible. The paint is just a rattle can job and I had to remove the brake braze-ons, 2 cable guides and the cable stop so it now has some bare spots on it as well.

Should be a fun project.

 

[Repack Rider]

The Bruiser was made in San Luis Obispo, and there were probably no more than fifty made, if that many. They were advertised in the Fat Tire Flyer around 1981.

 

[FirstFlight]

This was the Bruiser made right after the one we have (ours was the last drum brake bike).

Here is a newspaper article with our bike in it (February 1983).