What Happened to Thruster BMX?

[@MossieRidesBikes]

20k subs are coming quick! Send me your bicycle pics via Instagram for the appreciation video. I'm compiling a list of athletes to do "what happened to" videos on as well. Who would you like to see covered??

[@johncarlson2258]

I've been mingling around through different BMX sights for years and have become an avid follower of a few. I've been catching a few of your videos and I really enjoy finding the back story of BMX that you bring. I as well suffered a spinal injury that stopped me in my tracks. In 2016 I had an automobile accident that broke C2,C3,C5,C6,C7,T1,T2,T11, and T12. they didn't expect me to live through the first surgery and if I did, I was expected to be a quadriplegic. ☠ I was lucky. I could feel my legs and move my toes after awakening from my third operation. 5 1/2 weeks later I left the hospital using a walker and within 6 months I graduated to a cane which I got around with for two more years. I still have numbness and burning in both feet and my left hand, but in March of 2024, 8 years later, due to the inspiration of other riders like Scotty Cranmer, the X-Games champ who's also recovering from a major spinal injury, I finally was able to get back on a bike. Never give up, the inspiration and the power that comes from your support group and the power from within can do wonders.🤙

[@MossieRidesBikes]

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing and keep persevering!

[@Tear888]

Sammy Miller was a hero over here in England. He ran his rocket cars here in the 80s and 90s when I was a kid. I never knew he had a BMX company! Great video as usual. Keep them coming.

[@doctorwalex]

Nice one. In the early 80s I was sponsored by Puch in the UK. You got the pronunciation correct. It is Puk. Their most well known bike (in the US) was the Puch Trak-Pro with the distinct gusset badge. Thank you for your videos.

[@Commander-McBragg]

I had a Ferde Garcia replica! Thanks for covering this awesome company.

[@JNHONDA189]

Nice video, but you're missing some key points. The tragic accident of their team rider is their main reason for their downfall. From what I understood at the time, they were not insured for the liability. The accident changed the sport; the NBL no longer had double jumps. They were mostly filled in as a roller jump/ tabletop hybrid. It was a long time before there were double jumps again. Speed Unlimited made parts for Hutch, as mentioned, but also Profile Racing, BB Racing, Puch (POOK) and others. You also forgot to mention the really cool Bi Power frame they made right before they closed shop.

[@drewsenthused6079]

Vanishing Point. Great movie.

[@DavidCross-r7w]

Wish I never sold my Thruster Tri Power back in 1985. Thank you for making the video!

[@jackshittle]

In elementary school my friend had a Thruster - the one with the "middle tube" - I was always fascinated by it. Also, my local shop is the one in Howell, NJ (formerly Bicycle World) it is now owned by Scotty Cranmer and is called SC Bikes. Behind the actual store is the BMX track. I tried it once on an "open night" where anybody could race and I ate shit right at the first jump (table top). The nurse drug my off the track and that was the end of my BMX racing career.

[@nuancepill8066]

I love these company profile vids. When you run out of companies, would love to see vids on 80s BMX and freestyle pros.

[@nuancepill8066]

Looking forward to this one! I’m from NJ and VPs and Tri-Powers were the shit BITD. I had an old VP in 86.

[@bmx672]

Sweet vid! I knew and raced against a Factory Thruster rider bitd out of Wisconsin! mid-80's.

[@BrandonCornwell-o5z]

Thruster is currently owned by Kent. I picked up one of their 29ers because they are dirt cheap. It's a solid bike. Sealed bearings. Tektro brakes.

[@wiccaisspirit]

any info on national pro brand?

[@chrishamilton4612]

The one footed table top is the essence of ‘80’s bmx. I used to be pretty good at them. I like how the thruster frames tail section drop outs are sandwiched in the tubes. Otherwise a pretty ugly frame and fork with the fork angle raked out way too much. Anyway, just an old man saying.

[@SamIammf-h1b]

I had the thruster tri power . And pro file . And all of the hutch

[@butterbagboy]

Rocket cars were fascinating they could not be shut off, they ran until the fuel ran out, it had it be precise amounts for exactly 1/4 mile

[@thebikefam]

I said “what” when I saw this. Always thought it was a Walmart brand. DHS BMX in Coachella was my wife’s family’s track. Race against drugs RAD…. They knew everyone. But I think the boxes upon boxes of footage is gone. The son was a cameraman and recorded everything. Would have been awesome.

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

What about Revcore?

[@LTUSATV]

I always thought the Team Murry X20r rear drop outs were copied from Thruster.

[@SamIammf-h1b]

Race Inc. Skyway. Hutch . Profile . Dimond back . Pk ripper

[@TK-OK]

Well they’re still “borrowing” designs. Their retrograde is basically an aluminum version of the SE OM Duro

[@estelja]

PUCH is pronounced POOK. More of a moped company but some of their bikes were cool.

[@robertowens466]

I rode a Puch in 80 made by Scorpion

[@craigengelman1369]

Puch (German pronunciation: [pʊχ] ⓘ) is a manufacturing company located in Graz, Styria, Austria. The company was founded in 1899 by the industrialist Johann Puch and produced automobiles, bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles. It was a subsidiary of the large Steyr-Daimler-Puch conglomerate.

[@doctorwalex]

It's pronounced Puk. I was sponsored by them in the early 80s.

[@patcoston]

PUCH is pronounced POOK

[@doctorwalex]

It's actually pronounced Puk.

[@patcoston]

@@doctorwalex Everyone I knew from the people at the Bike shop, to my friends, including my friend who raced for PUCH, all called it POOK.