Powerlite got its start as a bike shop. Peddlepower was a bike shop located on East Grove Ave. in Orange, CA. The map shows the location. If you look to the North you will see Lincoln Ave. In the area where you see the words Ave. is the location of the famous Western Sports-A-Rama track. It was one of the first BMX tracks in America. All the legends from Stu Thomsen, Dennis Dain, Greg Hill to Tinker Juarez raced this track often.
The bike shop was run by Steve Rink. Being close to such a early and famous track helped launch the shop into sponsoring a team. Early riders included “The Red Baron” himself , Dennis Dain. Dennis went on to fame racing for Redline and Cooks Bros.
In 1977 it appears they released their first production bike, the SR. The decals on them used the bike shops name, Peddlepower. Late in 78 or early 79 this would change and the decals would read Powerlite.
By the early 1980’s BMX was booming. Powerlite was also growing. They sponsored BMX Action test rider Kirk Chrisco and another legend Tommy Brackens. The product line included full uniforms and custom helmets, bikes and even numberplates.
Not sure what happened next. It appears Freestyle took over the pages of the BMX magazines and the hardcore race companies that didn’t adapt quickly enough, were left out in the cold. While races where still drawing a thousand racers and freestyle events just a few, the magazine coverage was mostly freestyle.
Powerlite and Robinson seemed to get lost in the transition and where bought by GT Bicycles around 1986 or 87. If anyone knows the exact date please let me know and I will edit this.
Anyone have any additional information please post a comment and I will update the pages as needed.
Thanks, Erick Weinstetter
Powerlite before GT 
The GT purchase was actually 1989. I worked at GT at the time and had a part in making the logo transitions for both Powerlite, Robinson and Auburn.
It was about 1988 that’ when I stoped riding,BMX. I did not make it to PRO but I was close.I raced for Don in the erly 80’s all Powerlite! I am sure that Tommy would Remember me. and Kirk We had a lot of good times!and good races!
you RODE for DON? at powerlite? sorry bro you lost your mind…..there was NO DON at powerlite in the 80s…..
I have what I believe is a 79 or 80 powerlite racer survivor in excellent condition. The guy I bought it from told me he raced it back in 80 to 81. How can I verify the year and model. It has all the white powerlite decals but does not state the model.
Thanks for a great site
Sometimes you can tell by model details or a date code in the serial number.
Send me some pics, close ups of the back end and the serial number and between the viewers of this site and myself we should be able to figure it out.
Mail to bulletproof2000@live.com
You cant tell what year powerlite you have by the serial numbers ! they are not coded by years etc. they are random and only on there because back in the day you could register it in case it got stolen. Have a great day! Any ?s you might have about powerlite you can email me at markrink2001@yahoo.com , I worked for my dad from the age 13 to 22 at powerlite. My dad is doing well and retired here in florida. Take care Mark Rink
hi, just bought a powerlite over the weekend. its a spitfire, green.
serial number g01800016 anyone know what year this would be. its all
orig. with the exception of a bell seat. interestingly its got gt pedals
and wheels. i didnt know gt and powerlite were involved togather until i
read this post. so thank you and that makes sense that its got gt parts on it.
dave.
I would Guess a 2001.
i HAVE A POWERLITE COCKPIT P 61 OR P41 FROM THE LOOKS? i am not positive though, anybody whos knowledgeable with decoding serial numbers please help me out in figuring out the exact model and year,
s/n ” SOAK00612
THANKYOU
Well early 61s were 4130 only the last ones were AL. So AL = late 90s early 2000s.
The 61 had a longer top tube around 21″. It looks like the P51 was around 20″ That should narrow down the model.
I found this info here on my site. https://powerlite.wordpress.com/gt-era-powerlite/
Im guessing the first zero maybe for 2000.
But at least you can figure out the details from the above link.
i have a powerlie spitfire with dirtbike stickers all over i am trying to decode the serial # here it is K6J01534
Id bet the K is the month and the 6 the year. So 1996. But according to my page here https://powerlite.wordpress.com/gt-era-powerlite/ the Spitfire didnt come out till 2000.
Not that I have taken the time to look thru any of my old catalogs to see. I think I may have sold all my old Powerlite catalogs.
So are you certain its a spitfire model? Does it appear to have the original spitfire decals?
I have an old Powerlite I bought in 1985 when I was a kid. I ordered an SRX but when it showed up the sticker on the seat tube says Pro. Do you know what the difference is? It has bothered me since Day 1.
Also, there is not a serial number anywhere on the bike. I have taken this bike apart at least fifty times and there is not one anywhere, not on the bottom bracket, not on the rear “fork” where the rear wheel goes on the outside or inside. Nowhere.
I recently restored the bike after it sat in pieces for many years. I am trying to find some new stickers for the forks. They are the red, black, and silver ones with horizontal stripes.
Any information you can tell me will be useful. Thanks!
Any photos of bike? Could you send to email address crazedone@live.com.au cheers if you can. Did you find out any more info on it? Photos of droupouts and brake bridge would be great.
Same here, have an 82 24″ Powerlite and no serial numbers.
Rick’s bike was NOT a powerlite
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
We have designed a new web site bmx gallery museum in Australia
thebmxgallery.com.au
In this we are searching the globe for bmx advises ,catalogs ,vids ,photos etcetc.
Respecting the sites title in copywrites here …may we direct our galleries viewers here in auburns lists …our site has no powerlite materials nor can show the bmx in its glory without your assitances …..
thank you ……..snap
adding to this plea ..we have hundreds of bmxs on display in all ……1 auburn is seen …..our site is now openly seen & across 3 countries and is only 1-mth old
thank you again ……..snap.
we have contacted DG bmx and we have directed our galleries viewers to the site as follows in which we can do the same to powerlite ..
sample #pages read as follows
———————————————————————————————————————————————
DG Bmx 1978
simply click the link and go directly to DG
http://dgbmx.wordpress.com/
————————————————————————————————————————-
yours will be as such in powerlite of course …:)
thank you ….snap.
sorry i said auburns as i pasted this to auburns as well lol…
Dear sir ,
I have contacted the site in a request in directing my sites viewers to you site ..i yet not heard a reply …
our sites link …http://www.thebmxgallery.com.au/
please contact me either ways …..view the respectfull dues given to both DG & AUBURN in your will be to that.
i am unable to promote powerlite without your aid
thank you …snap.
Yes it is ok on all my sites. I already have a link up here to your site.
Snap.. are you trying to contact me? you can contact me. at markrink2001@yahoo.com with any ?s not sure if your trying to get this sites moderator or contact me… (powerlite) i can give you whatever info you might need i thing lol… Mark (powerlite) Rink
dear sir ,
my gallery contains many makers but yours in fairness and legals i shall direct traffic in your bmx your way …as a gent i will let you know in presentations and direction in my pages ….i wish your site its full dues and thats why i shall direct them here ….
i deem your bmx as a stable and i wouldnt be fair in not asking …..if you wish to do the same as a reference library our way the doors always open ……
thank you ….i shall present my pages in works in my word later ………..snap….:)
I just ran across an 01 powerlite in reats shape no dents. i just stripped it. anybody have a value in mind and also need to know what colors they came in. i think the one i bought was painted with a roller. haha yeah 4 hours of stripping by hand
Too new to hold much value but still a great bike.
Paint stripping is no fun.
What model? Race, dirt jumping?
Pretty sure its a dirt bike. A big as it is, it is evenly weighted. It just feels like you could balance it if you set it on a block. I dont know if you know what i mean. but that is the best way to describe it.
I have a powerlite that I’m looking to find some information on. I got it from a friend but all the stickers were ripped off and was wondering if anyone could tell me some info from the serial number. The number is YC96060476. Thank you for the help
the serial only tells you the year it was made in this case 1996. But it could be a 1997 model.
WHF1060289 is sn on my powerlite can you tell me year?
I would guess most likey a 2001 or 2002 model. I would start my search there.
I have a Powerlite BMX 26 Cruiser. All components are anodized gold – Seat post, seat post clamp, MCS stem, bar, D/A crank arms, DiaComp brake caliper, brake lever, Suzuie large flange hubs, and Ukai rims. The original black paint, decals, Oakley grips and leather wraps on cross bar and stem are guideline. Is this bike collectible?
yes alot of people would love to own it including me lol.
shoot me a pic of it… markrink2001@yahoo.com
hi , i picked up a powerlite the other day , but im not sure the yr or model , i was told it was 80’s but id like to know for sure , it has early style stem with long bolt and wedge (not a head style), butterfly style brake bridge, has no gussets,p stamped in forks and dropouts , serial is on bb , and reads wyv7k0074 , any info would be great , cheers
My guess is the 7 in the serial number is for 1997. The P stamped into the parts is from GT era.
I picked up a BMX bike online they said it was a P-47 Powerlite Pro light team race bike .What it had for markings was a P under the seat and on the stem and a serial number SOHKOOO54 . It has 20″ x 1 1/8 tires on it . Is it what they said it was ?
Cant tell by the serial number. Just compare it to pictures of a P47 online and should give you a good idea.
My question to you would be are the Robinson and Power lite made by GT or they where bought by GT owner.
I recently went back to my childhood and been looking for old school bikes and Ice seen plenty of bike and came across two of the Robinson and power lite bike so am still lost if they consider GT bike or NOT people had said to me that’s they are so am still confused lease let me k now if they are GT brand.
Thank you.
GT at one point bought Powerlite and Robinson in the mid 1980s.
Powerlite and Robinson were purchased around 88ish…Before that Gt had nothing to do with GT… Powerlite built there own stuff until sold while pretty sure Voris Dixon made most of Robinson stuff… After the purchase Gt made both bikes and changed the brand,stickers etc…Mark
Gt bought powerlite and Robinson around 88
reading all this, you guys are making me cry(lol). I am the original owner and racer of a 1981-2 Powerlite S-24 cruiser raced for 30 plus years(1st cruiser was a dbl bar 26). Loaded, 185 Flite cranks sealed BB, suntour sealed hubs,neck and beartrap pedals, arraya rims, and more even have some of the old red white and black
“Gear” Racing pants I was given by a factory cruiser rider(24& over class) can’t remember his name. What I do remember he traveled with a beautiful Labrador retriever, sometime prior to the Gilly’s nationals. Love your website.
Yeah some great times, some great memories.
Dont know who the cruiser rider was there were alot of co sponsored riders thru bike shops in those days.
What state did you live in?
If you have any photos from those days email me them and I will post them for you.
bulletproof2000@live.com
Hey Racer, Yep great times. Sorry no photos. We were to busy in between motos kickin the hackey sack around. you know important stuff. The rider I was talkin about with Lab, would travel all over and live out of the back of his pick up truck with his dog. He could pitch a tennis ball as hard as he could from about 15 yrds and she would jump up and catch it, amazing. By the way I’m south of Houston TX.
Hey Lee very cool story… Friend me on FB or email me at markrink2001@yahoo.com i got some cool old pics etc you might like… Mark Rink The cruiser rider might have been Kevin Harlow or Mark Darcy ?
Thanks Mark, I don’t FB, but i’ll drop you a line via email.
PeddlePower was bought in 1983-1984 by ROB….Don’t remember his last name.I was young and rode only Powerlites ( when they had the plates with the hole at the head tube) Then ” Rob ” would watch Myself (Chris Ruen, Brian Thein, Mikey Palomino,Will Ziggamier etc) Do freestyle and street tricks along with riding a street ramp we had cobbled together…”Rob” talked me into a “1984 HUTCH TRICKSTAR” as I was 12 and was riding halfpipes and also rode at “THE BOWL” in Yorba Linda so I got the HUTCH F&F for free =) and Peddlepower jerseys etc. Like a sponsorship of sorts….Peddlepower later moved to the corner of Orange Olive and Riverdale then about a year later across the street ( same cross streets) …….I do not know what ever happened to the old PeddlePower but rumors were that “Rob” lost the store due to drug addiction…..Any info would be nice.
Hope this helps,
Chris Ruen
Rob was Rob Lynch. In fact when my cruiser got stolen I bought Rob’s old Floval Flyer this was around 1987-88.
I was one of the kids that helped turn the “Lakebed” into a track. When they filled in the bowl area, the lines I remember where named colossus, jawbreaker and suicide. We called the place Colossus. Got to be friends with a couple of the locals Ryan and Craig. Craig lived near the water fountain and had I think Dalmations. He was friends with Ryan who later joined the Marines. Mr Leper??? had the water hose for us to drink from thru his fence. When he saw all the progress we were making on the track he got us a bulldozer! Then magazines heard about our “new” track and began testing bikes there. Ironically just as they began testing bikes there I joined the Navy and never saw any of the sessions or got to join in. Horse riders ruined the track and it fell into disrepair. The main berm is still there, though alot smaller and buried under weeds. The city tore down the main table top we built with the bulldozer, we had named the jump Volcano.
Rob was a part of BMX since the beginning. He even had a column in Bicycle Motocross Action. He could race better then most people knew. I raced him in Cruiser. He has since passed away.
Hey Eric was nice finally meeting you a few weeks ago… you know my email and feel free to hit me up anytime!! Yes Chris alot of shenanigans went on after my father sold Peddlepower … First was to Bob Osborn, he sold to jeff Bottema and Bottema to Rob lynch around 83… Unfortunately extra curricular stuff has ruined many people and us in bmx are not immuned. RIP to Rob and Scot B… may they finally rest in peace…:)
Yeah Mark, you looked like you could still tear up the track, so did Kenny. I had to meet so many people its a shame I didn’t get to visit longer or remember to bring a note pad etc.
The water hose was VOGALS …The Jumps were COLOSSUS, JAW BREAKER, THE HOOK, CAMELS…etc. I rode there in 1981-1989. We may have been within feet of each other my friend =). I am restoring the TRICKSTAR as we speak =)
Yep that was his name. Yeah if you got to see the bowl before it got filled in. It looks like we called the jumps mostly the same as you guys. I rode in 82 a chrome Flying Rhino and in 83 a blue SE Quadangle with camo pads. I pretty much always ran a numberplate. I dont have any of my old bikes but am building a replica of my quad.
That place was awesome. Last few times I rode there in the 80s was on my Boss cruiser or the floval flyer I got from Rob. The last time I went to the lakebed the place was not in good shape. A few jumps near the water and some by the dam but nothing like the old days.
Awesome…I Have my HUTCH TRICKSTAR and I am currently rebuilding it to its former glory =)
Rob passed away? Good grief =(. I am so sorry to hear that…..I also used to meet up with two brothers, twins ..Landis and Landyn….Landis was Blonde like me and smoked at 12 yrs old…lol he rode a VDC Gorilla mini cruiser and his brother a CW mini cruiser…Good riders…..Ring a bell?
Nope I probably was out of state when you guys got into the area. I was a few years older then you guys. Weird though cause now Im 39 and younger then you guys.
Waffalow ( Bill Hohman ) Bought the rights to “peddlepower” and he was Robs partner. I have been speaking with him Today as hew owns “BASSETT” and is making me a 24″ BASSETT…..just like 1982 =)…So cool to share
memories that only a select few would know =)
I remember Volcano…On the right hand side…Nice table top then down into a left berm and around…The main table top was to the left or The “track” …I love that place…Great memories and stitches…I am 43 now and all of those memories are so fond…My parents moved from Orange to Yorba Linda just so I wouldn’t have to ride 7 miles at 10 yrs old….I was the kid they called “blondey or HUTCH….Chrome trickstar with blue skyways….
DOES ANY ON KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT A POWERLITE P19 MOUNTAIN BIKE? ANY GOOD OR NOT? I KNOW ITS NOT BMX BUT I WAS HOPING SOMEONE MAY KNOW ABOUT THEM. IM HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. ARE THEY A PREMIUM BRAND OR A BOX STORE?
Powerlite only made bike shop bikes, some low end but none were junk. IMO.
P19 stuff was GT time, not worth much as far as collectable, Not sure what BIKE SHOP BIKES means? Powerlite until about 87-88ish was top notch racing bikes, cruisers etc, later when GT bought they went a little more commercial but still had good race bikes too… No walmart crap etc… Mark Rink< feel free to friend me on FB, my mom and dad in the powerlite jerseys are the screen things.. thanks
I bought an 83 24” POWERLITE from Crete Custom Cycle. Jay Nicks senior designed the frame for POWERLITE and I believe his son Jay road for POWERLITE . I still have it. Serial number 0001
haha are you on drugs? Ray not sure who you are but my father founded and owned powerlite, designed and built all the powerlites lol… I myself worked for my dad at Powerlite… Dads in the bmx HOF, Wow the lies some of you tell LOL… Mark Rink
Ray , My dad designed and founded Powerlite until we sold about 88ish… My dad designed ALL the bikes until that day and i PERSONALLY worked at Powerlite until we sold…. Was Crete the guy who made tandem and 3 wheel bikes? We sold to someone that was making 3 wheel bikes for the machines we had etc, they only had it for a year i believe then GT bought them out, Jay nicks never designed anything for us…. They only made a handful of stuff and nobody bought it because it was not the old Powerlite, then Gary Turner bought Powerlite, Robinson and auburn i think and rebranded them and brought them back to prosperity… Mark Rink
Mark, I would love to talk to you about Danny Millwee’s bike in RAD. Trying to complete a list of all the parts and specs. Can you help?
Message me on FB if you can
Hello,
Just bought a P-47(?) with serial k10700148. Can anyone help me verify this please. I’m not sure on model or year.
Thanks,
Tommy
I think the P47 bikes came out in the mid to late 90s. I would look for a 1997 Powerlite catalog to start your search.
Here’s a few things i know, GT stands for one of its founders Gary Turner who initially hand welded a bike for his son. After GT bikes bought out Powerlite they also went on to acquire Auburn Cycles which had been started by the Bob Morales who also started DYNO Desgins Inc. later becoming DYNO Bicycles and sold it to GT prior to them buying Powerlite/Robinson. These acquisitions were to take on a powerhouse of a bike company in Freestyle in the mid to late 80’s prior to that GT had been the top BMX company, that bike company which is still a game changer is Haro bikes, here’s something kinda funny, Bob Haro creator and CEO of Haro just happened to be friends with several former top BMX riders which included R.L.”Bob”Osborn and Bob Morales, known in some inner circles as “The Three Bobs”, “The 3 B’s” & “The Bobs”. Bob Morales after selling DYNO to GT went to work for them until he left to start Auburn Cycles which he turns around and sells to GT a little over a year later too. After selling Auburn he then went to work for them again, both times he was their lead designer and after the sale of Auburn, GT had already acquired Powerlite but it was Bob Morales while trying to improve on the look of the Powerlite came up with the rear half being left polished chrome and painted front half giving them a unique look but kinda made them look like Auburns although Auburns have a 2 piece frame and the back half are always polished chrome, in 2002 a private company bought the rights and design prints for Powerlite, Robinson and Auburn, and they are now located in Vista, CA along with Robinson & Auburn, bringing back the small independent privately owned bike companies. Although many companies got bought out by Pacific Bicycles from either going bankrupt or lack of stability and sold out to them, at the time Pacific was a joint corporation between some Korean bike company and some Taiwanese bile company and they were mostly sold at Toys-R-Us, Walmarts & Targets, Pacific went on a buying trip for a few years first acquiring Mongoose and Cannondale, then their biggest purchase was the debit payoff and asset purchase of the bankrupt GT bikes corporation which gave them GT, DYNO, Auburn, Robinson, and Powerlite, lastly they bought Iron Horse Works, Schwinn had been bought by the Bain Capitol group prior to their purchase of the GT corporation and before their sale to Questor investments who sold all the bike companies to Pacific, in 2014 Dorrell Corperation out of Canada bought the whole collection of bike companies left under the Pacific bikes name, by then Powerlite, Robinson and Auburn had been discontinued and then the rights were sold off to the company now making them in Vista, CA. Overall the independent bikes of yesteryears are somewhat still around, even though companies like GT/DYNO, Schwinn, Cannondale, IronHorse and several others may be under a huge conglomerant some have managed to break away while others have never been bought out and yet other independents got bought out by independents. FreeAgent who is now owned by KHS is an indy boughtout by an indy, Haro & Specialized, S & S among a few others are still privately and independently owned, Diamondback & Redline went through a similar occurence like GT, for awhile even being owned buy a country outside of north America and like GT being partnered up to a lower brand bike company like Pacific, Diamondback & Redline ended up with Raleigh and Murry 2 lowend bike companies, They both are now part of a private equitiy firm in north America called Regent L.P. and are once again made in american last of the highend bikes to get bought out was SE bikes which make one of the most sought after, beloved BMX bikes of all times. The PK Ripper. The thing i found most common about most Mid-High end BMX companies is 90% of them came from or were started in California most being in southern Cali, companies like FreeAgent, Diamondback, Redline, GT, DYNO, Specialized, Haro, Powerlite, Robinson, Auburn, Torker. S & S, SE & PK Ripper, and many more all started right here in my state, the great state of California.
that is because bmx started here in socal… all those companies are within a 50 mile radius, you also forgot Mongoose, Redline , Webco, cook bros etc…
Linn Kastan, Gary Long, Todd Huffman, Chuck Robinson are also instrumental to this story in their own way.