Limited Edition

DP themselves described the Limited Edition Kit as “a development one stage further for total freestyle.” Very few rival manufactures would have taken issue with such a bold claim, because of its design, and its uncompromising nature, it was unequalled by almost any other frame available at the time.
DP had become one of the major trend setters in the industry. That’s a heavy opinion, one you might agree or disagree with, but what you couldn’t argue with was that DP sold more freestyle frame and fork sets in the UK than any other company, 20,000 buyers by the end of 1984 couldn’t have all been wrong!

Assuming you had, after Christmas, approximately £140 left in your bank account to put your mane to, the DP Limited Edition Kit comprised of the following:-
One DP frameset, one drilled stem bolt, one Powerglide snatch free inner brake sleeve, two heavy duty pre-routed outer sleeves, one set of trick handlebars, one chrome-moly lay back, and one pair of rear axle pegs.

Not surprisingly perhaps, you didn’t get the normal off-the-peg DP freestyler or a tarted up version of it, in the Kit. After all, that wouldn’t have been on par to the class image the name Limited Edition projects, and neither would it have been up to the standard you expected of products from a professional manufacturer rather than a backyard constructor with pretensions to greater things. What you received in the frame and forks department was instead, a radically stunning, well thought-out variation of the frame. Somewhat helped along by Glyn Lewis, the leading edge on DP research at the time. It wasn’t a new model, what’s more it didn’t pretend to be one, but there were several changes that collectively made the DP Limited Edition a rarity within the industry.

First of all, the front and rear brake cables ran inside the frame tubes instead of on top of them, through pre-routed spiral bounding outer sleeves. DP were the only BMX Company doing this with both cables, it makes for cleaner, more efficient looks, and easier tricks. Running the front cable through the hollow stem and inside the fork eliminates the problem of cable foul-up on cross-ups. And with the rear brake cable concealed in the top tube, the most outrageous frame stands come feet-tangle free.

Next, the rear chain stays are cut at an angle to give more foot clearance for standing on the stunt-pegs. The coaster brake anchor now finds its self below the upper left chain stay, instead of way down under. And to show it was a limited edition bike, DP specially laser-signed the top tube gusset. Definitely very neat.

Geometry had also been altered by a hair to improve on performance, the steering head angle now measures off at 73 degrees from horizontal for quicker steering on the front wheel tricks and ground moves.

Naturally a unique kit deserved a unique finish. The DP Limited Edition had one, cosmetically setting it aside from anything else on the market, it’s called Ni-Bronze. A remarkable hard-wearing dual layer finish tougher than paint and as durable as chrome, that was specially developed by DP and was exclusive to the precision-honed Limited Edition model. It looks a shade lighter than the black chrome finish used by Mongoose Pro Class and Diamond Back Harry Leary turbo. And with the newly designed white contrasting decals, everyone they showed it to was in agreeance that it looks totally HEAVY DUTY. On appearance, it scores a fourteen out of ten. Maybe even a fifteen. And the seat pillar, cable outer sleeves and stunt pegs all come Ni-Bronze too.

Course a few minor alterations on the surface didn’t interfere with the reliable old DP Freestyler down at the core. It’s all 4130 top grade Chrome-moly, TIG Welded to superlative standards, and for the money it was unsurpassable, it’s still as hard as nails, and capable of taking all the big and brawny can throw at it. And for either day-in-day-out transportation, bowl battering, full-on freestyle or causal pavement performances, it’s still as excellent as ever. No argument. The Limited Edition version just makes a classier chassis to do it on. There are some things that will never change…

The DP Limited Edition Kit made a very attractive proposition. For £139 you didn’t just get the frame and forks, you got loads more, the seat pillar, the stem bolt, the pegs, the bars, inner and outer cable sleeves.

Early test shot of the Limited Edition NI Bronze finish. Note the standard freestyler frame set being used and the decals are very different too.