Building the Ultimate Micro Racer can be a very personal thing, while some people might go for wow factor others might take a more conservative approach. After coming up with my own ideas for the build and consulting a number of people bouncing ideas around and even trialing some products I was able to come up with a build that would suit Ripley, my four year old daughter.

From the beginning I decided to use the same approach as I would any of my own bikes.

Parts that are

• reliable
• easy to service/maintain
• built to last
• can be moved from build to build

Did it need a disc brake? The simple answer is no. When you use an 18″ rim in a 20″ frame brake reach can prove problematic which is when disc could be a option. But with a generic brake extender and a good v-brake set up, in this instance, disc brake would only be overkill both weighing more and costing a whole lot more. I’ve never had a problem with v-brakes pulling me up, and since Ripley weighs about 1/8th of what I do v-brakes would be more than suitable.

Why Profile mini hubs and not instant engagement? Let’s get real now, Ripley’s not trying to shave micro seconds off her times as she’s attempting to qualify for the Olympics, she just needs a bike that she can ride and have fun on. With the money saved on the classic Profile mini hubs there’s plenty of money left over to spend on other things. I have a set of Profile cassette hubs on a bike that have been running perfectly for over 20 years. While Ripley will likely out grow the 28 hole mini hubs in about 8-10 years they should serve her well and look great and run smoothly and trouble free during that time.

Since part 1 of Project Micro Scope I’d changed the cranks to Von Sothen Racing M9 square taper 115mm cranks with a 5 bolt lite spider and settled on the stumpy Von Sothen Racing 24.5mm 1″ Micro/Mini stem with it being one of the shortest 1″ stems available without having to go to a zero reach stem. I’d also fitted Supercross LT-A mini alloy 3″ rise and pulled them back a little to make up for the reach of the stem.

The piece de resistance is the personalised ODI Ruffian Mini lock-on grips, I was planning on going for something a little simpler, but when Ripley got her hands on some Ruffians she really liked them. At first I wasn’t sure that she could grip them properly so asked her to show me and to my surprise she was able to get a good drip of them. I was able to get a set engraved with her name to make them extra special.

On top of that she selected a pink ODI Miniature Longneck Grip valve cap for the front wheel and a purple one for the back.

Now that I have the build complete I just need to get her to ride it unassisted. That development period is a whole new ball game that I’m already enjoying. Seeing her overcome the fear from the height of the 18″ wheels, mentally it’s a larger jump from the 12″ wheels than you would think. Also feeling her pedaling faster under her own steam. These are just a couple of examples in the small steps in her growth to become a BMXer in her own right. I could fit some training wheels, and I still might, but it’s only a matter of time before she’s tearing around the track with her friends.

Build run down

Frame: Supercross RS7 20″ Micro Mini
Forks: Supercross Pro LT mini/jnr cromo 20″
Bars: Supercross LT-A mini alloy 3″ rise
Stem: Von Sothen Racing 24.5mm Micro/Mini stem 1″
Headset: Speedline mini 1″ sealed bearing integrated
Headset spacers: Speedline 1″ alloy spacer kit
Grips: ODI Ruffian Mini Lock-on (100mm)
Brake lever: Tektro XL320
Brake Calipers: Litepro Short (Mini) Arm V brake 85mm
Brake Cable: Speedline Teflon Coated Linear Elite Brake Cable
Brake Extenders: Muqzi V Brake Extender Kit
Cranks: Von Sothen Racing M9 square taper 115mm with 5 bolt lite spider
Chainring: 40T
Pedals: Tioga D Spyder
Bottom bracket: Shimano compatible square tapered euro
Hubs: Profile Mini 28 hole – Alloy 16T
Rims: Alienation Ankle biters 18×1″
Spokes: Stainless with a couple of featured oil slick stainless spokes for that custom look.
Tires: Vee Speedster 18×1″ White walls
Tubes: Bluetech 18×1″
Valve caps: ODI Miniature Longneck Grip valve cap
Chain: ACS Crossfire 3/32″
Seat: UNI BMX mini seat
Seat clamp: Speedline mini quick release 25.4mm

Gallery

How would you build your Ultimate Micro Racer?

Project Micro Scope: Intro | Part 1 | Part 2