Blogging a Dead Horse

Malvern Star SuperMax, Maxi and Speedwell Sting

While researching information for my '81 SuperMax, '83 Speedwell Sting and up-coming '79 5-Hole gusset builds, I got so sick of finding information then losing it again that I started copying images of bikes, parts and advertising material into a single place. To assist others, I have reproduced this information over the following pages .. most of the information can be found on OzBMX and BMXMuseum and I am not pretending that this informtion will replace either of these valuable resources.

Please browse through all of the material I have collected:

If you have any Malvern Star or Speedwell information or photos, please forward them to me and I will add them to the site. I am especially interested in brochures and advertisements as these are most valuable when restoring bikes back to their original glory.

Hall of Fame

Malvern Star Freestyle
Speedwell Sting

Hall of Fame: Malvern Star Maxi

The SuperMax and Maxi range of bikes typically shared basic componentry but differed in colour schemes and the level of accessories fitted - with the Maxi typically getting lower cost parts and these bikes were aimed at the lower end of the market. Originally, the Maxis were released with Tange pinch forks and foot brakes with the remaqining parts - seat, Takagi cranks, headset and so on - common to the SuperMax.

'79 Malvern Star Maxi Known on OzBMX as jasbins, has a couple of bikes in the 'Hall of Fame' including this 1979 'Fanta' Maxi. Its early pedigree is confirmed by the lack of the retainer column on the headstem and the Ashtabula stem. Orange was one of the original colours available for Maxis (not SuperMaxes) and works well with black accessories.		'?? Malvern Star Maxi MuckyPuppy's orange Maxi sports a pair of Tange 1200 forks and an MX2 stem like its bigger brother, the SuperMax. But the orange paint, pads and decals are all scream Maxi .. The orange and red work well together with the white Tuffs breaking up the colours.
'83 Malvern Star Maxi Although technically a lower model than the equivalent SuperMax, this Maxi still features some high end parts including a Takagi OPC with matching chainwheel guard, Shimano Tourney calipers, Shimano pre-bent levers and OGK Grips. The Maxis got a basic colour range and Tange pinch forks whereas the SuperMaxes got different colours and the more upmarket, Tange 1200 forks.		'?? Malvern Star Maxi Another jasbins Maxi, this Series II rider features a classic blue and yellow colour scheme offset by matching, polished chainring guard, Nitto MX2 Stem and Tange 1200 forks. The colour match between the Skyway Tuff 1s and the original Malvern Star paint is nearly perfect!
'85 Malvern Star Maxi Coaster Judging by the serial number on this Maxi, I assume this was an '85 model made by Merida in Taiwan. I found this on eBay and it appears to be completely original - including the pads and decals.		'86 Malvern Star Maxi Masquerading as a PK Ripper in its baby blue and brown colour scheme is this 1986 Malvern Star Maxi. This is a classic ‘80s colour scheme and Brett has extended it to include the chain wheel then fitted the bike with classic alloy rims, chrome hubs, handlebars and forks.
'86 Malvern Star Maxi Though not as popular as the SuperMax CrMo it replaced, this model is a nice looking bike with classic geometry though it looks like many other Taiwanese bikes built by Giant, Merida and the like and has relatively low-end accessories. As such, the model is often overlooked by collectors .. this particular bike was purchased in its original glory by Clayton to add to his growing collection.		'84 Malvern Star Maxi
'80 Malvern Star Maxi These are my favourite Malvern Stars as it is almost a Repco Hotfoot. What? Well of course it is a Giant made looptail similar to the GMX-250 and similar to the first Repco Hotfoot. This example was found on eBay and looks to be original.		'8? Malvern Star Maxi 500C Again, not sure on the year of this model but from the look of the dropouts it could be a Giant made model from '85 or '86. Another of Clayton's bikes, this one is complete with a pink Viscount seat, pink Dia Compe 901 brakes and Tech IV lever and the original service manual.
'8? Maxi 500C Not sure who owns this bike but it sure looks original. In fact, with the exception of the missing coaster brake and what looks like an Nitto MX-2 copy, you could pass it off as original.		'81 Malvern Star SuperMax A quick search for jasbins on this page will show he has a real SuperMax problem - this is his sixth SuperMax / Maxi to grace this site. This one features an OG Maxi frame, TX-1200 forks, Nitto MX-2 stem, ALPs bars, Takagi OPC, spider, chainwheel and chain guard, Elina seat and an original Nagoaka seat post.

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Extra Info / Links

OldSchoolMags.com Have you ever wished that you could go back in time to the late 70's and early 80's when you could walk into a newsagency and see the latest issues of BMX Action, BMX Plus, Super BMX and Freestylin' in the racks as crisp and clean as the day they were printed? If you said yes to any of these questions, this is the site for you ..

BMX Works This site has everything you will ever need to restore an old school bmx from loose parts - nuts, bolts and bearings - through to complete brake sets, cranks sets and finishing parts, such as pad sets and decals.

Madman's BMX Painting Services Pete's work is second to none. I have two frames painted by him - a Hotfoot Freestyle in white and a Hotfoot 24" Cruiser in Hazard Yellow - and both have come out beautifully. Pete can also handle the stripping of paint and chrome and other prep work.

Re-Rides Sydney Australia based BMX restoration and photography. Rebuilding retro BMX bikes from 80's old-school, 90's mid-school and 00's new-school era's.

SDBMX SDBMX sells a distinctive range of cast alloy BMX rims that will finish of any old-school, mid-school or even new-school build. Styles include the Blizzard, Cyclone, Hurricane, Tornado and Typhoon.

Vintage Mongoose Anyone who is interested in Mongooses (Mongeese?) has probably already found this site. When I was restoring my Motomag, I found this site invaluable for information and reproductions decals and grips. Warren, who is behind this site, is a local who is passionate - no obsessive - about the Mongoose brand and it shows.

Recent Updates

Dec 2017, Hall of Fame Lewis' latest build shows how good a bike can look with quality reproduction parts.

Mar 2017, Hall of Fame Robert's Series II SuperMax looks at home amongst his collection of vintage '80s boom boxes.

Jan 2017, Pad Sets Another addition to the pad set - a NOS set of SuperMax pads for a 5 Hole!

Oct 2016, Hall of Fame Shane's collection of original SuperMax and Speedwells covers 5-Hole, Series II and CrMo models. All feature original pad sets, the ubiquitous MX-2 stem and enough Shimano / Takagi gear to start a museum!

Feb 2016, Hall of Fame Dave's yellow and red CrMo is no carpet queen as these pics at the Lalor BMX track show. His ride features a host of new parts including a Nitto MX-2 Stem, Dia Compe MX-1000 brakes and Tech 4 levers mated to an original frame and fork combination and pad set.

Apr 2016, Hall of Fame Other than adding a pair of front brake pads, Jimmy Boy hasn't touched this survivor Series II SuperMax. As Jimmy describes it, its "the best Supermax survivor in Australia ..."

Feb 2016, Flotsam and Jetsam At only eleven years old, Scott Henrick shows no fear as he prepares on his silver / red 5 Hole for his first race at Sandgate in 1983(ish). On race day, he borrowed the helmet and gear from Scott Luscombe (anyone know what became of him?). Unfortunately, BMX racing and football were on at the same time and footy won out !

Jan 2016, eBay Purchase Bought this set of NOS Maxi Freestyle pads off eBay in December but have only just had a chance to take a photo of them. Nice and clean but with a few shelf-ware marks on them ..

Jan 2016, Hall of Fame Scratchydogs (Clarke) has submitted a couple of Hotfeet already to this site but this is his first SuperMax - a tribute to Judy's bike in BMX Bandits but in 5 Hole form!

Dec 2015, eBay Listing This NOS CrMo Frame and Fork set was listed on eBay this month for a reasonable $600 - not bad considering how rare a NOS frameset must be. If the forks are an original match for the frame, this dates the bike around December 1980 (Tange date stamp 0L).

Dec 2015, Hall of Fame The amazing finish on custom Jason's 5 Hole is a purple pearl powder that was mixed in with the clear that goes well with the (new school) tyres..

Oct 2015, Collections Jason has 5 SuperMaxes and Maxis on this site ranging from beautifully restored, factory originals to unashamed riders. View his collection to see if any new ones have been added over the last day or two.

Apr 2015, Hall of Fame Not content to build another BMX Bandits replica, Lewis' has put a spin on the traditional black and yellow colour scheme by substituting anodised gold partsot give this bike a totally different, really clean and even a modern look. But everything is original - down to the correct Shimano calipers and levers, Takagi crank and chainwheel and KKT pedals. Nicely done!

Mar 2015, Hall of Fame This bikes is nicely finished with the original pad set that allows the front brake cable to pass through it and the pots-mod stem. I am not sure whether these bikes came with front and rear brakes - as they have a coaster tab - but Clarke has fitted his with matching Chang Star Freestyle 980 brakes.

Dec 2014, Hall of Fame Not another black and gold SuperMax! Scotty's Series II example is original right down to the the OGK grips and original Tuff reflectors. Other original parts include the KKT lightnings, Nitto MXII stem, Takagi cranks and chainguard, Tange seat clamp and Win bars. Beautiful!

Nov 2014, Hall of Fame Hot on the heels of his Series II BMX Bandit replica (below) is another beautiful example from David. This too has been restored using NOS and re-finished parts including those beautiful Takagi Tourney cranks and matching chain guard, Shimano Tourney callipers and pre-bent levers and original Series II Tuffs. David is chasing down some minty KKT Lightning pedals and a slightly smaller handlebar pads to complete this build. Can anyone help?

Nov 2014, Hall of Fame David's BMX Bandit replica is a nice blend of original, NOS, restored and new parts. The frame was powder-coated before being fitted with some of Lixy's decals and fitted to original Tange TRX forks. A number of parts were re-anno'd by Benny at Strike a Shine including the WIN handlebars, Tange seat clamp and Takagi Chain guard.

Oct 2014, Hall of Fame Lewis owned a similar '79 blue and white SuperMax for 30 years until it was stolen. He replaced it with this pristine Series II example that he bought from BMXWorks with the intention of replacing the reproduction parts with NOS.

Feb 2014, Hall of Fame Clayton took a 24" Apollo cruiser and turned it into a unique 5 Hole 24" Cruiser and then fitted 'catalogue' correct parts that make it look like the bike that Malvern Star never made!

Jan 2014, Hall of Fame Jason started the rebuild of his '84 looptail Maxi with the intention of keeping it original but then decided to add the parts he always wanted as a kid.

Jan 2014, Hall of Fame Not content with just one pristine SuperMax, BMXWorks has built up a second SuperMax in white with red accessories to match - and there is a third one in blue on the way!

Dec 2013, Hall of Fame Not just another BMX Bandits bike - Two Hip's Series II SuperMax is nearly all original, from the ALPs bars, Nitto MX2 Stem, Shimano callipers and pre-bent levers right down to the NOS pad set!

Nov 2013, Hall of Fame As a proud sponsor of OzBMX and online store owner, BMXWorks has access to a lot of new and reproduction parts - but don't be fooled this bike has more NOS and restored parts than not.

Aug 2013, Hall of Fame The black and gold colour scheme of JV911's SuperMax could be mistaken for another 'BMX Bandit' replica but unlike the colour scheme on those bikes that shouts 'look at me', the gold trim on this CrMo is used sparingly to great effect!.

Jul 2013, Hall of Fame Speedwell Sting has built a replica of his childhood bike with the only differences being an original set of Tuff IIs and the proper Speedwell pad set.

Dec 2012, Hall of Fame Alf's '85 Freestyle is totally original with the exception of the rims which appear to the be the correct candy-coated steel items. What a pain it must be to try to keep those tyres clean!

Nov 2012, Hall of Fame Archie's 5 Hole SuperMax has been restored in a distinctive 'Superman' colour scheme using some high quality parts including Tuff 2s, Shimano 600 cranks and an MX2 Stem.

Nov 2012, Restorations Trent has almost completed his BMX Bandits tribute build. This has been a long time in the making but the result is worth it, its totally NOS and exactly like Nicoles.

Sep 2012, Hall of Fame Featuring a 'rattle can' Metalcast paint finish and gold annodised parts, Jock's CrMo shows that if prepare a frame carefully the finished result can look better than powder! The bike is almost complete and waiting on only a few more parts - gold pedals, gold MX2 and WIN bars.

Aug 2012, For Sale I have been getting a lot of Hotfoot pad sets made recently and though I would let my man have a go at a set of Malvern Star SuperMax Series II pads. These will go on my next build - a baby blue frame with black accessories.

Aug 2012, Catalogues The November '82 edition of the French BMX magazine Bicross carried an article on the Australian BMX scene. Featured at the end of the article is this overview of the Series II SuperMax.

Aug 2012, BMX Bandits The July '84 edition of the French BMX magazine Bicross featured a review of the 1983 Australian film, The BMX Bandits.

Jul 2012, Hall of Fame Occy restored his bike with a fresh coat of white paint, new decals and blue anodised accessories.

Jun 2012, Flotsam and Jetsam I picked up this decal of eBay - it appears to be a sticker for a Malvern Star dealer to put on their window or display cabinets to advertise the (then) new SuperMax CrMo. Like the bike decals, it is printed on silver foil and is approximately 9.5cm in diameter.

Jun 2012, Hall of Fame When restoring his Series II SuperMax JV911 must have consulted Zuno555 when choosing a colour scheme .. the end result of black and red is stunning!

Jun 2012, Hall of Fame MuckPuppy has submitted photos of his Maxi. Finished in orange with red accessories, the colour scheme sounds like it should clash but the inclusion of white Tuffs breaks it up them nicely!

May 2012, Flotsam and Jetsam Hot on the heels of Rob Milne's old school photos come these three from Phil Kaye. They show his black and gold 5Hole SuperMax being put through its paces on a track.

May 2012, Flotsam and Jetsam Zuno555's cousin Rob has submitted some great photo that show exactly what a 1981 SuperMax looked like back in the day .. the third photo shows Rob scoping out a new sheep run on their farm in Hamilton, VIC and dreaming about how he could turn it into a BMX track!

May 2012, Restorations Zuno555 has submitted a series of photos detailing the build of his Series II Maxi. As with most builds, this one is not finished and he is currently locating parts to convert it a full SuperMax.

May 2012, Hall of Fame OzBMXBandit's 1981 "BMX Bandits" inspired SuperMax has incredible attention to detail from the beautifully annodised Takagi chainring guard through to the original flick bell.

Apr 2012, For Sale Lixy has prepared artwork for the Malvern Star 5 Hole Gusset SuperMax. These decals are highly accurate and are professionally printed to ensure top quality.

Feb 2012, Hall of Fame Kristina has submitted photos of her original SuperMax CrMo. It has what looks like a '1' stamped into the bottom bracket with no other serial number or Redline oval .. is this a really early CrMo?

Other Bikes

Below are some of my other completed bikes. I am currently working on a couple of local Australian bikes and I will publish pictures of these when they are complete.

If you have a bike that you don't want and you are in Australia, contact me as I may be interested in restoring it!