Repco Hotfoot

While researching information for my '85 Team Hotfoot and up-coming '82 Team Hotfoot build, 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 Hotfoot 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.


Pad Sets

What's an '80s bike without a set of pads? Unlike other marques, Repco seemed to make a new set of pads for each new bike released resulting in numerous styles and variations of pad sets.

I have attempted to match the images of pad sets - lifted mainly from the OzBMX Repco Hotfoot Padset thread - with images of bikes that feature them. Of course, due to the limited brochures and original photos that are available it is hard to determine if those bikes even have the correct pads.


Repco Hotfoot


Team Hotfoot

In the early '80s, the 'top of the range' Team Hotfoot was a bike worth having with a CrMo frame and brand name parts. In addition to being made from CrMo tubing, the frames were different from their HiTensile cousins. The '82 Team Hotfoot had a unique gusset welded between the top and down tubes with a large, central hole similar to the Mongoose Motomag of the same period. The gusset also featured four moon-shaped and these, like the central hole, featured rolled edges.

The '84 / '85 Team featured oval shaped or 'aero' tubing.

By 2003, the idea of a Team model existed in name only. The '03 Team Hotfoot was a high tensile steel bike with steel rims and other parts making it really heavy. Further insult came from the cheap accessories that were fitted.

'83 / '84 Hotfoot Team 20"

     
Reference images :

The '83 / '84 Team pad set shared the same design as the 'Hotfoot' and 'Hotfoot 2' X-Gusset models with the addition of the 'Team' logo and they were printed on nylon whereas the X-Gusset versions were made from vinyl. The logo looks like a complete afterthought and doesn't really share the same font as the main 'Hotfoot' lettering nor does not have the same graduated shading.

Thanks to Adrian for the picture of this pad.

View the entire '83 / '84 catalogue here.
'84 Hotfoot Team 20"


     
Reference images :

Although Pete's '84 Team is sporting reproduction pads, I cant help but reproduce these pics here. In my mind this is one of the best looking Teams going around.

This pad was available with and without the 'Team' branding on it. Note the handlebar pad is nearly as wide as the top tube pad and is designed to neatly fit the wide CW-style bars. The poster shown in the reference images clearly shows the Team variant.
'85 Hotfoot Team 20"

     

The photo of the Team version padset was submitted by dohcA73 and were from his '85 Team Hotfoot.

'03 Hotfoot Team 20"



     
Reference images :

In 2003, Repco released the 'retro' Team Hotfoot based (obviously) on a modern platform. The bike is finished in a really nice, metallic red paint but the bike overall is let down by a cheap parts on what is supposed to be a 'Team' version.
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HiTen Hotfoot

It would appear that Repco's marketing department reinvented the brand with each and every catalogue through the 80s and 90s. In line with these changes, the bikes changed from year to year - sometimes with little more than a new set of paint colours and different pad sets. For the collector, this means there are many different sets to collect and the builder can mix and match them across models to suit any colour combination.

'84 / '85 Hotfoot HiTen 20"




     
Reference images :

The '84 and '85 HiTen pad sets were similar to the team variants but (obviously) missing the 'Team' descriptor. The '84 versions featured three horizontal lines which dissected the Hotfoot name - an updated grpahic which built on the graduated '82 Team and X-Gusset logos.
'85 / '86 Hotfoot HiTen 20"


     
Reference images :

The chequered pads of the '85 Team and HiTen are relatively rare compared to the versions that preceded and followed them. The first bike sports original pads and the second - my son's bike - features near perfect copies.
'86 / '87 / '88 / '89 Hotfoot HiTen 20"



     
Reference images :


I have prepared high-resolution artwork for these pads. If you would like a set, contact me with your details and I will either arrange for a set to be made for you or send you the artwork and you can find someone to make them.

View the entire '86 / '87 catalogue here.
View the entire '87 / '88 catalogue here.
View the entire '88 / '89 catalogue here.
'88 / '89 Hotfoot HiTen 20"



     
Reference images :

These were available on both the Freewheel and Coaster 20" version. The Freewheel version was chrome and sported black forks and shiny-sided rims with white tyres and other accessories. The Coaster version was a cheaper model with a black painted frame and contrasting white forks, tyres and other accessories. The rims on this model look to be chromed steel.

View the entire '88 / '89 catalogue here.
'89 / '90 Hotfoot Freewheel 20"




     
Reference images :

These pads came in white and black background with coloured geometric shapes over blue or white print.

I have prepared high-resolution artwork for these pads. If you would like a set, contact me with your details and I will either arrange for a set to be made for you or send you the artwork and you can find someone to make them.

View the entire '89 / '90 catalogue here.
'90 / '91 Hotfoot HiTen 20"



     
Reference images :

The '90 / '91 pad set moved away from the geometric shapes of the previous design and reverted to a much simpler style. The word 'Hotfoot' was accented with paint 'blots' in two contrasting colours - blue and white.

View the entire '90 / '91 catalogue here.
'91 / '92 Hotfoot 20"




     
Reference images :

Following on from the paint 'blots' pattern of the '90 / '91 pads, the '91 / '92 pads featured a stylistic 'R' and the word Hotfoot in a paintbrush font with paint flicks in a complementary colour. This pattern was repeated on the 'Rebel' version of the pads featured on the girl's 20" bike.

View the entire '91 / '92 catalogue here.
'92 / '93 Hotfoot HiTen 20"





     
Reference images :

Unfortunately, I do not have a '92 / '93 catalogue but a 'for sale' listing showing helped me date these pads. It could be wrong ..

'94 Hotfoot 20"



     
Reference images :


View the entire '94 catalogue here. These pads appear to have come in a number of colour combinations including blue on black and purple on black ..
'95 Hotfoot 20"



     
Reference images :

The gold version was available on the chrome plated version of the 20" bike whereas the black version below it was fitted to either (or both?) the Blue Zebra or Black Rex version of the bike.

View the entire 1995 catalogue here.
'95 Hotfoot 20" (Girls)


     
Reference images :

The girl's version of the '95 Hotfoot featured a white coloured pad set as opposed to the yellow version on the boys bike.

View the entire 1995 catalogue here.
'95 Hotfoot (Unknown model)




     
Reference images :

As you can see, I have a two NOS sets of these pads with one in the original Repco packaging. Not bad for a pad set that does not appear in the 1995 catalogue in this colour. The catalogue shows the white version above fitted to the 20" Hotfoot Girls model and the summary only mentions two colour schemes Crystal Blue and Diamond Purple - neither of which would have looked good with yellow pads.

View the entire 1995 catalogue here.
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X-Gusset Hotfoot

To many the X-Gusset model is the quintessential Hotfoot. BITD it was everywhere and because of that its appeal and collectability is high. The model was made between '81 and '84 and was replaced by the HiTen variants (above).

'81 - '84 Hotfoot X-Gusset

     
Reference images :

I have prepared high-resolution artwork for these pads. If you would like a set, contact me with your details and I will either arrange for a set to be made for you or send you the artwork and you can find someone to make them.
'81 - '83 Hotfoot 2 X-Gusset

     
Reference images :




I have prepared high-resolution artwork for these pads. If you would like a set, contact me with your details and I will either arrange for a set to be made for you or send you the artwork and you can find someone to make them.
'81 - '83 Hotfoot 2 X-Gusset

     
Reference images :

None of the catalogues show this pad clearly but due to the switch from vinyl to nylon, I have guessed this belongs to the '83 - '84 model.
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Mity and Mini Hotfoot (12" and 16")

The 12" Mini and 16" Mity Hotfeet were designed to look like smaller versions of their 20" brothers. Younger kids could now keep up with their older siblings and ride a cool lookin - albeit really heavy - bike too!

'83 / '84 Mini Hotfoot

     
Reference images :

A special thanks to Dan Anderson for scanning these Mini pads. You can see them and his beautifully restored 12" '83 Hotfoot in the reference images above.

The full '83 / '84 catalogue can be viewed here.
'85 / '86 Mini Hotfoot

     
Reference images :

A special thanks to Simon White for scanning these pads from a bike he was selling on eBay. With help from the catalogues I have posted on this site, he was able to identify the bike as an '85 Mini Hotfoot which came in both red and yellow.

The full '85 / '86 catalogue can be viewed here.
Hotfoot Mity


     
Reference images :

These Mity Hotfoot are a cute little 16" bike. Not quite a scaled down version of the 20" models of the time, these had a different front gusset that sets them apart from their bigger brothers.
Hotfoot Mity

     
Reference images :
'90 Hiten Boys 12"



     

This model does not appear in the '89 / '90 or even the '90 / '91 catalogue but the serial on Adrian's example indicates that these are probably belong to a 1990 build.

I'm not sure I understand the significance of the fish bones on these pads but they remind me of the artwork commonly seen on Hot Tuna or other surf clothes.
'9? Hotfoot Macro



     
Reference images :

Mick Bellette - owner of the bike in the reference images - is unsure of the age of this bike but knows its post 1995 as it does not appear in any of his catalogues.
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24" Cruiser Hotfoot

The 24" Hotfoot Cruiser first appeared in the '84 / '85 catalogue and appears each year up to the '87 / '88 one. The pads were identical to the HiTen 20" model of the same year With the exception of the '84 / '85 model - which featured longer pads and had the '24' appended to the logo.

'84 / '85 Cruiser Hotfoot

     
Reference images :

The pad photographed on the left is a handlebar one I picked up from Peter Healy recently. It is original and has velcro whereas the 20" versions on this site had plastic press studs. I am not sure if these were slightly later versions or the difference continued throughout the entire production run.
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Freestyle Hotfoot

Repco had two freestyle models - the first which appeared in the both the '85 / '86 and the '86 / '87 catalogue. It also appeared in a section photo within the '87 / '88 catalogue but it appears it had been withdrawn from sale at this stage. This model did not feature any pads.

The '88 / '89 catalogue featured a new freestyle bike and this was carried over into the '89 / '90 catalogue. This one featured the pads shown in this section.

'88 Repco Freestyle


     
Reference images :
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Hotfoot Unknown Models

There were so many variations of pads in the late '80s and early '90s that I have been unable to identify the following ones. Finding more catalogues would help this no end.

Pad set for Unknown Model



     
Padset for Unknown Model

     


Other Repcos

In the early to mid '80s, Repco's entire BMX range consisted of Hotfoots in various guises - Teams, X-Gussets, HiTens, Mity, Mini and 24" Cruisers. By the early '90s, the new names were added alongside the 'Hotfoot' including Rebel, 'Lil Rebel, Bullant, Jazz and Chaser.

'91 / '92 Repco Rebel 20" / 16"



     
Reference images :

The Rebel came as both a 20" and 16" version in two colour schemes - Pink Cackle a crazed pink over black frame and pink forks and rims and Orange & Purple a solid orange coloured frame with purple bars, forks and chain wheel. The pads shown are for the Orange & Purple version which had both orange and pink pads whereas Pink Cackle had a single coloured pink set.

View the entire '91 / '92 catalogue here.
'91 / '92 Repco Chaser 16"

     
Reference images :

The Repco Chaser was a 16" bike aimed at boys between 4 and 8. Like the 20" version, it came in two colour variations - 'Orange Cackle' which presumably came with yellow pads and 'Neon Yellow' which came with the black pads pictured.

View the entire '91 / '92 catalogue here.

To assist in determining which pads are applicable to which models / years, I am seeking scans or originals of catalogues, advertisements and original photos that show the correct combinations. If you have one, please contact me at Blogging a Dead Horse.


Home-made Padsets

But what if you cannot find the pads you are after? Why not make your own as BMX Black did.

Padset for 1979 Hotfoot



     

As BMX Black summarises ..

Well you all know how hard it is to find good old vinyl hotfoot pads .. so i thought id make my own! I went to the local fabric shop for yellow vinyl but they had nothing so I went over to KMart and I spotted $2 pencil cases in yellow in vinyl.. Yep my lucky day, so I bought 3. Cut them out and took them over to the old treadle .. then with a little Hotfoot touch of paint, voila !!

I think they look great and the use of pencil cases is ingenious!

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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.

Blizzard Cyclone Hurricane Tornado 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.