Peddlepower (1972–2010)

The owner is Steve Rink establish 1972. Bike shop is Peddlepower Cyclery, 325 E. Grove Avenue, Orange,CA.

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.