Profile Racing’s Legacy: Week 22, 1990.

In mid 1990, Richard Long (the business partner in GT Bikes) was planning a trip to South Florida. While on the trip, he asked Jim Alley if he’d be willing to meet up to discuss a possible business venture.

At the time, GT had their 3-piece cranks manufactured in Taiwan and several issues were coming to the surface.

Long proposed an idea to Jim: Could Profile Racing make a high number of American Made cranks for GT? Due to the bmx recession, costs of getting dye’s made, hitting minimums for post-production chrome, and the logistics of shipping cranks across the US resulted in a decision process based solely on numbers high enough to make it work.

With multiple facets to consider, Jim left the meeting undecided.

The next month, Jim flew to California to visit a forging company as Profile Racing’s steering gears were transitioning from a casting process. His final meeting on the West Coast was at GT’s headquarters with Richard Long, Gary Turner, and GT’s main sales rep. to discuss quantities. Although the final number was left nebulous at the meeting, when Jim arrived back at the factory the next day, a PO had been faxed in…

…to be continued…