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Vintage BMX photos, prints and digital download images are all available for purchase on Lillethorup Photos.
If you’re searching for vintage BMX photos, prints and images you’ve found the right place. For instance, Tim Lillethorup captured this incredible library of early BMX work. Consequently, this makes him one of the foremost photographers of BMX. He was the editor and photographer for two BMX publications, ABA Action newspaper and Bicycles & Dirt Magazine. His early work represents BMX racing in the formative years of the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The vintage days of BMX and photos
Tim’s career in BMX began in the early 1970s on the streets of west Omaha with his close friends. He and Chris Heyden, Steve Goodnight and Brad Fanshaw all lived in the same neighborhood on the outskirts of town. This crew of innovative kids built wooden ramps in their driveways and open fields. They rode on trails in empty lots and in the woods. Basically, they were jumping, riding, and racing on makeshift tracks before there was organized racing. In 1974 and 1975 they held makeshift races with hand-made wooden trophies awarded as prizes. To capture their adventures a 35mm Pentax camera was always on hand. Images from this camera are some of the first BMX photos from this time period. A few years later Tim would be traveling the country documenting BMX races with his Nikon camera.
Lillethorup was a pioneer in the sport during the early days of Bicycle Motocross racing. For instance, he was an original member of the Bill’s Bicycle Barn BMX Race Team from Omaha, Nebraska. Additionally, Tim helped build Omaha’s first BMX track called Spinnin’ Spokes. He also raced at the first BMX track in Nebraska – Yankee Hill BMX under the National Bicycle Association (NBA) sanction. After that, he raced in the American Bicycle Association (ABA) PRO Class from 1978 until 1987. An impressive list of bike shop and factory teams sponsored Tim. These include Bill’s Bike Barn, Olympia Cycle, Rockbrook Schwinn, Freewheelin’, Powerlite, RRS, REACH BMX Systems, Zeronine and Direct Link.
Lillethorup was the driving force behind The Nebraska BMX Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was developed to pay homage to the first BMX racers from Nebraska. It was also formed to assist in the further development of BMX in Nebraska.