GJS (1978–1985)

GJS was a small family based bike company started in 1978. Most commonly associated with Jeff Utterback, a
top racer from the mid and late 70s, and the "J" in GJS. His dad George and brother Scott also have their
names in the monikor. George began welding frames in the summer of 1978 while Jeff was on national tour with the SE team. Upon
returning home later that summer, Jeff got his first glimpse of the GJS frame. He and other riders like Stu Thomsen and Clint Miller started trying out and refining prototypes over the next few months. Loosely based on the Mongoose and it's 18.5" top tube, which the SE riders raced in early 1978, the GJS was one half inch longer on the top tube at 19". The GJS A-Frame made it's public debut at the Mongoose Grand Nationals in Ocbtober of 1978. Interestingly, it was Clint Miller, signed over from the DG team riding for GJS. At that time Jeff was riding for SE, on the recently released SE flagship, the JU-6. Soon after however, he semi-retired from racing to focus on the family business, although he did continue racing on  a GJS in 1979 and beyond.

GJS A-Frames were a bit revolutionary with the head tube gusseting not truly being a traditional late 70's gusset, but, consisting of 2 small diameter tubes for bracing. The first generation had these two support gussets the same size. You could get your early GJS in red, orange, yellow, blue or black. Late in 1979, yellow and orange were dropped, and replaced by chrome as an option. The second generation frame had the rearmost gusset in a smaller diameter. The third generation frame completely removed the rearmost gusset, only coming with a single lower gusset tube. By 1983, the tube gussets were replaced by a plate gusset, and only chrome was offered. To combat breakage issues, the rear seat stay tubes received a minor change with
the 83 model, also. In 1984, things shifted back to the original styling when the A-84 model was released with a
return to 2 same diameter head tube gussets, but, the 1983 seat stays stayed. Starting late 79 or early 80,
GJS added forks, bars, and even a seat post clamp.

In 1983, GJS started releasing freestyle frames, and by 1985, had released the GJS Big Tube, a
revolutionary design featuring large diameter tubing more commonly seen in modern day bikes. Sadly by this
time, the popularity of BMX was waning, and GJS closed up shop sometime in mid 1985.

Of the 5 generations/types of A-Frames, just over 3000 were made, making an A-Frame very rare. However, the
Big Tubes and the Freestyle frames are incredibly more rare, with only a few hundred of each at best making
it to the street, and less than a few of each known to exist.

GJS serial numbers are sequential for each model, and contain no date coding within.

GJS Serial Number Guide