It hasn't been to long since I wrote my first Hutch freestyler test,the bike was the Trick Star. It was painted hot pink and was equipped with Hutch components from top to bottom. I had to lock it up to keep the test riders from using it. Since then I've sold several Trick Star framesets and bikes to the local kids. But for everyone who bought one,another ten wanted one;the price tag of $800 was prohibitive. The frameset alone is around $200 and all you can do is set it on your dresser until you can afford the next part,another $150 minimum for an item deserving to be bolted to such a trick frameset. You would have to save lots of lunch money to pay for it. This is a problem not uncommon to Hutch fans. The racing Pro Star was an $800 gem that many desired but few could afford so Hutch released the Pro Rider for all us normal folks. It was an entry level racer for $250 (wheels and all). Introducing the Wind Styler;entry level freestyle at an entry level price. Like its big brother,the Wind Styler is a freestyler,heart and soul. The frameset has fork,rear and top tube platforms. You won't need any bolt-ons. The frame looks strong,too. It's full chromoly with a 1-3/8-inch down tube plus an interesting head gusset under the down tube just to make sure (freestyling can be vicious). The fork uses one-inch legs and the dropouts are thick,front and rear.
THE GOOD,THE BAD,THE UGLY

Mike Dominguez flies high above Pipeline Skatepark in Upland,California.While Mike doesn't normally use a Wind Styler when performs or competes,Mike does prove that the bike can be used for either task.

The bike has a pretty good selection of parts. The wheels are new Hutch mag wheels made by OGK and seem to be better than many other wheels I've seen come out of Japan. They look an incredible amount of abuse including a 15-foot fall straight down to the pavement with an almost flat front tire. You could hear the plastic hit the pavement. It should have cracked--it didn't. The rear wheel uses a SunTour coaster brake,which is hot for ground tricks.

The bars are another hot item:Full size Hutch Pro bars. The laidback chromoly seat post was hot,too,but it almost put the seat too far away from the bars. We found it hard to hold the seat and the bars with one hand during balancing tricks. The small seat seemed ideal for freestyle and the Hutch seat post clamp works great.
The drive train is pretty hot. It's a 175mm chromoly crank,Hutch Force Connection spider and a 43-tooth alloy sprocket. Victor copies of the Shimano SX pedal with chromoly shafts provide good non-slip pedal area. The Hutch Wind Styler uses a Tioga top-of-the-line bottom bracket and headset. That is usually where everyone else scrimps:Hutch feels that all the bearings need to be first class to make the bike feel right. He's right,it made a difference.
The stem is an SR chromoly and alloy model. It held up okay but I wouldn't run it up very high. I also think it should have a hollow bolt setup--today that's standard for any freestyler. I'm not sold on Hutch grips either. They're vinyl,not rubber. They're okay but I still think they're too hard for bare hands. On the other hand the traction with gloves was excellent;it's a trade-off.
Two parts made me really unhappy;the tires and brakes. I know that not all these bikes will be used on pavement only,but this is a freestyle bike. It has mags and platforms;it should have a street tire. Riding the CompIII copies in bowls and on ramps is not a good idea. Complaint number two is the brakes. No matter what brakes you use,even with special shoes,they don't work as well on plastic as on alloy. Combine this fact with shoes designed for alloy rims and the Chang Star brakes' stopping power is poor. As much as I've griped about these Taiwanese brakes you would insist I was on Dia-Compe's payroll. The

Woody Itson demonstrates a cherry picker on the Wind Styler.Even the toughest tricks can be done on this introductary model bike.

truth is that poor brakes have to be perfectly adjusted to stop well. Very few bikes that come into my shop have properly adjusted brakes. In an emergency,freestyling or otherwise,you can't afford to be let down. Pavement hurts!
The geometry isn't as fast as a Trick star's but it's plenty capable of anything you want to try. It is one tough bike;Hutch may have slipped a shade on the looks but the strength is there. Part by part it's ready if you are.
The Styler comes in white or chrome only. If you want a hot color like pink or lavender you will have to go to a full blown Hutch. Another color would help set off the white wheels,seat and pads. The Wind Styler isn't a bad bike,in fact it's a lot of bike for $250. Top line Suzue hubs,Tioga bottom bracket and headset are among the hidden necessities. The tires and brakes are the only mechanical drawbacks and you could probably work out an upgrade with your dealer before you pick the bike up. When all the smoke clears you've got a Hutch for about $250. One that's ready to ride,not just sit on the dresser.

HUTCH WIND STYLER SPECIFICATIONS:
Frame: Hutch Wind Styler,4310 chromoly
Fork: Hutch wind styler,4310 chromoly
Headset: Tioga
Wheels: Hutch 5 spoke nylon mags
Hubs: Suzue loose ball,rear SunTour coaster brake
Tires: Cheng-Shin Comp III type,2.125 front,1.75 rear
Crank: Takagi,one piece chromoly
Sprocket: Takagi 43T,Hutch Force Connection Spider
Pedals: Victor VDX,alloy platform type
Chain: TYC,1/2x1/8
Stem : SR MS422,aluminum and chromoly
Handlebars: Hutch Pro
Grips; Hutch
Seat: Velo freestyle
Seat post: Fluted chromoly,laidback
Seat post clamp: Hutch aluminium
Brakes: Cheng Star,MX900 type,front/rear with Tech 3 type levers;
Rear SunTour coaster brake
Bottom bracket: Tioga
Pads: Hutch,complete set
Weight: 26.5 lbs. (approx.)

Dominguez climbing the wall of the pipe.Many top-of-the-line components come complete on the Wind Styler.