# Who rides their Clunker?



## pint (Oct 6, 2008)

This is kind of an off shoot to a recent thread about riding vintage bikes... However, Clunkers, or Klunkers are a different story to me. 1980's and 90's vintage bikes can still perform fantastic on the trail. Do those of you with Clunkers ride the 50 pound beasts very often? I really want to build one, but don't want to put in all the time and money for a garage queen.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Mine is a garage queen/neighborhood cruiser. Way too small and fragile to actually ride off road. I would break it in one ride...


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Aemmer said:


> Mine is a garage queen/neighborhood cruiser. Way too small and fragile to actually ride off road. I would break it in one ride...
> 
> [/IMG]


Tim is a big tall guy so I can see how a Clunker would be cramped for him. I am an average height fat guy. I ride mine all the time. If you like fixing bikes they are great because they will need fixing but the fixes are usually pretty simple. My Mercury has proven to be quite durable. I did manage to crack the rear rim. I view riding them as a workout. Ride a clunk for a week and then get on a more modern bike, you feel like you're flying. Plus both my clunks are super comfortable for me. I can ride them all day.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

I do ride mine, but most of the miles are on the road. My latest conversion has seen 60+ miles in the last few weeks. I'm still tweaking the set up before I take it on the trails. Shown with 2.35 Big Apples and town gearing.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Sometimes. Not my favorite bike, but certainly fun. 42X18 is a bit tall for many of our trails around here.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

sgltrak said:


> Sometimes. Not my favorite bike, but certainly fun. 42X18 is a bit tall for many of our trails around here.


NB Cross series?


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

jeff said:


> NB Cross series?


NBB short track last spring. I don't cross because I don't like to get off my bike.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

sgltrak said:


> NBB short track last spring. I don't cross because I don't like to get off my bike.


Shouldering that thing would not be much fun either.


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## propguy (Oct 2, 2008)

Ride mine all the time..a great conversation starter!


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

This one was a lot of fun....



















Really wish I hadn't sold it :sad:

Steve


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## pint (Oct 6, 2008)

Great info. Keep it coming. Love the action shots!


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## Oldfatbaldguy (Nov 4, 2010)

I'm not a Klunker rider, but will be...working on two of them (one more of a rat-rod bike)

But then, Ross made a bike called the Diamond cruiser back in the 1970's and 1980's with more-or-less the same geometry as the cantilever cruisers that weren't selling anymore. This bike was the basis for their very first attempts at mountain bikes. After the first year, the bikes were updated to accept "Euro" bottom brackets and be available in 3 frame sizes; They were also available in Cro-Mo too.

I have one of those, and with exception of 1 brake lever, lots of battle scars, and a number of tires it is as delivered. I have been riding it non-stop since 1984. Does that count?

Edit: I have ruined a few rims/hubs, too, but still have the original Arayas (on junk hubs).


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## DSSK (Mar 24, 2007)

my dad has a schwinn cruiser supreme from the early 80's that I love to ride, I believe he got it around the time the 1st stumpjumpers were coming out. 
I've ridden some single track on it but i mostly use it for short commutes and getting sideways on ultility roads!


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## Straightbarjay (Feb 10, 2011)

Just got mine on the road... or should I say off it. and cannot stay off it. It feels good and am getting stoked on riding a rigid again. I really like the clean lines of a coaster brake bike but I want gears. So I am in the process of putting together a set of wheels with a sturmey archer 2 speed kickback, oh and a little bit better brake that a 70 year old New Departure 
There is a guy who makes inch pitch cogs that will fit the modern hub.

The only concern I have is the truss rod fork. I had to straighten this one and as I ride the bike i get more bold. Would be awesome to have a cro mo reproduction of these forks.

Yea I am gonna ride the piss out of this thing and see how much i can do with so little.:thumbsup:


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Straightbarjay said:


> The only concern I have is the truss rod fork. I had to straighten this one and as I ride the bike i get more bold. Would be awesome to have a cro mo reproduction of these forks.
> 
> Yea I am gonna ride the piss out of this thing and see how much i can do with so little.:thumbsup:


I believe the original converters of klunkers had this same issue. As you raise the stakes, it may be time to upgrade to a vintage bmx cruiser fork: Cook Bros. Tange........










Before you know it, you will find yourself on a fillet brazed Ritchey.....

Hey, wait a sec.....


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

Aemmer said:


> I believe the original converters of klunkers had this same issue. As you raise the stakes, it may be time to upgrade to a vintage bmx cruiser fork: Cook Bros. Tange........


This isn't a bad option either if you're thrify... maybe just desticker it:
Landrace 26" BMX Cruiser Chromoly Fork CHROME (FORK ONLY)


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## Oldfatbaldguy (Nov 4, 2010)

Not being on the west coast, I'm hoping I can get by without exact replication of anyone's original piece.

The Schwinn will lose its spring fork and get a late 1930's Colson forged blade (similar to Schwinn but heavier...and the truss rods are a little different. The other bike is a huffman cantilever, but my plan is to braze in the lower down tube from a girl's bike in the 2nd-top-tube position, and lose the twin tubes. I really like the mock-up look; it will get a fork remarkably like this one:
Sunlite 26" MTB Fork Threaded Length 100mm, 1" OD, Chrome, Cro-mo
My choice of fork here was limited to stock on hand in the junk pile on an unidentified 1980's frame.

I don't think it's Cro-mo; but it's well made and has the canti mounts for good braking. I'm a little concerned that I may never find a decent drum brake for the Schwinn locally. I have a light-duty Sturmey from the '50's, but I don't think much of it.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

I ride the piss out of mine. I've cracked the frame 3 times, went through a few sets of tires and am now on my second set of cranks/bb, second fork. Some of this was to get it dialed, I ride it more than any other bike I own. Done 20, 30, 40+ mile rides on it and stayed ahead of a lot of guys on new bikes.


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## Straightbarjay (Feb 10, 2011)

Aemmer said:


> I believe the original converters of klunkers had this same issue. As you raise the stakes, it may be time to upgrade to a vintage bmx cruiser fork: Cook Bros. Tange........
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yea the truss rod fork looks great but i may pickup tange or cooks or?? for getting crazy..


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## pint (Oct 6, 2008)

rev...that thing looks sweet! What is it? Glad to hear you're riding it. Seems like I may be building a Clunker! Moving back to CO soon so parts will be easier to find.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

It's a 52 Schwinn. I swapped the cook bros forks for a landing gear and the cooks cranks for some shorter ones as I was wacking them on rocks all the time. The tires are toast, I have some conti's on there now.


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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

*Bloody fat*

Blood didn't get there from hanging on the wall


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## clockworkgazz (Nov 22, 2007)

whats the story with the blood on the fat? Is it a Yo?


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