# Klunker sizing question



## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

I've swung a leg over lots of Schwinns and the odd Firestone and Rollfast and have always found them to be kind of small. 

Was there a bike the over 6 foot crowd looked for when building a klunker?

If not, was the kludge just taller seatposts and wider bars?


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

mainlyfats said:


> I've swung a leg over lots of Schwinns and the odd Firestone and Rollfast and have always found them to be kind of small.
> 
> Was there a bike the over 6 foot crowd looked for when building a klunker?
> 
> If not, was the kludge just taller seatposts and wider bars?


I'm only a freshman on this stuff, but there are 3 sizes of the C-model. Near as I can tell most frames out there are the 18"


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## FairfaxPat (Jan 29, 2008)

Yeah, if you were 6' or over, then a really long seatpost was required-the trick was to keep it from bending when you were bombing down the Mountain. A number of us rigged cables from the top tube up to the seat post near the top to reinforce it and, hopefully, keep it from bending backwards. Didn't always work, though.


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## surly357 (Jan 19, 2006)

J_Westy said:


> I'm only a freshman on this stuff, but there are 3 sizes of the C-model. Near as I can tell most frames out there are the 18"


yeah, the tall ones pop up on ebay once in a great while. if you don't mind starting with a post war middleweight those show up a little more often. fwiw my prewar snyder built rollfast is noticeably longer and a little taller than my schwinns, even with a drop stem it's plenty tall enough for my 5'10", with a normal cruiser stem i'd think it would be fine for 6' + a little.....


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

Klunker frames are pretty much one size fits all. The original seatpost was rarely long enough for a tall rider. First solution for that was the seatpost from a Schwinn exerciser, really long and conveniently marked in inches. It was the same diameter and it was available from the dealer where you were already getting your stuff. It had the tapered end for a conventional saddle clamp. There was even a threaded QR clamp you could get with it.

If that wasn't tough enough, and sometimes it wasn't, or if it was too heavy, you switched to a piece of aluminum bar stock. You can either have the end machined to match the Schwinn SP saddle clamp, or you can modify the saddle clamp.

The original purpose of the seatpost QR was not so much for handling, but to protect the wimpy SP from being bent from so much length exposed and a heavy rider bouncing on the saddle on the downhills. It's already laid back pretty far, and it didn't take much of a hit to damage it. Better to lower it with a QR and put a lot of the SP inside the frame, and reduce the leverage on it.


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## repackpioneer (Mar 26, 2007)

for the most part they were "all the same size" the pre war colson, because it had a lower bottom bracket and longer seat tube required less seatpost to reach the heights. Schwinn also had larger frames - the 40/41DX came in 2 sizes and the lawsuit bike (around 37/38) had more seat tube If you can find pictures of 'Freds' bike' (ask repack rider) that would give you an idea of what you're up against The larger schwinn afforded only about 1/2" more reach the bikes I build now all use 13/16 aluminum rod and none have ever bent It's hard to get such a short piece tho - it comes in 10-12 ft lengths....


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Prewar C frames. Notice the far right frame is a bit larger.

View attachment 476791


Bottom frame is larger:

View attachment 476792


At 6' 3" I have yet to find too many bikes that didn't fit me if they looked cool enough, but then again I have been accused of looking like a bear on a bicycle from time to time.

Cheers,
T


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

Aemmer said:


> Prewar C frames. Notice the far right frame is a bit larger.
> 
> Bottom frame is larger:
> 
> ...


T -

For future reference, where do you measure to get the 16", 18" or 20" size? Center of BB shell to what? My Fleet measures just under 19" to the top of the seat tube and 18" and 20" don't seem to line up with anything?

BTW, I need to update my build progress over on RB, but just got my billet seatpost back from the anodizer -- looks pretty good. Just need to set aside some dough to soda blast and paint the frame this fall.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Hey Jeff,
Great question, At work now but I will measure the the two frames in the near future and let you all know through this post. Back from a month of vacation and into the dregs of work. At least I have time to catch up on the VRC banter.


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## repackpioneer (Mar 26, 2007)

yep


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## repackpioneer (Mar 26, 2007)

a regular sized 40dx Excelsior frame same as Gary and Charlie rode is 16" from the center of the bb to the centerline of the top tube junction and 18" to the very top


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## repackpioneer (Mar 26, 2007)

my email was returned due to my lack of expertise so here it is on the seat post question:
all I have currently is marked 86684 then a foot down KUMW 2024T351 1. It is 13/16 and needs only a buff to shine up and fit. We settled on 9 pieces out of 12 ft to give 16" posts
which are way long enough. 12 ft was around 230.00 and was well worth it


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## surly357 (Jan 19, 2006)

repackpioneer said:


> for the most part they were "all the same size" the pre war colson, because it had a lower bottom bracket and longer seat tube required less seatpost to reach the heights. Schwinn also had larger frames - the 40/41DX came in 2 sizes and the lawsuit bike (around 37/38) had more seat tube If you can find pictures of 'Freds' bike' (ask repack rider) that would give you an idea of what you're up against The larger schwinn afforded only about 1/2" more reach the bikes I build now all use 13/16 aluminum rod and none have ever bent It's hard to get such a short piece tho - it comes in 10-12 ft lengths....


mcmaster-carr (www.mcmaster.com i think) has 3' lengths.


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## surly357 (Jan 19, 2006)

*40/41 spec.....*

emailed a question to breezer bicycles last year thinking "oh sure, like joe breeze will ever actually see this...." a couple hours later i got a reply from joe that included a copy of the sketch he did of his klunker frame before he made his first breezer. i thought that was awfully nice. it looks really cool printed out on decent paper  of course this is the 'normal' size frame. i apologize if i've posted this here before......so many forums.....


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## iamthewalrus (May 20, 2009)

Repack Rider said:


> The original purpose of the seatpost QR was not so much for handling, but to protect the wimpy SP from being bent from so much length exposed and a heavy rider bouncing on the saddle on the downhills. It's already laid back pretty far, and it didn't take much of a hit to damage it. Better to lower it with a QR and put a lot of the SP inside the frame, and reduce the leverage on it.


Maybe the best piece of information on the historical aspect of a part that made its way onto the modern mountain bike. :thumbsup:


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

J_Westy said:


> BTW, I need to update my build progress over on RB, but just got my billet seatpost back from the anodizer -- looks pretty good.


I updated the build thread here if anyone is interested:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61972

Seatpost is: 
- 6061, 1" bar stock from mcmaster.com
- 13/16" main section
- 7/8" seat clamp section
- just over 17" long


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Not era correct, but I think it would be cool to cut the post from some of this: http://titaniumjoe.com/tubing.htm
Last time I did the conversion they had 13/16 in stock....


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

*Frame size*

The tape didn't come out legible like I hoped but here it is anyways:

Center of BB to top of seat tube:

Small C frame 18 3/4" 








Large C frame 20"








41 DX 18"








The top tube length (center to center) on the DX was 22.5" inches, while both C frames were 22 1/4"

Cheers,
T


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## GoldenEraMTB (Aug 25, 2008)

good stuff :thumbsup:


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

New acquistion: 1939 DX -- Schwinn Ace

Center of BB to top of seat tube: 18"

Top tube length (center to center): 22-1/4"


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## ericb49 (Aug 11, 2006)

J_Westy said:


> New acquistion: 1939 DX -- Schwinn Ace


...nice bottle opener :thumbsup:


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

J_Westy said:


> New acquistion: 1939 DX -- Schwinn Ace


I scored an NOS Ashtabula Schwinn-stamped stem over the winter and finally took the time to install it.

This makes an awesome town/pub bike!

More pix here: 1939 DX Schwinn Ace -- Finished - Page 7 | Retrobike


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

I have a 48 Hawthorne that is larger than a run of the mill Schwinn, like it was said they do exist just not too common. If you want to go with an og seatpost that is long and fairly stout (but never intended for klunkin'  you could use a Schwinn Exercisor seat post, a fav amongst pre-cursor BMX people.


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

Haven't checked in a while, but I really appreciate all the answers here guys.


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## iheartbicycles (Mar 14, 2008)

According to Jer - the 1940/41 Shelby is several inches longer in the top tube than standard DX's and such.

bikes for sale - Photos and Videos


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## -Anomie- (Jan 16, 2005)

iheartbicycles said:


> According to Jer - the 1940/41 Shelby is several inches longer in the top tube than standard DX's and such.


My '36 Shelby Traveler is the same, it's the biggest pre-war frame I could find, both TT and ST length. Yes I'm replying to an ancient thread, sue me


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