Schwinn Cruiser, Klunker Progect, Pt 1

Friend Dave G found a Schwinn cruiser minus wheels in a big skip near the Commando memorial near Spean Bridge in the Highlands earlier this year,
he gave it to Mike who then gave it to me as he knew i would do something with it,
Here it is as found and been hanging in the Garage since summer...


It was single speed with a coaster (back pedal) brake...


Massive (and heavy!) seat...


It is a made in Taiwan basic model replica of the Pre WW2 American company Schwinn newspaper delivery boys bikes,
Some google images turned up these pics of complete bikes...






And it seems to be as new as 2008, so how did it end up in a skip?,
Dave said the skip looked like it was full from a garage clearout due to the contents, he said there was another cruiser but it was a speckled rusty chrome so he left it, maybe someone took the wheels off the green bike whilst in the skip?, who knows...

Anyway i thought it would make a cool cruiser for going to the pub, and i started doing a bit tinkering with it,
Friend Jason pointed out "you already have a pub bike", er... oh yeah, so i do,
the Muddy Fox Courier...


So what to do with it?,
Then this film popped up about Klunking on Vimeo,
Whats Klunking you ask?, watch this, these guys are flying, and having a blast! -:)

You may have to press play then pause and allow the film to load



I already have the DVD film Klunkerz - a documentary of the history of mountain biking, i had kinda thought about trying to build one when i got the Schwinn back in the summer but it ended up just hanging in the garage, for a quick explanation of what a Klunker is and how they came about watch this trailer for Klunkerz...



Bicycles have always been ridden offroad since there invention in the 1820s due to no tarmac surfaces back then!, Victorians cycled, carried and dragged there bicycles all around the world, they crossed continents and rode around the world,
but it was not until the 1930s and American balloon tyre bicycles improved off road potential for DIY offroad designs to emerge combining road touring gear parts and heavy duty tandem hub brakes and fatter rims and tyres allowing the low gear ratio strong bikes they needed,
An early custom off road bicycle builder in the 1950s was John Finley Scott

It was only a matter of time before a stronger offroad specific frame and fork was produced, Joe Breeze built 10 frames and built them into complete bikes - named `The Breezer` and the rest is history...

The guys in Marin County in the early 1970s including Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Tom Ritchey, Charlie Kelly and many more and some guys at the same time in Colorado and Geoff Cleland Apps here in England UK all contributed to the multi gear go anywhere bikes we ride and enjoy so much today...

I have decided to build the schwinn up as bare as possible, stripped down with no hand operated brakes and just a single speed coaster hub brake, mostly to keep cost to a minimum and also for looks.
Some old wheels from an old Marin Moorwoods mtb in the loft will do as i need a 36 spoke rim to have a coaster hub laced up...


I have started to gather the parts i need,
ebay scored a pair of huge chrome vintage motorbike scrambler bars, and some old school 1980s UNI Hand grenade grips...


NOS (new old stock) Suntour copy BMX stem and 1/2" thread Beartrap pedals for the one piece crank, only cost £10 with free P&P...


A Klunker has to have an old Brooks saddle!, So a 1962 Brooks Professional, bought for £25 for another project but unused...


I also have a 1953 B66 twin sprung Brooks saddle i could also use and maybe look better but its worth too much money to potentially damage...


Still to arrive is the most expensive outlay is a Shimano Heavy Duty coaster hub at £45, i could not find a second hand hub, i could of waited but as they say;
"Patience is a virtue, seldom in a woman, never in a man"...

In the meantime i stripped off all parts i dont need, Handlebars and stem, saddle, pedals, side stand, chaingaurd and chain...


Just the hub to arrive and wheel to build then can get all the parts fitted...


Frame will be ready once I strip and regrease the headset and Bottom Bracket bearing...



You can read more on Klunkers at Klunkerz.com