Light 3-Speed
 

I've been riding my 3-speed IGH cruiser lately and enjoying it immensely as well as deriving (for me,IMO) a better workout than with an e-bike or MTB. This bike is about 27 pounds with some recent improvements. I would like to assemble or purchase a true cruiser-style (like the old Schwinn cruisers, not a retooled MTB) without starting with a $2000+ custom frame, and end up with a five or so pound lighter bike. Any ideas? BTW, the current bike (below) has a Kent Eriksen Ti seatpost and Ti-railed seat, and could be made lighter by rebuilding the rear wheel with a lighter rim and spokes, changing the steel handlebar to carbon or aluminum and installing an aluminum crank.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a4e012fea8.jpg

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It's my nature to experiment, and this bike has a caliper front brake as well as other aspects to improve. Plus, with the current coronavirus limitations, there's a lot of time for a project. I'm relatively new to cruisers and am looking for suggestions.

Perhaps also go to a 1-speed hub and install lighter tires?

Maybe all the above would get you down to 24 pounds?

Thank you for your comment; sincerely appreciate it. I really like the 3-speed and find its 186% or so gearing adequate for off road. Probably, I'll keep riding it as is for now since looking at options yesterday wasn't fruitful. Putting a 29" tire in front really improved the downhill capability and the weak brake makes every excursion exciting. Just don't want to put any stress on the already overworked (and probably facing increased pressure) hospital staff in CA.

Even though I saw those knobby tires, I didn't realize you rode that bike off road. I was simply thinking of minimizing things, even losing the cable and shifter?

That makes me think of 2 speed kickback hubs to lose the cable and shifter. Or, move the shifter to the frame closer to the rear wheel if you're really counting ounces of cable? Of course, that would require a different shifter, I'd imagine.

Just thinking out loud. :D

Thanks again; I'm a weight weenie, but not at all costs or expending lots of money, and reside in a congested part of CA where riding on the street is too dangerous IMO, so ride almost exclusively off road.

This could be a fun project. I assume your frame is aluminum (I love that frame by the way) so another cruiser frame won't save much if any weight. Are the stem and fork on this bike steel or aluminum? If they are steel you have the potential to shave another pound or two off by going aluminum. Carbon forks with 1 inch threaded steer tubes aren't plentiful but you can find them. These changes along with the mods already discussed could get you close to your goal.

Keep us posted. This will be an interesting thread to follow.

Thanks, Don. I've seen aluminum forks with threaded steerers for road bikes, but not MTB. You have a good idea though; I may try to build from scratch maybe with an Electra cruiser or another Bikes Direct. Looks like I'll have lots of time with the current lock down in CA, so need something to keep from going crazy. I really like the causal frame geometry of cruisers after not riding one for (YIKES!) many years, and may continue with the 26/29 wheel orientation.

love the color!

I’ve been looking into the same concept. Light weight cruiser style bike. there are a couple of aluminum framed bikes out there. Ive been looking at the Priority Coast
https://www.prioritybicycles.com/products/thecoast. Which comes with a Gates belt drive. It is built more for low maintenance not necessarily weight savings. It has a 1 1/8 quill steer tube and aluminum bars. Weight is around 29-30 for the 3 speed version.

I think there is some weight that could be saved in the wheels, bars & fork. Carbon bars are an option but I think you’ll lose the swept look of a cruiser.

2old.....that's a good looking bike!
I wouldn't do anything but enjoy it for what it is (a Cruiser) and put the $$$ towards buying another bike more suitable for the intended purpose.

I kinda agree, but realize that the urge to improve a bike is strong as well. I'm convinced that the best bang for the buck in your case is lighter wheels and tires. The down side; however is that your ride may be less comfortable. Do you encounter many hills? Since you ride a 3 speed, I'm guessing that you avoid the steep, long ones. Weight is and important factor when climbing hills, but I've not found it to be all that significant overall. On my commute to and from work, I've not seen any real time or average speed differences between riding my unloaded light bike (~22 lbs) or my regular commuting bike (~33 lbs + perhaps 5lbs of cargo).

Nice Bike BTW.

If you do decide to make changes to it, don't tear it down until you have the new parts in hand. The pandemic has affected even the availability of bike parts.

Consider a BMX 3 piece conversion, to a threaded BB & aluminum crank arms & a long reach front rim brake...
frame is already aluminum it appears

Yes, there are custom builders making the frames of light weight high strength steel tube, in the cruiser style,
but you are not willing to pay that much as you said..
so work with what you have..

hire a titanium fork custom made.