schwinnderella

My buddy built this bike around 1981 as a mountain/cruiser style bike. The bike turned out a bit big for him and he sold it to me. I gave it to my dad who rode it for several years and then returned it to me. Although in the picture it has newer tires the rest of the bike remains just as my friend built it in 1981.

Happy Feet

So what exactly defines a klunker?
Does it need to have a curved frame and 3speed hub or is it more an old school mtb concept primarily used to bomb down hills.
I'm curious because the idea intrigues me but I only have a square frame to work with atm.

Velocivixen

I perceive Klunker as sort of a beater type bike. Maybe built up with parts on hand. It can be road or mountain genre.

Happy Feet

That's what I would have though before reading this thread, as in a klunker car. But it seems the term is being used here to indicate a certain era in early mtb development when prototype bikes were ridden teet over arse down the hill? I find it interesting as I like history and have not heard of this. Sort of like the early development of skateboarding.

Bikedued

It refers to a "usually" coaster brake "mountain" bike, BEFORE there were mountain bikes. Usually a 50's balloon tire frame, coaster brake, handlebars with a bolt on or welded on crossbar, front drum brakes(sometimes) and so on and so forth. The usual is no straight frame tubes.,,,,BD


Schwinn even made a bike called a Klunker 5, which was a 5 speed with rear drum brake, and my memory might be failing but I think it had a front drum brake as well. They were sued by someone else who had rights to the name, IIRC, and were made to stop using the name. It turned into the Cruiser 5 I believe?

Happy Feet

Thanks BD

I was talking to my 15YO son last night and asking him if it would be cool to ride one down our local mtb site. He said I better not, I might break a hip

Velocivixen

Oh, those Klunkers. Gotcha.

crank_addict

Found this klunker years ago while riding past a driveway with the garbage out. Knocked on the folks door and asked permission to take. Adios and was good to go. Took the cruiser bars off, touched up the paint and aired up the tires. I call it a community bike as its left out nearly year round, neighbors and kids are always welcome to it. Its a beater single, coaster but like the style of it.

Glennfordx4

It turned into the Spitfire 5 after the Marin Co boys sued Schwinn for the name Klunker as they had the rights to it.( I sold my unfinished Spitfire 5 last year). The rear had drum and the front did not but it was a popular upgrade that was made ( I still have the Fr Drum brake I was going to use on mine) all the time.

I have been wanting to build a Klunker for years and I have a bike with the parts and a plan but it needs a lot of labor that I really just don't want to put the time into it yet. So I just built this instead, just to hold me over until I have the time to spare





I started with a Wally World Schwinn that I got in a lot of bikes from a local thrift store, it was in ready to ride condition with new tires on it and all. After a few weeks of pushing it in & out of my shop the design of the frame with the built on rack grew on me & I said what the heck. Parts were all out of my bins saving for a rainy day build, here they are,

Shimano XT m735 sgs RD w/purple jockey wheels, Shimano generic 7spd Rapid Fire Shifter.

Ritchey Vantage Expert Rear & Vantage Comp Front wheelset with Deore DX hubs, Kenda Kwest folding bead tires

Avid Brakes & levers, Kool Stop Pads.

Vintage Answer Cro-moly high rise motorcycle handle bars, Blasted & painted, Vans BMX grips. Unknown Stem blasted & painted.

Mongoose Laidback seat post and a Brooks B17 saddle.

Profile BMX sealed bearing 19mm BB & Crankset blasted & painted 40t sprocket.
It's a blast to ride & I have already had it airborne a few times with no damage so far.