Klunkers......Bikes, build techniques and ideas, Things that go klunk !

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OddJob

OddJob

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Hey all you off-road bike lovers! This is a brand new category for those of us that dig the knobbiest of knobbies, like a little dirt and mud and grit in our paint jobs, moto-x bars, and all the other do dads and add-ons that make up a rat rod klunker.

Please feel free to post pics of your klunker builds, and any cool creative ideas that bring rat-isfaction to the off-road bicycle! Here's a couple of my klunker style builds that were built in the past 8 months.

Desert Sky.....early '50s Hiawatha frame, original rims, CST Cheyenne 26 x 2.4 tires, 1978 Yamaha moto-x bars, '80s Selle San Marco saddle, slowriderz custom lay back seatpost.....

From this....
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To this.....
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And my current entry into the ORBO (Off-Road Build Off).....Mesa Buggie.....1950 Schwinn D12 frame branded by Our Own Hardware, fat front fork and 26 x 4.0 tire / wheel combo, suede San Marco saddle, slowriderz custom post (he sells these on this website!), '70s Honda moto-x bar and gum grips, CST 26 x 2.4 tire / alloy CB wheel combo bringing up the rear. Just clear coated the rusty, multi-colored frame. Then "rustina" paint to the stock flat black fork and clear coat to finish.
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Alright....let's see those Klunkers! Rat on!
 
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Here is something a little different. Grocery getter woman's Klunker. Oversized studded tires, short gearing, coaster and front drum. Used for easy off road in the summer with different tires. Horesfarmer now has this frame.

Huffy Cranbrook winter Klunker with summer shoes. This bike frame has now been cut up and sent to the scrap yard. It got rusted beyond all recognition from 3 years in the salt.

Winter tires for the Huffy

 
Falstaff said:
I've only built the one off road bike, but I'll tell you what. If I do it again, I think I'll try using drum brake wheels. I might even try to build a heat dissipation deal similar to what Luke did.[/QUOTE

I can't ride my coaster Klunker on single track over Mount Mesnard here, coming down it gets too hot to touch. It's probably only 300-400 foot total drop. The drop has short steep downhills and this gets it too hot. It is fine for moderate trails and a lot of fun but if you have steep twisty technical rocky descents than a coaster is not good. I don't think any amount of heat sink would make a difference as there is too much force applied to a small surface for too long a time. My New Departure coaster hub is made from one thick piece of steel and that would probably be more heat tolerant? I noticed one yesterday on eBay that wasn't skip tooth. The problem is that the New Departure axles are soft and bend easily. I straighten them by putting the axle in a vice and carefully tapping on the axle nut. Placing it in the vice parallel will tell you how straight you got it. Problem is it bends again with rough use like jumping curbs. Just use your coaster on intermediate trails and you should be fine. A front drum or cantilever brake makes these bikes much more ridable and safer as you don't have to bail off if the chain breaks. You have to be careful if you are used to discs. I have an old large rear drum from a tandem and it is heavy steel and big. I plan to lace this up and put on a multi speed. I think this would be OK for steep descents because of the size and weight. I love klunking, makes you a better rider.
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Most of my bikes have become bmx/bomber type of builds. I don't own anything with a derailure hanging off the back at this time but maybe soon.
This one I built during the off-road build off but didn't enter it, I just didn't think it was all that unique. I like it though. Bf Goodrich Schwann straight bar, old wald fork, bars and bmx style stem off an old girls earth cruiser, lucky 7 sprocket, aluminum wheels with nexus 3, slowrider seat post and now for the new parts... odi mushroom grips, brooks flyer, and I think the nicest shifter for a nexus, a sturmey archer indexed thumb shifter.
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jamesdart said:
Most of my bikes have become bmx/bomber type of builds. I don't own anything with a derailure hanging off the back at this time but maybe soon.
This one I built during the off-road build off but didn't enter it, I just didn't think it was all that unique.
Click to expand...
I like Coaster brakes for simplicity, but gears are more comfortable and practical for longer rides. Have a couple Stermy 3 speeds and a Nexus 4 speed coaster internally geared hub - they work great on road. 8 speed Derailleur on my klunker build gives great range of ratios which I like a lot. :)
 
us56456712, " My New Departure coaster hub is made from one thick piece of steel and that would probably be more heat tolerant?"
New Departure has a disk pack brake (steel/brass) maybe better (more area) than the steel shoes of other coasters.
 
horsefarmer said:
us56456712, " My New Departure coaster hub is made from one thick piece of steel and that would probably be more heat tolerant?"
New Departure has a disk pack brake (steel/brass) maybe better (more area) than the steel shoes of other coasters.
Click to expand...
One of mine has all steel discs, 17 of them. I think you might be right about dissipating the heat.
 
horsefarmer said:
I like Coaster brakes for simplicity, but gears are more comfortable and practical for longer rides. Have a couple Stermy 3 speeds and a Nexus 4 speed coaster internally geared hub - they work great on road. 8 speed Derailleur on my klunker build gives great range of ratios which I like a lot. :)
Click to expand...
Sometime soon I want to build an external geared multi speed Klunker. I have a 6 and 7 speed Megarange. Big drop down into low but I don't mind that for the trails. I want to use one of these with my drum brake and lace up a wheel, someday.
 
Well i might as well get in on the fun ! A week late on finishing for the 2016 compilation .... My front drum brake was on back order for ever . Here Brave Heart . I'm running sealed bearing in the BB, head set , & paddles so smooth what a difference.
This is 1941 Hiawatha frame.
OG paint with a clear coat
Custom aluminum wheels I had anodized blue.
Hand made 32" bars by Mr. Tick
Brooks professional saddle
Custom-made seat post
Strumy archer front drum brake
3 speed nexus rear Hub .
39 tooth pork chop saw tooth chain ring
1" threaded cruiser fork reinforced.
Wellgo B103 sealed bearing petals
3 piece crank
Lock on grips
KMC copper finish chain
Kenda K-Rad 26"x2.3 tires
Dia comp break leaver
Old school Bmx steam .
1960 bottle opener [emoji481]
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It's rides awesome thanks for looking[emoji109]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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jamesdart said:
That looks good. I gotta get a set of those mr.tick bars
Click to expand...
Look him up on f/b klunkers and nonsense . Chad Logan .
They trick for sure there's where to wide I had to cut them down to 32" he has a few sizes .


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