Go ahead . . . Pull the front brake lever!
I dare ya!
I dare ya!
Next build off………
- Thread starter Captain Awesome
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The crank arms seem rather short, like it was designed for speed instead of torque.
For off-road the cranks should be a lot longer.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
Not quite, but close
That thing is wild! Someone needs to do one of these for a build off.
I'd be wearing full pads I think. Looks like fun though!
It looks like he’s getting ready to bail . . .
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
It is never a ginormous brain that leads one to do these things.
Got a question for the off road guys here: was there a reason most period klunkers used rigid forks as opposed to suspension forks? When I look at photos of klunkers from back in the '70s, most folks ran either a Schwinn-style bladed fork with truss rods or a later BMX-style tubular fork. Is there a reason people didn't use springer forks back then? I'd figure having at least an original springer fork would provide a softer ride when hitting any bumps or rocks, especially going downhill.
Reason I ask is because I'm thinking of turning my Firestone Pilot into a klunker, but I'd like to keep the Shelby springer fork on it to help smooth out the bumps.
Reason I ask is because I'm thinking of turning my Firestone Pilot into a klunker, but I'd like to keep the Shelby springer fork on it to help smooth out the bumps.
Durability I'm guessing
Springers from back then, like yours, have some flex to them. On a trail when going fast and hard, they get unstable as they have some give left and right along with up and down. The modern forks are more stable than the classic ones. They are very good on the street though.
The bumps is part of the klunker experienc
Gotcha. Well, I don't plan on riding fast and hard just yet, as I'm still very new to off-road biking. I just want to build a "beginner's klunker" to help me get used to riding off-road on an old bike. I had built such a bike during the previous ORBO, but I barely rode it, partly because I never rebuilt the coaster brake hub, but mostly because I just didn't like the original red paint.
I'm not used to riding on bumpy terrain (even though Oklahoma roads almost count as such,) so having a soft springer fork might be a good way for me to get adjusted to riding on uneven gravel and dirt trails. Once I get more comfortable riding off-road, maybe then I could switch to a more rigid fork. I would use a modern suspension fork, but none of the ones I have in stock have a long-enough steerer tube to fit these older frames.
What do you think?
The springer will make for a better offroad ride, as long as you're not doing jumps or seeing how fast you can take the downhill path.
If you're bottoming out the springer there are ways to adjust it for your terrain.
If you're bottoming out the springer there are ways to adjust it for your terrain.
No jumps for me, I'm not daring enough for that! And as long as my only means of stopping in case of an emergency is a coaster brake, I'll either take the downhill path slowly, or if it's real steep, I'll just walk the bike down.
I'll have to see how I can adjust this Shelby springer. First time I've ever messed with one. If that doesn't work, I've got a rat trap springer I could try that's much stiffer.
I would think weight, strength and handling would be issues. The old springers are heavy. I don't know how well they would hold up to serious off road riding, I think fast downhill runs could break stuff. They would also pogo on climbs. I don't think any of these factors would be an issue for a cross country ride. The springer does absorb bumps pretty nicely.
For sure.
Experimentation will help a lot. You'll figure out what suits your ride the best. I have a couple of klunks with springer forks. I don't ride my klunkers very hard because I don't want to break them but I do ride them fast(ish) and will take small jumps and just have fun.
There were some klunkers back in the day with springers like this Crested Butte bike with a rat trap:
This one belongs to a Morrow Dirt Club member. This bike still exists and it looks like the spring has been modernized:
Another Morrow Dirt Club bike that's still around:
This is my springer klunker. It's pretty fun to blast around on back roads and dirt roads. But a mountain bike it ain't. The fender is mocked up as I'm thinking of rebuilding this one into a late '50s style custom. Or maybe a low stretched custom. Who knows.
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You mean "emergency room" brake?I tryed a springer on a klunker but it was off a middleweight so the larger 26x2.10 tires made contact with the fork before the spring bottomed out. An emergency brake you don’t know you have
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I get your point there, but the thing is I want to build more of an "off road cruiser" for riding on fairly level dirt and gravel trails, and not for "downhill runs and cross country rides." There are some good mountain bike trails around home, but most of them are for more experienced off road riders. I'm a beginner; I'm not used to riding off road at all.
It's like with video games; if I start playing a new game on the hardest difficulty setting meant for experienced players, I'm just going to get frustrated and stop playing after only a few minutes. But if I start a new game on the easiest setting, I can learn how to play the game at my own pace, get comfortable with it, and then try playing on a more serious setting once I have an idea of what to expect.
I know the rules say that bikes for the ORBO are supposed to be ridden "hard and fast," but I'm not ready for that level of off roading, and honestly, I'm just not that kind of guy. But if I can build a bike that allows me to adapt to riding on loose, rough terrain, I might get comfortable enough with it that I can start pushing my bike, and myself, harder than I previously thought possible.
Awesome period photos and bikes! Thanks for sharing those.
Nice! See, that's more of what I want to build: an off-road cruiser. Nothing too crazy, but something I can ride on gravel and dirt trails without worry.
I think you're on the right track with this bike and it's honestly most of the way there. Off road riding is really forgiving on gentler trails and you'll build confidence quickly. You'd be surprised how 'hard and fast' you can go on a bike like this. I'd recommend wearing gloves so if you do go down you won't get gravel embedded in your palms. I've learned that lesson multiple times.
I would ditch the fenders, like yesterday. (Set aside for another project, of course
). That springer looks pretty plush which might be just the ticket. The springer on my Roadmaster is really soft and plush but it rides surprisingly well and smooths out the bumps nicely. It rarely bottoms out on regular riding unless I hit a pothole or something. That seat is great, or you could do a Brooks or similar if you want something lighter. I'd be tempted to do some blackwall tires but that's just a preference thing. Same with the bars. I think it would look and ride great with some longhorns or old MX bars. The 10 speed cranks look the part and you could set it up with an old derailleur as a tensioner so you could use either chainring. Add a front derailleur or shift by hand. You could add rear gears pretty easily too, either internal or external gearing. Just add a hand brake and you're all set. I love klunkers. They are awesome bikes and can be super cheap (or not), creative and tons of fun!
