Diamond Frame

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I've been putting some thought to this question and I figure I'd ask before I put a title to my build posting.
Question:
Can a diamond frame set be considered a Klunker (depending on parts used) or would it be considered a mountain bike.
Here is the frame I'm using on my build.
 
I don't have an answer but I have some weird old lightweight/touring kind of frame I'm going to do a bmx style build, and I started thinking it's just going to look like an early mtb.
 
I would say a Klunker would have to use a vintage style frame, because that is what the used to build them originally.
A diamond type frame is just gonna scream mountain bike.
 
Your frame is interesting, and i'd love to know how it was originally equipped. The fact that it had a triple crank makes me think it was sold as a mountain bike, and it might have been old enough (or cheap enough) to have used 1080-style calipers rather than cantilever brakes... but getting a look at the original bars, stem, etc would tell us a lot more.

To me, the original klunkers were old cruisers that were modified for offroad use; John Finley Scott build his first re-purposed Schwinn for trail duty in the early 1950s, long before the rest of the Marin guys had even begun to experiment with balloon-tire cruisers. JFScott put knobby balloon tires on lightweight bikes and ran 3 speeds with gearing far lower than the manufacturers suggested. He called his machines "Woodsy Bikes", but to me, that's a diamond-frame klunker b/c he was taking a bike designed for a different use and modifying it for trail-riding. I do the same thing with various industrial bikes, and i consider it to be "klunking" b/c they're bikes with low- to no-tech being repurposed for offroad use, but i know a lot of "purists" would say it's gotta be a pre-war bike to be a real klunker.

Whatever; the MArin guys were certainly not purists-- they rode strictly Frankenbikes, running whatever parts they could find that would make the bike more viable on the trails. They preferred pre-war Schwinn DX and Model C frames, b/c they were built to last, and had nice geometry, but they also road postwar bikes and they were happy to move on to purpose-built bikes as soon as they had the money, tools, and know-how.

I've klunked a Schwinn lightweight or 2, and i'm about to build up an old Schwinn racer as a bomber-style klunker... I guess, if you can klunk it, it's a klunker...
 
Well I would consider it to be a modern Klunker on an old feel to it, meaning yeah it's a diamond frame with Bmx style forks (threaded) with 1080 style caliper brakes..
Step over to see the final outcome of this frame and give me your opinion on it. Thanks for your input here on the frame and my question.
 
That a beautiful frame. If it were mine I would cut the top tube from an old quality 10 speed (like a Fuji) that had decent tubing and weld in a lower top tube. Once that had the frame stabilized with a second top bar I would bent another Fuji type tube with my MAPP torch and cut out the original top tube and replace it with the new bent top tube. I would remove the seat stays and replace them with curved ones form a wally world Huffy. Lots of tinkering, but I am retired. I want that frame, where can I get one?

Start with one of these (way not as kool as yours)

Weld in the bottom top tube, then cut out the top tube and weld in the bent one in it's place.

Then cut the Huffy chain stays off and replace the straight stays with the Huffy ones.
You get a high bottom bracket, updated geometry and the Klunker look. I am working on this to try and refine it so I can build a Hybrid 1 x 6 with front and rear drum brakes. This is my second try and I want to build a final third one that will eliminate all the mistakes I made on the first two.

Your frame looks like it would work better.
 
I like what your doing on that second picture..
The frame that I have I bought a few years ago to potentially build it and as you can see that time has come to build it and this frame had a nice look and design to it that gave it a Bmx feel to it . But for whatever reason I also see a Klunker look to it too..
 
I like what your doing on that second picture..
The frame that I have I bought a few years ago to potentially build it and as you can see that time has come to build it and this frame had a nice look and design to it that gave it a Bmx feel to it . But for whatever reason I also see a Klunker look to it too..
I hope you post your progress. I would like to see how this frame looks with parts on it.
 
I suspect that the frame is from the early 80s, which was basically a time where MTBs and BMX cruisers had a whole lot in common with eachother. Not surprised that you see a bit of both in there. I think your frame has a relatively long top tube, which makes it seem BMX-ish, but it also makes it seem like maybe a later MTB.... except the lack of canti-posts would be out of place on a later MTB. suspect that the seatpost clamp holds some clues, can you take some up-close pics of the headtube?
 
Nevermind; i found a good one from your other thread...
9F33E200-3071-4C01-8878-71C304F18D92_zpshho6numd.jpg

No clues there! Oops! Are the dropouts stamped, or forged?
 
You can barley see the dropouts on the first picture here on this post I think there forged but how can you tell the difference.?
I know there brazed on to the frame.
 
You can barley see the dropouts on the first picture here on this post I think there forged but how can you tell the difference.?
I know there brazed on to the frame.

I'm terrible at explaining this, but here's a decent tutorial: http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSp...ining_Quality/Determining_Quality_13_Page.htm

It's tough to say without a close-up view, but i'm guessing they're stamped from that first pic. Not too sure, though, as they have eyelets and windows.... which can be found on stamped drop-outs, but most stamped dropouts are extra-plain. The fact that they don't have an integral derailer hanger kinda suggests stamped....
 
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