A week or so ago there was a discussion that popped up on a thread as to if 27.5 mtb wheels and tires could fit on a 26" cruiser bike. I had a Schwinn Jaguar steel cruiser that was left at the bike shop I work at seasonally, that was given to me after no one claimed it 2 years later. It didn't have any damage, and seemed pretty straight forward, so I towed it home.
As I looked at the bike in the rafters of the shop, I could see that the spacing in the rear triangle was huge! The thinner (and thicker walled, read: heavy) steel chain and seat stays left a ton of room to try what I had theoretically thought possible; put 27.5 wheels and tires in a cruiser frame and turn it into a Klunker, in this case the Klunker Kat (Jaguar).
I stopped in yesterday and grabbed an empty work stand in the back of the shop, and resourced the wheel and tire combo I had in mind for the rear. The wheel is an Alex MD 35 rim (35 mm I.D.,outside diameter is 40 mm) laced to a 32 hole disc hub. It came as a 7 spd 12-28t , I put a new 8 spd 12-34 t cassette on the new wheel. Wanted the extra 'teeth' for climbing; this will be an off-road klunker through and through!
That long cage Shimano Acera der will give me the room I need to get to the low gear cogs. Probably could go to a 40t if needed.
The rest of the parts I used to get it started yesterday either came on the bike or I had in my BACK40 bike shed. Since the bike was given to me for free, this is going to be a very economical build, with the wheels and tires eating up almost 90% of the cost. And, with my employee discount, I should have it all in for under $250.
I had this Nitto Torsion Bar on my Surly fat bike back in the day. Great bar, and it fits the stock 25.4 clamping stem that came on the bike.
The grips are a pair that I picked up a couple years ago at my local shop in Mesa, AZ; 'Two Wheel Jones'. They are a Trek shop as well, and have helped me out with shipping and using some of their tools that I don't have in AZ. The shifter came on the bike, the MRX grip shifter that is designed to work with Shimano derailleurs.
The cranks are some that I had sitting on my crank shelf in the parts bin. I mounted a BMX 32 t chainring to the 7" (175 mm) crank arms. This will work nicely with the 12-34 cassette for off-road gearing. The pedals are some Bear Trap knock offs I had on the pedal shelf.
When I sold my Gary Fisher Gemini tandem about 23 yrs ago, I kept the saddles from the bike. These are some of the most comfortable, all leather, saddles I have ever ridden. One went on my Fisher CR7 build three years back, and this one is going on the Klunker Kat.
The fork was originally on the chrome cruiser I used to build RaTs GaSs in BO 15 last year. I like the nice clean look with no brake bosses, and today I will find out if the same wheel and tire combo will fit in that fork! (already eyed it up on the rear wheel, hopefully we will be good).
Speaking of brake bosses, I will be grinding off the rear mounts for the linear pull brakes that were stock. I have used these disc brake adapters on two different klunker builds, Mesa Buggie and Desert Sky. They mount on the QR axle and then the clamp goes around the seat stay. They are mild steel, and can be manipulated to get the right angle and adjustment for the caliper and rotor to match up.
So that's where it stands after Day 1. I have some disc brake kits coming tomorrow, and plan to pick up the wheel and tire for the front today at our shop. Riding by Thursday?
As I looked at the bike in the rafters of the shop, I could see that the spacing in the rear triangle was huge! The thinner (and thicker walled, read: heavy) steel chain and seat stays left a ton of room to try what I had theoretically thought possible; put 27.5 wheels and tires in a cruiser frame and turn it into a Klunker, in this case the Klunker Kat (Jaguar).
I stopped in yesterday and grabbed an empty work stand in the back of the shop, and resourced the wheel and tire combo I had in mind for the rear. The wheel is an Alex MD 35 rim (35 mm I.D.,outside diameter is 40 mm) laced to a 32 hole disc hub. It came as a 7 spd 12-28t , I put a new 8 spd 12-34 t cassette on the new wheel. Wanted the extra 'teeth' for climbing; this will be an off-road klunker through and through!
That long cage Shimano Acera der will give me the room I need to get to the low gear cogs. Probably could go to a 40t if needed.
The rest of the parts I used to get it started yesterday either came on the bike or I had in my BACK40 bike shed. Since the bike was given to me for free, this is going to be a very economical build, with the wheels and tires eating up almost 90% of the cost. And, with my employee discount, I should have it all in for under $250.
I had this Nitto Torsion Bar on my Surly fat bike back in the day. Great bar, and it fits the stock 25.4 clamping stem that came on the bike.
The grips are a pair that I picked up a couple years ago at my local shop in Mesa, AZ; 'Two Wheel Jones'. They are a Trek shop as well, and have helped me out with shipping and using some of their tools that I don't have in AZ. The shifter came on the bike, the MRX grip shifter that is designed to work with Shimano derailleurs.
The cranks are some that I had sitting on my crank shelf in the parts bin. I mounted a BMX 32 t chainring to the 7" (175 mm) crank arms. This will work nicely with the 12-34 cassette for off-road gearing. The pedals are some Bear Trap knock offs I had on the pedal shelf.
When I sold my Gary Fisher Gemini tandem about 23 yrs ago, I kept the saddles from the bike. These are some of the most comfortable, all leather, saddles I have ever ridden. One went on my Fisher CR7 build three years back, and this one is going on the Klunker Kat.
The fork was originally on the chrome cruiser I used to build RaTs GaSs in BO 15 last year. I like the nice clean look with no brake bosses, and today I will find out if the same wheel and tire combo will fit in that fork! (already eyed it up on the rear wheel, hopefully we will be good).
Speaking of brake bosses, I will be grinding off the rear mounts for the linear pull brakes that were stock. I have used these disc brake adapters on two different klunker builds, Mesa Buggie and Desert Sky. They mount on the QR axle and then the clamp goes around the seat stay. They are mild steel, and can be manipulated to get the right angle and adjustment for the caliper and rotor to match up.
So that's where it stands after Day 1. I have some disc brake kits coming tomorrow, and plan to pick up the wheel and tire for the front today at our shop. Riding by Thursday?
