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Hi fellow bike fans,
Just posted this in the "Show me your Klunkerz", but since this was a new build,
even with old parts, I'll post it here too.
With a few more words.
When I brought home the blue cruiser frame it was because of seeing all the cool builds here at RRB.

This morning the idea came that I had the wheels/tires left over from painting/tuning the old Stumpjumper,
and lots of bikes to part out, a quick build would be possible.

After looking at about half of the Klunkerz posted in that thread, I was hooked, had to try one of those out.

I am fond of gears, gotta have some kinda gears. Also a comfortable seat and "upright" seating. All easy to include.
a cruzer.JPG
rattle can re.JPG
 
This build was to be a quick and cheap build.
That blue frame was rough, bad paint, ruined forks, damaged seat tube, rusty headset,
and so on,
Not worth spending a lot of time and money on. But good enough, and strong enough
to build a solid klunk out of.
So after stripping the frame, I painted it. No sanding, just wiped it off and washed off any grease.
Used a rattle can, as usual.

The next view is about halfway along.
halfway home re.JPG
 
The cranks were donated from a big-box store BMX bike, 3-piece, steel, a bit heavy but
very strong. The stem from another dime-store BMX, the bars also from a BMX, but a midrange
bike with better finish. Had brake levers and grips.
The chainring is standard Schwinn, and came with the frame.
The rest was just "around"
ready to ride 1.JPG
ready to ride 2.JPG
 
Oh, the fork. the fork came from a scrapped Schwinn Miridian trike.

A big surprise to me is how well this bike now rides and handles.
Very stable at slow speeds.
Fun to ride, like I didn't want to stop.
Solid. It's a keeper.
I will consider taking apart again sometime later to clean and prep for paint better.
I even got the stainless spokes i like so much.

Total cash outlay so far is half a rattle can of semi-gloss black and one new shift cable.
 
Took this bike out today for a short spin.
once again i was surprised how stable and solid it rode considering all
the used parts and quick assembly time.

Makes me think about building a sister ship, (bike) to match using
a step-thru frame to end up with a " His & Hers "
 
This "ladies" frame is not worth much as far as $ go, but it does kinda match the
mens frame i used and i have matching forks,stem, and bars, so I thought I
might set up sorta matching bikes.
A "his" and a "hers" kluncker pair.

Another "seems like a good idea at the time" kinda thing.

Crazy thing is that the "ladies" frame was a solid rider, very stable, comfortable to ride, and
should be so after setting it up with matching matching components.

UpDown 2, Red Goose tandem, Intense race frame, and Back to the cross are slowing down
any attempt to finish off the matching "junk to klunk" ladies build/

I do believe in a "His and Hers" world. Also "His and Hers" bikes.

Viva la difference !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I rebuilt a Schwinn ladies 26" from the early 2000's. I found it to be a solid well built bicycle with a solid set of hubs, crank and the rest. Bike was a pleasure to ride and very sturdy. It had big tubing like an aluminum bike but was of steel and quite light. Pink one in back. Front bike is a 1961 Columbia.
IMG_0490.jpg
 
Even though they call then "ladies" models or frames, I find the "step through" frames
easy to mount, and still very sturdy to ride.

So, at 73 years old, who really cares what they're called, and who really cares who rides what,
I find the "step thru" frames a comfortable option to have around the place to ride.
 
So, at 73 years old, who really cares what they're called, and who really cares who rides what,
I find the "step thru" frames a comfortable option to have around the place to ride.
I have built up three step-through bikes for male customers at their request in the past few months. Two were over 70 years old and the other has not ridden in years, stating he would be more comfortable on a step-through when we discussed his build request. Last year's backyard haul gave up two really nice large sized mixte frames and they will probably go to male riders as well.
 

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