What stem would you suggest for a Klunker.

[kram]

I'm putting together a klunkerish type of build. I have very limited experience with bmx type handlebar stems, so I wanted to see what you guys would suggest? It's 1" threaded fork and the bars have a 7/8 (22.2mm) clamping area. I see the cheap ones on eBay and as they get more expensive I have no idea what is worth spending the money on.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Ooh that's a tricky one. It all depends on the frame, can you post pics? I like something with clamping power. 4 bolts are strong and stylin'.

^dag, I want that bike.

 

[kram]

I don’t have pics, but the frame is a 1941 schwinn dx and the fork is a standard sun lite chrome bmx fork.

 

[Captain Awesome]

There's a bunch of decent looking quill style bmx stems, but I've always been partial to the mallet stems

If you get a threadless adapter..........your choices become ten fold

 

[MattiThundrrr]

That is a cool frame. You can go traditional, like they did when klunking got started

old bmx stem would be my choice, though that can get costly.

Or that style I posted above, that's going to require the threadless adapter Cap mentioned

 

[kram]

Thanks for the cool suggestions and pics so far. The bars I have coming have a crossbar so it has to be one that separates. @Captain Awesome i was looking at the mallet style ones on eBay. I like that look.

 

[Chuy]

Here’s a couple more options.
Double clamp stem

A slingshot style stem

Possibilities are grand. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I forgot about Slingshots! I love those. But I don't love them with a crossbar so much. I don't know why, something about the repeated enclosures bugs me. I think it's one of my old graphic design professors hollering at me to avoid trapped negative space.

Is it just me?


Edit: it's just me, that's a sweet setup

 

[El Pocho]

Theres only one rule in graphic design: There are no rules...(except for all those other rules)

 

[Starnger]

One of my favorite stems of all time is the GT Piston stem. Designed by the same guy who made Dyno Mooneyes and Nirve choppers, it is just the pure awesomeness. You can get one pretty cheap if you are in US

 

[us56456712]

I used a Schwinn steel gooseneck on my 1941 DX klunker. They usually come in upright if they are from a 26 inch bike and dropped if they are from a road bike. This would be what most early klunker riders used. They also sometimes used motocross bars, which is what I used. I cut them shorter.

 

[us56456712]

Here is a Colson klunker I built and raced in 2019. It has a steel stem.

 

[JA331]

Early BMX stem like this would work with your bars. I have a couple nos ones but shipping from Australia would be a little expensive.

 

[AndyA]

If we're talking about flying economy class, there are usually a lot of 20-inch kiddie bikes on Craigslist (cheap) or curb (free) with BMX-style stems.

 

[pebblewurm]

"The bars I have coming have a crossbar so it has to be one that separates. "
If they are old bicycle crossbars with a flat section at the ends, just take the bolt out of the gooseneck and thread the bars past that part.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Double clamp stem

Mmmmm.......so tasty!!

 

[Retro Flutter]

If you can find a 1-1/8'' threadless adapter for your 1'' threaded steerer, you could use any modern BMX stem, that has a 22.2mm clamp. Since all modern BMX bikes us a 1-1/8'' threadless steerer, it'd fit with the adaptor. Could probably even make one, if you really wanted to.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I've never used an adapter like that for trail riding. Can anyone share experience, good or bad, about them? My main concern is with an extra clamping component, there's one more (highly stressed, and pretty critical) part that can shake loose.

 

[us56456712]

"The bars I have coming have a crossbar so it has to be one that separates. "
If they are old bicycle crossbars with a flat section at the ends, just take the bolt out of the gooseneck and thread the bars past that part.

Doesn’t have to be a separate for a Schwinn type steel stem. There are tutorials on the net on how to do this. The same way the original klunker riders installed them on motocross bars. You have to spread the goose neck a little and put it on the thin cross brace. Then it just goes on as if the cross brace wasn’t there. Vice grips close the slight spread. You need a shim as the motorcycle bars are less than one inch. Check out Alan Bonds Clunkers site for alll the parts for a klunker including the shim you need. I ordered a bunch of seat post and motor cycle bar shims so I always have them on hand. I put these on cross brace bars without the flat spot. You might not have to spread a standard gooseneck with the flat spots if you follow the net directions.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

http://clunkers.net/Good idea, that's a great resource.
I've done the spread technique mentioned above on my RockRat.

Just make sure you open it wide enough, or wrap the bar in something, or you might wind up with scratches