26” “Stranger Things” Mike’s bike build

[Rat Pilot]

My son likes the old Huffy frame better, so I think I’ll just save the black frame for another project.

On the source bike - the more I look at that bike I think it is like either a 24” or 26” length frame with 20” wheels. I have a 20” Schwinn frame and 70’s Murray cantilever frame, and neither are nearly that long.

Look at the distance between the seat tube and rear wheel compared to the normal 20” cantilevers.

 

[Captain Awesome]

View attachment 128499
The head tube is just so short on this bike that it is going to take some mods to ever use this springer.

They make those steerer tubes for the springers in different lengths and are on eBay
5.5"
7.5"
8.5"
9.5"

Somebody on here might even have one you could swap. I'd assume that head tube is more on the 5-6" side?

 

[Rat Pilot]

The actual bike in the show looks more like a normal 20” frame, but I wish I could find a better side shot.

 

[Captain Awesome]

The actual bike in the show looks more like a normal 20” frame, but I wish I could find a better side shot.View attachment 128511

That definitely looks 20"

 

[handyandy1100]

Yeah, I bought a springer fork years ago and finally found a frame it fits right when I tried it on the frame I'm using in the build-off this year.

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[Rat Pilot]

They make those steerer tubes for the springers in different lengths and are on eBay
5.5"
7.5"
8.5"
9.5"

Somebody on here might even have one you could swap. I'd assume that head tube is more on the 5-6" side?

Thanks! That’s good to know!
I can clean up the forks and truss rods on this springer, but the spring and yoke are going to need to be replaced. I knew they were readily available, but I didn’t know the different steerer tubes were out there.

 

[handyandy1100]

They make those steerer tubes for the springers in different lengths and are on eBay
5.5"
7.5"
8.5"
9.5"

Somebody on here might even have one you could swap. I'd assume that head tube is more on the 5-6" side?

I wish there was one long enough to fit my Electra Townie! LOL

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[Captain Awesome]

I wish there was one long enough to fit my Electra Townie! LOL

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[Rat Pilot]

You should make a "Starnger Things" bike!


Sorry @Rat Pilot I'm ruining your thread. I'll keep quiet for a while now. Promise

No way, man! I love activity and goofing around. That’s what makes it fun. I appreciate the input.

 

[Rat Pilot]

White nanner came in today.

 

[Rat Pilot]

This chain ring looks pretty close to the Schwinn one and cleaned up nice, so I’ll use it.

 

[Rat Pilot]

I discovered while sanding that this “Huffy” was actually a Huffy-built Monark.

 

[Rat Pilot]

So I hoped to have it largely together this weekend, and I achieved my goal. Turns out it was a little harder to actually hit the proportions of the Schwinn repop, but I think it captures the look of the original one in the show, just supersized. My son is totally pleased with it, and that’s good enough for me

That said, it’s a cool looking bike, even if I had never seen the one on TV. Only difference I would do if I were building it for myself is I’d use a narrower 26 x 1.75 on front.

I’m waiting on the chain guard, and a new springer yoke assembly with the angled head tube bracket.

I guess I’ll finally get my Huffy Dragster XL back!

Now, I have to start on a purple one for my daughter!

 

[Rat Pilot]

P.S. - My son also said he was OK with it not having the mid-rise sissy bar on it. He said “That’s cool - that just means “Eleven” will have to hold on to me tighter when she rides with me!”
(You’d have to have seen the show to get that!)

 

[Starnger]

I think the springer sits this way because of the legs length too, and just changing the yoke assembly won't do it. You'd either have to use longer steerer tube and put the bracket higher with the spacer, either use shorter legs, or do some custom adapter.

 

[Rat Pilot]

I think the springer sits this way because of the legs length too, and just changing the yoke assembly won't do it. You'd either have to use longer steerer tube and put the bracket higher with the spacer, either use shorter legs, or do some custom adapter.

It doesn’t sit that bad on this frame. It only did that on the 90’s Huffy frame, but I did play with it and it seems like angling the yoke does rake it out more.

There’s a huge difference of how it sits between the two frames.

 

[Rat Pilot]

I actually played around with the springer this evening and ended up cutting a little off the springer and shortening the bolt and it looks pretty nice now.

Before:

After:

 

[Rat Pilot]

The chainguard came in. It is going to require a little modification, but I think I can make it work.