Hello. Im VERY new to doing anything to a bike, i have ( on the way ) a huffy cranbrook. I need stuff ! seat, fenders, springer forks, light,rear rack.......i want to dress this thing up some. What bike shop, online, should i look at ? i have no idea what will and will not fit or work on this bicycle. Thanks.
Bike shop ???
- Thread starter Tramp
- Start date
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Kinda depends - what style bike appeals to you ? Look around the galleries and see what looks "cool" to you as a starting point.
One example:
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/what-to-do.43370/
One example:
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/what-to-do.43370/
Welcome aboard! Here's a thirteen page thread devoted to customized Cranbrooks: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/show-off-your-finished-huffy-cranbrook.32667/
As far as what will fit, there's going to be a learning curve -- luckily, this site should show you most of the things to look for! Then again, we may not know that you may already know something, so ask questions if we skip a step and/or pardon us if we over-simplify something.
Pedals only really come in two sizes: 1/2" thread for one-piece cranks (like the Cranbrook) and 9/16" thread for three-piece cranks. There's a huge selection of BOTH sizes, though, so as long as it says "1/2"" they should fit your bike.
Older-style threaded headsets like on the Cranbrook are usually going to be 1" diameter, but if you want to replace the stem the piece that it fits into (the steerer tube) may be either 21.1mm or 22.2mm in diameter -- which should be printed on the current stem. If you want to replace the handlebars (with something normal and off-the-shelf) those are usually going to be either 1" or 7/8" diameter, and in a perfect world you'll find a stem to fit both the handlebar and steerer tube. Since that works out to "only" four different stem sizes, it's fairly easy to find one that works. (1" x 22.2, 7/8 x 22.2, 1" x 21.1, and 7/8 x 21.1. Some websites will also confuse things by putting the first measurement in metric as well, so those four sizes become 25.4 x 22.2, 22.2 x 22.2, 25.4 x 21.1 and 22.2 x 21.1.)
Edit: I see you mentioned "springer forks," which opens up a lot more questions. The Cranbrook comes with a 1" threaded fork and headset, which means that most 1" threaded forks will fit. Threadless forks are different beasts altogether, and use different stems as well -- if you WANT to go that route it's possible, but it's going to be more complicated and I suspect more expensive. Do you want to keep the same 26" wheel on the front? If so, then you have to decide if you want a straight fork, or one of the "slightly bent" ones with a curve in it, or one of the extremely bent ones as often seen on "low rider" bikes. Then again, those are all the "vintage" style forks -- for all we know you might want to put a more modern motorcycle-style fork on there! Lots of choices, lots of decisions.
If you want fenders, you'll probably want the wider style fenders made for 26" cruisers. If you want different tires, you'll want the relatively common (for instance) 26x1.95 tire -- something with a decimal number after the 26. (Older cruisers from before the era of mountain bikes used a DIFFERENT SIZE of 26" tire, with fractions for sizes like 26x1 3/8, but you'll be better off using the decimal sizes AND have a much wider selection of sizes and styles.) Wider tires may or may not fit the bicycle frame depending on the width, but there's probably a lot more information on that subject in that thread I linked above.
Seats are pretty simple -- most cruisers have three pieces: the seat, the clamp, and the seatpost. Seatposts come in all sorts of different diameters depending on the company that made the frame, but if you need to find a replacement that should be easy enough. Most cruisers today probably use a 7/8" clamp, so many seatposts will be listed as "XXmm, 7/8" clamp end" which means the post narrows at the end so the clamp fits.
As far as seats -- wow. On this forum alone there's probably been enough written to fill several books.
Some people love the vintage seats made with real leather and springs, some like the newer ones with newer materials. There's no such thing as "the perfect seat" since it depends on the rider's anatomy, their "sit bones," and their style of riding. People on cruisers tend to sit more upright than people on racing-style bikes, so a wider saddle on a cruiser will probably be more comfortable since it's supporting more of their weight. On the other hand, the wider nose of a cruiser saddle may become uncomfortable if someone's going to be riding 50 miles in a day, but that's also why they make road bikes and narrow saddles, which are a more efficient way of covering long distances. The best thing I can recommend there is to try the one that came on the bike, and if you don't like it, try to analyze WHAT you don't like and then research seats around that. (Then again, this spring I just put a banana seat, "sissy bar" and "ape hanger" handlebars on my latest bike -- essentially making it fit and feel like an adult-sized, old-style Stingray -- so you might not want to trust my advice when it comes to seats. )
Some purists and vintage bike lovers will howl at my over-simplifications above -- I know there are errors and omissions because there's ALWAYS going to be some weird European size for everything bicycle-related -- but the above is probably correct for 99% of all cruiser bikes made after 1970 (and probably correct for MOST "department store bikes" in the same time period.) If you can't find something in the right size, rat rodders can always find a way to MAKE something fit -- like with shims -- but I'm not a huge fan of those on handlebars if the right size can be found.
As I said above, there are lots of choices and decisions to be made with any of these customizing options -- depending on your point of view that can be frustratingly maddening or exhilaratingly liberating! These bikes can be like a blank canvas, which can be turned into almost anything, limited only by your mechanical skill and knowledge.
Enjoy yourself, ask questions, and have fun!
As far as what will fit, there's going to be a learning curve -- luckily, this site should show you most of the things to look for! Then again, we may not know that you may already know something, so ask questions if we skip a step and/or pardon us if we over-simplify something.
Pedals only really come in two sizes: 1/2" thread for one-piece cranks (like the Cranbrook) and 9/16" thread for three-piece cranks. There's a huge selection of BOTH sizes, though, so as long as it says "1/2"" they should fit your bike.
Older-style threaded headsets like on the Cranbrook are usually going to be 1" diameter, but if you want to replace the stem the piece that it fits into (the steerer tube) may be either 21.1mm or 22.2mm in diameter -- which should be printed on the current stem. If you want to replace the handlebars (with something normal and off-the-shelf) those are usually going to be either 1" or 7/8" diameter, and in a perfect world you'll find a stem to fit both the handlebar and steerer tube. Since that works out to "only" four different stem sizes, it's fairly easy to find one that works. (1" x 22.2, 7/8 x 22.2, 1" x 21.1, and 7/8 x 21.1. Some websites will also confuse things by putting the first measurement in metric as well, so those four sizes become 25.4 x 22.2, 22.2 x 22.2, 25.4 x 21.1 and 22.2 x 21.1.)
Edit: I see you mentioned "springer forks," which opens up a lot more questions. The Cranbrook comes with a 1" threaded fork and headset, which means that most 1" threaded forks will fit. Threadless forks are different beasts altogether, and use different stems as well -- if you WANT to go that route it's possible, but it's going to be more complicated and I suspect more expensive. Do you want to keep the same 26" wheel on the front? If so, then you have to decide if you want a straight fork, or one of the "slightly bent" ones with a curve in it, or one of the extremely bent ones as often seen on "low rider" bikes. Then again, those are all the "vintage" style forks -- for all we know you might want to put a more modern motorcycle-style fork on there! Lots of choices, lots of decisions.
If you want fenders, you'll probably want the wider style fenders made for 26" cruisers. If you want different tires, you'll want the relatively common (for instance) 26x1.95 tire -- something with a decimal number after the 26. (Older cruisers from before the era of mountain bikes used a DIFFERENT SIZE of 26" tire, with fractions for sizes like 26x1 3/8, but you'll be better off using the decimal sizes AND have a much wider selection of sizes and styles.) Wider tires may or may not fit the bicycle frame depending on the width, but there's probably a lot more information on that subject in that thread I linked above.
Seats are pretty simple -- most cruisers have three pieces: the seat, the clamp, and the seatpost. Seatposts come in all sorts of different diameters depending on the company that made the frame, but if you need to find a replacement that should be easy enough. Most cruisers today probably use a 7/8" clamp, so many seatposts will be listed as "XXmm, 7/8" clamp end" which means the post narrows at the end so the clamp fits.
As far as seats -- wow. On this forum alone there's probably been enough written to fill several books.
Some people love the vintage seats made with real leather and springs, some like the newer ones with newer materials. There's no such thing as "the perfect seat" since it depends on the rider's anatomy, their "sit bones," and their style of riding. People on cruisers tend to sit more upright than people on racing-style bikes, so a wider saddle on a cruiser will probably be more comfortable since it's supporting more of their weight. On the other hand, the wider nose of a cruiser saddle may become uncomfortable if someone's going to be riding 50 miles in a day, but that's also why they make road bikes and narrow saddles, which are a more efficient way of covering long distances. The best thing I can recommend there is to try the one that came on the bike, and if you don't like it, try to analyze WHAT you don't like and then research seats around that. (Then again, this spring I just put a banana seat, "sissy bar" and "ape hanger" handlebars on my latest bike -- essentially making it fit and feel like an adult-sized, old-style Stingray -- so you might not want to trust my advice when it comes to seats. )Some purists and vintage bike lovers will howl at my over-simplifications above -- I know there are errors and omissions because there's ALWAYS going to be some weird European size for everything bicycle-related -- but the above is probably correct for 99% of all cruiser bikes made after 1970 (and probably correct for MOST "department store bikes" in the same time period.) If you can't find something in the right size, rat rodders can always find a way to MAKE something fit -- like with shims -- but I'm not a huge fan of those on handlebars if the right size can be found.
As I said above, there are lots of choices and decisions to be made with any of these customizing options -- depending on your point of view that can be frustratingly maddening or exhilaratingly liberating! These bikes can be like a blank canvas, which can be turned into almost anything, limited only by your mechanical skill and knowledge.
Enjoy yourself, ask questions, and have fun!
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welcome aboard tramp!!!! and to kind of back what raoul dude is saying it will be a learnign experience and it is all about your taste and what you think looks cool or not. the rat rod bike lifestyle to me is alla bout expression and having fun doing so. so you would be ebst to just look at some parts and kinda visualise it on your bike a cranbrook is in my eyes an excellent beginnign point for a custom build i am thinking of doing one up myself as we speak cannot wait to see what you will come up with. please start a thread to show us
Sean
Sean
Here's a couple of online sellers w/ a good rep.
http://www.bikepartsusa.com/Product-srk/FENDERS-WALD--962-26-BALLOON-prk/
http://www.niagaracycle.com/products/
http://www.bikepartsusa.com/Product-srk/FENDERS-WALD--962-26-BALLOON-prk/
http://www.niagaracycle.com/products/
Check out niagaracycle.com - lotsa cool stuff. Also check out Amazon and Ebay. and don't forget our own for sale forum and the Rat Rod Bikes store.
I recommend getting a set of calipers and becoming familiar with Sheldon Brown's pages. For the most part, bikes are easy to work on—it's the interchangeability and weird varying measurements that will get you (especially for some of the less common wheels and tires). Research everything beforehand so you can be reasonably sure it will fit.
Wow. Thank you so much !! Any thoughts on a place to buy or order stuff?Welcome aboard! Here's a thirteen page thread devoted to customized Cranbrooks: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/show-off-your-finished-huffy-cranbrook.32667/
As far as what will fit, there's going to be a learning curve -- luckily, this site should show you most of the things to look for! Then again, we may not know that you may already know something, so ask questions if we skip a step and/or pardon us if we over-simplify something.
Pedals only really come in two sizes: 1/2" thread for one-piece cranks (like the Cranbrook) and 9/16" thread for three-piece cranks. There's a huge selection of BOTH sizes, though, so as long as it says "1/2"" they should fit your bike.
Older-style threaded headsets like on the Cranbrook are usually going to be 1" diameter, but if you want to replace the stem the piece that it fits into (the steerer tube) may be either 21.1mm or 22.2mm in diameter -- which should be printed on the current stem. If you want to replace the handlebars (with something normal and off-the-shelf) those are usually going to be either 1" or 7/8" diameter, and in a perfect world you'll find a stem to fit both the handlebar and steerer tube. Since that works out to "only" four different stem sizes, it's fairly easy to find one that works. (1" x 22.2, 7/8 x 22.2, 1" x 21.1, and 7/8 x 21.1. Some websites will also confuse things by putting the first measurement in metric as well, so those four sizes become 25.4 x 22.2, 22.2 x 22.2, 25.4 x 21.1 and 22.2 x 21.1.)
Edit: I see you mentioned "springer forks," which opens up a lot more questions. The Cranbrook comes with a 1" threaded fork and headset, which means that most 1" threaded forks will fit. Threadless forks are different beasts altogether, and use different stems as well -- if you WANT to go that route it's possible, but it's going to be more complicated and I suspect more expensive. Do you want to keep the same 26" wheel on the front? If so, then you have to decide if you want a straight fork, or one of the "slightly bent" ones with a curve in it, or one of the extremely bent ones as often seen on "low rider" bikes. Then again, those are all the "vintage" style forks -- for all we know you might want to put a more modern motorcycle-style fork on there! Lots of choices, lots of decisions.
If you want fenders, you'll probably want the wider style fenders made for 26" cruisers. If you want different tires, you'll want the relatively common (for instance) 26x1.95 tire -- something with a decimal number after the 26. (Older cruisers from before the era of mountain bikes used a DIFFERENT SIZE of 26" tire, with fractions for sizes like 26x1 3/8, but you'll be better off using the decimal sizes AND have a much wider selection of sizes and styles.) Wider tires may or may not fit the bicycle frame depending on the width, but there's probably a lot more information on that subject in that thread I linked above.
Seats are pretty simple -- most cruisers have three pieces: the seat, the clamp, and the seatpost. Seatposts come in all sorts of different diameters depending on the company that made the frame, but if you need to find a replacement that should be easy enough. Most cruisers today probably use a 7/8" clamp, so many seatposts will be listed as "XXmm, 7/8" clamp end" which means the post narrows at the end so the clamp fits.
As far as seats -- wow. On this forum alone there's probably been enough written to fill several books.
Some purists and vintage bike lovers will howl at my over-simplifications above -- I know there are errors and omissions because there's ALWAYS going to be some weird European size for everything bicycle-related -- but the above is probably correct for 99% of all cruiser bikes made after 1970 (and probably correct for MOST "department store bikes" in the same time period.) If you can't find something in the right size, rat rodders can always find a way to MAKE something fit -- like with shims -- but I'm not a huge fan of those on handlebars if the right size can be found.
As I said above, there are lots of choices and decisions to be made with any of these customizing options -- depending on your point of view that can be frustratingly maddening or exhilaratingly liberating! These bikes can be like a blank canvas, which can be turned into almost anything, limited only by your mechanical skill and knowledge.
Enjoy yourself, ask questions, and have fun!
...
Some purists and vintage bike lovers will howl at my over-simplifications above -- I know there are errors and omissions because there's ALWAYS going to be some weird European size for everything bicycle-related -- but the above is probably correct for 99% of all cruiser bikes made after 1970 (and probably correct for MOST "department store bikes" in the same time period.) If you can't find something in the right size, rat rodders can always find a way to MAKE something fit -- like with shims -- but I'm not a huge fan of those on handlebars if the right size can be found.
....
It's funny; as you might imagine, as i was reading @Raoul Dude 's post, I'm thinking of all the esoteric exceptions to what he's writing....but, of course he's correct. The specs he has outlined are the normal "standards" for typical cruiser bikes, so long as you're looking at new parts from online suppliers or the LBS, or vintage parts from traditional American-made vintage bikes. If you're thinking about running something vintage and imported, it might make sense to ask on this forum's "how to" section before you spend any money or make any permanent alterations; otherwise, go with Raoul's guidelines and be happy. (Note on forks: make sure the steerer is long enough for your frame, and if you stay with a threaded set-up, make sure the new fork has enough threads for your application. It's always advisable to measure your current fork's steerer-tube to figure out what aftermarket forks will fit....)
You can also count on Smoopy's knowing about obsolete standards from vintage bikes, as well as something current, like a Cranbrook; most online sources and many local shops don't know much about cruisers, old-timey American bikes, or weird ish in general. Smoopy's is a real RRB guy, so he can actually field compatibility questions. Try doing that with niagara or amazon; they don't really have the know-how.
I would like to add. Please check out your local bike shops first. Having a good relationship with them will go a long way.
Trial and error fitting is a major pain if buying online. Local shop can help find the right parts first time.
Plus it"s fun to show off your work when it's done.
Trial and error fitting is a major pain if buying online. Local shop can help find the right parts first time.
Plus it"s fun to show off your work when it's done.
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Might you have a bicycle co-op nearby? Those places can be a goldmine of information and vintage parts...specialty tools, too. That's where I learned the craft and now I pay-it-forward by teaching classes.
If you're in a more isolated location, there's always the internet. I really like this guy's how-to videos: rjthebikeguy.com
If you're in a more isolated location, there's always the internet. I really like this guy's how-to videos: rjthebikeguy.com
A.S.BOLTNUT
He who dies with the most toys ,still dies No Fear
Check out our For Sale thread as well !
I'm sure I could help you out with a few
Parts also ,for a fraction of the cost of
A retailer ....
~Rafael~
I'm sure I could help you out with a few
Parts also ,for a fraction of the cost of
A retailer ....
~Rafael~
Yeah, as I was typing that I was thinking of a lot of those exceptions, too -- some of which are sitting in my garage.
"What about those oddly sized, older Schwinn seatposts, or my own mountain bike's weird 1 1/8" THREADED fork, or maybe...oh, let's not even MENTION the Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole and bottomless pit of older and/or European bottom bracket parts that won't match anything else!" The fact that so many modern cruisers share so many common parts is probably why I've got several "rat rod cruisers" in my garage now -- it's nice knowing that I can EASILY find parts for them at my LBS or online, and that the parts generally won't cost an arm and a leg!
Ha ain't that the truth! Borrowed "special" BB tools to pull a couple 3 pc BB apart watched a few youtube vids so I dint mess em up - did manage to salvage em but O boy pretty scarey!Yeah, as I was typing that I was thinking of a lot of those exceptions, too -- some of which are sitting in my garage.
The fact that so many modern cruisers share so many common parts is probably why I've got several "rat rod cruisers" in my garage now -- it's nice knowing that I can EASILY find parts for them at my LBS or online, and that the parts generally won't cost an arm and a leg!
Been pullin OPC out clean grease and adjusting them since I was like 9 only tools needed are a crescent wrench and a flat blade screwdriver.
Another vote for Niagara Cycle -- I just got my fifth or sixth order from them without any problems. Their website can be a little wonky: I just searched for "BMX stem" and it returned "hits" for plenty of stems, but it also brought up a seatpost clamp, a rear cog and several other parts just because they have "BMX" as part of the part name, and several forks that don't have that (or "stem") in the name. They have a lot of parts, so it can take a while to find exactly what you're looking for, but I've been pleasantly amazed at how large their selection of things like tires and pedals can be!
Amazon and eBay are also good sources for parts, but sometimes the technical information (like sizes) are buried a little deeper in the "product description."
As mentioned above, though, your local bike shop (aka here as "LBS") and/or bike co-op (if you have one) are great sources for parts AND information! You may pay a little bit more than you would online, but in my experience the mark-up isn't as much as it would be if you were buying other types of products -- and it can be well worth it for things like returning items or the technical help they can provide. After just a couple of years, my LBS knows me well enough -- and has sold me enough parts! -- that they often don't charge me for quick repair jobs that I can't figure out myself.
"That only took me five minutes, and it's going to take five more to write it up in the computer. You come in here and spend money every couple of weeks, so don't worry about it -- just keep coming back!"
Amazon and eBay are also good sources for parts, but sometimes the technical information (like sizes) are buried a little deeper in the "product description."
As mentioned above, though, your local bike shop (aka here as "LBS") and/or bike co-op (if you have one) are great sources for parts AND information! You may pay a little bit more than you would online, but in my experience the mark-up isn't as much as it would be if you were buying other types of products -- and it can be well worth it for things like returning items or the technical help they can provide. After just a couple of years, my LBS knows me well enough -- and has sold me enough parts! -- that they often don't charge me for quick repair jobs that I can't figure out myself.
"That only took me five minutes, and it's going to take five more to write it up in the computer. You come in here and spend money every couple of weeks, so don't worry about it -- just keep coming back!"
I recommend the fine folks on here for info and help. Also picking up a copy of Park tools bike manual can be handy to have around. The two bike shops we have in my town I would be afraid to let them make me a ham sandwich
