Converting a road bike into a cruiser ?

[CATCH22]

Hi ! I just dug my old early teens bike out from under piles of junk in my parents garage and brought it home. It is a mid 70's AMF Scorcher 24" 10 spd.
I would like to turn it into a single speed cruiser with a coaster brake. I would also like wider tires and rims.
My problem/question is this : What is the largest width rim/tire that it will accept ? At the apex of the front fork, the width is approximately 2"....the width at the top of the rear tire frame is wider, but I would like to have the same width for both rims/tires.
It looks as if I have choices of 24" x 1.75, x 1.85 or x 1.95 from looking on ebay.
You guys know a lot more than I about these matters and I would like some advice, so I can make a good purchase.
Thanks, Don Strautz

 

[KOTA]

The further down you go on the fork, it gets wider. I would try a 26x1.75 or even a 2.125. You might be surprised.

 

[Bicycle808]

The further down you go on the fork, it gets wider. I would try a 26x1.75 or even a 2.125. You might be surprised.

Except his scorcher is a 24".... So....

 

[KOTA]

OOOOPS!

 

[CATCH22]

Well....maybe I was wrong. The tire size that is on the bike says 26 x 1 3/8...even though the rim diameter is 24" ?
What's up with this ?
Don

 

[Bicycle808]

Well....maybe I was wrong. The tire size that is on the bike says 26 x 1 3/8...even though the rim diameter is 24" ?
What's up with this ?
Don

Oh. you have a lightweight 26". More'n likely, the rims are 590s. You could probably fit some 559s with 1.5 or 1.75" tires in there. Best bet is to take some measurements between the fork blades and the chainstays about 11 or 11.5" up from the axle... from there, make your best guess and see if you can't borrow some stuff from someone to mock it up.

 

[Sinner4]

I'd say just get a newer frame, an older mountain bike frame and just go coaster brake with the ever present 26 inch tire. Your old 10 speed frame might not fit the wide tires in the front or rear. Find a cro mo frame and save a bunch of weight over the old frame. If you stick with the 26 1 3/8 tires, there is only one tire size to go with.

 

[mitchelangelo]

find a set of cruiser wheels and try them... below was a 26x 1 3/8 AMF bike that I converted to 26x 2.125 with mtn bike wheels- same size as cruiser wheels.

 

[DIABLO67]

I'd leave the front tire as is and just put a thin cruiser tire in back with the coaster, it'll look fatter since the front is skinny. Throw on some apes and a wicked seat on it, and ride that thing!

 

[Bicycle808]

find a set of cruiser wheels and try them... below was a 26x 1 3/8 AMF bike that I converted to 26x 2.125 with mtn bike wheels- same size as cruiser wheels.

Good advice right there!^^^^^

I'd leave the front tire as is and just put a thin cruiser tire in back with the coaster, it'll look fatter since the front is skinny. Throw on some apes and a wicked seat on it, and ride that thing!

That's a pretty good idea,too!

 

[CATCH22]

Thanks so far for all of you advice. It has definately gotten my creative juices flowing.
This is not my first build, but the first one was more cosmetic and inter-changeable and less technical.
This build is personal, so I would like to get it as right as possible.

Don

 

[jats]

if its a 26 x 1 3/8ths you can try going down to a 24x 1.95. the hight of the fatter tire will make up for the difference in rim height but you may have to spread the chain stays to clear the tire. I just did one of these changes on a 75 Schwinn speedster that had the weird 22ish inch rims. Went down to a 20x 2.0 rim and tire and only had to spread the stays a half inch to get every thing to fit.

Troy

 

[Wildcat]

I've changed out more than a few 1 3/8 bikes to wider tires. 1.95 is a good bet, and will look wide on that frame. If you have 2 inches of clearance, it'll work as long as your rims are straight. Schwinns I've done will take a 2.125 but leave very little clearance. Your scorcher should easily take the 1.95 tires. Here's a coppertone Schwinn Continental with 1.95 tires, it was converted to a one speed. The original hand brakes won't reach the standard rim, so you'll need coaster brakes. The yellow bike is a Schwinn Varsity with 2.125 tire on the front and 2 inch on the rear.