~ CRITTER ~ 1936 Schwinn Klunker

[Critter1]

Been a while since I've had a build thread so I figured, since I picked up this awesome 36' B-model straight bar, straight down tube Schwinn, I'd go ahead and document it. Been wanting to do a Klunker style build for a while now. So here goes....

This frame was an eBay score and you always take a gamble on what might not show up in pictures. Turned out, this frame was in great shape. Once I had won the auction (barely), I contacted Don Koski over in Marin Co and picked up one of his last forks.

It had some original paint lurking under the spray can black... but not enough to salvage. The frame has now been bead blasted and coated with a primer sealer.

Based on the serial number, and the experts over on the CABE, its an early 36'. What I think is pretty cool, is (presumably) the original owner of this bike thought to stamp a date and their initials into the BB. Well.... 8/28/36 happens to be my birthday exactly 36 years before I was born. Crazy right?!

It took me a while to get the nerve up to chop down the steer tube on that Koski fork, but had to be done. I picked up a Tange-Seiki MX2 headset to hold it all together.

Prior to sealing the bare metal frame, we went ahead and added some brazing to the stay bridges to make them a little more solid. Rolled sheet metal is for holding a fender.... not for Klunking!!

Trying to figure out what parts combos to go with can make a guy loose sleep! Bars, stems, hubs, brakes, wheels, tires.....ugh...dkmfhbfbakdlcm'adfjnxfhb!!!!!
Al's Rapid Transit aluminum bars & DK stem?

...or Sling-Shot stem and original K&N low rise motocross bars?

NEW Araya 38mm hoops! These will be laced and used on this Klunk for sure.

I'm waiting on this bad boy Sturmey 90mm front drum to arrive in the big brown truck. Still debating on rear hub though. Either a Sturmey coaster or a Sturmey drum with freewheel. I'm liking the drum/freewheel idea. I just don't know how it'll fit between the dropouts. May have to shave down some spacers. Need to get one in my hands to see.

Vintage 70s Sugino Super Mighty cranks? Brooks Pro saddle? The saddle will stay, but my options for cranks are wide open.. Also thinking of going with a set of White Industries ENO cranks.... hmmmm..

Since this frame didn't come to me with a head badge, I get to choose! So once again I've commissioned Mr JesusJonez to put together a badge to suit my build. This similar to an Admiral badge.

So that's where I stand on this build as of now. I think paint will fly soon too. It'll be olive green & black.

 

[ADVHOG]

Looks like a great pile of parts! I really like your head badge design!

 

[us56456712]

Be careful with that Strurmey Drum hub. I have owned two and the one on my tandem stripped the axle threads very easily. I am using a 70s Gigant from an old Norwegian bike on my 40 DX. I also have an old Arai drum that I want to lace up for a rear someday. I will watch what you are doing as I have all the parts to make a hybrid and I may follow your lead. Today I blew out my Bendix manual 2 speed so I am looking for a different drive. Here it is as it is now, minus the new bear trap pedals, but I only have high gear as low is stripped out. The seatpost is made from 2 Schwinn units welded together. I should get an aircraft alloy one

 

[deorman]

Be careful with that Strurmey Drum hub. I have owned two and the one on my tandem stripped the axle threads very easily. I am using a 70s Gigant from an old Norwegian bike on my 40 DX. I also have an old Arai drum that I want to lace up for a rear someday. I will watch what you are doing as I have all the parts to make a hybrid and I may follow your lead. Today I blew out my Bendix manual 2 speed so I am looking for a different drive. Here it is as it is now, minus the new bear trap pedals, but I only have high gear as low is stripped out. The seatpost is made from 2 Schwinn units welded together. I should get an aircraft alloy one
View attachment 38230

Out of curiousity, what gave out, the planetaries or the the driver, or do you know yet?

 

[Critter1]

Be careful with that Strurmey Drum hub. I have owned two and the one on my tandem stripped the axle threads very easily. I am using a 70s Gigant from an old Norwegian bike on my 40 DX. I also have an old Arai drum that I want to lace up for a rear someday. I will watch what you are doing as I have all the parts to make a hybrid and I may follow your lead. Today I blew out my Bendix manual 2 speed so I am looking for a different drive. Here it is as it is now, minus the new bear trap pedals, but I only have high gear as low is stripped out. The seatpost is made from 2 Schwinn units welded together. I should get an aircraft alloy one
View attachment 38230

Why do you think the axle threads stripped out? Maybe I'll upgrade the axels to chromoly...


Justin

 

[us56456712]

Why do you think the axle threads stripped out? Maybe I'll upgrade the axels to chromoly...


Justin

I had fender braces on there and a basket. There was not a lot of extra axle remaining. They could make them longer. The axle stripped not the acorn nuts. I over tightened them but it was so easy to strip, you will be fine with no braces, basket or truss rods, just be careful.

 

[us56456712]

Out of curiousity, what gave out, the planetaries or the the driver, or do you know yet?

I haven't taken it apart and probably won't. It started slipping in low when standing up on a 3/4 mile steep rocky climb and now just spins no mater how you adjust it. High gear still works and I rode it that way for 9 single track miles today. My legs are tired. I have made that climb with this rig many times and raced it in a 30 mile XC race a year and a half ago with no problem. It just gave out. I have at least one more hub and some spares but it is a dangerous klunker rig with the poor brakes. They didn't make that hub for long. The axles also bend real easy. I really had fun with it but I think it is time to move to either a hybrid or a single speed drive for this bike. I did briefly considerer rebuilding it and lacing on a new rim and putting it on my Corvette but I decided I wouldn't enjoy riding that.

 

[deorman]

I had one years ago and managed not to break it but it definitely wasn't up to the snap changes needed for off-road work. My best luck in keeping a hub alive off the path was with derailleur sets and before that New Departure coaster singles with a little squirt bottle of naptha and another of oil in my patch bag. ND clutch rings are not so easy to come across these days, not to mention the ability to backpedal is quite useful off-road. The freewheel drum hub Critter posted looks like a winner, no constant relubing, no exposed rim-dependant brakes. Maybe a couple of drops of blue Loctite on the axle so as not to feel the need for excessive tightening.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Wow! This thing is going to be awesome!
Great frame, great forks, great parts choices!

Luke.

 

[Robertk]

I agree. Can't wait to see this one come together. I'm intrigued by those Araya rims. Can you share more on them?

 

[Critter1]

I agree. Can't wait to see this one come together. I'm intrigued by those Araya rims. Can you share more on them?

http://www.araya.co.uk/araya-black-box-freeride.html


Justin

 

[Bicycle808]

IF you get the Sturmey-Archer X-RDF rear, be advised that you can take off all the spacers for a 110mm spacing, which should fit your frame perfectly. The chainline will be in the neighborhood of 41mm, depending which freewheel you run...so, if you're actually thinking of running the White ENO, you'll want to run a 103mm-spindle BB (JIS) to match the rear chainline.... but I suspect you'll have trouble with the crank-arms clearing the chainstays with the crank that far inboard. I'm not certain about the crankarm clearance, but i am pretty confident about the chainline....

As far as the axles go, keep in mind that even the rear axle, on the x-rdf, is 9mm. (Standard rear axles, aside from oversized BMX and these new thru-axles, tend to be 10mm or 3/8 (=9.5mm) so bending might be a concern. I've been running a x-rdf on a Worksman for like 6 years, and my bigazz hasn't bent it yet, so you might be good. Just something to think about. Also, b/c you're dealing with non-adjustable sealed bearings, you won't be able to use a regular chromoly axle, as there are shoulders and all on the Sturmey-Archer axle to allow use with the bearing set up. http://www.sturmey-archer.com/files/catalog/files/172/PART LIST - X-FD.pdf The good news is, you can theoretically buy replacement axles from Sturmey-Archer. The bad news is, you'll likely have to source them from the UK or somewhere else in Europe. https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/sturmey-archer-xrd-axle-service-174-mm-hsb433/?geoc=US

Your build looks awesome thus far; i'm looking forward to seeing it complete.

 

[Critter1]

Thanks 808... You just gave me a lot of info I'd been scratching my head about. I'm going to give the XRDF rear hub a try . I'll use a White Industries 18t freewheel. I'm also thinking 170 ENO cranks and a 32t White Industries ring. Hopefully a 103 BB will get it done. Might be pretty tight... Only one way to find out I guess.


Justin

 

[Stevetraf]

You really can't go wrong with white industries cranks - I have a couple and the aren't just pretty they're pretty bombproof!
Truvativ makes an adapter for the American BB to BSA bottom bracket which I've used on a couple of bikes.
Looks like a great build - looking forward to the finished product!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bicycle808]

Thanks 808... You just gave me a lot of info I'd been scratching my head about. I'm going to give the XRDF rear hub a try . I'll use a White Industries 18t freewheel. I'm also thinking 170 ENO cranks and a 32t White Industries ring. Hopefully a 103 BB will get it done. Might be pretty tight... Only one way to find out I guess.


Justin

Actually, the cheaper way to find out is to check the tech docs. http://www.whiteind.com/tech-instructions-pdfs/ (click on "Square Taper Chain Stay Clearance Guide," towards the bottom right of the page.)

If the chainstay clearance is 128.5mm with a 108mm spindle, then it would theoretically be 123.5mm with a 103mm spindle. So, measure the clearance you'd need at the stays about 170mm from the center of the BB shell. I just possibly saved you a couple hundred dollars lol. FWIW, i bet it will clear, but it'll probably be tight. Definitely measure before you order.... those cranks ain't cheap.

HTH
-Rob

 

[Critter1]

808! (Rob)... Once again you're doing all my research for me! I feel like I owe you some beers! I've been all over Whites website but haven't looked at the tech instructions. Great info! Thanks.

Gonna try to get the frame & fork into paint over the next couple days. Normally I'd mock up an entire build before paint... but my painter has a window of opportunity and I need to take advantage of it. I'll just have to be careful when fitting hubs & cranks. I'll get more pics up in a couple days.

 

[Bicycle808]

Sounds awesome... I'm a strange kinda guy; I actually like troubleshooting builds, especially when it involves putting rad new parts onto cool old frames. But I know what it's like to drop a lot of money on a part, just to find out that it won't work as planned without some big mods. So, i try to save others from that kinda headache.

Definitely keep those pics coming; it's gonna be a killer bike in the end.

 

[Critter1]

Couple more add ons...
Campy quick release and an Atomic 13/16 to 7/8 solid alu. seat post.

Lizard Skin grips with CRITTER locks ons.

In primer today.

 

[Critter1]

More progress.

Justin

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Lookin good , inspiring build.

~ Rafael ~