Freeliner

[JA331]

I have always wanted to build a bike in the style of the klunker bikes ridden by the pioneers of mountain biking. In 2021 I bought this 1936 Schwinn built B.F.G. Goodrich frame from an ebay seller and it arrived in Australia damaged. Ebay refunded me in total for the frame and shipping and I lost interest in the project. This build off got me motivated to do something positive with it and I'm so glad I did. I named it the Freeliner, a combination of getting it for free and the Streamliner model name.

I was always in awe of the guys who raced these bikes back in the day and now even more after a short ride on the dirt yesterday.


1936 Schwinn frame

• Giant Rincon chromoly fork
• Electra Attitude handlebar
• SR Stem
• Changstar cantilever front brake assembly and levers
• Shimano SIS shifter and derailleurs
• 3 x 1 gearing
• Sakae cranks with YST sealed bearing bottom bracket kit
• Araya rims
• Joytech front hub with chromoly axle
• Maxxis DTH tires
• Sturmey Archer drum brake rear hub
• ACS Crossfire 18t freewheel
• Viva leather saddle
• Atom solid alloy seat post
• Kalloy quick release seat post binder
• Deity super cush grips
• VP pedals

As I assembled it in 2021 shortly after I got it for a test fit and ride. Being over 6ft I could barely ride it like this.

Freeliner with 3 x 1 gearing is GO!

Thanks mate. Yeah, the forklift makes a great adjustable painting tool. I need to catch up with your builds and the others.

ratrodbikes.com

 

[GTHOtrod]

This turned out awesome. Love it

 

[JA331]

This turned out awesome. Love it

Thanks mate. Its pretty awesome to ride too.

 

[Pestcontrol02]

Beautiful

 

[JA331]

Beautiful

Thank you.

 

[OddJob]

JA you krushed this klunker build! So well done.

 

[One-eyed Sailor]

Agree with all the comments. Bravo!

 

[JA331]

Thank you both very much.

 

[kingfish254]

Cool mix of old and new. This looks great!

 

[JA331]

Cool mix of old and new. This looks great!

Thanks KF. All the best

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Freeliner looks sharp! Love how you fixed this one up! Good job dude!

 

[JA331]

Thanks man. Decent rider too.

 

[Ulu]

The gear on this bike all looks great. The fork is not my favorite style . . . But the creamsicle paint job rocks!

 

[JA331]

Thanks Ulu. Most of the parts were pulled from a couple of early 80’s mountain bikes. Only last week I got another barely used 80’s bike which I pulled an almost mint set of Araya 7X rims, very early Dia-compe cantilever brakes and Polygon levers.

With regard to the fork, I would have preferred a straight blade chromoly BMX fork but they are impossible to find in Australia. The Giant fork was off an old Rincon I bought for $20 and is chromoly with very solid dropouts and cantilever brake mounts.

Once again thanks for looking.

 

[Ulu]

Those forks are plenty sturdy which is why everybody uses them, plus they are cheap to make. It’s just not my favorite style, that’s all.

I haven’t been a dirt rider since I was a kid and I don’t own a bike with dirt tires. Modern off-road bicycles all came about while I was interested in other things. By the time BMX became a thing in California I was 35, building stingray clones for my kids.

 

[JA331]

The Rincon fork is quite unique. It is chromoly and has very solid forged dropouts welded into a slot in the middle of the fork. I’m not sure if you are confusing it with one that looks similar with the thin steel dropouts typically found on a lot of newer cruisers. That fork i don’t particularly like.

The Rincon fork before i painted it.

Typical inexpensive cruiser fork below like the fork originally fitted to my heavy duti.

 

[Ulu]

Again, they are quite sturdy, and easy to build. (No major forging!) I just find the style unattractive for me.

 

[JA331]

Ok

 

[Ulu]

Please be happy. I voted for your bike. That’s about my favorite style of Schwinn frame ever. Every bike has something I don’t like. Mine included. They all could stand improvement.

 

[JA331]

All good with me. Thanks for your vote too.