Klunkers......Bikes, build techniques and ideas, Things that go klunk !

[Chad T]

Some great bikes in this thread!!

I don't have a klunker but I found this recreation of Gary Fisher's 1979.

Cool Site..http://clunkers.net/index.html...has some of the original Repack road coaster bikes on there.

 

[Chad T]

That site says these were from around '76

 

[horsefarmer]

Some inspirational pics for sure.

 

[OddJob]

@Chad T , looks like you gotta get yourself some klunk in your trunk next winter! And keep those photos handy, along with keeping track of the days from now till the start with our very own Top Ten Klunkers Kalendar......inspiration for sure HF!
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/klunker-kalendar-top-ten-orbo-2016.97760/

 

[us56456712]

Gender bender made out of a free Kresge (now Kame apart) Department store frame. The rear triangle is from an 80s Huffy mountain bike. Bendix Manual 2 speed with barely functional Bendix Red Band coaster front suicide brake. Murray fork from an old woman's bike, home built wheels out of used spokes and rims. The frame was ghetto welded together using one marine and one truck battery with house wiring leads, vice grip electrode holder and vice grips to hold the house wiring to the battery posts. I started to use jumper cables for the leads but they got too hot and fried out.

After extensive test beating and abuse the frame broke, but I broke another one a month later on a professionally built mountain bike so I don't feel too bad about my engineering failure. I then took this.

and used the parts from the gender bender to make this. I tossed out the front Bendix suicide brakes for an old Gigant front drum brake.

 

[deorman]

 

[deorman]

 

[gigmata]

These are my klunkers:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[whitecoyote]

 

[socal_jack]

RRB7 entry
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...no-moto-glide-klunk9r-beach-vid-update.60321/

RRB8 entry
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/37-schwinn-admiral-klunker.75602/

 

[motonolstar]

 

[metalchewy]

Was having fun today breaking in the new.tube forks on Bomber40.

Hit a different loop at red rock.


Rock from the road

Is a face.

Scenic

Hazards on the trail.

Stopped by a rock garden.

 

[gigmata]

Here are a few of my klunkers. I still have them all:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gowjobs]

One of mine has all steel discs, 17 of them. I think you might be right about dissipating the heat.

I know this is going back a couple of months, but the New Departure is a poor choice for off road riding. Choice of coaster trail riders seem to be Bendix 76 Mexico (4 brake shoes, and though you may have to search a little, brake modulation and longevity are superior), Morrow (if you can find them, and the last guys I know to ride one seriously off road did so thirty years ago) and the Shimano EB110(New, easy to find and get parts for, but brake modulation is closer to an on/off switch. Changing bearings on the drive side of the hub to loose ball -adding more balls- can make them work better/last longer.)
Velosteel wear out in short order under heavy use. Not sure if the S-A S1C is any good or not. Still haven't spoken to anybody that's actually ridden one.

 

[metalchewy]

I know this is going back a couple of months, but the New Departure is a poor choice for off road riding. Choice of coaster trail riders seem to be Bendix 76 Mexico (4 brake shoes, and though you may have to search a little, brake modulation and longevity are superior), Morrow (if you can find them, and the last guys I know to ride one seriously off road did so thirty years ago) and the Shimano EB110(New, easy to find and get parts for, but brake modulation is closer to an on/off switch. Changing bearings on the drive side of the hub to loose ball -adding more balls- can make them work better/last longer.)
Velosteel wear out in short order under heavy use. Not sure if the S-A S1C is any good or not. Still haven't spoken to anybody that's actually ridden one.

Single speed, I agree on the bendix. I ran more than one bendix on a few of my bmx bikes in the 80s because i could abuse them in the mountains and they rarely failed bad. They do get really hot at times. That aluminum heat sink Luke made during the orbo16 buildoff was an awesome idea, still mulling over making one for my double bar.

I'm curious what people think about multi speed coasters as well. I've had good luck with my KT-2, but i have to re-tighten it after trips with heavy downhill use. I like having the low gear on the steeper ups so i do much less climbing on foot. What 'other" coaster hubs work well?

 

[gowjobs]

I had the S-A S2C with the alloy shell on a path racer, and the brakes weren't really up to the task on the paved hills around here, especially when applied from high gear. I wouldn't use one on an off-roader. I feel sort of the same about the Shimano Nexus Inter 3 as well. The brake works okay for the flats, but don't think that it has enough for the dirt.

 

[us56456712]

I know this is going back a couple of months, but the New Departure is a poor choice for off road riding. Choice of coaster trail riders seem to be Bendix 76 Mexico (4 brake shoes, and though you may have to search a little, brake modulation and longevity are superior), Morrow (if you can find them, and the last guys I know to ride one seriously off road did so thirty years ago) and the Shimano EB110(New, easy to find and get parts for, but brake modulation is closer to an on/off switch. Changing bearings on the drive side of the hub to loose ball -adding more balls- can make them work better/last longer.)
Velosteel wear out in short order under heavy use. Not sure if the S-A S1C is any good or not. Still haven't spoken to anybody that's actually ridden one.

My Bendix manual 2 speed is the worst coaster I have ever ridden for off road (or on the road), but I use it. Poor brakes and a lot of back pedal before it engages. I have many Bendix Red Bands including the Mexico produced ones and they don't work as well as the cheap Chinese ones, in fact they are dangerous on hills. I wonder if I didn't rebuild them right? The Nexus 3 speed is my best coaster and is still working after 3 years of single track. I expect it to blow out. The LBS has had poor experience with Nexus multi speed hubs for off road but so far the Nexus 3 speed is a champ, good brakes, hardly any back pedal for breaking with a 28 tooth sprocket and the back pedal is not effected when downshifting. The New Departure is not used much for off road but it has the best breaking feel of any of my coasters. A slight back pedal will start to softly engage it and braking is powerful and smooth. I don't know about the reliability of the New Departure, that could be an issue but I have a lot of them and many ND bare hubs so I don't care too much if they give out. Given a choice I would take the ND over the Bendix Manual 2 speed any day. I would take the Red Band over the 2 speed any day too.

 

[horsefarmer]

Just took apart and cleaned and greased a 1st gen Bendix red band hub (S7 wheel from 50's Schwinn middleweight) in this...

Was noisy and kinda rattling before but now silent and brakes work well on hills. I put lots of grease in these old Bendix, and seems to work well.

 

[us56456712]

Just took apart and cleaned and greased a 1st gen Bendix red band hub (S7 wheel from 50's Schwinn middleweight) in this...

Was noisy and kinda rattling before but now silent and brakes work well on hills. I put lots of grease in these old Bendix, and seems to work well.

I don't understand why mine are so bad. The other day I almost got run over as I could not lock up one of my Red Bands. I am reluctant to use this bike as the braking is so bad. My others are better but still not that good. This winter I will take it apart and regrease it.

 

[horsefarmer]

I really don't do anything special. Just pull apart, clean up and re grease. Lots of hills by you, maybe brake shoes worn out (smooth) or the hub inside diaameter is oversize from many years of use?