Old geezer buys new Cranbrook

[birdmove]

New here and just got the ap onto my Chromebook so I can see the photos here. I just turned 64 on Nov. 1st. I had blown out my right knee about 15 months ago, so sold my single speed Thruster Fixie bike to my daughter, and it's getting a lot of use.
The doctor said I really didn't need an operation on my knee, so I didn't go down tat path. I've been going to the pool and swimming, and doing pedaling movements in the pool too, and recently started thinking of getting back on a bike. I didn't want to spend a heck of a lot on a bike, as I was diagnosed with a very serious problem and my future is up in the air.
I live on the big island of Hawaii near Hilo. It's fairly flat around here, so I decided to go with a single speed, and bought a new Cranbrook. It's red with black fenders, and even the stock bike I think looks great. I picked one that had decent welds and pretty round wheels.
I have 30 days in which I can return it if I want. The problem seems to be that the coaster brake seems a might weak to me. I really can't lock it up. It does slow the bike down, but it seems like a coaster should be able to lock up the rear wheel?
I have a long way to go working with my right knee on a bike. For instance, I can't, at this point, stand up and pedal. If I do decide to keep this bike, I would like to look into installing a front hand brake.
The climate here is brutal on rustable metals, so I'll keep the Cranbrook inside my carport building.

 

[Duchess]

From photos it looks like the Cranbrook has a center hole in the fork for the fender, so mounting a center pivot front brake should be a breeze. Good luck with your knee!

 

[birdmove]

Thanks for the comment. Yeah, there is a fender mount there. Shouldn't be to tough to get a brake kit for the front. If I do I want a metal mount and brake handle. I hate those plastic mounts like the Thruster Fixie has. One is messed up and you can't use the adjuster at the handle bar on it.
Just got back from about a 2.5 to 3.0 mile ride. Didn't do too bad. Like I said, I don't have a solid enough right knee for any stand up pedaling. Maybe it'll come with more riding. I do like the looks of this bike. Also, I ordered a basic bike tool kit.

 

[Duchess]

It's not hard to find those parts used cheap on the mainland (or new, of course), but I imagine you could find them there. Just make sure you get a brake lever that's a match for the pull on the brake (either long pull or short pull). If I had the right kind of brakes hanging around, I'd send them to you, but I only have cantilevers (and you wouldn't want those horrible things even if you had the posts for them!).

Probably much different problem, but I have loose joints aggravated in my knees by being hit by a car years ago and rehab had me ride as part of the program along with using big rubber bands to strengthen the muscles around my knee to stabilize the joints better. I was also told I was riding "wrong" and they had me ride more bow legged and with my toes pointed out a little, which helped a lot and I think only makes me look slightly silly (it's probably not even noticeable to anyone else).

 

[rrtbike]

Welcome to RatRodBikes!
You should check out the Show me your Huffy Cranbrook thread. Lots of cool stuff there too.

 

[birdmove]

Yeah, I am now working through that thread. At first, I couldn't view the photos, but I have that problem fixed now.
So a center pivot front brake should be what I'm looking for?

 

[rrtbike]

Perhaps member @Wildcat can steer you in the right direction!

 

[horsefarmer]

I'm 62 and have pretty painful arthritis in my right knee. I find riding a bike actually makes it feel better! I have not stood up on the pedals for many years tho and can usually power up the hills here on a coaster brake bike.
You should find many brake parts from unwanted or rusty discarded bikes.
If you want to improve the cheapo China made coaster on your Huffy, check out this link. http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index....-rodding-your-cb-hub-for-klunking-duty.93356/

I find all the cheap China hubs seem to use a Shimano clone pattern, so bearings and other parts from little kids bikes (10" and up will provide free source of parts such as bearings.

Changing over to loose ball bearings and a proper grease job will improve hub operation and "feel" maybe even improve braking some.

 

[Wildcat]

Aloha!

I turned 61 on the 3rd! Counting down to SS! One year to go. I go to Pearl Harbor or the North Shore for a flat bike path. My right knee has a problem, so I make sure my seat is high enough to stretch out my legs when riding.

Here's what I would do:
1. Take that bike back for a refund.
2. Then get this bike:
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/big/bik/d/felt-beach-cruiser/6308544098.html

Your new Cranbrook needs going through to adjust and lube all the bearings. The rear hub won't have that great of brakes no matter what you do to it. I've bought a couple new Walmart bikes in the last few years, they needed a lot of TLC to ride decently. Front brakes are a good idea anyway, on any bike.

The used Felt bike may need a chain (but it looks ok from the pic) and adjusted and lubed also, but it's a much higher quality bike and probably has a better rear hub for brakes. I would put a front brake on anyway though. Maybe they will take the same price you paid for the Cranbrook, if it was under $100.

I would prefer a classic American bike from the 50's or 60's but the Felt is a good bike.
That's just what I would do, but I've got the tools to fix up a bike.

Welcome aboard!

 

[thunderbeard]

New here and just got the ap onto my Chromebook so I can see the photos here. I just turned 64 on Nov. 1st. I had blown out my right knee about 15 months ago, so sold my single speed Thruster Fixie bike to my daughter, and it's getting a lot of use.
The doctor said I really didn't need an operation on my knee, so I didn't go down tat path. I've been going to the pool and swimming, and doing pedaling movements in the pool too, and recently started thinking of getting back on a bike. I didn't want to spend a heck of a lot on a bike, as I was diagnosed with a very serious problem and my future is up in the air.
I live on the big island of Hawaii near Hilo. It's fairly flat around here, so I decided to go with a single speed, and bought a new Cranbrook. It's red with black fenders, and even the stock bike I think looks great. I picked one that had decent welds and pretty round wheels.
I have 30 days in which I can return it if I want. The problem seems to be that the coaster brake seems a might weak to me. I really can't lock it up. It does slow the bike down, but it seems like a coaster should be able to lock up the rear wheel?
I have a long way to go working with my right knee on a bike. For instance, I can't, at this point, stand up and pedal. If I do decide to keep this bike, I would like to look into installing a front hand brake.
The climate here is brutal on rustable metals, so I'll keep the Cranbrook inside my carport building.

Felt frame design but cheaper. Awesome

Sent from my LGMS550 using Tapatalk

 

[birdmove]

That bike looks good too. It's on the Kona side and I'm on the Hilo side between Keaau and Pahoa, so Kona is a good 85 miles away or so. It's my right knee also.

 

[birdmove]

To horsefarmer, with my bad knee I find swimming at a pool also helps loosen it up.

 

[Wildcat]

That bike looks good too. It's on the Kona side and I'm on the Hilo side between Keaau and Pahoa, so Kona is a good 85 miles away or so. It's my right knee also.

85 miles! That might be a little too far to make it worth your while. That's father than I thought. I'm on Oahu where everything is only about 25 miles or so from my place in the middle of the Island. I keep my eye on craigslist and found my 42 Hawthorne there.

 

[birdmove]

Yeah, it's about 85 miles. That is going up on Saddle Road between the volcanoes and over. The very scenic southern route is more like 125 miles, but worth it for a wonderful beach stop, and a great bakery on the route. The northern route, up through Hawi is a beautiful trip to, but even more miles than the southern route. We have only one Costco, and it's in Kona, so quite a few folks from the east side do a trip over for that with a cooler. Kona side is hotter, very dry, very sparse as to greenery, and way less rainfall.

 

[Wildcat]

Ok then, go get that Felt!

Or there's a 29er that just lowered the price too!

https://honolulu.craigslist.org/big/bik/d/mens-onex-beach-cruzer/6392463235.html

Or get them all, if you have the garage space.