The Smokestack Tandem (Monark)

[Just Jarrod]

I've been mildly customizing newer model beach cruisers (Electra, Nirve, etc) for about 10 years. Basically just swapping parts out to make it my own. I've never actually rebuilt an old bike from the ground up... until now.

I have a 10 year old son with Down syndrome that loves to go for bike rides with us as a family. He is still not riding a bike independently. We currently have a bike trailer he rides that I attach to my bike. He doesn't peddle or help out in any way, so his trailer had a tendency to lean. I custom fit some large training wheels and that helped the tilting issue, but still doesn't encourage him to pedal. He's a thin little guy at just under 60 lbs, so it's not that big of a deal to tote him around, but he's getting older and needs to help out a bit.

My wife mentioned getting a tandem. Well to make a long story short... she opened up a can of worms and now I'm almost done with a $1000 build I only budgeted $600 for.

I bought the frame locally. Someone may fact check me, but to my knowledge this is a 1950's Monark Daisy tandem. This is a picture of the way it looked when I bought it.

I love the lines on this bike. Very smooth and sexy compared to the counterparts of the day. The old Schwinn tandems are too hard looking and don't lend themselves to look pleasing to the eye (just my opinion). Which is a shame, because their regular bikes are all rad. Just kind of missed the mark on the tandem designs. Anyway, when I saw a pic of this frame I knew that was the bike I wanted right away.


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[Just Jarrod]

The first thing I did was tear it down as much as possible.

From a distance this could be confused as OG patina, but it's definitely not. There's several layers of different rattle can spray all over this thing.

I took everything off, including the fork. I actually had to cut the fork off, unfortunately, because the main stem bolt shore right off as I tried to loosen it.

Needless to say, I'm selling all those parts if anyone is interested. Including the chopped fork.

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[Just Jarrod]

I can post close up pics of the other parts I'm selling. Just ask.


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[Just Jarrod]

The next step was deciding on a build and color scheme. My favorite colors to wear are black, white, and accents of red (shoes, etc.). So I figured why not stick with that for the bike. I really want it to look super clean, but not flashy. So I'm going with mostly white (the frame and fenders). With black bars, seat, hardware, cranks, posts, sprockets, etc. Red wheels with black spokes (internal 3 speed), and a black springer fork with red to accent it a little bit.

Thanks to HBBC and Chubby's for having just what I needed. The fenders should be in this week.


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[Just Jarrod]

I ordered apes for me and minis for my little dude in the back. The OG sprockets and cranks were just fine, so I cleaned them up and painted them black, as well as some of the hardware. I want as little chrome on this bike as possible.

White Vans waffle grips to tie in more white and make it look less "black widowy".

I'm calling it The Smokestack because the seat/handle posts make it look like and old steamship. The colors of the old Queen Mary Steam Ship are black, white, and red... so it seemed fitting to me.


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[Just Jarrod]

This weekend I stripped down the frame as much as I could by hand.

It looks like the OG color is some shade of turquoise.

The next step is sand/bead blasting it to clean it up proper. Then prep for paint. I'm going to have it powder coated white with metal flake.



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[Araya51]

This is going to be interesting. Looking forward to this build finished.

 

[Endlesschain]

Looking good

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[Endlesschain]

actually to think about it,thats pretty cool to do for your son,this will be awesome

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Great work so far!

Luke.

 

[ChimeraCycle]

Awesome!!! Love the story & the bike. As the owner of a beautiful blue schwinn twinn survivor, I agree. They are too hard looking. Love your frame. Lucky son for having parents like you.

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[Just Jarrod]

Thanks everyone! I'm having fun with it! I should also point out that having the independent rear handle post was important to me as well. Also I'm looking for a chain guard for this thing and I'm curious if the old Schwinn twin guards will fit? I have yet to find an actual Monark guard for sale, but see Schwinn guards all the time.


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[Just Jarrod]

Here is a picture of our current set up:

I'm selling the trailer. My boy just kicks back on that thing and makes me do all the work. Plus I don't care for the receiver. It pushes my seat up too high and I like to ride low and laid back.


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[Just Jarrod]

I had it sandblasted today. I was stoked to spot this:

as I inspected it. Now to explore my options of painting this thing some variation of white.

 

[Just Jarrod]

And this:

I'm curious to find out exactly what year this was made.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

White bikes always look good, gives you plenty of options for secondary colours too!

Luke.

 

[Just Jarrod]

With a freshly blasted frame, I was anxious to get crackin' on the paint. So I spent some time prepping and priming yesterday.

And I got a little too anxious on the primer coats and had to redo about a half dozen crackle spots:

I sprayed a few coats of gloss white as well. Should hopefully finish up the paint today.

 

[us56456712]

I've been mildly customizing newer model beach cruisers (Electra, Nirve, etc) for about 10 years. Basically just swapping parts out to make it my own. I've never actually rebuilt an old bike from the ground up... until now.

I have a 10 year old son with Down syndrome that loves to go for bike rides with us as a family. He is still not riding a bike independently. We currently have a bike trailer he rides that I attach to my bike. He doesn't peddle or help out in any way, so his trailer had a tendency to lean. I custom fit some large training wheels and that helped the tilting issue, but still doesn't encourage him to pedal. He's a thin little guy at just under 60 lbs, so it's not that big of a deal to tote him around, but he's getting older and needs to help out a bit.

My wife mentioned getting a tandem. Well to make a long story short... she opened up a can of worms and now I'm almost done with a $1000 build I only budgeted $600 for.

I bought the frame locally. Someone may fact check me, but to my knowledge this is a 1950's Monark Daisy tandem. This is a picture of the way it looked when I bought it.

I love the lines on this bike. Very smooth and sexy compared to the counterparts of the day. The old Schwinn tandems are too hard looking and don't lend themselves to look pleasing to the eye (just my opinion). Which is a shame, because their regular bikes are all rad. Just kind of missed the mark on the tandem designs. Anyway, when I saw a pic of this frame I knew that was the bike I wanted right away.


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I wish my tandem had lines like yours or like the old Rollfast tandems.

 

[us56456712]

And this:

I'm curious to find out exactly what year this was made.

I have a Huffy built 66 Western Flyer and what I believe is a 66 Monark. The Monark has a 1966 registration sticker on it and the Gal I bought it from thinks thats when she got it as a kid. Both bikes have the same chain wheel as yours. I also had a 68 Huffy Muscle Bike that had the same chain wheel. Early 60s Huffy's that I have seen had different chain wheels. I don't know when Huffy changed chain wheel designs, but by the 1980s the ones I have seen are different. I think your bike is from mid 60s to early 70s? I wish someone would chime in on this? Did Huffy make bikes for Monark? Is my guess anywhere near accurate based on my assumption the bike is Huffy built?

 

[Just Jarrod]

Thanks us56456712! I believe you're right! I was inspecting the head badge and noticed it says "Azusa, CA" on the bottom. Hadn't noticed that before. I did a little research, and I came up with some similar info as you. I'm guessing mid 60's as well. Which doesn't put the bike as old as I had originally guessed.