New Turn-Key Klunkers (Or DIY your own)
Yep, my most recent distractions have been variations on the klunker. I've always been fond of upcycled vehicles, the ones where you take something old and uncared-for and turn it into something useful and enjoyed. Cafe racers, resto-mods, rat rods, lowriders, bobbers, all of them have caught my eye over the years. And the klunker fits right in. About forty years ago, some people in California started using old balloon-tired cruiser bicycles and modifying them to become the prototype for the modern mountain bike. If you do an image search for a klunker, you get something that looks like this:
That's a whole lot of DIY retro-coolness! But wait....
Yep, at least eight of those are not DIY - they are new!
Sure enough, for those of you with klunker lust who'd rather ride than wrench, there are options out there, and some are relatively affordable.
For a little over $300 you can have a well equipped klunker with retro looks and quality components. I keep seeing this model listed for sale at the Austin Bike Farm, and it always catches my eye. More important, though, is how much appeal this bike had for me after watching this video:
Every time I watch that video, I want to run down to the store, buy a Sully, and ride! So cool! Sure, I'm a guy who never leaves the ground intentionally, but this video makes me want to fly (and hang out with people named "Jello".) (To be fair - the guys in the video are riding Transition Klunkers - but those are no longer available, so the Sully is the nearest option available.)
More Retrospec Sully specs
If you like your klunker a little rounder, a little simpler, and with bigger rims, then check this one out:
I love the looks of this bike
Sun Bikes have shown up on this blog on several occasions. They are better known for their Worksman-like industrial bikes. I have followed them because they used to offer a longtail cargo bike and still offer a midtail cargo.
The biggest differences between the Sully and the REVMX are tire/wheel size and the Sully has a freewheel/cantilever rear brake while the Sun bike has a rear coaster brake.
Otherwise, the two should offer a pretty similar ride experience at a similar price.
Yes, there are other new klunkers out there, but most are much more expensive or less true to the original spirit of the single-speed downhillers that started it all.
Honorable (but discontinued) mentions go out to the Transition Klunker, the Kona Humuhumu, and the Felt Rail.
But you know me, I have to give you a cheaper option, so here you go:
The New Cheapo DIY Option: Huffy Cranbrook
Before you get all huffy and say, "I ain't riding no bike named 'Cranbrook'," let's check this thing out.
I am in no way telling you this is a high-quality machine like those above. But, the list price is $98.00 and the bike can often be found for $79.99 with free shipping. That's barely more than the cost of a pair of tires and tubes! And, it's not rare to find a nice used one for $40-60.
Once you bring one home, throw away the fenders and chain guard, swap the stem and bars for BMX parts, add some tire sealant, and you're in business. The Cranbrook makes a great platform for lots of cool bikes. Check out this eye-opening Rat Rod Bikes thread:
Not only will you have a new klunker for somewhere around $100, you'll also have the street cred that comes from telling your homies at the PTA, HOA, AA IHOP meeting that you built it yourself with your killer tool set and your own two hands!
And really, isn't that the most important part? You don't have to tell them that you're trying to save the planet, save money, lose some weight, and keep your heart pumping healthily. It's all about the street cred (and maybe some of those other things).
Be well my friends, and be excellent to one another!
PS. Here's another post about a turn-key klunker:
I enjoyed this post. I'll tell my homies at IHOP!
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