Build a cruiser bike

Hi guys,

I hope I've put this in the right section, otherwise please move (dunno if this is road or MTB or general chat).

Anyhoo, here goes:

Me and the GF want to go out riding a but more together. I've built her a custom painted (it had to be pink/white) Specialized FSR but she just doesn't get on with it too much, she's not that into "racing in the woods" ;-) So now she's bought a new trasport bike (I think it's called a transport bike): a Cortina U4 in 5-speed matte black. Nice bike and she wants to go out on some trips and stop for a drink/coffee/high tea/etc yadda yadda yadda... girl talk

So, bottom line: I need a road bike too, or something to go out for a ride with her. I don't like those "normal" bikes at all, I guess that's just me then. So I was browsing the forum, because I Always liked cruiser bikes but again not what's coming out of the store... there's always something wrong with them (no or not enough gears, ugly frame, wrong tires/wheels, wrong handlebar, stupid fork etc etc). Now I saw a picture of the Autum Minion on here (too bad there's only 7 made) and was thinking "what if I'd make something like that myself?". I really like the complete bike, nice black color, cool springer forks etc etc... but no gears, and I was thinking about maybe getting my bike done with Nexus 8-speed or something, and I also want roller-cam brakes or discs.

But I haven't too much experience with building these bikes... I saw some threads on here about restoring some older (1936/3 cruiser bikes to a klunker and some more pics of nicely done cruiser bikes but for starters: I don't even know what size frame to look for? I'm around 1.74m height and I guess I wanna use a 26" tire size frame. So would I just try and get a cheap Schwinn Cruiser frame and have it powder coated matte black or grey as in the pic below and start putting parts on it? Rear spacing would be a problem but I understand you can relatively easily change that (or not, and that's the reason most are SS?).

So what I actually want is this bike (yeah she's pretty too isn't she ) with gears (like Nexus/Nexave 5/7/8 speed) and roller-cam brakes or discs (or canti/V for that matter) in a size that fits me (or is that any size since the seat is all the way down?), and maybe even a cool springer fork like the Autum Minion has (although the bike below looks "all correct" to me):


Any experts on here on how to start or what to look for? I'd be very happy with any help, maybe I should also mention that machining/welding is a bit hard for me as I have nothing/no place to do that. I can hack stuff off a frame no problem though.

Void

Re: Build a new bike

A retro Klunker/ cruiser are good fun to make. You should know that the rear end is really narrow on those old USA bikes , so hub gears are possible but a rear cassette set up means widening the rear end. The seat post is a really odd size and the original bend so a short seat post or a machined rode and a saddle clamp shim will sort you out. tire clearance is pretty good. the bb is a bmx diameter but you can get some decent converters to a standard 68mm bb. so most of that is doable with out any special tools. if you need to widen the back end you can do it with a mapp gas blow torch some low temp brazing rods and flux, hack saw and files. Finding good model form the USA is expensive. but there are few modern cruisers out there which would be an easier point to start.

here's mine but there others to look at if you search Klunker, clunker, cruiser on the forum. Alan bond the inventor and builder of these Schwinn dx klunkers some times pops on the forum and was kind enough to give me pointers which was awesome.


http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... p;start=10

this may be for sale soon.
Happy trails
Pete

22pages worth of clunker/ cruisers here to give you some ideas:
http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-cl ... st10753158

Thanks for the replies guys, I got some ideas and picked up a Schwinn Classic Cruiser frame today (1996 but it will do) and a Shimano Nexus 8 speed wheelset with roller brakes and wide creme white rims. So the base is there, now on to getting the frame blasted and powdercoated and finding parts

hi
i picked this one up on the weekend.
going to try my hand at one.
roy