im seriously considering one of these (either in electric blue and red or raw). currentley riding custom build saracen kili flyer but dont have a great deal of time to put it through its paces like it deserves. the klunker looks to me like it could be a great fun bike to just put in the garage and not have to worry about keeping the seals lubed and shock/fork serviced. i like the idea of no maintenance. it’ll also be used to comute to work (6mile round trip on towpath)does anyone on here ride one? what are they like to ride? any info appreciated

cheers

nick

Expensive way to own a not very good bike….

If u want to try one get it second hand as they hold their value as well as Alfas!

it wont just be used to commute to work, it’ll get taken up wyre forest to rag around aswell. whats not great about them?

What’s the geometry like? My Kona HumuHumuNukuNukuApua’a is fine for cruising around and for a trundle through the woods, but I wouldn’t want it for shreddin the gnarr around the trails. The wheelbase is very l o n g. I love mine for pootling along in it’s custom build.

http://www.transitionbikes.com/2013/images/GeoReference_Klunker_Metric.jpg

looks nice and long and slack

nick

Build an old Klunk for a lot less money, i have a Schwinn Cruiser rescued from a skip.

Schwinn cruiser by coastkid71, on Flickr

I added some old wheels off a Marin after i respoked a £15 coaster hub, £5 retro BMX stem and £15 vintage MX bars 🙂

Seriously sketchy to ride with just a coaster but hilarious too!, It redefines the word fear on a bicycle! 😆

Klunker 012 by coastkid71, on Flickr

Klunker 018 by coastkid71, on Flickr

Klunker 002 by coastkid71, on Flickr

There is a Raleigh Bomber on eBay this now
Raleigh Bomber £100 Buy it Now or make offer

just seen a video on the transition website and it looks great fun, althogh looking at the 42/16 ratio i may need to go with a 38 to have a chance at getting up hills

that schwinn cruiser looks ace 8)

🙂
https://vimeo.com/32425530

Hmmmm, just measured the BB to centre of axle on my Humu & it’s 450mm, that Transition is 495mm, that wopping innit?

Making your own will be more fun.

I have ridden a Klunker briefly in the car park. I’m used to rigid bikes, and the angles and everything seem to be fine – it’s much more downhill-biased than a Humu I think. The back-pedal brake is the single most terrifying thing about it – that would be a deal-breaker for me personally. Very, very cool if you can handle it though. 🙂

what about a vitus vee 29? Not a clunker, but rigid and adept for a woods ride

Canal banks are about all they’re good for! and I foresee you’ll eventually only ride it on sunny days when you’re happy to dawdle.
If you have an itch to scratch, at the very most wait for a 2nd hand one to come up (have a look at the Trek Sawyer as well). I’d strongly recommended doing what coastkid says. There are a fair amount of cruisers on ebay and some lovely examples come up (usually during the summer), you might have to wait a few months, but they can be had for £100. Cruisers have 26″ wheels so you can MTB them up like the Marin racers and take off all the trim.
6 miles each way is probably ok, I have a 13 mile each way on the canal and it’s too far for a single speed cruiser when you need to crack on to work. Occasionally I drive part way and cruiser the last few miles. They’re heavy, impractical and single speed is daft, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
suicide brakes are a good laugh, but in reality another point on the list of stupid things.
However, If money is no object to you, then you’ve probably already decided, have fun.
I got this for free, altho the wheels had been reversed over so I had to buy new rims. Also, still have all the trim and white walls.

This might be worth looking at. Change the bars, mtb saddle, mtb tyres, take all the trim off. Looks like a big adult frame. TBH a lot more will come up when the weather improves.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-beach-cruiser-bike-/161252010643?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item258b5e6a93

Here is my Humu, frame iirc from Coastkid for £40, built around some old Campag Record hubs i was given for free

recently reclaimed / liberated from stolen by me, removed all the potential nicked bits on it that had been changed in its 3 year absence. Now has Crazy Bob 2.3″ tyres, glow in dark Ourys & black Mary bar.

There’s a chap on Retrobike who has one and loves it. He spends a fair amount of time in FoD on it and has had some ‘moments’ with the rear brake of death.

There’s a brand new Trans Klunker on the ‘bay with a bit of paintwork damage that’s not attracted many bids so far.