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Watch as I build up my classic vintage 1952 Schwinn three bar into a vintage style BMX race cruiser in the style of a 1970's downhill Klunker bicycle. Klunkers were the forerunner of modern day mountain bikes. They are commonly recognized as the bicycle that launched the all terrain bicycle and mountain bike industries. In the early to mid 1970's, riders in places like Marin County, California and Crested Butte, Colorado were converting these post world war two Schwinn frames into rugged bikes they could ride and race downhill on mountain fire roads. In places like Crested Butte, they quickly became the best way to travel around the local trails, ride to the local grocery store and take on group rides from pub to pub around town. By the late 1970's a similar movement took shape in BMX racing. The rise of the “cruiser“ class in BMX can be credited to the early pioneers of 26 inch wheel racing. Schwinn frames were used as the basis to create the BMX Cruiser, with riders adding BMX handlebars and components. Soon after, major BMX companies began building lighter cruiser race frames based on the Schwinn geometry. Klunkers now come in many varieties. You have the Beach Cruiser Klunker, the Mountain Bike Klunker and the City Klunker. You might say that even the latest rage of urban ride-outs in major cities can be directly related to the early Klunkers, as riders build up BMX cruisers to roll in style in large groups. This is the second episode for my Radmattic Rad Bicycle Builds and Restoration channel. Creating a channel such as this one, to build and restore vintage bicycles of all kinds, has been a concept in the works for several years. In addition to working on vintage BMX bicycles, I'll work on vintage mountain bikes, old Schwinn balloon tire bikes and old mountain bikes. There will also be videos showing the tuning up process on road bicycles, gravel bicycles and touring bicycles. Bicycles have played a significant role in my life going back to age seven when I got my first Sears “Spider“ 20 inch bicycle. At 14, I was riding BMX and continue to ride and race at 62. When mountain bikes were developed in the late 1970s, I was part of this movement as well. I worked in two different bicycle shops during high school and was sent to the Schwinn factory for Schwinn Service School in 1981. I'm the most happy when cruising around on any kind of bicycle or tinkering on one in my workshop. Thank you for finding this channel! CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:28 Overview of parts and components 01:58 1952 Schwinn balloon tire frame 02:17 Tange TX-1200 Champion 26 inch fork 03:25 Pro-Neck BMX stem 03:36 Boss BMX cruiser handlebars 04:10 AME Tri Grips 04:41 Brooks Professional Saddle 04:51 GT BMX double bolt seat post clamp 05:01 Sugino 175mm cranks and Tagaki 44 tooth chainring and spider 05:24 Profile BMX cranks 05:33 Profile American to European bottom bracket hop up kit 05:48 Black Ops American to European bottom bracket conversion kit 06:49 Deity T-MAC pedals 07:03 Custom made aluminum cantilever brake mounts 07:23 BOX One V Brakes 07:35 SE Bikes 26 inch BMX wheelset 07:46 White Industries single speed 18 tooth freewheel 08:02 Michelin Country Racer tires 08:21 Install Black Ops bottom bracket conversion kit 09:43 Install Profile bottom bracket 10:21 Install Profile cranks 10:54 Install seat post and GT BMX seat post clamp 11:31 Install Brooks Professional Saddle 12:19 Install Deity TMAC pedals 12:58 Install Pro-Neck BMX stem 13:45 Install BOSS Cruiser handlebars 14:59 Install AME Tri Grips 15:31 Install White Industries freewheel 15:57 Install Michelin Country Racer Tires 18:55 Install SE Bikes BMX Wheelset 20:20 Break chain to correct length 20:40 Install Quick Link 20:51 Check chain tension 21:28 Install custom v brake mounts 23:12 Install Box One v brakes 24:01 Install brake cable 26:13 Add a Dia Compe MX-1000 front caliper brake 29:06 Toe in the brake pads 30:39 Conclusion
