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Klunker question: were vintage front springers ever used??

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Classic Cool Rides

Wore out three sets of tires already!
In Memoriam
Hello Vintage MTB CABE'rs !
I'm kinda getting the desire to build an old skool Klunker to have some fun with!
I've looked thru some of the Klunker posts here and really love what I see!
BUT what I don't see much (or at all) is anybody using Vintage front springers......
Was this because they were SO heavy?? Was it because they were too brittle ??
or ..... maybe too many moving parts that could rattle and fall off under more rigid trail riding conditions ??
I have an Extra ShockMaster springer and was thinking about trying it out on a Klunker Build.......
Is this a bad idea ?? Just wanted some expert advice from some of you experienced Klunker riders/builders.....
It seems like, out of all the Vintage Springer designs ..... the ShockMaster from CWC might have the best design for an old MTB style........... or maybe the Murray-Made Dual Spring-Springer ??
Thanks for giving me your 2 cents worth! CCR Dave
 
Bit late, but I just remembered that the many of the riders in the morrow dirt club used springers, particularly Russ Mahon. I’m not sure where I read it but that’s besides the point
 
1976 klunkers with hand modified 1930's Schwinn Excelsior motorbike frames.
1976-clunkers-with-hand-modified-1930s-schwinn-excelsior-motorbike-frames (1).jpg
 
Personally, I'd never use one, because they suck for pedaling uphill.

They suck for pretty much anything except for coasting while seated. Standing and pedaling is a joke too.

Whizzers springs are a pretty big improvement for firmness on Schwinn forks, but they rebound hard. I always wonder what will let go first? I can just picture watching the spring flying through the air in the seconds before I get a taste of dirt! Rebound control to maintain tire contact with the ground is key with bicycle suspension. And springers have zero.
 
Yes, they were used here in Marin County, but were not very popular. Fred Wolf, one of the Mountain Bike Pioneers that you don't hear about very often rode a post war Schwinn cantilever with a Schwinn springer and a Sturmey 3sp hub.
 
I was in Marin and the Point Reyes area in Northern California over Easter and came across the Marin Museum of Bicycling; Mountain Bike Hall of Fame... it was closed unfortunately, but I'm sure has a few good Clunkers on display. I like the giant mountain bike in the parking lot, and the ones along the roof line...

BIKE MUSEUM  (1).JPG


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BIKE MUSEUM  (3).JPG
 
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