Klunker V huh??

[mrg]

I don't remember who but one of the guys in the Mt Tam crew ( the Repack race ) in Marin, I'll have to ask Charlie Kelly or Joe Breeze next time we're there or maybe some of the Marin Caber's will weigh in here.

 

[Xlobsterman]

The real news is seeing “and the Spitfire is restyled as a “Klunker .”
It would have been cool to see a “Klunker” chain guard on the single speed Spitfire model.
Anyone could replicate their own tribute version of this today.

I don't think that statement is referencing a single speed bike! It is just referencing the 78 model Spitfire is now being sold (restyled) as a KLUNKER with the 5 speed.

 

[sarmisluters]

I don't think that statement is referencing a single speed bike! It is just referencing the 78 model Spitfire is now being sold (restyled) as a KLUNKER with the 5 speed.

View attachment 1706478

View attachment 1706479

Interpret anyway you want to.

I see one statement referring to the Klunker V
then adding “and the Spitfire restyled as a “Klunker.””

Better yet, ask yourself why would Schwinn make a 5 speed bike with a new name and not call the single speed version the same name ?

 

[sarmisluters]

I don't remember who but one of the guys in the Mt Tam crew ( the Repack race ) in Marin, I'll have to ask Charlie Kelly or Joe Breeze next time we're there or maybe some of the Marin Caber's will weigh in here.

Could be that Schwinn was tired of getting more possible legal litigation over new names that they could just go ahead and use the Spitfire name they already owned, and stay busy selling bikes.

When the Spitfire came out in 78, it sold like hotcakes, every one in my middle school and high school wanted one.

I got my first brand new bike as a black Schwinn Spitfire from Aviation Cycles in Manhattan Beach . They didn’t have the black in stock, I then impatiently wanted a blue or red one but my mom made me wait for the black one. It got stolen at school then I got a black 5 speed Spitfire from Circle Cycle in Torrance.

The Schwinn beach cruiser popularity was short lived imho as the 26 bmx bikes came and also died with the arrival of 24 bmx.

 

[Xlobsterman]

Could be that Schwinn was tired of getting more possible legal litigation over new names that they could just go ahead and use the Spitfire name they already owned, and stay busy selling bikes.

When the Spitfire came out in 78, it sold like hotcakes, every one in my middle school and high school wanted one.

I got my first brand new bike as a black Schwinn Spitfire from Aviation Cycles in Manhattan Beach . They didn’t have the black in stock, I then impatiently wanted a blue or red one but my mom made me wait for the black one. It got stolen at school then I got a black 5 speed Spitfire from Circle Cycle in Torrance.

The Schwinn beach cruiser popularity was short lived imho as the 26 bmx bikes came and also died with the arrival of 24 bmx.

The Spitfire actually came out in the 77 model year..........

And chances are that if you purchased a bike from my old shop Aviation Cyclery, is that I am the one who assembled it.

My KLUNKER 5 that came from my shop

 

[SirMike1983]

Ah they reference the goofy Front Freewheel system. One of those solutions in search of a problem typical of the 1970s.
And I like how old school three speeds soldiered on until the bitter end.

One question I do have - the page references "Schwinn-built lugged models". Aside from the Paramount, were lugged frames not Schwinn-approved imported rather than Schwinn-built?

 

[Xlobsterman]

Ah they reference the goofy Front Freewheel system. One of those solutions in search of a problem typical of the 1970s.
And I like how old school three speeds soldiered on until the bitter end.

One question I do have - the page references "Schwinn-built lugged models". Aside from the Paramount, were lugged frames not Schwinn-approved imported rather than Schwinn-built?

The 1979 Schwinn catalog references those models as Schwinn built lugged frames!

1979 Schwinn Catalog

1979 Schwinn Catalog online

bikehistory.org

 

[SirMike1983]

I guess for the few years at the end of the 70s and early 80s, Le Tour/Super Le Tour were lugged and brazed and made in Chicago even though earlier were Schwinn-approved foreign bikes. The catalog quotes 18 gauge 1020 steel, which was basic steel road frame material. Still an interesting and short chapter that I did not know existed. The blog below says it was a short-lived Chicago lugged production running 1979-81, then back to Japan.

Schwinn Le Tour Complete Guide

History of the Schwinn Le Tour It’s the early 1970s and bicycles are booming. Lightweight road bikes are becoming very popular, and Schwinn doesn’t have one that’s more affordable. They…

frugalaveragebicyclist.com

 

[Xlobsterman]

I guess for the few years at the end of the 70s and early 80s, Le Tour/Super Le Tour were lugged and brazed and made in Chicago even though earlier were Schwinn-approved foreign bikes. The catalog quotes 18 gauge 1020 steel, which was basic steel road frame material. Still an interesting and short chapter that I did not know existed.

Schwinn Le Tour Complete Guide

History of the Schwinn Le Tour It’s the early 1970s and bicycles are booming. Lightweight road bikes are becoming very popular, and Schwinn doesn’t have one that’s more affordable. They…

frugalaveragebicyclist.com

They were all good bikes!

I had the 1980 Voyageur 11.8 in black with the red trim. These were the top of the line production lightweight bikes back in the day.

 

[mrg]

I'm still thinking Schwinn planned on dropping the Spitfire name completely for 79, it just wasn't trendy/current enough and use just Klunker till the trademark trouble so went the easy way ( Spitfire ) and made sure they could use Cruiser for '80!