Show us your KLUNKER 5, SPITFIRE 5 or CRUISER 5

[mrg]

Here is my rant of the day, WHY would anyone add fenders to a spitfire/klunker/cruiser, that were never made with them and kinda defeating the purpose of a beach cruiser as Schwinn intended them, Schwinn was copying the cali trend of down hill Klunker/beach cruiser, a kobby tired stripped down hotrod. people usually take off fenders to hotrod their bike. Cabers don't let friends put fenders on KLUNKERS! , my GRAMPA thinks it looks keen with fenders and says what if it rains (your only excuse is you ride it to work everyday i the rain), to me it looks like people that put pants on their dog, There are plenty of great bikes that are suppose to have fenders. Keep the California Cruiser/spitfire/klunker/cruiser's the was they are suppose to be FENDERLESS, Oh Well, that's my pet peeve rant of the day

 

[mrg]

 

[Susie]

She should have kept it and not let him ride it. Then he would have had to buy what she wanted and beg her to trade! Or buy another Klunker for himself, and then you would have two!

Cheers to that!

 

[Jeff54]

Here is my rant of the day, WHY would anyone add fenders to a spitfire/klunker/cruiser,

The one and only answer is: Mud stripes! [wink]

 

[Oilit]

Here is my rant of the day, WHY would anyone add fenders to a spitfire/klunker/cruiser, that were never made with them and kinda defeating the purpose of a beach cruiser as Schwinn intended them, Schwinn was copying the cali trend of down hill Klunker/beach cruiser, a kobby tired stripped down hotrod. people usually take off fenders to hotrod their bike. Cabers don't let friends put fenders on KLUNKERS! , my GRAMPA thinks it looks keen with fenders and says what if it rains (your only excuse is you ride it to work everyday i the rain), to me it looks like people that put pants on their dog, There are plenty of great bikes that are suppose to have fenders. Keep the California Cruiser/spitfire/klunker/cruiser's the was they are suppose to be FENDERLESS, Oh Well, that's my pet peeve rant of the dayView attachment 647086View attachment 647087View attachment 647088View attachment 647090

While I understand that fenders serve no purpose in southern California, in the east we have this stuff called "rain", and it mixes with dirt to produce something called "mud".

 

[Oilit]

I like that red Spitfire 5, by the way.

 

[Jeff54]

Whelp then let me be the first to tell ya

While I understand that fenders serve no purpose in southern California, in the east we have this stuff called "rain", and it mixes with dirt to produce something called "mud".

. being a native So cal boy, IT DOES rain! And plenty mud! (hint: what state in USA has annual mud slides, wiping out cars, roads homes and occasionally people?) and believe this or not, Kids did and do actually play wit their bicycles, in rain, dirt and of all things, mud! too. mud stripes suck, even if all you're doing is riding bike to school and back, go figure? !

What? heavy duty bicycles are made to stick in car or truck only be taken out at beach and then only,, ride on the fricken sidewalk? [grin] truth be known, it was totally dumb of Schwinn to NOT have made fenders for em.

 

[Oilit]

Whelp then let me be the first to tell ya

. being a native So cal boy, IT DOES rain! And plenty mud! (hint: what state in USA has annual mud slides, wiping out cars, roads and occasionally people?) and believe this or not, Kids did and do actually play wit their bicycles too. mud stripes suck!

What? heavy duty bicycles are made to stick in car or truck only be taken out at beach and then only,, ride on the fricken sidewalk? [grin] truth be known, it was totally dumb of Schwinn to NOT have made fenders for em.
View attachment 647316

In one of his books, Geoff Greene suggests that since they were using S-2 rims in a middleweight frame, maybe they were having clearance problems. I kind of suspect they were just saving money. But either way, I'm with you on mud stripes. Your pictures pretty much said it all.

 

[Jeff54]

In one of his books, Geoff Greene suggests that since they were using S-2 rims in a middleweight frame,

[

Middleweight frame? Wow, that caught me off guard. I just presumed they were heavyweight b/c I see plenty of clearance. . Yet I just measured and sure nough they are set at middle weight clearances. However, even with balloon tires my bikes still got an average of 3/4" clearance on each side of triers. . . Got me to wonder bout the wideer fenders that I've always considered using on the Cruisers, robbed off of 95 deluxe, or cruiser 4, or 6 etc. Yet sure enough the only wide, appropriately set was the 95 black Phantom repo frame. however my fav alternative choices are indented to fit the smaller frame with about 2-5/8" fender bracket and fork distance. I knew they were not as wide as old timers but wide appeal. . I'd presumed those were heavy weight distance too, but nope! some time back I was gonna stick one of those on my 55 black phantom but when I checked it was too small, and I didn't make the whole connection at that time too. That is, I tried on old BP but hadn't yet tested, or measured those 78-81 cruisers but been wondering, thinking they wouldn't too, . They will fit after all. And while not original dated, would be much nicer than those china 'mud guards' the dealers stuck on.

. And although Schwinn was obviously following a trend, "Klunkers" origin was about mountain bikers or dirt jumpers. Calf. beach bikes were playing the cool rule so that makes sense on the: California cruiser. Yet just plain cheap is another reason b/c otherwise, their mindset would have been, "gee, lets see how quick we can go broke by making bikes parents would not buy without, as old terms were not fenders but, without 'Mud guards'" .. lol

 

[Oilit]

[

Middleweight frame? Wow, that caught me off guard. I just presumed they were heavyweight b/c I see plenty of clearance. . Yet I just measured and sure nough they are set at middle weight clearances. However, even with balloon tires my bikes still got an average of 3/4" clearance on each side of triers. . . Got me to wonder bout the wideer fenders that I've always considered using on the Cruisers, robbed off of 95 deluxe, or cruiser 4, or 6 etc. Yet sure enough the only wide, appropriately set was the 95 black Phantom repo frame. however my fav alternative choices are indented to fit the smaller frame with about 2-5/8" fender bracket and fork distance. I knew they were not as wide as old timers but wide appeal. . I'd presumed those were heavy weight distance too, but nope! some time back I was gonna stick one of those on my 55 black phantom but when I checked it was too small, and I didn't make the whole connection at that time too. That is, I tried on old BP but hadn't yet tested, or measured those 78-81 cruisers but been wondering, thinking they wouldn't too, . They will fit after all. And while not original dated, would be much nicer than those china 'mud guards' the dealers stuck on.

. And although Schwinn was obviously following a trend, "Klunkers" origin was about mountain bikers or dirt jumpers. Calf. beach bikes were playing the cool rule so that makes sense on the: California cruiser. Yet just plain cheap is another reason b/c otherwise, their mindset would have been, "gee, lets see how quick we can go broke by making bikes parents would not buy without, as old terms were not fenders but, without 'Mud guards'" .. lol

Now you've got me wondering. In 1995 Boulder went all out advertising their new " '55 Cantilever Frame". I had assumed they went back to the heavyweight dimensions, but come to think of it, 1955 was when the middleweights were introduced. Looks like it's time to get out the calipers.