Sunday, December 10, 2023

How's everyone Feel About Klunkers?

Perhaps it's my age or certainly New Orleans ragged ass roads. But I've started more and more, setting up klunker type builds. Another reason might be the availability of well built frames. Take for example the 80's Schwinn Mesa Runner. It's never been considered anything speacial, but I'll be damned if those frames don't make for a first rate klunker build. For instance;
What's kinda annoying to me is, people will order a $300-$400 bicycle online. Many are bikes that aren't worth $60. The cheap cranks, brake hardware, saddles, grips, fake chrome, etc are things that all the bikes pictured above are not guilty of. I'd rather a 36 year old Klunker than any of the mass produced private equity owned bicycle brands. I can't tell you how many bottom brackets I've opened that had barely any grease inside. I'ts as if these companies purposely want the bike to wear out prematurely. Wheel bearings suffer from the same dodgey design. Also take note, how poor the paint is on these fast fashion bikes. You often find fairly new bikes, with oxidized or faded beyond saving paint. I'd like to start a formal protest of fast fashion bicycles. They're a waste of resources. Bad for the planet. Bad for the industry. Get a fucking bike built to last. Rant over.