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2013 Transition Klunker

52K views 93 replies 48 participants last post by  colinpunter 
#1 ·
Looks like there is a new toy to pick up from the boys at transition

Introducing the 2013 Transition Klunker - Bike Rumor

From the article

SPECS:

1 size fits all
Chromoly 3 piece BMX style crankset
Kenda Nevegal 2.35 DH tires
Transition Park n Ride Jump Saddle
Motorcycle Handlebar (800mm wide)
Slack 67 Degree Head Angle
Coaster Brake
PRICE: $549 USD
I'm convinced, more than 650/gearbox/fullsuspension/carbon fat bike, I really want a crappy klunker project. Bring on the klunker renaissance!
 

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#69 ·
Transition was at the Capitol Forest Classic. Not surprisingly, Lars won the All Mountain category. They brought a trailer full of Klunkers and we did shuttle runs the night after the XC race. Holy Crap! What a fun time! Mine is on the way right now!

Tire Wheel Bicycle frame Bicycle wheel Bicycles--Equipment and supplies
 
#71 ·
Did 2 hard rides on the Klunker this week. One involved a lot of climbing (with pushing mixed in). Discovered a few things.

1: Need to lower the gearing. I have a set of XTR cranks lying around so my plan is to use the Truvativ BMX to euro BB adapter. Will keep the 16 in the rear and go to a 38T up front. (This may lower the weight to under 30 lbs. I know, I'm a sissy)

2: Hubs need love out of the box. Repacked front and rear hubs. The nasty black grease in the rear began shooting out halfway through the ride. Replaced with Park grease. Front hub non drive side cone had a gouge in it. Buffed out with Dremel. Now smooth.

3: Glad it has a bottle cage.

4: The geometry is perfect

The Klunker is a really fun bike. It's teaching me a lot about my riding and how to enter corners faster.
 

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#79 · (Edited)
I own a few Velosteel hubs, and I like 'em for JRA/cruising, but they wouldn't be my first choice off-road.

For current-production SS CB hubs, it's tough to beat the humble Shimano cb-e110. Just use some spoke washers when you build the wheel. (Always a good idea when building up a wheel around a steel hub due to thinner flanges, but the cb-e110 doesn't have very well-radiussed holes, which compounds the problem.) Granted, the brake doesn't modulate well, but at least it stops the wheel with authority. The Velosteel rules for low-drag rolling, but the braking is on the weak side. The Shimano is just the opposite.

I believe the TR Klunker runs a KT hub as OE; can anyone who owns one confirm/disconfirm this?
 
#76 ·
I'm considering getting a Klunker, but I'm 6'4" and wonder if anyone of a similar height has ridden one. Also, does anyone have a more detailed run down of the actual manufacturers of the parts and components (especially the coaster brake hub and the crankset)? I wish Transitions offered the frameset for sale.
 
#77 ·
Hmmmm. I am 6-2 and can actually ride it as an XC bike (which I do a lot since I sold my fancy SS). It really needs a longer seat post for that though. At max seat height for the stock post I still can't get full leg extension. I know this is not what the Klunker was designed for but I'm loving it. As to the hub its a Histop and the cranks are stamped "SAMUX". The hub rattles a lot but has decent braking power. A friend has been Klunking with me and got a Velosteel. The brake is weaker but seems to deal with heat better and has better modulation.

I modified mine a bit. 720mm wide bars and FR stem, older XTR cranks (using a Truvativ USA to Euro adapter) with a 40t ring and 19t cog. Much more rideable.

Also, I found this video of UCLA football player Carl Hulick Klunking. He's only 6-2 but it should give you an idea of sizing.

 

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#80 ·
I have a friend using the Velosteel. I actually like the reduced power and quicker engagement. The hub on the TR takes alomost 45 degrees to engage. Kind of unsettling. I will probably try a Shimano too at some point.

The hub on the TR Klunker (at least on mine) is a HiStop.
 
#81 · (Edited)
Yeah, KT makes the HiStop, as well as a few other cb hubs. I don't have much confidence in them. As far as that goes, almost anything would be a step-up from stock.

Funny you mention engagement. My Velosteel engages at about 30ish degrees, I'd estimate, on a good day. However, when I first rebuilt one, I used a lot of #2 grease, like I would on most cb hubs. Big mistake. The rollers in the Velosteel get gummed up, and engagement goes out the window. Best bet is to grease the ball bearings, but use oil on the rollers and either oil or a light coating of grease on the **brake** discs.

Coolest thing about the Velosteel, from a mechanic's POV, is that setting up/adjusting the cones is crazy-easy. The Velosteel is basically a mutated Fichtel&Sachs Torpedo; the F&S design was aped, borrowed, stolen, and bought by many firms over the years, including several Brit companies. The inside of a Velosteel is virtually identical to a Perry or an early (pre-SR--those are relabeled KTs) Sturmey-Archer ss cb hub. Here's how Sheldon suggests adjusting those cones:
" These English coaster brakes adjust differently from most coaster brake hubs. There's a square end on one end of the axle. The right cone is fixed to the axle; the left cone, as usual, is attached to the reaction arm.

To adjust the cones on a typical English coaster-brake hub, you leave it in the bike, but loosen both axle nuts. Use an adjustable wrench to turn the whole axle, screwing it in or out of the left cone, then re-tighten the axle nuts once the cone adjustment is correct.

These hubs use a roller-clutch, instead of the acme threaded driver/cone used on American coaster bakes. The 5 rollers sit around the base of the driver, which acts as a cam. When you pedal forward, the rollers are forced outward where they press against the inside of the hub shell, driving the wheel."

Works like a charm. You can quickly and easily eliminate slop without binding up....

For a tear-down/repack tutorial with pics, check out: http://www.elegantwheels.net/upload/Velosteel Rebuild PDF.pdf

(I'm planning to oil-port my next Velosteel wheel, to keep the PITA factor down a bit.)

FWIW, I got some hubs from the elegantwheels site; I can vouch for'm. The owner, Guy, is a stand-up dude.
 
#82 ·
My Klunker came today. Had it on the street in an hour. Love it! Only change I will make is to get a longer seatpost, and I ditched the saddle, exchanged it for one out of the spare parts drawer after getting on it one time. Bike came with a caliper front brake, which I left in the box.

Stem is heavy, so I'll probably upgrade that, but the concept of the bike is awesome.
 
#85 ·
It's the KT hub being itself. They rattle a ton. Mine is now so bad it takes nearly 90 degrees for the brake to engage. It's not a terrible thing because I have lots of freedom to move the cranks around without engaging the brake. I'll likely get a Shimano or VeloSteel soon.
 
#86 ·
I agree that KTs are gonna be KTs, and noise is to be expected, but still, i think a repack would be advisable in ghood's situation. Certainly couldn't hurt. KTs seem to function best when fed a steady diet of high-temp bearing grease; i use the Lucas Red'n'Tacky, but anything with good numbers as far as the dropping point goes will do fine. FWIW, the Red'n'Tacky drops at 540F.

As for replacing the KT, if the hub shell is intact, you can do a full Shimano cb-e110 guts-swap in the existing KT hubshell without having to replace the wheel. As in, but a new cb-e110, pull off the driveside jam nut and cone, slide EVERYthing out, grease it up good, and slide it all into your emptied KT hubshell. Yes, it fits. Yes, it works. Yes, it's pretty danged rad.

While you're at it, consider doing some of these mods; I came across this video, and alot of this seems like some really good ideas. I'm gonna convert to loose balls soon; i may end up chamfering the shoes some day, too.
 
#94 ·
Forget Transitions, check this out, all done for just under $500 with braced enduro bar, bear-trap pedals, Brooks B17 saddle, DMR Moto RT tyres etc.
Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal hub gears with tube mounted thumb shifter to keep bars clutter free - clean lines like a single speed Bomber but with extra legs.
It's got a less than authentic aluminium frame though, but it won't rust and it weighs 13kg all in.
 

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