The Klunker Experiment - $399 State Klunker Challenge With Hardtail Party

Can you ride a klunker on real mountain bike trails... and still have fun?
Check out Steve's Hardtail Party video introducing the challenge and be sure to follow his channel to see his video of our awesome weekend. Thank you to State Bicycle Co for providing my klunker.
Hardtail Party's intro to the challenge - bit.ly/3sJRXZt
Hardtail Party's build of the klunker - bit.ly/32F2EBZ
Get all your parts for your next bike, or klunker build, from Jenson USA and help support more content like this by using this affiliate link:
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Music from Epidemic Sound bit.ly/30pwbOZ
In Our Hands - by Ten Towers
#HardtailParty
#Klunker
#Oldshovel

[@hardtailparty]

In over 25 years of riding mountain bikes, that was one of my all-time favorite rides. It wouldn't have been the same without you. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to play bikes with us. I can't wait to see what you do to improve this bike.

[@oldshovel]

Thanks Steve. My sentiments are exactly the same. I had so much fun on that klunker I almost don’t want to change it. I feel like I bonded with it. 😁

[@hardtailparty]

@@oldshovel I'm in the exact same boat. Before the ride i had a ton of plans for upgrades. Now I want to do as little as possible.

[@reubenmarcellus3353]

You probably dont care but if you guys are bored like me during the covid times then you can watch pretty much all of the new movies on InstaFlixxer. Been streaming with my brother lately =)

[@kellyjones4238]

Wish my Klunker would have shipped on time. Now it sits in the garage.

[@larkinkelly3754]

I’d do an S&m challenger or profile push stem for street cred otherwise they’re perfect as is

[@GokkunGuru]

One of the best bike channels out there. It’s pure, honest and fun to watch.

[@oldshovel]

Awesome thanks

[@thebiggerbyte5991]

Great video, as always. Proof that you don't need a $5000 bike with 6 inches of travel at each end to have fun. Many people just bring too much bike to the party. Really looking forward to seeing how you're going to modify it.

[@emmydianah3324]

*Looked at a lot of options for getting my **Latest.Bike** . Great find in SAVA. Super light, nice components, really good value as it comes with many options only found in much higher priced bikes.*

[@themeatpopsicle]

Everyone that shows up to SSUSA with a coaster brake klunker seems to be having the best time ever

[@2trekkertrek]

This is what biking is all about for me. Doesn't matter what you ride, ride it with a smile. Loving this vid so much, keep it up!

[@B.A.512]

Awesome! Modification: S.A. XL-FD front hub! Riding A Klunker bike for 6 years on mountainbike races now, love it!

[@oldshovel]

That’s awesome. You are the man!

[@jonmarshall1502]

This is basically what mountain biking should still be all about. Not over priced , over complicated status symbols.

[@thevelostudio7215]

Ha! I love that you used the air compressor trick to put on the grips. If more people knew how to do it air compressor sales would go wild. Thanks for showing how it is done....

[@MaximRecoil]

Isopropyl alcohol is just as easy, and way cheaper than an air compressor. Just wet the inside of the grip with alcohol and it will slide on with ease. In a few minutes the alcohol evaporates and then the grips won't move. Also, use the alcohol on a paper towel to thoroughly clean the ends of the handlebars and the inside of the grips first, because any dirt or oily residue that may be there will make it so the grips always slip and slide around.

[@glennpettersson9002]

You, a bike and a trail, it's just that simple 🤘

[@oldshovel]

Exactly

[@camiloherrera7546]

This video just convinced me to buy one of these I need to get back on a bike and this seems like the perfect bike for it thanks for the great video

[@joseaklx300r6]

First time watching your videos got me hook cuz many ppl can even aford a entry level bike and i can see how honest your review was. And the most important part having fun

[@gr8fulride]

fun fun! I have the Klunker bug too. built up a nice beach cruiser fatty. it was a blast. put some mechanical disc brakes as that was all the lbs had, and stripped off all the useless garbage. still weighed 38 lbs so I donated it to a dude that collects beach cruisers. will try again some day.

[@oldshovel]

Lol on the weigh. I was surprised these weighed in around 32 lbs, I was expecting more.

[@98Kentuckian]

i feel like with at least a handbrake this experience would be 100 times less terrifying 😂

[@bradsanders6954]

Gearing,ft and rr brakes,suspension,way lighter weight,better geometry,...........and yup you'd be loving life. I raced 26" wheel Schwinns as a kid. I know just what it's like....now I have a 2021 Intense Sniper at 24lbs....its way fun.

[@AstroVanTribe]

I've always ridden Klunkers, everywhere, and still do :D

[@jasonbold9956]

I have one. “Regal” 5 speed beach cruiser meant for rough terrain! Early Late 70’s early 80’s cruiser with BMX gooseneck and rim brakes and 5 speed! It is solid FUN FUN FUN!

[@Bikeops2021]

Haha, great video. Looks like everyone had some fun which is nice to see happening again. Not a bike we see a lot of in the UK, unfortunately, makes watching these videos more enjoyable. 🇬🇧

[@scottgarber7363]

Appreciate the video. I just bought the same bike with intentions to upgrade a few parts on it. 👍

[@turntablized]

I was born in 81 and my first and all of my collegues "all terrain bike" was Romet Wigry 3" i broke 3 of them every time the frame snap on the folding hinge wich as far as i know no one never used any way. So i guess that was one of the earlierst implementation of not a bug it's a feature technology.

[@assidoni]

Hey, Guys. Have a nice weekend

[@hanswalter7543]

dito

[@lukesteele5013]

I will thank you

[@PariahSojourner]

30 years ago I had an old 1960 Rollfast cruiser frame that I found buried in the back of an old bicycle store an acquaintance bought. I built that thing up to be a "klunker," and bombed down many a local trail on it before the bike was run over by a car and destroyed about 10 years ago.

[@oldshovel]

Bummer on the bike getting destroyed. Klunkers are awesome.

[@Sc-dn8dp]

Why can’t you. Before suspension me and my friends road similar trails and power lines in the 80s. Was never even a thought if we could or not. We just did it. I had a 20” Ross with yellow plastic mags. Awesome vid!

[@oldshovel]

Awesome

[@johnford2112]

Just pure trail riding, love it! I need to try that here in AZ. You guys are Awesome!

[@merlinthebikewizard4392]

This is awesome! Make bikes fun and cheap again!

[@j_roq7112]

Any bike that gives you that much pleasure is priceless

[@TheRealD4]

4:57 "Dave darling you're so money supermarket"

[@akkdm1]

Thanks for making me look so good! I was nice to “see you again, old friend”. And I’m throwing my hat in the ring for Moab now!

[@oldshovel]

Dido. It was awesome fun.

[@chasepalpatine170]

Algorithms just pointed your channel my way, probably from HTParty. Really nice vibe. Thanks for sharing some goodness to the world.

[@seandan68]

LOVE MY 81'KLUNKER!!

[@Incorruptus1]

O.o hmmm... That is classically heroic! I llllllllike it!

[@Henjo29]

These bikes look so awesome! I wish i knew bout them sooner. The Grateful Dead version looks amazing!

[@JB-1138]

Everyone should start out riding on a simple bike. It increases your skill level. Also helps you appreciate the newer mountain bikes.

[@adamgroves2811]

While videos of guys doing massive hucks and endless manuals are impressive, this really makes me want to get out and ride.

[@TheCaptainsCog]

Running your bars super Chicago style!!!

[@adventuresofhunter]

4:54 this cat is literally me, outfit and all. watching this to see if i should buy the corona klunker since its on sale.. wanted a klunker when they were first released but the sale price is very tempting. ok I'm buying it lol

[@michaelwhite5834]

There's something really beautiful about this. Love it.

[@BruceChastain]

looks like a lot of fun, and that one steep section im sure is steeper than it looks like in the video.

[@bikingviking6688]

J.E.M. trail would make ANY bike fun! One of the best, flowiest tracks anywhere. And when you get to the bottom, blazing a couple of feet from certain death above the Virgin River...😱 adrenalin overload!

[@oldshovel]

It was a great trail for the klunkers.

[@oscarcaruso204]

Cycling is life !

[@bluehimp1348]

That's cool I took a 1995 giant iguana and made it a single speed rear brakes only riser bars made it a modern day clunker 😁

[@Vitusvonatzinger]

My first trail riding before BMX bikes became the standard was on a Newsboy-style Klunk. That’s what we rode.

[@siriosstar4789]

i get a lot of flack for this but i still maintain that learning on a hardtail MTB or clunker will teach you how to pick the best line . Hard tails are unforgiving . Master a hardtail and then get on a full suspension .

[@RippSnortin]

"Can you ride klunkers on a real mountain bike trail" l think we answered tgat question 25 years ago when the single speed fad started. Same basic type of bike just a slightly different shape. I rode my Redline Mono Cog on all the same trails l rode my geary.

[@SimplicityForGood]

what about hydraulic brakes on a klunker instead of a coaster brake? how then will such trails be more enjoyable?

[@pokeypaul78]

I can't wait to see what you do with this one. Also a comparison with your other clunker would be interesting. On a totally different topic, are you still selling hats or even the old shovel patches to make our own? Maybe ClubRide could throw one in my next order.

[@oldshovel]

I’m a slacker on setting up my website to sell hats and stuff. I spend all my spare time in the garage.

[@pokeypaul78]

Get ClubRide to do it for you when we use your code.

[@LorenzoDeprado]

id ride my rigid single speed 29er back in my teenage years through my early twenties...everywhere. school, for a quick ride, and on Real^tm trails. id get comments from adults riding in lycra or someone screaming "rider" as I just wasn't geared for the climbs. I always thought I was missing out. It took me years to realize I wasn't.

[@icarolima5763]

A huggie from Brazil!

[@jamiecox2506]

A great example of why underbiking can rival modern "mountain bikes"

[@brandonlewis2916]

My first mountain bike trail I rode on my bmx bike. It was a blast!!

[@Capicua718]

You can ride any bike on mtb trails For that bike the only down is the brakes and the pedal engagement

[@seansims8805]

There are levels and methods to having fun and I like em all too...way to rock it back to the days I started ...we just rode fixed on the fly...had gas stations or some adult would let you borrow a wrench alot...but we rode to the wheels were off or flat . Streets and play fields loads of short trails and I had the bmx thing going too.. we road around for hours doing Endo kick outs to thrash garbage cans and such. BMX plus and BMX action mag days days ...I'm just a few years younger than the 1st wave , they were my heros ..Mike Buff , RL , Stew T and the Brother who races for CW cànt remember his name ...dudes were built a powerful..you had to break stuff or flat fly to be the best...DIA COMP destruction days...the Seattle green belts and suburbs were pretty dreamy ride spots back in the 80's and 90's ...b4 mass rural development. Motor bikes and Equestrians were out too...

[@frankcastle3827]

You should get front shocks for your beach cruiser

[@motleypixel]

Q: 2:45 A: From the mouth of Joe Breeze: Duh! From the mouth of Tom Ritchey: Well sure, but I can make a better Klunker than you. From the mouth of Gary Fisher: Don't care which Klunker you use or build, give me one and I'll beat you down the hill every time!

[@oldshovel]

Awesome 🙌

[@philiprayner]

question as I understand it a clunker is just an old cruiser bike built into a mountain bike so why not use an old cruiser ?

[@Bigheadedwon]

Bike looks damn awesome. I know this is completely the wrong kind of ride for what I'll be doing. But if anyone reads this and has a comment on crazy/poor of an idea would it be to use this to do deliveries in a 1.5 mile range. I know there are far better bikes for this task, and hell there might not even be many less well suited lol. But I'm falling in love with the style of these. I'll be making 5 pizzas at a time and going out delivering them, and repeating this 3 or 4 times a night (shooting for 15-20 pizzas) 1.5 mile is the max, a sensible person would use a car, or an electric scooter. However I'm not sensible, and my heart's telling me to buy a Clunker after seeing this video. But I'm also not totally crazy so I thought I'd ask for an opinion. I know these aren't beach cruisers but that's what my brain sees, but they're not so maybe they're quicker than I'm assuming. They look to be moving pretty damn good in the video but they're going downhill and stuff. I'll be riding boring, flat streets.

[@gerryedwards9738]

Can I have that bike when you've finished with it? I'll cover the postage to the UK, no worries. I love it! Great idea! Keep it up!

[@johnelliott5923]

Maybe try putting a front break on them. I build clunkers and it does help prolong the life of the rear hub break

[@chrisallen2005]

That just begins the next add on and the next add on until you no longer have a klunker.

[@a.sarmiento5116]

Didn't realize it at first I was looking for the handbrakes and realize you were using the original coaster brakes for those klunkers on those mountain bike trails... real cool! I thought you modified it... so I will be waiting for that mods edition. What's the weight anyway?

[@oldshovel]

They weigh in around 32 lbs

[@badger67]

@@oldshovel Are coaster brakes, I'm assuming back pedalling brakes? They were never popular in the UK apart from the odd kid's bike. 32lbs is nearly as heavy as my old Dawes Ranger and Saracen 531 Conguest bikes from the mid 80's. They were great for blasting down Snowdon, but uphill? 😦😀 Looking forward to your mods on the Cluncker. A more comfortable saddle maybe and the old bear trap pedals for posterity? Fantastic video as ever.

[@jny78]

I love your youthful spirit!

[@josef.david.mushpile]

Can't wait to see how you modify it!

[@DJLauf]

You still ride this bike much? Thinking of buying one soon myself

[@bikermonster8354]

What a great video and to ride with Klunkerbikes are awesome. Here in germany, we got a lot of cool trails. Maybe a look after a oldcruiser to transform it to a Klunker. Really great video. Stay well and best regards from germany. ✌😃👍🚲

[@oldshovel]

Awesome thanks

[@stuckinthepast5537]

Love your videos.

[@karlstine2065]

I used to ride a woman’s huffy and my son had a Walmart special. Worked for us.

[@michaelriley3707]

That looks way to fun. Kind of sketchy though!!

[@Niknamew]

The thing that gets me the most with this experiment is the fact that the klunkers just have coaster brakes. Crazy, absolutely crazy :D

[@oldshovel]

Crazy awesome

[@Niknamew]

@@oldshovel true that

[@lolaharwood4702]

how do coaster brakes work, I've never seen one?

[@Niknamew]

@@lolaharwood4702 coaster brakes are the brakes that kids bikes and cruisers usually have. You have to pedal backwards for the brake to kick in. So there's no brake levers or cables

[@lolaharwood4702]

@@Niknamew oh okay, so pedaling backwards kind of locks the pins in the hub? i think i get it, thanks!

[@JAMaxeRestoration]

Am I understanding this correctly, there is a Walmart coaster brake hub and wheel on the vintage Schwinn klunker? Why?

[@luizhenriquevargasdeandrad261]

Isso é a verdadeira essência do mtb nos primórdios. Linda bike ,pena que aqui no Brasil na fomentam estas ideias.

[@mackturtle82]

coaster brakes can be modified heavily to work better. I'm looking forward to see what you do with yours.

[@jeffdanieltiong9856]

Another awesome video thanks for the video -From Philippines

[@Darchful]

It is not bad for walking but it is already seen at minute 4:15 that this bike on the mountain can only be carried by someone with a lot of experience in mtb. The bike is very beautiful, but today it stays at that, beautiful and nothing more.

[@lucywucyyy]

i wouldve bough an old veach cruiser and converted it to a klunker myself wasnt aware you could just buy klunkers lol

[@ipodgolfer13]

Is the backpedal the brake on a klunker?

[@bmac65]

Trying to see if one of these state bicycle clunkers will fit me. I’m 6’5. Looks like it fits you pretty good. If you don’t mind me asking. How tall are you?

[@Rozbujnik_Rumcajs]

only thing that i would do is convert coaster brake to freewheel and add some real brake.

[@braulio1o4]

Great vídeo! Thats a reason why i build My 1992 giant ATX. It makes easy trails way more fun! I make some mods tho, dropper, drop bars, friction shifter with 11spd Deore XT, maxxis aggressor and highroller. Kinda look like what John Tomac would use. I took it to the Summer Series, a local race here where i live. And it felt weird to be arround so many carbon bikes and people in Lycra, looking at me like... Wooow that bike is cool... And some people Says, "wtf is this guy doing here with "that"?" So far one of the most fun bikes that i have atm

[@oldshovel]

Awesome story my friend.

[@javanthomas4122]

Does it have to be a shwinn frame to be a klunker bike can it be a beach cruiser bike frame

[@devildoglcpl]

This brings me back. I had an old schwinn I made into a clunker back in the day. My friend is a State dealer. I'm thinking bout getting one. He doesn't know much about blinkers or BMX, so he could not tell me, on the seat stay, is the spacing from the cross member (where a set of side pull would go) modern or would I need a pair of those extra long cruiser brakes?

[@burnzy7059]

You should rebuild a kona shred

[@IsraelMagalit]

Awesome. Looks like a hoot!

[@paquitolobato]

Are those tires tubeless ???

[@michaelzanotto8469]

Hi great fun initiative, two questions though, was the crank arm torqued or at least checked prior to riding and why were the wheel reflectors removed?

[@oldshovel]

I like to live with danger so I removed the reflectors. 😁 as to the cranks is did not check they were tightened down. I assembled it out of the box and rode it as is... probably should have overhauled it... but part of me wanted to see it out of the box.

[@8gdewanversloot820]

That tires is nice I would take that tires

[@gonzalogarcia7435]

Hello my friend very good video l love bike... Is really a good bike a eternal bike????? Respect and love from Chile

[@yardsalecycles]

Turn an old rockhopper into a klunker/bmx and is one of my favorite bikes to ride

[@oldshovel]

Awesome

[@justmakingtea1352]

Air suspension fork upgrade!

[@gregstrabala8607]

I’m thinking about getting the state klunker, or building one, did you guys do the upgrades or personalize them yet?

[@ghostything]

Klunkers made MTB, of course they'll run MTB trails... for real though, it's the best way to. But clamping the bars into the stem, tension opposite corners first, not back then front!

[@TheArfabrizio]

What about throwing a susp fork

[@jcaron6118]

If safety is third, whats first and second? Fun and beer?

[@oldshovel]

Lol fun was definitely at the top of the list.

[@mehagel65]

That Funny your near Hurricane UT. I watch youtube channel "Matts Off Road Recovery" and they are out of Hurricane UT too.

[@fredhenderson6303]

Can a 10 speed microshift advent groupset and a front suspension fork work?

[@oldshovel]

It’s not off the table 🙌

[@bobjoncas2814]

...looks like fun was had by all, stay safe...

[@oldshovel]

Thanks Bob

[@JayCarlJayson]

How many teeth of your cog in coaster?

[@GameplayerSolCley]

5:06 such a nice place to ride. I am in a ugly city

[@mybikevlogs6670]

Watching

[@heathenamerican8149]

I did an MTB trail on a bmx bike once when I was younger. I finished the trail but my Haro not so much.

[@oldshovel]

Lol awesome

[@heathenamerican8149]

@@oldshovel didn't feel awesome in the end lol

[@BeeLineFab]

What kind of mount did you have to get a smooth shot? 2:28

[@oldshovel]

It’s more about the camera. I was running a DGI Osmo Action.

[@benspeedschannel888]

I’ve never ridden a bike with a coaster brake, they are really uncommon here in the Uk for some reason

[@grumpy_ken]

Sturmey Archer, the legendary hub manufacturer, is in England, and I know they have made a TON lol. they are mostly found on vintage and children's bikes in the US, but they are also on Dutch grandma bikes which I guess don't make their way to the UK

[@artvandalay2736]

turning it into a fixed gear would be a crazy modification