2008 Don McClung
In 2001, Don McClung of Salida, CO quietly walked the halls of Interbike with the one speed cruiser bike he had built around 29 inch wheels. Despite a plain, dark green color, the bike was distinctive for its frame design modeled after a 1934 Pierce Arrow, a bike whose lines Don had always admired. Beyond the retro layout with a bi-plane truss fork, the bike featured steep angles to offset the large wheels and an ultra short wheel-base for climbing. The chainstays were only 16.25" inches long, which was unheard of at the time for a big wheel bike. Pulling this off in his simple home shop required Don's ingenuity to create highly manipulated chainstays and a bent seattube. Bending the ultra-thin seattube required Don to fill the tube with a toxic bismuth alloy which could subsequently be removed with boiling water. Don would often use lightweight fork blades, so the trusses contributed to the handling.
Don has built about sixty of these one speed cruisers, often referred to as a "Don" bike, which are highly cherished by their owners. Don delivers a bare frame and fork, leaving the owner to have the frame painted, often resulting in a retro scheme in keeping with the frame design. Despite the rudimentary nature of the bikes, they often get ridden hard by their owners on the rugged terrain of the Colorado Rockies and beyond, which is a testament to Don's skill as a designer and builder. This example, featuring an array of US made components, is beautiful in appearance yet all business on the trails. Don's retro frame design has proven to be very inspiring and numerous replicas and tribute bikes have been produced.
More information about Don's bikes can be found on the McClung Archive page.
Don has built about sixty of these one speed cruisers, often referred to as a "Don" bike, which are highly cherished by their owners. Don delivers a bare frame and fork, leaving the owner to have the frame painted, often resulting in a retro scheme in keeping with the frame design. Despite the rudimentary nature of the bikes, they often get ridden hard by their owners on the rugged terrain of the Colorado Rockies and beyond, which is a testament to Don's skill as a designer and builder. This example, featuring an array of US made components, is beautiful in appearance yet all business on the trails. Don's retro frame design has proven to be very inspiring and numerous replicas and tribute bikes have been produced.
More information about Don's bikes can be found on the McClung Archive page.
The Build
Year: 2008
SN: 46 Frame: McClung Double Top Tube Fork: McClung Bi-Plane Stem: Ibis Titanium Headset: Chris King Bottom Bracket: Phil Wood Handlebar: Titanium Riser Shifters: None Front Derailleur: None Rear Derailleur: None Brake Levers: Shimano XTR M970 Front Brake: Shimano XTR M970 V-Brake Rear Brake: Shimano XTR M970 V-Brake Crankset: White Industries ENO Chainring: 32 Pedals: Shimano XT PD-780 Hubs: Chris King Single Speed Rims: Mavic A719 Tires: Schwalbe Rocket Ron 2.25 Wheel QR: Bolt On / Shimano XTR Seatpost: American Classic Titanium Saddle: Brooks B-17 Grips: Magura Modified Cog: Surly 21T Chain: KMC Single Speed |
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