1950(ish) HWE Rex Klunker...thing

[KayOs]

As requested, here is the build thread to my HWE Rex.

It all started about 20 years ago when I found a bike in a scrap container at my former company. It was old but it worked perfectly. I wanted to build it up as a Klunker or Tracker but unfortunately the frame didn't have room for fat tyres and 27.5" rims and tyres didn't exist yet. So it became a kind of commuter rat. But I still had fun with it.



When I discovered a 27.5 inch Klunker in the mtb news forum last autumn (credits to null2wo), the idea came back and I started looking around for a suitable bike.

I found what I was looking for in January and picked up the bike. It had spent the last 30 years outdoors in Sweden and therefore has a bit of a patina, as rust is called nowadays.



I bought it from the grand daughter of the first owner.

So off it went into the shed, the ride went well and everything felt solid.

The first thing I had to do was make sure the 2.3 inch tyres actually fit, they did. Just needed a different fork.



Then, with a lot of WD-40, swearing, some brute force and also bloody fingers, I completely dismantled the bike. Business as usual.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Fantastic looking bike. Panzer!

 

[KayOs]

As the terrain here is quite hilly and can sometimes be steep, I decided against a coaster brake in favour of a drum brake with three-speed gears. Of course, I also had to fit a drum brake at the front. Sturmey Archer had both with the right installation widths. Wide 27.5 inch rims with 36 holes and in a favourable price were not so easy to find, but in the end I was lucky with the Gora 35. Spokes and nipples were available for € 20 in a pack of 100, perfect.

I found the saddle used and very cheap on "Kleinanzeigen" and it's practically new and very comfortable. I cobbled together the seat post from two.

 

[KayOs]

After I saw the prices for Surly handlebars, it was clear that it would be a motorbike handlebar. They cost less than half the price when new and even less when used. 15€ later, that was done too.



That left the fork. Here, too, I found what I was looking for on "Kleinanzeigen", a Dutch bike fork with a mount for the torque arm of the drum brake and even the headset was included, yay! Unfortunately, I only estimated the steerer length and was wrong by 7mm. What now?
I had another joker, a good friend with golden hands in my opinion. He extended my steerer tube while I started building wheels.

Rear

Front

 

[KayOs]

The next item on the programme was the bottom bracket and crankset. As the bottom bracket shell has a diameter of 40mm and no thread, the only option left was the "Thun Reparaturtretlager". With a 119mm axle, an old FSA crank and the innermost chainring, the chainline and gear ratio fit. A man also needs a little luck!



However, pressing in a bottom bracket without the appropriate tools when the whole construction doesn't fit in your own vice is a bit of an adventure. But thanks to my ingenuity, beer and a few well-aimed hammer blows at the end, it wasn't a big problem.

 

[KayOs]

The drivetrain is already working...



Maybe I find some nicer cranks in the future.

 

[KayOs]

The fork was also finished in the meantime.



Unfortunately, there is now a plug in the extended steerer tube. This meant that the stem had to be shortened. Cutting through the chrome at an angle with a handsaw was also an experience at first.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a suitable stem screw, no taps to adapt the original screw and the DIY stores were already closed. So a short screw had to be modified a little, luckily I have files.



The last small problem was the clamp to attach the rear torque arm to the chain stay. It was too small. But a strap iron helped here.

 

[KayOs]

Laying the cables and adjusting everything was easier than ever and I was ready. Off to the first test ride.




I love it and 16.5kg is no problem on the flat and exactly what I need to challenge myself uphill on short rides.

 

[yakboy]

Looking great...really must get my arse in gear and get mine finished, need to rebuild one of my drums so waiting until the garage warms up a bit and I get the time to watch how to video's on Youtube

 

[KayOs]

Some more pics of Rex...