The $5,000 Coaster Brake (And Why I Want It)
Stinner Frameworks releases the "Klunker," a limited-edition, straight-gauge titanium cruiser with a coaster brake. It’s absurd, beautiful, and costs $5,195.
There is absolutely no logical justification for a $5,195 bicycle with a coaster brake. If I were running the numbers—which I do for a living—the "Stinner Klunker" is a terrible value proposition. But looking at this limited-edition release from Stinner Frameworks, logic is clearly not the point. This is a love letter to the Repack pioneers of Mt. Tam, reimagined with straight-gauge titanium and premium American manufacturing. It’s an object of pure nostalgia, stripped of the complexities of Di2 shifting, hydraulic bleeding, and suspension tuning.
Stinner is only making 20 of these, and they are leaning hard into the "forever bike" aesthetic. The build list reads like a dream sheet for anyone who appreciates machining over electronics: White Industries, Thomson, and Velocity. It’s a bold move to sell a "one size fits most" bike at this price point with a delivery date pushing into Spring 2026, but in a world where we obsess over grams and aerodynamics, there is something undeniably charming about a bombproof titanium cruiser designed strictly for fun.
The Specs That Matter
- The Frame: Straight Gauge Titanium made in Santa Barbara. It’s not about being light; it’s about being indestructible.
- The Brakes: Shimano Coaster Brake. No levers, no cables. You pedal backward to stop.
- The Build: A "Who’s Who" of American machining: White Industries headset/BB, Thomson cockpit, and Velocity rims.
