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Title: Are they asking too much for this bicycle?
Source: retro cruiser bicycles
URL Source: http://www.retrocruiserbicycles.com ... ipts/prodView.asp?idproduct=59
Published: Sep 12, 2011
Author: Dakmar
Post Date: 2011-09-12 21:09:02 by Dakmar
Keywords: None
Views: 3386
Comments: 53

Several years ago, I bought a bicycle, hoping to ride it for a little exercise. It was a standard, upright bicycle, with six gears and handbrakes. I can't get comfortable on the thing, my legs are too long to sit back, and the handlebars are too far away to sit upright. I basically feel like I'm taking my life into my own hands every time I get on this bike.

I used to spend hours riding around my home town on a Schwinn Manta Ray (24") I borrowed from my neighbor, the bike i question looks like it would be just as comfortable, with the added bonus of having a coaster brake. I'd like to get this bike, does anyone know of a similar package, maybe even with a higher sissy bar with a padded headrest, a springer front end, and a rack I can use to transport small quantities of snacks/liquor back to my abode?

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#1. To: Dakmar (#0)

If you need a padded headrest, call a cab.

Lod  posted on  2011-09-12   21:16:52 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Lod (#1)

If you need a padded headrest, call a cab.

LOL, good idea, but don't you remember the old 70's Schwinns?

The high end ones had a padded headrest at the top of the sissy bar:


And don't you dare call me a sissy, Lod! :)

Dakmar  posted on  2011-09-12   21:25:33 ET  (1 image) Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#7. To: Dakmar (#2) (Edited)

.

The Schwinn Krates are by far my favorite Schwinn. Models include the Grey Ghost, Apple Krate, Lemon Krate, Orange Peeler, and Coal.

Many had 5 speeds with the mean shifter on the top tube. They were styled after a dragster with the small front tire and gear shifter, and drag slik on the back. Features also include caliper brakes, some had an Atom hub which was a drum brake, front springer suspension, and suspended rear seat.

Ferret  posted on  2011-09-12   22:12:11 ET  (2 images) Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#10. To: Ferret (#7)

The Schwinn Krates are by far my favorite Schwinn.

You beat me to the punch by like four minutes. I've not received an answer about getting a retro cruiser with a factory 24" front wheel. :)

Dakmar  posted on  2011-09-12   22:20:57 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#13. To: Dakmar (#10) (Edited)

These were plink around the pea patch machines not meant for serious off road abuse. They are more a toy than a transportation machine.

I have a nice boy's green Sting Ray with ape hangers and a banana seat. When I'm on it at Saturday Market in Eugene people ask to ride it. If they are pretty and female they might have a chance at that.

Boys definately need to buy their own. However even I never let anyone try it unless I have access to a machine to chase with. This is still 2011 and Eugene, Oregon is incredibly bad for bike theft.

Ferret  posted on  2011-09-12   22:33:12 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#18. To: Ferret (#13)

These were plink around the pea patch machines not meant for serious off road abuse. They are more a toy than a transportation machine.

The Krate's were drag bikes, no kid in their right mind would have confused them with BMX bikes. Those weren't mass marketed until about '75, best I can recall.

Dakmar  posted on  2011-09-12   22:43:56 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#21. To: Dakmar (#18)

Rivendell Bicycles are made by the Schwinn founding family that sold their Schwinn name. They are incredibly tasteful, functional pieces of working art.

I wamt one. But then again, if I had all the bicycles I wanted, I would have to own a storage building too.

renaissancebicycles.com

Ferret  posted on  2011-09-12   22:51:13 ET  (1 image) Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#26. To: Ferret (#21)

I used to ride my neighbor's Manta Ray like a unicycle (balanced on the rear wheel) all the way across town. I ride my upright bike around the block and get muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders.

Dakmar  posted on  2011-09-12   23:00:20 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#32. To: Dakmar (#26) (Edited)

"I used to ride my neighbor's Manta Ray like a unicycle (balanced on the rear wheel) all the way across town. I ride my upright bike around the block and get muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders."

That takes good bike handling skills. I like doing that too. Though I usually get that creative on one of my two Klein ATBs in an off road environment.

I have a Klein Pinnacle Elite and a Klein Fervor, both without suspention. The Pinnacle was gone for three years which brought the Fervor into my stable. I offered a 500 dollar reward for three years for information leading to it's recovery and finally paid it to someone who gave me the information I needed to get into what turned into a pretty brutal physical fight.

Needless to say, I got it back. The Police got involved but as I had the original receipt and a copy of the theft report, I didn't have too much lasting trouble over this.

I started it with a fairly brutal take down after eyeballing it enough to see it was mine. Never yell "Hey, That's mu bike!" All that does is start a bicycle race.

Ferret  posted on  2011-09-12   23:12:58 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#38. To: Ferret (#32)

That (wheelstand) takes good bike handling skills. I like doing that too.

It's actually pretty easy on dragster-style bike, you're basically sitting over the rear wheel to begin with. That's why I find them so comfortable. I have unfortunate tendency to fall right off upright bikes. :(

Dakmar  posted on  2011-09-12   23:30:14 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#40. To: Dakmar (#38) (Edited)

"It's actually pretty easy on dragster-style bike, you're basically sitting over the rear wheel to begin with. That's why I find them so comfortable. I have unfortunate tendency to fall right off upright bikes."

It's even easier on a modern freestyle bicycle designed for such riding. I used to be better at it, but at age 57 I don't want to break my collar bone again any time soon.

Here is a Pinnacle simulat to mine. It even has the Klein Ground Control barstem like mine does, as well as the backfire paint scheme. I must of chased down dozens of Pinnacles in the three year it was gone. I never was anything less than intensely obsessed with finding this stolen bike. I took it deathly seriously.

I had to replace most the running gear, but the barstem was still on it and it had not been repainted. Someone tried to 'recover't from me after I got it back. All that did was allow me to find a lawyer who had it early after it was pilfered from me and retrieve my wheels from it I had built for it. I put my name and SS number on all such parts in Morse Code near the valve stem.

It paid off when he gambled on showing me his current ride gambling I would not be able to prove they were mine.

He is like the last guy to have this bike the wheels came from before I took them back in one sense; he knows how seriusly jealous a bicycle owner I am. It is the only bike I have had stolen.

No one in their right mind would go after one of my bikes in my neighborhood. I have nice machines, but I am dangrous to prey on when it comes to bicycles.

I have caught people on campus stealing bikes. I have practiced on them, and I know too much about bike thieves to be fooled by one when they are stealing.

Anyone breaking in to go after bicycles best hope I'm not home. They court a sure death by doing so. I get pretty intense about the topic.

The above bike is mostly stock and was priced at about 1600.00 new stock. Mine has some higher quality components on it. So does the Fervor.

Ferret  posted on  2011-09-12   23:58:44 ET  (1 image) Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#41. To: Ferret (#40) (Edited)

It's even easier on a modern freestyle bicycle designed for such riding.

No way, look at where longitudinal center of gravity is, 100.2% of the rider's mass is forward of the rear axle. I'm not saying one could not pull a wheelie on such a contraption, but it would require immense sustained exertion and a good sense of balance. All that's required to get the front wheel of a Manta Ray off the ground is sliding back in the seat as far as the sissy bar permits.

Dakmar  posted on  2011-09-13   0:14:58 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#44. To: Dakmar (#41)

--

BMX Freestyle Bike Tricks - High School Exhibition

Ferret  posted on  2011-09-13   0:30:07 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


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