Schwinn Cruiser

[reilley1]

I got this bike a little while back from my old friend and sidehack pilot Mike Hardaway.

It was a little rough but now it's back to life.  he got it from the late great Tom Derosier who we used to ride with back in the day










Schwinn Frame
Cycle Pro Fork
Schwinn Stem
Araya rims
Shimano Rear disk
VDC bars
Schwinn Post
Shimano 600 crank
Cheng Shin tires
Viscount saddle
Union Pedals
Suntour freewheel

We actually raced these things late 70s/early 80s

[highrisedrifter]

That's very weird looking. Great old bike though. 

HRD

[bof]

what year is the disc hub from , where they really available in the seventies

[reilley1]

Disk brakes have been available for bikes since the old 60s/70s Schwinn muscle bikes.  The one I used is off a mid  70s Huffy. 

[bof]

nice, did anybody use them BITD on there 20". Now that would be interesting.

[reilley1]

A few people did.  I think Mike Devitt (of SE fame) used one on Bobby's (his son) bike

[Dennis Dain]

I am curious, highrisedrifter mentioned that it was "very weird looking". Were there Schwinn 26" cruisers in the UK back in the 70s?

If you think Ricks bike is strange, wait until I clean up my cruiser. I will post some pictures of it some day.

[workshyfop]

thats well cool. very unusual in UK. got a '64 stingray coppertone reissue myself. wish it was a genuine one, or even better if it was a genuine pea picker or one of the other krates. these are my favourite bikes ever.  unfortunately, the UK never latched on to the coolness of the schwinns but for some reason loved the raleigh chopper, which to me just seems to be a lame, angular, unstylish piece of s*%t trading on the american muscle bike coolness.
if you have any nice 20" schwinns to show me, that would make an old man very happy. or maybe a fastback 24"??
i'm sure lots of the chaps on here would like to see more piccys of the bicycles that helped the evolution of the pedal cycle become the bmx style bikes we all fell in love with in the early 1980's.
the 26" never came fitted with the banana seat/high rise chopper type bars. etc , or is this incorrect? the one in the pic would have originally been  the "beach cruiser"  style bike??   im under the impression that only the 20" rays/krate,etc and the 24" fastback, etc  came in the "muscle style". please forgive my inane questions, but this is the first chance i've had to speak to anyone who has knowledge of these matters as they're a rather rare thing in the uk. don't think they were imported to uk during 60s/70s, but i have come across one mid 80's Stingray (far eastern produced??? Tiawan?? ) but think it may have been bought on the internet and shipped over. the reissues have been imported to UK since end 90's but still such a rare sight over here.
the attention the coppertone reissue attracts when i take it out is amazing.kids can't get over it, old people love the cantilever style frame as it reminds them of the '50's uk bikes and lots of people ask "wheres your brake??", "how do you stop it" and nonsense like that!!!!!!!!! coaster brakes are very uncommon in the uk!!!!!!!!!!!!! except amongst OS BMX.
Many thanks for wetting the appetite of a 'ray freak, best wishes to you all, Neil.

[MartyC]

Rick you just keep pulling these rabbits out of the hat; that it one sweet ride  . 

That is an awesome ride and I just love the rear disc brake; I've said for years that MTB is just a rehash of 70's and 80's BMX and this bike proves it even further

[Lazarou]

Never ever thought i'd see a disc brake linked with a Tech 3!

[workshyfop]

i'm pretty sure some of the stingrays came with a disc by 1972 and think they had front drums from around 67/68. sure some of these nice americans will clarify for us.

[nic968]

 Rick you're relentless...Keep 'em coming...

[Jazzchimp]

We raced similar bikes called Trackers built with road race frames with 'cow horn' bars

[Mattdub]

Very nice Rick 

[Stace]

sweet