A RETURN TO OUR CHILDHOOD - OUR NEW RIDES

[chief38]

We have all progressed from bicycles, scooters and go carts to real cars, trucks, SUV's, motorcycles etc. Well my wife and I just went backwards - bought two plain old cruiser bikes with super comfortable sprung seats, coaster brakes and fat white wall tires. They have cup holders, a rear rack and a small cargo bag on the handle bars. We did not want any changeable gears, hand brakes or anything complicated - simple is better for us these days. The last thing I wanted is to have my wife crash while playing with gears! We are not interested in e-bikes either since they are not why we are buying bicycles for (exercise and fun).

When we moved 3 years ago I sold my Harley Ultra Classic and recently just got rid of my e-scooter. Neither my wife or I have ridden bikes since we were 15 or 16 and so we are building up leg muscles again. The mirrors I ordered should be here this week and that is about all I intend to add on.

If we should really get into riding and we "outgrow" these simple plain bikes, we can always sell them and upgrade. I bought them from a neighbor for a song and so if we sold them we would actually make money on the deal.

I keep them on the floor in the garage so we can just grab them and go - my wife could never get it down from a ceiling or wall rack and since we grab them often to go down the block to a friends house or get the mail, I don't want the hassle either.

They are Panama Jack bikes (something to do with Jimmy Buffet I think), not Schwinn's or high quality expensive bikes, but like I said, if we really get into riding we can always upgrade. For the $75 each I paid for them I couldn't refuse them for our first in 55 year bikes.

 

[GypsmJim]

Beautiful bikes and you got quite a deal.

When I was 7 years old my Uncle bought me a full size 1957 Higgins Flyer for my First Communion. It was real big back then, and with the training wheels I learned how to ride. Now, 67 years later, I still ride it and it has been the only bike I ever owned.

My wife grew up in a big family and never had a bike. Her oldest brother was the only one to get one, and all the later kids used that to learn how to ride. After we got married I bought her a used mint condition Schwinn that was period correct for her age.

Both are kinda piled up behind the boat at the back of the garage for Winter, so I'm sorry to say I can't get pictures right now.

 

[chief38]

Beautiful bikes and you got quite a deal.

When I was 7 years old my Uncle bought me a full size 1957 Higgins Flyer for my First Communion. It was real big back then, and with the training wheels I learned how to ride. Now, 67 years later, I still ride it and it has been the only bike I ever owned.

My wife grew up in a big family and never had a bike. Her oldest brother was the only one to get one, and all the later kids used that to learn how to ride. After we got married I bought her a used mint condition Schwinn that was period correct for her age.

Both are kinda piled up behind the boat at the back of the garage for Winter, so I'm sorry to say I can't get pictures right now.

I still have my original Schwinn 26" cruiser (gift from my Grandparents when I was about 6 or so) stored at my brother's house in NY but it needs so much work and transporting it 1500 miles made it a deal breaker to have it shipped down. That was my only bike up 'till now. In retrospect, I should have had the movers taken it when we moved. It might have given me lots of pleasure to restore it. Oh well.......

 

[jeffrefrig]

If you're gonna accessorize them, don't forget streamers and those leather things that hang on the wheel axles with the reflectors. If you really wanna go all out, see if you can find one of those Varroom "motors"!
If that's factory paint, those are cool-*** bikes. My last bike was a Schwinn Stingray with "3 on the tree" and shocks from my friend's Orange Crate.
As for rebuilding an old bike, a high school friend of mine has a mint-condition Orange Crate in his garage down in Tampa. He did all the rebuilding & paint; it's immaculate.
Chief, those were a steal! Both look like showroom floor condition. Nice grab.

 

[wuluf]

Buy some baseball cards for the spokes for that Harley sound..

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

 

[GypsmJim]

My last bike was a Schwinn Stingray with "3 on the tree"

My bike has the venerable two-speed transmission.....

Slow and Off...

 

[Baxter6551]

Great bikes and great that you are out getting the exercise ! Mirrors are great to have and hope you have helmets.
My wife and I had our bikes down in Florida when we had a place there but we sure don’t ride them up here with frequency like we did there (I miss the place every day to be honest).
My Wife is the same way Chief. She wants nothing to do with shifting or hand breaks. I bought her a Schwinn aluminum frame cruiser style bike about 15 years ago that has a Shimano Automatic 3 speed gear system and foot brake. As you pedal it up shifts and then down shifts as you slow.
It’s great but unfortunately don’t think they make it anymore.

 

[chief38]

Great bikes and great that you are out getting the exercise ! Mirrors are great to have and hope you have helmets.
My wife and I had our bikes down in Florida when we had a place there but we shure don’t ride them up here with frequency like we did there (I miss the place every day to be honest).
My Wife is the same way Chief. She wants nothing to do with shifting or hand breaks. I bought her a Schwinn aluminum frame cruiser style bike about 15 years ago that has a Shimano Automatic 3 speed gear system and foot brake. As you pedal it up shifts and then down shifts as you slow.
It’s great but unfortunately don’t think they make it anymore.

Mirrors on order and yes to always wearing helmets.

 

[chief38]

If you're gonna accessorize them, don't forget streamers and those leather things that hang on the wheel axles with the reflectors. If you really wanna go all out, see if you can find one of those Varroom "motors"!
If that's factory paint, those are cool-*** bikes. My last bike was a Schwinn Stingray with "3 on the tree" and shocks from my friend's Orange Crate.
As for rebuilding an old bike, a high school friend of mine has a mint-condition Orange Crate in his garage down in Tampa. He did all the rebuilding & paint; it's immaculate.
Chief, those were a steal! Both look like showroom floor condition. Nice grab.

Yup - factory paint. I don' think they were ever ridden much.

 

[Narragansett]

Well you lost me on the first sentence. I have had Harley's, Bultacos, Husqvarnas, Yamahas, Hondas, Muscle cars and God only knows what else but if I could get my rear end in a well powered Go Kart, I would probably never get out.

By the way, nice bikes. Keep the gangster whitewalls cleaned up

 

[Nevada Ed]

Have fun , stay safe and may the hills, be gentle.

We have these things that can mess with you. I hope your area is thorn free, for more enjoyment.

 

[Golddollar]

Back when I was able 12 years old, I won a Sears bicycle for selling the most candy to benefit the local YMCA. Before I went away to college I rode that bike around and around. It came with battery powered headlights for night riding. That bike is now 60 old and it is still sitting in my basement.

 

[TX-Dennis]

When we first married (a few years ago now) I bought a pair of inexpensive Walmart bikes for the wife and I to ride together. She assured me that she could ride a bike. Evidently she lied. She fell so many times that it wasn't fun. Wound up giving hers away, and I rode infrequently because it just wasn't as interesting to ride alone. I eventually gave mine away, too.

 

[jeffrefrig]

Back when I was able 12 years old, I won a Sears bicycle for selling the most candy to benefit the local YMCA. Before I went away to college I rode that bike around and around. It came with battery powered headlights for night riding. That bike is now 60 old and it is still sitting in my basement.

C'mon, Man! You know the drill. It rhymes with PICTURES!!!

 

[snubbyfan]

Cool bikes!
Kinda reminds me of my Dad's old bike.


I fixed it up and Lisa and I took it for a coupla rides.


I gotta admit that I'd much rather ride Frankenbike.


I built him with 24 speeds and it's hilly out here.

 

[snubbyfan]

Ya got the helmets, now you need to get some stylish jerseys and bike shorts.

 

[jimmyj]

Many, Many years ago when I was a "Young" 12 year old the top of the line bikes were "Schwinns". I had a Sears Radio Flyer. I delivered newspapers with it. In the eighth grade I got a Sears All State Moter Scooter. I gave my bike to a neighborhood boy that did not have a bike.