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A Nod to the Man Who Changed It All [History of the Schwinn Sting Ray (bicycle): 1963-]
BikeMag.com ^ | November 19, 2013 | Vernon Felton

Posted on 11/18/2018 10:53:43 AM PST by ETL

A Nod to the Man Who Changed It All

Al Fritz took a risk and created a bike that had a huge ripple effect ..."

After getting nearly taken out by a Japanese mortar in World War II, Al Fritz came home to the states and got a job at Schwinn as a welder. Fritz eventually worked his way off the floor and into management.

In the early 60s, word spread from Los Angeles that kids were modifying old Schwinn frames—bolting on Ape Hanger bars and adding other accouterments from early choppers.

Fritz made the kind of leap of logic which seems so obvious in retrospect, but is often overlooked at the time.

The logic goes like this: "If my customers are busting their asses to modify my product, wouldn't it just be easier if I sold them what they wanted?"

Thus, in 1963, Schwinn cranked out a run of Sting-Rays, despite the fact that no one at Schwinn, aside from Fritz, thought the homely children's chopper would be a success.

The Sting-Rays flew out of bike shops—46.630 of them at fifty bucks a pop. For comparison's sake, at the time the Sting-Ray debuted, Schwinn generally moved about 10,000 units of their best selling models each year.

Schwinn would have actually sold more Sting-Rays that first year, but they couldn't get enough 20-inch rubber tires from Uniroyal (their tire supplier) to slap on the things.

They rectified that problem in short order. Within two years Sting-Ray-esque bikes (other companies quickly followed Schwinn's lead) accounted for a staggering 60 percent of bike sales in the United States.

How many Schwinn Sting-Rays eventually wound up in people's homes? At the time of Fritz' passing, the LA Times reported that two million Sting-Rays were sold during the first five years of the bike's 15-year model run.

Millions and millions of the things prowled America’s cul de sacs and dirt lots. No matter how you slice it, it's a hell of a lot of banana seats and ape hangers.

None of this probably comes as a shock if you are anywhere between the ages of 30 and 60. If you fit within that demographic, you've probably ridden one of these things at some point in your life.

The ridiculously-easy-to-wheelie Sting-Ray also laid the foundation for BMX. As the sixties gave way to the `70s, modified Sting-Rays served as some of the first BMX bikes.

Clearly, it was only a matter of time before someone realized that there had to be a better mule for flogging on dirt, but still, when you look at a Sting-Ray, you're looking at the foundation for dirt riding.

A lot of those kids on Sting-Rays became BMX riders and, in short order, went on to become the first generation of mountain bikers.

From the Sting Ray to your mountain bike. Full circle…in a six degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way.

Happy 50th to the Sting-Ray and a nod of respect to the recently-departed Al Fritz. You may not have met, much less known, Al Fritz, but the man had an impact on anyone who rides the dirt today.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: schwinn; stingray
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To: ifinnegan

Yep. I sure did. I ran that Grit paper route for about 4 years.
I think I ended up with a peak of about 130 subscribers at one point.
I thought I was in tall cotton those days...LOL
When I got a job as a stock boy at a local grocery store, I passed my paper route on to my younger brother.


41 posted on 11/18/2018 11:44:51 AM PST by lgjhn23 (It's easy to be liberal when you're dumber than a box of rocks.)
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To: All
From Sears (not sure of model)

Image result for sears Stingray bike

42 posted on 11/18/2018 11:45:30 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: ETL

Based on the product’s early year marketing pictures, I suppose at first these were marketed solely to boys. I wonder if a/the girls line was meant as a late-life kicker for the product. Or, perhaps they never made a sting ray specifically-girls version.


43 posted on 11/18/2018 11:46:17 AM PST by C210N (Republicans sign check fronts; 'Rats sign check backs.)
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To: All
Murray "F3 Eliminator"

Image result for murray Stingray bike

44 posted on 11/18/2018 11:46:47 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: lgjhn23

And Now,,,,
You own a chain of Burger Joints!


45 posted on 11/18/2018 11:47:27 AM PST by Big Red Badger (Despised by the Despicable!)
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To: All
Iverson "Dragstripper"

Image result for Iverson Dragstripper Stingray bike

46 posted on 11/18/2018 11:48:21 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: ETL

I had a Cheater Slick. Had a wide rear tire. Great for locking up and leaving marks till it wore down.


47 posted on 11/18/2018 11:48:37 AM PST by HBAR223
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To: C210N
They made the Lil Miss for girls.

It was a great bicycle also.


48 posted on 11/18/2018 11:50:00 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: All
1974 Windsor "Vagabundo"

Image result for Windsor Vagabundo Stingray bike

Image result for Windsor Vagabundo Stingray bike

49 posted on 11/18/2018 11:50:54 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: All
CCM "Marauder"

Image result for CCM Maurader Stingray bike

50 posted on 11/18/2018 11:53:19 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: Blurb2350

Yeah. Sting Rays were solid and durable bikes. You could jump over ramps and hills and do wheelies all day. They didn’t break. I’m talking the one speed via set brake bikes.

The stick shift ones were ludicrous.


51 posted on 11/18/2018 11:53:24 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: caltaxed
The rich kid down the street (only kid) had an Apple Krate. He wore dress shirts and never tucked them in, but they never wrinkled. Had to paint my POS stingray with metal flake rattle cans. I get resentments thinking about it.

Lol!

I used spray cans on mine. Came out nice, though.

52 posted on 11/18/2018 11:56:21 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: rightwingcrazy
Sting Rays, Skateboards, Hula Hoops, Frisbees, Slip’n’slides, Super Balls. Helped keep me in the streets growing up.

That was such a great time. Having mothers say "get out of the house and go play in the street".

53 posted on 11/18/2018 11:57:39 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: All
Not sure what this one is...

Image result for Firestone GTO Stingray bike

54 posted on 11/18/2018 11:57:55 AM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: ETL
Here was a Mattell bike.

It literally fell apart. My brother had one. I wad popping wheelies on it and the fork just fell out. These other brands were pretty cheap compared to Schwinn . Flash over substance.

55 posted on 11/18/2018 11:58:04 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Big Red Badger

“...And Now,,,,You own a chain of Burger Joints!....”

LMAO. Well, let’s just say I’m now retired...for the 3rd time...and leave it at that. But, I’ve done ok over the years. I attribute all of it to those early years in my life where I was instilled with a strong work ethic and was no stranger to a good azz whipping when I did bad.....LOL
These kids nowadays have no idea.....


56 posted on 11/18/2018 11:59:09 AM PST by lgjhn23 (It's easy to be liberal when you're dumber than a box of rocks.)
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To: ETL
A Cotton Picker! That would set off the SJWs these days!

"Schwinn wants to bring back slavery!"

57 posted on 11/18/2018 12:02:02 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: lgjhn23

58 posted on 11/18/2018 12:04:27 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: ifinnegan
Supercycle "Cougar" and "Wheelie"...

('Supercycle' apparently is/was a Canadian bicycle company)

Image result for Supercycle stingray bike

59 posted on 11/18/2018 12:05:18 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: ifinnegan
Image result for matell stingray bike
60 posted on 11/18/2018 12:06:23 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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