Posted on 08/03/2004 2:00:37 PM PDT by Willie Green
I have a GT too, awesome bike. I can't describe how disappointed I was when I found out they'd sold out to the company that makes all the 'Walmart bikes'.
Actually, there were some stick-shift StingRays, too - see the picture above. Those, like the original Krates, came with a 5-speed rear hub and rear caliper brake (single-speed StingRays had a coaster brake).
The Krate was a jazzed-up Stingray. It's most unusual features were the "springer" fork (similar to an early motorcycle type front suspension) and the small-diameter front wheel. Of course, the fork had to be a bit longer to keep the bike level with the smaller front wheel. Add to that a front *disc* brake at the hub and the bike was truly unique. It combined the "chopper" look with the musclecar-like stick-shift and rear tire... no wonder every little boy wanted one.
Shortly before they went bankrupt, Schwinn brought back a single-speed version of the Krate, which sold like crazy. The quality was down from the original, but it was close enough to drive lots of nostalgia purchases.
I don't know about Schwinns anymore, but they're still sold in one of the local bike shops here. Right alongside the Treks and the Cannondales, so I guess some models are still pretty good. I don't know though.
In my area, I have yet to find a post-bankruptcy Schwinn in a bike shop. Old pre-bankruptcy inventory, yes, but nothing "new". According to the website, there are clearly some high-end models available, but I have not seen anything recent. They seem to be offering a split model line; few of the products on the Schwinn website are available at Wal-Mart, while a number of Shwinn-labeled bikes at Wal-Mart do not appear on the website. Perhaps this marketing approach will work, but I have my doubts.
My only problem with bikes today: no banana seats. What in the heck happened to banana seats? Why can't I find a bike with a metallic lime green seat and an orange paint job? Why does everything have to be so tasteful these days. Bikes were so much cooler back in the 60s and 70s.
The BMX craze killed the banana seat, which is ironic in that my friends and I made dirt trails that laced back and forth through the wooded land near our houses. We rode those trails from morning 'til night every summer - and we sure could've used the knobby tires that the BMX bikes made popular. By the time those came along, though, most of the undeveloped land had been turned into new subdivisions. No more dirt trails nearby - but that was about the time I was big enough for a 10-speed road bike, anyway.
Nutmeg, you might find this Huffy article interesting/amusing given all your Tour de France coverage...which was fantastic, I might add.
About the only thing as hideous as the southwestern-themed Huffy Santa Fe was the Ross Apollo 5-Speed. Two of the ugliest bikes ever to roll across asphalt!
~ Blue Jays ~
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