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From the Traditional Cruiser Bike, to the Customizable Sting-Ray Bicycle By the late 1950's the automobile had replaced the bicycle as the standard form of transportation. To retain sales, bicycle manufactures hoping to capture the Imagination of young men who longed for motorized vehicles, began to market "cruiser bikes"... bikes that featured motorcycle style tanks, large chrome headlights, electric horns, and "balloon tires" ... fat 2.125" inflatable tires that looked like a small version of the modern automobile tire. By the early 1950's, the trend to emulate automobile and motorcycle design was taken a step further, when Al Fritz, a young designer for the Schwinn Bicycle Company, took notice of a west coast trend... by the early 1960's muscle cars and motorbikes had become the rage. West coast kids, seeking to emulate customized drag racing cars began to trick out their bikes, by retrofitting used crusier bikes with custom parts that had dragster like embellishments. Taking notice of this trend, in 1963, Schwinn introduced the "Sting-Ray" bicycle, a mass produced, customizable bike that featured dragster-like embellishments such as the "ape hanger" handlebar, and a low rider "bananna seat". The "Sting-ray" bicycle became the most popular style of bike for kids during the 1960's and early 1970's. The most famous model of Sting-Ray was the "Krate"- the most tricked out "Sting-Ray" ever to be produced; known for it's hot rod colors, relatively small 16" front wheel, fat rear tire, rear shock, springer front end and it's infamous stick- shift.  In 1974 the Sting-Ray bicycle was essentially put to rest, when the Consumer Products Safety Commission banned the Krate's signature Stik-Shift. Rest in peace the sting-ray bicycle... loved, but not lost... In 2004, the Schwinn bicycle company reintroduced a whole new line of Sting-Ray bicycles so that a new generation of kids could enjoy this special ride.  Schwinn 2006 Sting-Ray Bicycle  Schwinn 2006 Pea Picker Sting-Ray Bicycle  Schwinn 2006 Lemon Peeler Sting-Ray Bicycle  Schwinn 2006 Grey Ghost Sting-Ray Bicycle |
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