The holiday rush will soon be over again and a new year will be here. We've been so busy entertaining family and friends that we once again strayed from our daily healthy living habits. The holiday meals were irresistible and that cheesecake was to die for. I know I enjoyed it. It's so easy to put off getting back to a healthy diet and exercise routine. The longer you wait the harder it is to get back on track. Can you fit into your favorite jeans like you did before the holidays? Do you feel energized and ready to take on the day? Now's the time to improve your waistline, increase your energy level and get back to a better healthier you.
Schwinn 250 Recumbent Bike
You probably made some new years resolutions and maybe you need a kick start to get them going. Whether you join the gym or exercise at home, you need to make it practical and realistic to fit your individual lifestyle. My wife likes to do her routines with the help of an exercise video. I have a Total Gym exercise machine that helps me to keep in shape. You could ride a bike as part of your fitness program. Whatever level of fitness is right for you, Schwinn has you covered. Schwinn has recumbent bikes, treadmills, airdyne exercise bikes, elliptical trainers, cruiser bikes, road bikes, BMX bikes, hybrid bikes and other quality equipment that will take you where you want to go. Or you may choose the Total Gym as the right piece of work-out equipment for you. Read specific information and reviews about each one of them in my other posts.
From the mid 1960's and well into the 70's, just about every suburban child had a banana-seat bike. There was the extremely popular original Schwinn Sting-Ray followed by many knock-offs like the Sears Screamer, the Murry Muscle Bike and the Montgomery Ward Hawthorne Bike. Schwinn pioneered these bikes thanks to the foresight of Schwinn's designer, Al Fritz, who in 1963 heard that kids in L.A. were rebuilding their bikes to look like motorcycles, customizing them with high-rise, ape hanger handlebars and low-rider banana seats so the rider was lower to the ground. Inspired, he designed his own lowrider prototype for the youth market called Project J-38 and rode it around the Schwinn warehouse. At first, his colleagues laughed at him, but soon his co-workers were taking it for a spin only to find that this odd contraption was actually fun to ride. The era of the muscle bike had begun. Sales were initially slow, as many parents desiring a bicycle for their children did not find the Sting-Ray appealing in the least. However, after a few appeared on America's streets and in their neighborhoods, many young riders would accept nothing less than a genuine Sting-Ray. Sales took off and within a year, 70 percent of all bikes being sold in the U.S. were Sting-Rays. Schwinn began shooting all promotional material on location in Disneyland. Young Al was onto something big!
Schwinn Sting-Rays were on the market from 1963 to 1979 at the height of the muscle-car craze. There were essentially four models: The basic Sting-Ray; Sting-Ray Deluxe (that added chrome fenders and white wall tires); Sting-Ray Super-Deluxe (that added a springer fork); and the Krate series (that added a five-speed "Stik Shift," shock struts on the rear seat and the 16" front tire and 20" rear tire).
Here's a little of Schwinn's history. Ignaz Schwinn, with his partner Adolph Arnold, incorporated the "Arnold, Schwinn & Company" on October 22, 1895. Within a few short years of its creation, the company became an acknowledged technical and quality leader of the American bicycle industry.
Schwinn 1930's Saddle
After the "Great Depression", Schwinn broke with tradition and debuted the Aerocycle, the first bike with balloon tires, and added a large spring-supported saddle that made the ride smoother and more comfortable. By the 1950s the company's product was called "The Cadillac of American Bicycles."
Over 40 patents were issued to Schwinn for bike improvements during their glory years. By the turn of the twenty-first century, the name "Schwinn" brings to mind classic models, like the 1949 Phantom, the 1963 Sting-ray, and the 1968 Krate. Schwinn focused on durability and safety from the beginning. Schwinn is now an American icon, a world leader in technology and innovation. It's no wonder they remain in high demand among collectors unto this day.
Collecting Schwinn Bicycles, particularly the classic Chicago-made Schwinn, is a past-time that captures the attention of many a Schwinn enthusiast. Any genuine vintage Schwinn, in mint condition, is a beautiful sight on the street, often turning heads and coveted by all who see it. Knowing how to identify a "Genuine Vintage Chicago Schwinn" is of utmost importance to the collector. Schwinn's were made in several parts of the world at different times, and no factory ever produced a bike as renowned or well built as the "Vintage Chicago Schwinn." To identify a Vintage Schwinn, read on.
Find the serial number on the bike frame. From 1960 to 1969, Chicago Schwinn's had the serial number on the right rear axle mount.
From 1970 to 1979 the Chicago Schwinn's had the serial number on the lower end of the head tube. After that, most serial numbers were stamped onto the bottom bracket shell. If the left rear axle mount is stamped with a serial number, then the bike was made in Taiwan in the 1980s. Pre-1960 Schwinn's had no real system for serial numbers, so you will have to look around and compare them to a database. Here is a link to one that also provides additional make and model designations. Schwinn Serial Numbers And Date Codes
Check the serial number to find the date of production. Up until the 1960's there was no set system to go by. After 1960 you can typically find the month and year of production located in the serial number, as well as the factory at which it was produced. The various number systems all identify when, as well as the country of origin where the bicycle was built.
To get an idea of the value of the vintage Schwinn in question, compare the date of production, the model, and the condition of the bike with one of the pricing tables at Old Roads.com. While these aren't all-encompassing guides, they are certainly places to get general ideas regarding prices. Generally, a Chicago Schwinn will be more valuable than any of its foreign counterparts.
Click Image To See Amazing Story
Do an image search online to get pictures of the make and model you are considering for your collection. Try doing a search on eBay for vintage schwinn bicycles. There were many look a likes, so double-checking color, original OEM parts, lugging, and other features is always a good idea before closing the deal. Following these steps will ensure that when you find that good deal on a classic Schwinn, it will be "The Real Deal." Happy collecting!
Everybody dreams of stories like this. Harry Wong won a 26" Schwinn Phantom in a 1950 Duncan YoYo Contest but never removed the bicycle from the box. When an ad showed up on craigslist for the brand new 57 year old bike, the Schwinn Collector's Forum voiced considerable (warranted) skepticism. One fella persevered and now he owns the ultimate Schwinn:
There has been so much talk and skepticism about this NOS 1950's Schwinn Phantom still in the original box. To all the people who said the bike never existed, it was "a scam", the postee is full of bull, hope UPS runs it over with a forklift and so on, etc... I think you were all proven wrong!
The bike DOES exist and it now resides in New Jersey. I'm going to share the facts of the bike. In 1950, Henry Wong was a participant in a Duncan YoYo contest. The grand prize was a brand new Schwinn Phantom 26" bicycle.
Two weeks ago when I saw the post on the Page, I figured let me call this guy and see if this is for real. I left a message. A gentleman called me back and said his name was Henry and that he did have the bike. We chatted a while about it and I said that I would take the bike. All I needed was him to send me some detailed photos of the box. He replied, "fine." I waited and waited, but I never heard back from him for two or three days. I knew he probably SOLD local. I finally called him back and said, "Henry, this is John from Jersey. What are we doing on the bike?" He said, "I was waiting to get the pictures developed." It was obvious that he used a 35mm pic and then made color copies and faxed me the photos. That's when I almost fell over and could not believe my eyes. It was the real deal.
The thread petered out in July of 2007 and I don't see if the lucky buyer ended up unboxing the Duncan Grand Prize but box damage did allow a wonderful hidden view inside the box.
Schwinn has dominated the bicycle industry and redefined two-wheeled transportation over and over for more than a century. Schwinn is an awesome example of the freedom we have in America. Their success, quality and innovative designs are a testament to free enterprise and what has made America a thriving economic leader in the world today.
Of course there are many good bicycle brands available on the market now from all around the world, but nothing has captured the heart and soul of so many, for so long, as the Schwinn brand has. Now with that said, it's no wonder Schwinn is on the first page of the Google search results for "bicycle".
What's a die-hard Schwinn enthusiast to do? You know what I'm talking about. You can't get enough of the classic vintage innovative wonders that are a result of the famous Schwinn Brand Bicycle Company. Just the word Schwinn does something inside of a true Schwinn enthusiast. When you're talking bicycles, you're talking Schwinn. Now let's explore the many avenues one might take to get their own personal Schwinn riding experience.
Schwinn Vintage Bicycles are definitely high in popularity among collectors. From the early no-name bicycles at the turn of the century to the many famous Schwinn's of the 20th century, Schwinn has most always come out on topside. The Aero cycle from the 30's, the Phantoms of the 40's, the Cruisers from the 50's, the ever popular Sting-Rays of the 60's and 70's followed by Road bikes, BMX bikes and English racers are among the memorable Schwinn brand. What an impressive first 100 years it has been! The eBay website is a great place to find vintage Schwinn's. Check out the many Vintage Schwinn's available for you to see on eBay. If you are particularly fascinated with Sting-Rays, you can also look over their impressive line-up of Sting-Rays on eBay.
Reproduction Schwinn Bikes were made in the mid 90's through the 2000's and are a great way of remembering the vintage brands without having to restore and spend a ton of money. The first reproduction bike made was the Schwinn Black Phantom in 1995 celebrating Schwinn's 100 year anniversary. Others that were produced are the Schwinn Panther Beach Cruiser and Schwinn's Sting-Ray Series including the well sought after Krates. Of course these reproduction models are no match for the originals but are true to design and consist of updated components. The popular stick-shift on the Sting-Ray models is omitted and replaced by a thumb shifter on the handle bar. Many of these and other Schwinn Bikes can also be found on eBay.
Looking for a new Schwinn bike? Schwinn may have lost their edge as the #1 manufacturer in the industry but they are still competitive in today's market and have many good quality models to choose from. One of them could be just right for you. Choose from road, bike path, cruisers and more. Some 2011 models available are the single speed Schwinn Madison Road Bike for a great ride without the gears. Then there's the new stylish World Market Bike that is very easy to ride. Another classic is the Schwinn Sierra 21 speed with smaller wheels (for those of smaller stature). For cruisers Schwinn has the 700c Nancy Cruiser that is a fun ride (great for picnicking, etc). Check these out in the following video along with Schwinn's brand new design Tango Tandem for those who like to share the ride.
Schwinn offers basically two lines of bicycles. One is the high end line of bicycles featured on their own website and sold through specialty bike shops as mentioned above. These are the Signature bikes that Schwinn is famous for. This is where true seasoned Schwinn bike enthusiast go to snag their next ride. The other is a pocket friendly line of lower quality discount bikes offered through mass-merchandisers such as Wal-Mart, Sears and Kmart. These are suitable for the average bike rider. Visit a Schwinn bike shop in your area and have a knowledgeable bike professional fit you to a quality new Schwinn.
Entering A Charity Ride: If you've been meaning to get involved in bicycling but don't know just where to begin, here's some food for thought. How about joining a fundraising charity bike ride? Entering a charity bike ride is a great way to get yourself in shape and at the same time raise money for a good cause. It can be a lot of fun where you'll be meeting new friends and helping people in need. Having an event to train for will also give you the extra motivation you need to get out the door and on your bike.
One of many charity rides for example is the Network of Strength Ride To Empower. The Ride to Empower is a destination bike ride that raises funds to provide breast cancer support. Bike routes range up to 100 miles. Depending on the fundraising package you choose, travel, food, bike transport and lodging expenses for the event may be covered. Network of Strength will provide you with cycling guidance and fundraising support.
Training For A Charity Ride: Whether you choose to participate over 50 miles or 100 miles you’ll need to put in a few training rides to make sure that you can go the distance. The first thing to make sure of is that your bike is up to the job. It needs to be fully functional and fitted to your stature. Over the weeks leading up to the ride, try and fit in two or three training rides per week, gradually building the mileage that you cover from week to week. Have one longer ride and one or two shorter rides. Make sure you give yourself sufficient time to build up your long ride mileage to at least three quarters of that you’ll be covering on the big day. You should aim to increase the distance of your long ride by about 10 to 20 percent per week and you'll need to start with a distance that you are comfortable with but stretches you slightly. Don’t worry if you can only fit in one ride. You could try substituting the other missed rides by taking a brisk walk or a run. During the week leading up to the charity ride, you should ease down on your training rides. Aim to reduce your mileage by 50 percent over the previous week and you’ll feel fresh and raring to go come the big day.
Choosing A Bike: Once you've made the decision to join a ride, make sure you have the right bike for the task. Most charity riding events are on paved roads so it is reccomended to have a good quality road bike for optimum ease in encountering the hills and distances on the road. I would not choose a mountain bike simply for the fact that the wide knobby tires are meant to provide extra grip on rough terrain but will cause a drag on paved roads. A mountain bike will also take too much out of you during a distance ride. Road bikes have thinner tires that offer less rolling resistance and a more aerodynamic cycling position that will see you through the distance in half the time. For a great entry level road bike that is easy on your wallet, check out Schwinn's top selling Road Bike. Whatever bike you plan to use, it is a good idea to use the same bike for all your training rides. Don't forget to bring a spare tube and a tire pump. Hopefully you wont need them but you never know. And most important… enjoy yourself!
The popular Schwinn Krate bikes were produced from 1968 until 1972. Originally, the Krate bikes were offered in 6 colors. The first three colors were introduced in 1968. They were the Orange Krate, the Apple Krate (Red), and the Lemon Peeler (Yellow). These three continued to be available for all five model years. The Pea Picker (Green) was introduced in 1969 and continued for all remaining model years. The Cotton Picker (White) had a 2 year run in 1970 and 1971. The rarest of them all was the Grey Ghost which was produced only in 1971. Only 6 colors made up the Original Krate collection.
In 1999 Schwinn introduced their reproduction Krates which ran through 2006. These Krates were pretty much true to original specs except the popular stick-shift was excluded and the five speed Shimano shifter was a more efficient updated version. Anyway, back to the color issue. In addition to reproducing the original 6 model Krates, they added another model which Schwinn never formerly produced, the Grape Krate (purple). So all in all there are 7 colors that make up the complete existing collection of Schwinn Krate Bikes.
For better than original quality restoration-Visit Here if interested in Schwinn Krate or any other Bicycle Renovation and Restoring.
