Classic Sting-Ray is Back

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The classic sting-ray is back.

The Schwinn Classic Sting-Rays you know and love are back for a limited time and are available to a new generation. These Sting-Rays never go out of style and they're available in two colors to choose from: red or blue. 

These replicas are built to the same specs and standards as the originals. Available for ages 6 and up or 4'0" to 5'0". This Sting-Ray has all the classic parts and features from the Schwinn era such as the iconic Schwinn Sting-Ray steel frame and rigid fork. It has that vintage look and feel with a single speed drive train and intuitive rear coaster brakes for sure and easy stops.

And don't forget the cool classic Sting-Ray banana seat, high-rise ape hangar handlebars and 20" wheels for easy riding, cool wheelies and fast manouvers. Comes ready to be assembled with a limited lifetime warranty. Get yours while they are still available!

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Okay girls, Schwinn has you covered too. The Schwinn Classic Sting-Ray is available in the Fair Lady model for girls. It has all the same features as the Classic Sting-Ray but with a style appealing to the feminine rider. It also comes in two colors to choose from: pink or purple.

And, so you know, it has all the same tough features as the iconic Schwinn Fair Lady Sting-Ray: Steel frame, rigid fork, flowered banana seat, high rise ape hangar handlebars and a pair of cool shiny chrome fenders. Comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

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Schwinn Sting-Ray Story

Revisit The Magic

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).

Vintage Schwinns - How To Find Yours

What makes a vintage Schwinn a big deal? 

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!

Schwinn Quality For Over 100 Years

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.