Schwinn the Corvette of bicycles!

JustDave said:

$39 for a bike??? OK bikes have improved, and some of my trail riding friends pay thousands of dollars for a bike. Both ends of that extreme astonish me. I'll stick with hiking. I can buy a pair of good boots for under $300, and go more places than any bike can go.

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You gotta do both! Wife and I have been hiking 50 years for 90% of our travel but also take bike trips. You can get a good hybrid bike for around $400 and you can explore areas in a few hours that would take you days to walk.

My grandpa found an old bike, manufacturer unknown, in the basement of a house he was refurbishing. The odd thing about it was that it wasn't chain driven, there were just pedals directly mounted on the front wheel axle. If you wanted to "coast", you had to stick your legs out to the side so they didn't interfere with the pedals. Stopping wasn't a lot of fun. If you were coasting and wanted to stop, you had to try to get your feet back synched with the pedals so they didn't bang your feet.

It didn't have balloon tires, either, just solid rubber. And, before you ask, it wasn't one of those "penny-farthing" bikes, either. Both wheels were equal size.

It looked like it had never been painted. I wonder now if it was something someone fabricated at home.

We had it for a few months and then someone left it behind my dad's car and he backed over it. End of strange bicycle.

I always wanted a racing bike with duralieu gears - but could never afford one?

My parents didn't buy us Schwinns, though my sister happened to come by a stingray somehow.. Lol, I used to ride it too sometimes, even though it was a girls bike.

That name does conjur up warm and comforting thoughts of beauty, the best, and happy days of old.

As an adult I have owned several 10 and 12 speed Schwinns, that were genuine.

Some years ago I came across an old Schwinn tandem, very rusty, at a yard sale. I bought it but haven't been able to get it functional again. My problem is the rear seat post is frozen with rust and I can't get it out.