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Uncle Stretch

Uncle Stretch

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I see everybody collecting 20'' bikes . I know that there are collectors in all fields of anything. I cant for the life of me see it. If I was going to collect anything ...it would be a bike that I could at least ride. These Stingrays and the such are restored buying really expensive parts and put back like new...kept for a while and then traded off or sold because there isnt much you can do with them. I equate them to a butterfly collection....Real pretty to look at ,.....and now what. Hec I dont like regular sized frames because they are small. In the real world everyone wants something long and spacious. I would think the money invested in restoring them could be put to better use on something for adults.....Ok this is just my opinion. :shock:
 
Mostly for sentimental reasons I would guess. Many of the folks who collect them do ride them from time to time.

They also seem to hold their value so I suppose they could be considered a decent investment if you buy them cheap enough.

I gave up on the 20" scene as well...basically what I call garage decorations.
 
Just butterflies... the same person that will perfectly restore a grapefruit or a whatever ...sticks a bunch of late model parts on his prewar frame and never think anything about it. If the same research went into restoring some of the really neat old bikes ,man this place would turn out some fantastic stuff. The talent is here. A few stickies that everbody could use as to the markings and paint designs on old bikes would forever help others. We ought to have a best restored buildoff on prewar anythings. At the end you would have a bike that even the Cabe guys would envy. It really dosent take much work to really do one right and the rest of your stable can be old rusty stick whatever you come up with bikes. :roll:
 
Hey Stretch, I do not agree. I know some people insist 20" Muscle Bikes are unrideable for adults, but I can offer proof that they are wrong. I am 6'8" and while I admit Stingray's are not the most comfortable to ride, I DO ride mine. Also, several friends of mine have 20" bikes and we go on group rides. It's fun to relive your childhood!

Here are a couple shots from summers past. I'm riding the blue Fastback in the first 2 pics.

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This was the probably the best ride I went on. We had a blast that day and rode around 18 miles on 20" bikes!

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And from a few weeks ago in Northampton on the RRB ride...I am riding my '69 Stingray.

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But the majority don't. I'm sure its fun to take a small bike and ride with a bunch of other small bikes. Like the guys that pub crawl on 10'' bikes or less ,but are you really going to spend your time riding a small bike much. Most of the perfect restored ones they dont let out of their sight much less ride them. the cracked slick they paid big dollars for would unravel. My real opinion on this was why the really cool big bikes are not being restored like the 20'' ones.We are a bunch of really talented people...why cant we do a really nice restore on at least one bike out of the bunches we own. I'm included in this. I'm for a resto corner where you can show your talents at really restoring a bike back to its as bought state. One bike ...not alot to ask .
 
You are correct that more people should try and fix up 26" bikes. There are so many odd and cool bikes out there that need attention.

And when we were on the Northampton ride, I blew out the rear slick on my Stingray! :lol: :mrgreen: Luckily, it was a $10 generic slick, not some high dollar piece.

Dan
 
The problem is the they take up room that could filled w/big bikes instead! I have ridden them little bikes a little as an adult, they're ridable(barely) w/tall banana, give me a bigger bike any day, I can stand to be on it much longer, a 1-speed 26er is better for me than a 5-speed Stingray for the long haul ride ride ride.
 
all right Uncle Stretch I gotta chime in on this one i know its just your opinion but. I like my 20" bikes that is what brought me to this site. Yea they are garage decoration but when my friends come over and start drinkin someone always says (lets go for a ride man) so we do so one gets laid down its part of the fun man, ya gotta check out some of my 20" bikes man they are a rideable and do GREAT WHEELIES.
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This is just a few of my 20" bikes Im 6'1 and can ride them all. Althought i do prefir a 26" bike and i think you will like the bike i am building for build off 4 ( The Columbian) which is a 26" its gonna be cool. Yah just come come over with your camper set up in the back yard and ride some 20"s i think you would like it. Just my opinion 8)
 
BUMMER! I just got a 20" Murray frame last Monday to fix up. Been thinkin’ ‘bout it all week. I have a bmx to use for parts, so all I would need to buy is tires, banana seat, sissy bar, and some small parts. I will probably have way less than a hundred bucks in it total. I figured that even if I could not ride it, I would be able to enjoy it vicariously when my kids ride it. Now I’m not so sure. Maybe I could use it to stake up a tomato plant or something. Anybody have any other suggestions on what to do with it?
 
when ever we drag all the bikes out, somebody always grabs and rides my raleigh fireball . (only 20" ridable bike i own-excluding lowriders) it travels around the city on a regular basis. its just as easy to ride as any larger framed bike. (seats at max height)its a great bike to ride, and always put's a smile on the operators face.

theres me at the back of the pack riding the fireball. (beer in hand)
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we don't purchase/build bikes to look pretty around here, they all get out of the stable on a regular basis.
 
If you have space to keep them and you like to play w/spyder bikes, I say go for it. I'll continue to just enjoy looking at them without any concern for the cost, space, upkeep or whether or not I can ride them, because it's not my problem.
 
I'm guessing it's an age thing. You tend to build and collect what you rode as a kid. I would bet you could draw a strong correlation between the age of the builders and the age and style of the bike. I bet most of us in the 40-50 and up group build and collect a mostly 26" bikes and a few stingrays and bikes that look like them.

I bet it's the guys in their 20's and 30's building and maybe riding the 20" stingrays and mostly BMX stuff. And those bikes can be like skate boards with seats. They aren't meant to be ridden long distance, they're for trick riding and jumping and stuff.

I can't ride them, don't get them and won't collect them for sure. But I bet the guys who do mostly rode them or wanted to ride them as a kid. Bet the don't listen to the Beatles either....durn kids!
 
I know the nostalga involved in restoring something from your youth. Two what? Just kidding some may catch that most not. Anyway Hooch has a video of his big self on a really small bike. It can be done ....why would you? My Idea is why not put all that creative juice that is spent on some little bike ..into something that will really be worth something when you do. I'm betting that a perfectly restored Elgin is worth more than a Redline....I could be wrong. My brother had two very nice 24'' old tank bikes he almost couldnt give away. Nobody here wanted a smaller than 26''. I know the main idea here is to build an old rusty POS as cheap as you can and ride the tar out of it.That concept would be totally fine EXCEPT we are finding some really nice complete bikes. They deserve the same treatment as these little ones are getting. Glad I'm not in charge of anything because I would implement a rule that each of use has to have one restored tank bike to carry on history. Keep it or sell it you would still be responsible for saving one good bike. :lol:
 
Actually...I think it's a tie between Muscle Bikes and BMX for the folks in their 20s - 40s.

Muscle bikes mainly for guys in their 30s and 40s.

The guys in their 50s - 60s were the ones riding before the Muscle Bike era.

To each his own. :wink:
 
Rat Rod said:
Actually...I think it's a tie between Muscle Bikes and BMX for the folks in their 20s - 40s.

Muscle bikes mainly for guys in their 30s and 40s.

The guys in their 50s - 60s were the ones riding before the Muscle Bike era.

To each his own. :wink:
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I agree to each his own. I think about when i was a kid and the tank bikes where just the old mans bike down the street. Big, fat, slow, and heavy. Although preserving history is cool and gettin alot of money out of one is cool but i dont build bikes for a retirement fund i just do it for me if someone wants to pay big bucks for one out of my collection cool if not cool.
 
I don't understand having bikes you don't ride unless they so incredibly rare that only a handful exist. But that's just me - as previously mentioned, to each their own.
 

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