26” Cantilever Style Frame Comparision Thread

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Pretty much every manufacturer of cruiser style bikes have copied Schwinn’s cantilever frames design. I thought it would be cool to have a thread where they could be compared side by side. Just in the ones I have, there’s quite a bit of difference in shape and height of the frames. <br><br>If anybody has any good side shots of others, post them up.

‘57 Schwinn
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‘95 Schwinn
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70’s Huffy
1E9D9F0F-7D2D-4044-8C44-3442CE8658D9.jpeg



90’s Huffy
916EE13E-2ACB-498B-BAAC-AA9FC4D08EE8.jpeg



60’s Murray (Western Flyer)
58287B4F-F4D1-4340-9330-7DADE8479BFA.jpeg


70’s AMF (photo courtesy of CRASH)
F19FEBCA-CB66-41D5-B999-21B89556DE48.jpeg



AMF (Pic courtesy of Starnger)
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Late 50’s - early 60’s Rollfast (both single bars)
BCA22D2A-E969-4EC4-BECB-B837544D1472.jpeg



90’s Murray
6C175EF0-063E-4020-9C2C-809D5B414AD1.jpeg




60’s Rollfast (Snyder built) (single bottom bar)
1CE21A0F-C02E-4131-9A3E-0AC99D278E69.jpeg



60’s Huffy
7592664A-A390-4E4B-AFC2-8D4C665A417C.jpeg



Late 40’s - early 50’s Shelby (single bars)
DAE6781A-1A37-494E-90E4-D845A4D3FEA7.jpeg



50’s AMF Shelby (single bars)
D6D28BF0-45FD-4611-BAA5-666566CD6A9D.jpeg



60’s Columbia (Pic courtesy of Jude Ephesus)
2975B388-B0B5-4DE8-8901-A6725464BFBA.jpeg


Monark-Huffy built (pic crtsy Handyandy1100)
0E97B1FA-450C-46EE-81AC-6E0D948B1001.jpeg


3G Venice (pic courtesy Cruiser5)
CC6D3F03-99D4-48AE-97B1-D670F7768CCE.jpeg


Vista (Columbia built)
1430EA85-D2BB-41D1-94E0-8E9FD1FD8FB5.jpeg


Bassett Star Cruiser (pic courtesy MattiThundrrr)
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I love the way AMF blends the cantilever design into classic big belly Roadmaster frame.
a63e7055-597e-471f-8b62-0fda84ded18d-jpeg.789056
Agreed!
I just recently picked up one of these!
07880F92-0C61-4FBB-9D05-84E90A45FD63.jpeg
 
Technically those two Rollfasts aren't cantilevers. :D
Cool idea for a thread.
 
King is correct. In a cantilever frame the seat stays continue past the seat post and curve downwards to meet with the down tube. On the Rollfasts, they're attached to the steering tube.
Here's an older shot of Duck Norris that shows what makes a canti
IMG_20190901_141941619.jpg

Stays to downtube, with the top bar "cantilevered" out and above.
 
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Technically those two Rollfasts aren't cantilevers. :D
Cool idea for a thread.

Thanks!

Yeah, that’s right from a technical standpoint.
I guess cantilever style or look would be a more appropriate term.
It’s amazing that pretty every bike manufacturer of that era had their spin on that style frame.
 
It’s amazing that pretty every bike manufacturer of that era had their spin on that style frame.

I think that is why it is one of my least favorite frames. Especially the Schwinns because they are sooooo many of them. :D :D
 
Perhaps the definition of cantilever may had changed; I recall an advertisement attributing the architectural adjective to an older design.
The Shelby with the CWC-like curved rear fork/stays might have been a 1953 transition bike?
 
I think that is why it is one of my least favorite frames. Especially the Schwinns because they are sooooo many of them. :D :D
I’ve kinda always felt that way too, which is kinda what prompted this thread. I built a 26” Huffy muscle bike and I loved the way it looked. I bought a clean Murray built Western Flyer to build my some one, and after mocking up the same wheels and tires off my Huffy, it just didn’t look right. After paying closer attention, I realized that there was a huge difference in what I thought was basically the same frame.

That started making me paying closer attention, which was my inspiration for this thread.

Here was my Huffy and Murray with the same wheelset:
3A7D7C9D-9EC6-4A4E-AAB5-C779BA7923D9.jpeg

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Looking at the steering and seat angles and stay lengths, and they really are different! it'd be interesting to hear a ride report on differences in handling.
 
Looking at the steering and seat angles and stay lengths, and they really are different! it'd be interesting to hear a ride report on differences in handling.
It really does. Even dressed out with the banana seat and apes, the Murray frame just doesn’t have the “right” proportions IMO.
FD387288-065A-4E3D-919E-1A1E9F7A824E.jpeg
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This prompted me to look at all the cantilever (and cantilever like) frames I have in search of the best looking ones. Whichever I decide on being my favorite will be my next muscle bike build. I’m not feeling the Murray, so it’s probably going to end being turned back into a cruiser or sold.

The AMF is looking like my favorite one at the moment, but I believe I like the raked fork of this Rollfast. I’m going to mock up that combo and see if it looks as good as I think it will.

5B370720-58AD-4E66-8F0C-3AE74E5BE337.jpeg
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I almost bought a beat up Columbia cantilever once, then I saw the guy was also selling a Spaceliner for $10 more. I bought the Spaceliner instead because it was different. Unless you have a keen eye and knowledge of old bikes, all the cantilever frames look alike.

Here's my Huffy built Monarch. Sort of a reverse cantilever maybe? Twin extensions of the seat stays on top and a single bar from the seat tube to the down tube. Nice curves and stance and enough twist in the cantilever design to make it extra interesting.
28a17765559229fc53d8fa6bbfd28c2d.jpg


Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
I almost bought a beat up Columbia cantilever once, then I saw the guy was also selling a Spaceliner for $10 more. I bought the Spaceliner instead because it was different. Unless you have a keen eye and knowledge of old bikes, all the cantilever frames look alike.

Here's my Huffy built Monarch. Sort of a reverse cantilever maybe? Twin extensions of the seat stays on top and a single bar from the seat tube to the down tube. Nice curves and stance and enough twist in the cantilever design to make it extra interesting.
28a17765559229fc53d8fa6bbfd28c2d.jpg


Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
That’s a cool looking frame! I haven’t seen that one before.
I’ll add it to the master list!
 
I mocked up my “new” AMF frame today. It’s definitely going to be my next 26” muscle bike build!

It looks better than the Huffy frame and WAY better than the Murray frame, IMO.

I’m going to mock it up with the Rollfast fork next to see how it looks.

94B81F93-B199-4BAB-B3D6-51992F40A5CB.jpeg

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So I’m liking the Rollfast fork. It stretches out the bike and gives it an awesome look!

BEFORE:
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AFTER:
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Columbia-built Vista added to the list.
 

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