free spirit bittany ( i think it is called) 3 speed coaster brake

[heartlandcruisers]

well when i was out n about doing my wheeling and dealings i found a very nice close to mint ladies free spirit 3 speed at my lbs.
he said make him an offer i offered 30 he said we are not too far off and we settled on 40 as it is.
i know the front tire has a leak but otherwise the bike rides good and does not look bad but it has it's quirks as would any 1981 bicycle that has not been serviced for awhile.
i had a couple questions about it though
fist off was it called a brittany or was there any particular name for these?
secondly the rear rack is cool and kinda different did these come with them standard or was it an option? i have found acouple of the same bikes and they all seem to have his rack on them.so i assume it was either a popular option or it wass tock with the bike.
thirdly there isa bracket right above the rack that looks like it might hold another rack or something any ideas what this may have had?
this is not mine but mine is identical except the front basket
what sold me was the 3 speed coaster rbake that does work i been wanting one of these wheels for a very long time and now that i got it i don't wanna tear the bike apart just for the wheels.

 

[heartlandcruisers]

now that i saw this picture i realize what the bracket goes to i don't have the brace

 

[heartlandcruisers]

here is mine in as found condition

 

[wahwah1013]

Nice bike. I don't really know anything about it other than I can personally attest that SEARS made quality bikes back in the day. I restored a Free Spirt trike for my mom and I'm very pleased with the build quality of these things. The Schwinn's from that era had better group sets but the frames and wheels on the Free Spirit's are just as good, in my opinion, at least.
As for the price, I'm sure you know you can't get the hub for the price you paid for the bike. So I think you got a great deal.

 

[Big Ape]

Sorry, I don't know why I'm here...my mind read "Free Brittany Spears"........and I still don't know why I looked.

 

[deorman]

Murray.

 

[heartlandcruisers]

Nice bike. I don't really know anything about it other than I can personally attest that SEARS made quality bikes back in the day. I restored a Free Spirt trike for my mom and I'm very pleased with the build quality of these things. The Schwinn's from that era had better group sets but the frames and wheels on the Free Spirit's are just as good, in my opinion, at least.
As for the price, I'm sure you know you can't get the hub for the price you paid for the bike. So I think you got a great deal.

yes i know the hubs are expensive that is what made me want it the wheel are very nice and the entire bike is pretty solid but as with any bike thats 36 years old it has it's quirks but nothing i would say makes it unsafe it is kind of growing on me i might make it into a bardtracker or maybe a cafe racer with flipped bars and a front fender mounted to rear type of thing

 

[heartlandcruisers]

Murray.

yeah it does seem to be Murray built it has some Murray characteristics to it and know Murray built a lot of bikes for different stores.nonetheless it rides pretty good

 

[deorman]

Nothing wrong with a Murray. My favorite bike from my childhood was an Eliminator-style banana bike that a kid down the street stole and deliberately broke the frame.
They produced piles of sturdy good-bang-for-you-buck recreational bikes in the USA for a long time during which other makers came and went. I have quite a few Murray wheels, cranks, and other components from wrecked and discarded or abandoned Murrays, some older than me, which have kept other bikes alive.

I don't have any frames 'cause people only throw away the step-throughs or complete wrecks.