stingrays, an inconvienant truth

[ChicagoMuscle Guy]

I'm a Chicago guy, who grew up when Stingrays were the Thing! I personally did not have one as a kid my parents could not afford it, I had a cheap Kmart bike that I cherished like a Stingray. All my friends had stingrays and boy did we put the miles on those bikes. As far as the Repop's go I really don't have issue with them I wish they were still built here, but hardly anything is anymore. I have had a few the quality did not impress me but it rode fine and my son enjoyed them. I personally prefer the originals as I think I am at times chasing down a childhood dream that just couldn't happen. I also enjoy bringing the old ones back to life to ride another day, and finding original quality parts to put on them.

My issue with the repop Stingrays is Deception...
One thing I wish people would do is be honest to others, when you are riding your repop, and someone says nice Stingray, it's cool to say Thanks and leave it at that. If they say wow did you restore it, or is that from the sixties, Just tell the truth and say no it's a reproduction of that bike pretty cool huh! Most people will still be interested in it or tell you about the one they had as a kid. This holds true especially when one is up for sale, don't list your repop as a 196? Stingray, or an Original Vintage Stingray, be honest say what it is ask what you want for it price wise, but just be honest!

Otherwise ride them and enjoy, it makes me feel good to see a kid or especially a 40/50 year old guy on a Banana seat bike. It puts a smile on my face when I ride mine.

 

[RetroSpeed]

ChicagoMuscle Guy hit the proverbial nail on the head.

When someone asks if the BFK is a restored Schwinn, most are surprised when I point out it is an inexpensive WalMart bike with some vintage accessories. If they mention either owning a Krate or wanting one as a kid, I offer them a chance to ride the BFK. The smiles this cheap repop brings to their faces as they ride the bike is priceless and an unexpected pleasure.

As Chicago noted, seeing someone in their 40s and 50s on a muscle bike is quite the sight but my wife says seeing someone my size on a BFK is like watching the bicycle riding bear at the circus. Perhaps its time to build a cruiser, although now that I've cut my teeth on a repop I might try the more difficult challenge of building a '50s classic.

Thanks everyone for the posts and perspectives.

 

[Ichoptop]

I am going to buy an original and stretch the frame 1" just to piss the restoration guys off.


In 1997 I chopped the top on a 54 Bug just for giggles. The hate I got at Bug fest that year was classic.

 

[petesponies]

I have them all, vintage Krate, reissue Krate, BFK s and 26" new Schwinns that I make look old. I like them all for what they are. Appreicate what is made now and then. I promise you one day you will wish you would have . . . . . . .

 

[froggy99]

Chicago muscle got it right. I think I posted before about anything with a nana seat being labeled a "stingray".Talked to a guy on cl that posted a "stingray" only to find out it was a bratz bike. He wanted $150, I told him it was worth like $40 to me. Now I'm the bad guy. Dude its not a stingray so stop posting it as such. I told him just put down its a bratz bike. I'm glad furyus didn't run into him. He'd been put into schwinn metro chicago jail so fast it'd made his head spin. Felony impersonation of a schwinn,bike laundering, and fuzzy picture posting. Man he'd get life without the possibilty of popping a wheelly. Actually I like furyus. He holds the line. He's a purist and I've a lot of repect for that. I'm an anarchist and so were the founding fathers. Some people say "this is what is." I say "what if.' and if is the middle word of life. (Drops mic, walks off stage)

 

[Tychevelle]

Ive been following this thread since the first post but thought id give my opinion after reading everyones opinions. My opinion of repops is if that bikes brings a smile to your face then give'r! Im an original purist type guy im fairly picky with all my bikes. I have 9 stingrays that are ridable even more in pieces plus many other bikes new and old but who am I to tell you your bikes not worthy of being collectible or being admired the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In all types of hobbies and in general people are erogant just the other day the girlfriend and I went for a cruise around the sea wall and decided to take a couple of our electras instead of old schwinns we werent 10 mins into the ride and some hipster rides by on an old ballooner and says thats not a bike this is a bike in an arrogant tone all I could do was laugh at him (which he didnt like lol) but who cares what he thinks he doesnt know I have 25 bikes like his at home but if riding my shiny chromed out electra makes me happy then thats what im going to ride. I agree with others that its wrong to sell something as its vintage when its a repop but if someone asks if its restored etc then they probably dont know bikes that well, just give em a bit of info on it and what it really is. Seems the problem people have is really with the people that exploit repops and not the bikes themselves

 

[ZygoteLittle]

I find the polarizing commentary of this thread rather amusing – carry on.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I haven't been keeping up with this thread since I posted. SSOOORRRYYYYYY. I definitely did not mean to equivalate the samurai with the chinese culture in any way. I also did not mean to equivalate any geographically placed portion or ethnic grouping of the human race with bicycles. Humans ARE NOT bicycles. If due to my post you have gone out and mistaken a human for a bicycle or even a bicycle for a human being, I apologize. The human alos apologizes for not taking you where you want to go, the bicycle apologizes for not responding to any questions or comments posed to it. I hope this clears up any confusion. :roll:

 

[ozzmonaut]

Also I moreso enjoy original bikes, but cannot always afford to own them. So building whatever I want at the price I can afford was just the next logical step.

 

[deorman]

Stingrays? When I was 13, a second hand Murray was every bit as satisfactory. At my current age and size, I care even less about tiny bikes, but what should that matter? Do what you want with your own time and money. In your situation, (the original poster) I'd tell 'em nah, it's a copy. :| You never know, you may be keeping a new enthusiast from being ripped off. 8) :idea:

 

[Bill in Houston]

do what you want with the bike. just start spelling "incovenient" properly.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Good eye, Bill!

Oh, by the way, it’s spelled: inconvenient

 

[Bill in Houston]

ha ha ha haaaaa, i'm such a loser.

 

[wheelbender6]

I have noticed, that kids lost the ability to spell shortly after corporal punishment was banned from school. The spelling of the English language is so irregular, that it must be pounded into us.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

No, you are not a loser, Bill; you awaked most, if not all of us, to an obvious spelling error in the thread title.

Peace buddy.

 

[deorman]

No, you are not a loser, Bill; you awakened most, if not all of us, to an obvious spelling error in the thread title.

Peace buddy.

:lol:

 

[dragnusa]

I think stingrays are cool repop or not. I never could afford one as a kid and really cant afford to rebuild one now, my daughter does have a 60s fairlady which she rides proudly. heres the closest I have to a stingray we call it the MUTT because it took parts from 5 different bikes to build it. we had it out riding it and had someone say nice stingray and my daughter made sure to tell them it wasnt a stingray it was a bike we built, in her best 10 yr old teenage attitude.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

I agree, dragnusa, it really doesn’t matter if it’s an original, repop or mutt, the point is the genre. The Muscle Bike concept is IMHO a timeless and ingenious design.

When I was a kid in the 60's, I received a Schwinn Stingray Deluxe springer w/2-speed kickback in Coppertone – I rode the wheels off that bike all over Manhattan with my friends, one on a Barracuda and others on cruisers and so forth. I remember our first ride over the Williamsburg Bridge and into Brooklyn – WOW we did it! Good times that have lasted a lifetime. (My heart was broken however, when it was destroyed while I was in college)

Fast forward to today, in ’07 I was at Wally World to buy something completely unrelated to buying a bicycle – on their bike rack was a black BFK I bought on the spot, took it home and put it on the bike stand, removed both wheels and crank and started its customization into a 7-speed w/front drum brake. (My heart has since been healed!)

Plop your butt on a “Stingray Whatever” and your ear to ear smile will be all that is necessary for the public to know how you feel about riding it!!!

 

[Bill in Houston]

No, you are not a loser, Bill; you awaked most, if not all of us, to an obvious spelling error in the thread title.

Peace buddy.

I have noticed, that kids lost the ability to spell shortly after corporal punishment was banned from school. The spelling of the English language is so irregular, that it must be pounded into us.

I find this conclusion to be completely reasonable.

 

[petesponies]

I got one of these for my birthday in 1968 or 1969; I don't remember. I knew it had a silver seat, but thought it also had a front fender. So I built one like it.

When the "new" Stingray came out, I was excited. I bought 2.

Then came the Walmart bikes. I was again excited, they were so INEXPENSIVE. Wish I had bought more!

Then decided to build one of the "better" repops and put a Grey Ghost together from pieces that someone had already parted out. So this is a bikeshop repop. I need to get some pics of it. It's mostly completed. So I like Stingrays . . regardless.