Aha, Sting Ray, now I remember. Google and Wiki provide the text below. My only contact with the fad was a top-tube-mounted 3-speed shifter that I found in the 1968 Sears Christmas Catalogue and added to to my Christmas list and, indulgent parents thank you!, actually got via slow boat in time for Christmas; big black knob on stout pressed metal lever over plastic-box-enclosed, simple, ratchet shifting system, and installed on my metallic-gold-flake with white accents Raleigh Sports to complement the retrofitted steel drop bar and rat trap pedals sans retention mechs. Nowadays I'd prefer the original -- and IMO brilliant -- bar-mount trigger shifter, which I've gone thru contortions to source in these our latter days.
*The Sting-Ray: **In 1962, Schwinn's designer Al Fritz heard about a new youth trend centered in California for retrofitting bicycles with the accoutrements of motorcycles customized in the "bobber" or "chopper" style, including high-rise, "ape-hanger" handlebars and low-rider "banana seats".[23] Inspired, he designed a mass-production bike for the youth market known as Project J-38. The result, a wheelie bike, was introduced to the public as the Schwinn Sting-Ray in June 1963.[23][24][25][26] It had ape-hanger handlebars, Persons's Solo Polo Seat banana seat and 20-inch tires. Sales were initially slow, as many parents desiring a bicycle for their children did not find the Sting-Ray appealing in the least. However, after a few appeared on America's streets and neighborhoods, many young riders would accept nothing else, and sales took off. In the December 1963 Schwinn Reporter Schwinn announced the arrival of the Deluxe Sting-Ray. This model included Fenders, white-wall tires, and a padded Solo polo seat. Next, in July 1964 Schwinn announced the arrival of the Super Deluxe Sting-Ray. This model included a front spring-fork, and a new sleeker Sting-Ray banana seat, and a Person's Hi-loop Sissy bar. Also, the Super Deluxe gave the rider a choice of White wall tires or the new Yellow oval rear Slik tire paired with a front black wall Westwind tire. By 1965, a host of American and foreign manufacturers were offering their own version of the Sting-Ray.* On Sat, Aug 22, 2020 at 2:21 PM Matthew Williams < matthewwilliamsdes...@gmail.com> wrote: > > When did the prototypical child's bike change from a balloon-tire > cruiser to a chopper-type bike? > > Midway through 1964. In the heady days of customizing cars and > motorcycles, a Schwinn executive saw kids in California customizing their > balloon-tire bikes to make them look and ride like motorcycles, so he > designed a new bike called the "Sting-Ray." The Sting-Ray was a huge hit, > and a subsequent version called the "Scrambler" > <https://bikehistory.org/bikes/scrambler/> with knobby tires, no front > fender, and a reinforced frame was specifically designed as a "dirt bike" > for kids who were riding and racing their bikes off-road in the early days > of bicycle motocross, better known as "BMX." > > See also: Klunking. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVWP6VaLtvw> > > ==== > > “I’ll tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to > emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I > see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and > independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture > of untrammeled womanhood.” > > --Susan B. Anthony > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/19407be1-c866-4932-a16f-d72bb1113637n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/19407be1-c866-4932-a16f-d72bb1113637n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgu2Y3_bfozoutO0Dm5fMR1VYkfosHT2Z6A%2ByFQ_cW7PgQ%40mail.gmail.com.
