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How I Got My Name (BIKEBOY)


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For the record, I am a 'Car Guy' first and foremost!

 

My other passion also has wheels...hence my signature name. Years ago when I first opened my bicycle store, I began to collect bikes that were near and dear to my heart. At my age, the old Schwinn Stingrays and Krate series bikes were always something that I wanted, but my folks had no dough, so I always rode turds!

 

So I began the collection in about 1999 when we first opened, and began hanging the 'collectible' stuff in the rafters of the shop. The collection grew and grew to around 25 bikes. It became somewhat of a conversation piece for the fathers with their kids...explaining to them while they stared up to the roof, "Your Daddy used to ride that exact same bike!" Consequently, the word got out on the street that we had a bunch of COOL stuff in our shop to come take a peek at. Frankly, turned out it was great advertising!

 

When American Chopper came onto the scene, the bicycle companies began to jump on board and hurried to beat each other up with their own designs of choppers. This of course was one of my very favorite times! I had to have a bunch of these too!! So, I began to selectively acquire some of them, and we even built about 10 custom chopper bikes for our enjoyment, and for a few customers. We were using old tandem (long frame) bikes to custom build our chopped out stuff. (I don't have any pics. of them anymore) :(

 

The unfortunate thing, is that when I decided to sell the shop in 2009, I only kept what you see here. I am really kicking myself for it now too! The guy who bought my store could give two sh_ts about all of the bikes I left. He ended up selling them for super cheap, I found out later, to whomever he could sell them to! Craigslist, local customers, etc... What a shame!

 

Anyway, I am splitting up the two photos I took, as they are too high res. for one post, and I am a non-Photobucket nurd.

 

Please enjoy the photos, and if they conjur up any old memories for you old dudes....please share.

 

Chris

 

edit: Found another pic. with an Orange Krate on the right, a Lemon Peeler in the middle, and if you look real closely through the sea of wheels on the left...there is a VERY RARE Grape Krate hanging up there. The chopper photo is next on post #2...

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I have a HUFFY Stingray style Bike that I have been meaning to restore. It is Dark Silver, Banana Seat Munky Hanger Handle Bars and I think it is a 3 Speed (might be a 5 speed). It is all there. I bought a Wide Racing Slick Rear Tire, a Black Banana Seat and a Tall Sissy bar for it. I also have a very nice used Hot Pink Metallic & White Banana Seat for a Girls Stingray. I have been toying with the idea of selling the Bike because I don't think I will ever get to it.

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I always wanted a Schwinn Stingray - I ended up getting an Apollo (stingray like) with a dual top tube single speed bike that I jumped and jumped till the frame eventually broke. Loved that bike. I never grew up (and refuse to) and started mountain biking in the late 90's. Bought a TrekY50 full suspension carbon fiber xtr set up - about 22 lbs. Cracked that frame after 3 years and they replaced it free of charge. That was one of the reasons I picked the Trek carbon fiber for its warranty. Still have the bike and need to get out on it soon.

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Who built the Choppers........I like the one with the Blue Forks.

 

Dave, I got the camera in a gumball machine at K-Mart for 25 cent.!! :hysterical:

 

My point is, that the forks on all but the FatBoy are chrome. They just look blue there.

 

From left to right: The first bike is a FELT brand bicycle called a 'Torch'...the next one is a SPECIALIZED FatBoy, very limited production...has an aluminum tag riveted to the chainstay with a production # on it. Orig. MSRP was $2K. The next bike was very limited production, but was inexpensive, made by DIAMONDBACK. I added the Harley Davidson headlamp. It was more $$$ than the bike itself! The last one...I think the one you are asking about? That one was my DD of sorts. I actually used it, which is why the tires are muddy still. That was made by DYNO...a subsidiary of GT Bicycles. That was the Cruiser line they had back in the day. That is a 1999 DUECE that they made thousands of. I added the grips with skulls on the ends, and the mirrors. That bike has flames carved in the tire treads, and flames on the saddle. It was real cool for the time, but got considerably 'passed up' in the design dept. as the chopper stuff took hold!

 

:)

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As for the Schwinn stuff.

 

The bike on the left is a 1979 SCRAMBLER...one of the first BMX offerings from SCHWINN, back when BMX racing was taking hold. I completely 'rotisseried' that one, right down to having new decals designed and made by a buddy that has a graphics biz. The decals were not available anymore. We used an old SCHWINN memorabilia hardback book, to exact the decals. I was offered $700 for it in the shop by two different people, and turned them both down. Hell, I probably have close to a grand in it!! I used a powder coater instead of paint on all my bikes.

 

The bike in the middle is an all original unmolested 1969 Apple Krate 5speed. I paid a guy $1600 for it a very long time ago. He was two payments behind on his Jeep, and needed the dough!

 

Lastly, the bike on the right is a completely custom "thought' I had to build a full size Apple Krate for me to use. I started with a 1960's SCHWINN cruiser frame, and used a late model chopper fork with the stock rear 26" wheel and a 20" frt. wheel. I had a drum brake hub laced into the rear wheel, and a Shimano 'power hub' laced into the front wheel to power up the headlamp. Then I had the old 'KRATE' font decals made up for the chaingaurd that say " BIG KRATE". And of course SCHWINN decals made for the top tube. On all of the re-do's that I ever did, I even went as far as putting brand new SCHWINN quality decals on the seat-tubes. Those are still available, though getting rare!

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As for the Schwinn stuff.

 

The bike on the left is a 1979 SCRAMBLER...one of the first BMX offerings from SCHWINN, back when BMX racing was taking hold. I completely 'rotisseried' that one, right down to having new decals designed and made by a buddy that has a graphics biz. The decals were not available anymore. We used an old SCHWINN memorabilia hardback book, to exact the decals. I was offered $700 for it in the shop by two different people, and turned them both down. Hell, I probably have close to a grand in it!! I used a powder coater instead of paint on all my bikes.

 

The bike in the middle is an all original unmolested 1969 Apple Krate 5speed. I paid a guy $1600 for it a very long time ago. He was two payments behind on his Jeep, and needed the dough!

 

Lastly, the bike on the right is a completely custom "thought' I had to build a full size Apple Krate for me to use. I started with a 1960's SCHWINN cruiser frame, and used a late model chopper fork with the stock rear 26" wheel and a 20" frt. wheel. I had a drum brake hub laced into the rear wheel, and a Shimano 'power hub' laced into the front wheel to power up the headlamp. Then I had the old 'KRATE' font decals made up for the chaingaurd that say " BIG KRATE". And of course SCHWINN decals made for the top tube. On all of the re-do's that I ever did, I even went as far as putting brand new SCHWINN quality decals on the seat-tubes. Those are still available, though getting rare!

 

 

Part of my therapy is to stop my addiction of bicycles, I was up to 6 down 3 bikes.

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Very cool.

My bike was a purple Schwin sting-ray with banana seat and 3 gears. Do you have one of those? We use to put the slicks on the back. And build ramps for jumping into lakes. :happy feet:

Where is your bike shop? I bought a several bikes over the past 2 years and would love to stop by and see the shop.

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Very cool.

My bike was a purple Schwin sting-ray with banana seat and 3 gears. Do you have one of those? We use to put the slicks on the back. And build ramps for jumping into lakes. :happy feet:

Where is your bike shop? I bought several bikes over the past 2 years and would love to stop by and see the shop.

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Very cool.

My bike was a purple Schwin sting-ray with banana seat and 3 gears. Do you have one of those? We use to put the slicks on the back. And build ramps for jumping into lakes. :happy feet:

Where is your bike shop? I bought several bikes over the past 2 years and would love to stop by and see the shop.

 

Hey Gator...I just moved here from Canada.

 

In the process of getting it together. Location...brands...etc...

 

Chris

 

The 'OLD' shop was in Phx. :)

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Here is the one I have...................it needs restoring. It's a 5 Speed.

 

Dave- That's cool!

 

Isn't that a SEARS ROEBUCK bike?

 

It will not be worth as much as a Schwinn of it's equal, but nonetheless, it's is of the time period and was a direct competitor to the Stingrays. That alone makes it worth something for sure!

It would be like an 1968 AMX compared to a 1968 Mustang GT390 FB...

:happy feet:

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I want to personally thank you for the small bike replica that you gave me to give to my dad for Christmas. The little replica of his bike made him very happy. My dad's bike has never been ridden. It's in his collection room and he says he just likes looking at it because it is a work of art to him. Plus he had a bike just like this when he was a kid so it brings back child memories for him. Here is some pic's of me presenting the gift to him. I told dad about you and he wanted me to extend his appreciation. My dad collects matchbox size police cars too, so he has a liking for stuff like this.

 

THANK YOU !!!! :)

 

009-1.jpg

 

012-1.jpg

 

013-1.jpg

 

013-1.jpg

 

Here's my dad's full size bike:

022.jpg

 

021.jpg

 

Here's a little painting we had done for him. It has his old back yard in it and the bike.

007-1.jpg

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Dave- That's cool!

 

Isn't that a SEARS ROEBUCK bike?

 

It will not be worth as much as a Schwinn of it's equal, but nonetheless, it's is of the time period and was a direct competitor to the Stingrays. That alone makes it worth something for sure!

It would be like an 1968 AMX compared to a 1968 Mustang GT390 FB...

:happy feet:

 

 

Yeah, I figured it would make a great "Low Rider" Bike............................ :happy feet:

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I want to personally thank you for the small bike replica that you gave me to give to my dad for Christmas. The little replica of his bike made him very happy. My dad's bike has never been ridden. It's in his collection room and he says he just likes looking at it because it is a work of art to him. Plus he had a bike just like this when he was a kid so it brings back child memories for him. Here is some pic's of me presenting the gift to him. I told dad about you and he wanted me to extend his appreciation. My dad collects matchbox size police cars too, so he has a liking for stuff like this.

 

THANK YOU !!!! :)

 

009-1.jpg

 

012-1.jpg

 

013-1.jpg

 

013-1.jpg

 

Here's my dad's full size bike:

022.jpg

 

021.jpg

 

Here's a little painting we had done for him. It has his old back yard in it and the bike.

007-1.jpg

 

Rob...you are so welcome! It warms my heart to see Dad getting it for his long term enjoyment! It was not getting a fraction of the enjoyment from me, at my age.

 

Chris

 

:happy feet: CHEERS!

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Rob...you are so welcome! It warms my heart to see Dad getting it for his long term enjoyment! It was not getting a fraction of the enjoyment from me, at my age.

 

Chris

 

:happy feet: CHEERS!

 

 

Dad has a small version of the bike, and this one is so much nicer. He does like it very much. Here's a pic of him with it. happy%20feet.gif

 

014-1.jpg

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Wow seeing that old scrmbler brings back memories. My best friend growing up was about 20 ft in front of me when he was hit by a drunk driver in a truck going about 50mph. He was in ICU for a month with massive head injuries but survived and is OK today other than a big scar on his noggen. His bike was blue and after the accident the only thing wrong with it was the cranks were bent ! After we had found out he was going to survive all the kids in the nieghborhood took a collection and had his bike repaired for him when he got home. That was one tough bike.

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Wow seeing that old scrmbler brings back memories. My best friend growing up was about 20 ft in front of me when he was hit by a drunk driver in a truck going about 50mph. He was in ICU for a month with massive head injuries but survived and is OK today other than a big scar on his noggen. His bike was blue and after the accident the only thing wrong with it was the cranks were bent ! After we had found out he was going to survive all the kids in the nieghborhood took a collection and had his bike repaired for him when he got home. That was one tough bike.

 

Eeeesshh!!! That's a terrible / wonderful outcome story?

 

But you are right, the old Schwinn stuff, (built in Chicago) was bombproof! Before the Taiwan days.

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