Damn it, the bicycle really was a Sting-Ray and not a Stringray. With that, the gauntlet, replete with multi-colored plastic streamers, was thrown.
Here's the segment from WIKI which may have been the root of the revisionism.
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". 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. It had ape-hanger handlebars, 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. By 1965, a host of American and foreign manufacturers were offering their own version of the Sting-Ray.
It definitely looks official to this reviewer.
Note: all of this material was provided by Yevette who is adamant about revision. She can also talk about the bike in the same way as hard-core Harley riders can get wistful over the days of the flathead (WWII or so).
The Fastback??
In case you think being called a 'chick' is bad, would CHIK be better?
Another casualty of corporate union busting:
Christmas when America was prosperous and unions were strong.
This must have been mid-fifties, well before we arrived in America. It feels surprisingly non-sexist for that time. Sure the girl has her little dolly but they remind Schwinn bikes for girls are just as well-made.
Here's the segment from WIKI which may have been the root of the revisionism.
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". 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. It had ape-hanger handlebars, 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. By 1965, a host of American and foreign manufacturers were offering their own version of the Sting-Ray.
WIKI: Schwinn Bicycle Company
The text is intermingling street slang with ad copy so it looks the dancer's choice for the text which finally ended up going out to the parents and chill'uns.
The text is intermingling street slang with ad copy so it looks the dancer's choice for the text which finally ended up going out to the parents and chill'uns.
Note: I found the WIKI just because browsing around but the rest came from Yevette who is highly-insistent on the history.
It definitely looks official to this reviewer.
Note: all of this material was provided by Yevette who is adamant about revision. She can also talk about the bike in the same way as hard-core Harley riders can get wistful over the days of the flathead (WWII or so).
The Fastback??
In case you think being called a 'chick' is bad, would CHIK be better?
Another casualty of corporate union busting:
Christmas when America was prosperous and unions were strong.
This must have been mid-fifties, well before we arrived in America. It feels surprisingly non-sexist for that time. Sure the girl has her little dolly but they remind Schwinn bikes for girls are just as well-made.
2 comments:
I only see the terms ape hanger and chopper style seat in WIKI. Not in any ad I research. And absolutely not in street slang. The only reference to ape-hangers was to an older man Manuel who rode a old Schwinn bike with HiRise handlebars. He added them as he was a rather tall large man.
I do remember him and how a whole lot of people gave him guff but, to my knowledge, he never hurt anyone, he just wasn't that fast.
I do see the WIKI mixing it up and that's not official copy. The part which definitely survives is Sting-Ray but I'm still not quite believing I never saw that previously.
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