Italuminium

So I'm in a bit of American mood as of late. I don't know if it's because of hanging around with the people here at BF or the lovely girl that has crossed my path earlier this year (who is of American descent), but I suddenly find myself eating peanut butter-jelly sandwiches whist reading the old classic paperback novels or watching westerns. Further exploring this transatlantic line the thought occurred me - which bicycle defines America?

Is it a grand and easy cruiser, like the Monark Silverking? Is it the paramount of the bike industry from Schwinn? Is it one of the early high-wheelers and safeties that sparked road construction, urban sprawl and female emancipation (if some accounts are to be believed)? Could it be one of the customs in which the old world craft reached it's pinnacle in the new one, for instance a Carlsbad Masi or one of the many current independent frame builders?

The reasons for nominating can be manifold - technological, cultural, economic or even personal... As usual, the thread is useless without pics, but no other restrictions to the answers apply. I'm sure there's no definite answer, but I'd like to hear your nominations.

frantik

Seriously though, the Cruiser is the original American bike, and from the cruiser two other American bikes have descended: MTB and BMX.

The cruiser reflects the American obsession with cars and motor vehicles.. the original cruisers were meant to look just like motorcycles without motors. MTBs and BMX bikes both evolved from cruiser bikes, and BMX especially retains that motorcycle-inspired vibe (the M in BMX even standing for motor). MTBs on the other hand reveal our exploratory spirit; our country is large and vast, with many wide open spaces to explore.

Finally, cruisers, BMX and MTBs are all more recreational than utilitarian, which is in line with the fact most Americans view bikes more as toys than useful vehicles.

AZORCH

Dang! You beat me to it!!! This is America, all the way!

OK, that one already done, I'd go with Paramount if you had to have a less traditional American saddle than the example frantik posted.

RobbieTunes

Well, it wouldn't be competitive, we leave that to the Japanese.
Well, it wouldn't be all that beautiful, we leave that to the Europeans.
Well, it wouldn't be cheap, we leave that to outsourcing everywhere else.

However, we can dress up like a clown and still conquer, so the 7-11 Huffy it is.

..
..
or whatever Curious George rides.

RobbieTunes

That guy on the left,...he's either putting his ATM card away, texting, or getting ready to roll another one. So American.

bbattle

The couch bike guys are from Canada.

30-40 years ago, Schwinn defined America in the bicycle sense.

Now, it's Trek.

auchencrow

I'd have to say it would be the namesake Schwinn American, in black or red, with a Wald basket and a non-drive side photo.


... and a doggie.

Italuminium

Thanks for the LOL and useful answer. Any particular bikes that spring to mind when referring to the BMX and MTB's? I can imagine an early Ritchey, Yeti, Klein, Marin or something like that could fit the MTB bill, but i'm out of my depth on BMX's.

Italuminium

Wow, that's a wonderful bike. How old is it? I'm not really good at dating cruisers. Or cruising for dates, for that matter.

auchencrow

I'm not an expert in dating cruisers either but it is safe to say it's mid-sixties. (It's not mine)

Chris_in_Miami

I agree with this, but I think Americans continue to hold this association today, even though the company is presently a shadow of it's former glory.

And I'm afraid the bike itself would be less Paramount, and more likely a beach cruiser or a Varsity.

frantik

you can tell because they aren't fat enough

I'm pretty sure the original BMX bikes were Schwinn Stingrays.. i'm not a big bmx guy





The Cruiser also led to the "lowrider" bike, which I think is also a truly American bike.. again taking styling cues from automobiles

rhm

America cannot be defined by a bicycle. Sorry, it just can't.

frantik

Schwinn Excelsiors were the first mountain bikes / klunkers

Elev12k

For as far the development of competition bicycles I think the mountainbike is an important contribution from the US. The roadrace scene tended to be very conservative. MTB development went very rapidly and the market adopted the techniques easily. Of course this businessmodel generated more profits and jobs than a conservative model. Nowadays people can blow their money on buying a new roadbike each couple of years, because the old one is perceived as rubbish within a blink of the eye.

The US lifted the bike to a next level as consumer product.

bikemanbob

Simply because of its popularity among the masses, I would say the Schwinn Varsity. Few bikes have as much recognition as the Varsity. Also, it seems like everyone has owned one at one time. This is a Schwinn Varsity Tourist.

bradtx

Italuminium, As far as truely an American innovation, the mountain bike.

As a kid in the '60s the cruiser, usually a Schwinn or a Columbia defined that era, followed by the highly successful bannana seat bicycles, again led by Schwinn with it's StingRay model. I had a black Schwinn American very similar to the bike in post #7, BTW.

While the Paramount was a quality road bike, it was based more on European engineering of the day, a good thing. It probably wasn't until the mid '80s when American road bikes, exploring alternate tubing materials and diameters started to become popular world wide, but again they don't really define the 'American bike'.

Brad

rhm

True, about the MTB. And let's not forget that the US played a large part both in the development of the bicycle and the rise of bicycle racing as a serious sport. I don't think that helps answer the question, though.

The most "classic american" image I can think of, involving a bicycle, is of a boy delivering newspapers. The bicycle has balloon tires, fenders, and a gas tank. It has to have a gas tank.

thinktubes 

Italuminium

Those reels on board track racing are so awesome. These guys really had some guts, and the guys doing it on motorcycles even more. The sight of a high wheeler race must have been very impressive too.

Picchio Special

Schwinn Black Phantom.

that_guy_zach

Trek 720 was the first thing that popped into my head when I read the title. I cant help but think of the sheer number of Americans who explored this country by bike in the 80's on a 720.

KonAaron Snake 

40 years ago I'd definitely say the Schwinn Varsity.
20 years ago it was definitely a Cannondale MTB.

Today?

I guess Trek, whatever their most popular/cheapest hybrid is...regardless of where they're built.

Picchio Special

I don't know - 40 years ago the Stingray and it's variants were pretty iconic bikes, and reflected well the quintessentially American muscle car culture. Much as the previous Aerocycle, autocycle, and Black Phamtom/Panther reflected American fascination with airplanes and big cars.

Italuminium

O wow, that black phantom is very, very nice.