gettingold

Many of us grew up in the early 70s and the bike of choice was definitely the "10 Speed". What did you ride?

I grew up on Long Island and had a yellow World Traveler which was my primary mode of transportation before my first car. My friends had Varsity's, Peugeots, Vistas and Continentals. Schwinn or Schwinn by-products (e.g., the WT and Vista) seemed to rule the world, at least in my town where the main shop sold Schwinn products. I did my first century in cutoff Levi's returning home from Montauk Point after camping on the beach (road out there two summers in a row in middle school, about 120 miles to the point). We intended to camp out but were too young to get in the campground so we kept going. Great times.

qcpmsame 

Which one? Starting in 1971, Sears (Puch), 1972 Bottecchia Special, 1973 Schwinn Continental, 1977 Schwinn Le Tour II, 1979 Raleigh Super Course and ('74 NOS)International. All with 2X5 gearing. Past these it was 6 cogs or more on back. Now, its a 1980 Medici Pro Strada, and a 1986 Tommasini Prestige, both with 2X5 gear sets (Campagnolo Groups and Regina Extra freewheels and chains.)

Bill

gettingold

Top shelf! I loved the Continentals. My cousins had a variety of Raleighs which were sweet (I had a chopper before my World Traveler). My next bike was the Nishiki International Sport which was a graduation gift from my fiancé (now wife). Nice steel lugged frame which I still own. I also owned an early aluminum Cannondale Black Lightning which I acquired used from a friend.

fitlerbend

1972 Schwinn Super Sport, 1972 Paramount, 1975 Crescent Mark XX - still have the Crescent, but gave it to a son. Paramount was chrome, Crescent is stainless.

Retro Grouch 

'68' (I think) Raleigh Grand Prix. White with black graphics. My wife bought it for me (second hand) for $85.00. At the time, we felt like it was all the money in the world. That was my main ride until my uncle died and left me a little bit of money the late 80's. I used it to buy a Bridgstone RB2. (I still have the Bridgestone).

GerryinHouston

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1963 BSA

Originally single speed, converted to 3 speed in '64

Iride01 

Ten speed? I had a 5 speed Schwinn Suburban from about '72 till I finally got a 10 speed Varsity in '77 and rode it till about 2010.

gettingold

When I was a kid, Paramount sitings were rare. Like seeing the white whale. I still lust over them.

canklecat

Motobecane Mirage. Got it in 1976, fresh out of boot camp when I needed transportation to commute to base. Rode it the whole time I was in service, including lots of long distance group rides around Southern California.

The bike was nothing special other than for nostalgia's sake -- just a hi-ten frame, steel rims. But comfortable. Wish I'd kept it but after car wreck injuries years ago I thought I'd never ride again. Glad to be proven wrong about that. Back riding, just on different bikes now. Probably better bikes too.

Cougrrcj

My first 'ten-speed' was purchased in May '74 -- an all-steel 23" orange Fuji 'Special Tourer, F9B18529. That bike was stolen three months later from the High School bike rack - and yes, it was locked. I came out after an after-school meeting to find broken lock bits on the ground. I replaced it with the same size/year/make/model/color F9B18546.

Two years later, in October of '76 after test riding my college roomie's Viscount Aerospace Pro, that Fuji was replaced by a blue 23" '75 Fuji model S-10S K9I003xx that nobody wanted because it was a scratched floor model, so the shop owner gave me a price break. I still have that S-10S, but it has been updated over the 40+ years and 50k miles since. I still consider it to be my 'primary' or go-to bike.

cyclist2000

Schwinn Typhoon (60's), Paris Sport (~71), Mondia (72), Raleigh Pro (73), Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2 (75), Peugeot PX-10 Competition (83), ... after that I have kept most of my bikes

fietsbob

in '57 I added a 3 cog cluster to my 3 speed, for 9 speeds, and a triple crank for 3 cubed, 27 speeds.


I was in the US Navy from 1966~69.. my father gave it, the bike, to the son of a family friend who promptly let it be Stolen..





...

robert schlatte

Schwinn Typhoon in '65, Schwinn Varsity in '71, and Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 in '80. Still riding the Voyageur.

dannwilliams

Couldn't get a car when I turned 16, so bought a Schwinn Superior in '78. Sold it just a few years ago, wish I'd kept it.

Classtime 

New 1974 UO-8 which is long gone. My current ten speed is a 69 PX-10 crashed and straightened by a PO and repainted by me. It has afaik original parts but for wheels, saddle and consumables. 10 speeds is plenty.

JanMM

Schwinns: 1973 Continental boat anchor that served me well, 1976 LeTour which was fun after the steel-rimmed wheels were replaced, and then a 1979 12-speed Super LeTour which was well-used until the hi ten frame broke in '85. Replacement frame was newer butted cromo.
No drop bar bikes since those.

Barrettscv 

I was able to purchase a Schwinn Paramount in 1974, I was 17 years old. I was working part time at George Garner Cyclery in Northbrook, Illinois. I saved up for the Paramount for more than 6 months. I owned the bike for more than 40 years. I have a 1972 Paramount now. It's not the same bike. The Paramount currently in my collection fits more comfortably.

My first Paramount;

Pobble.808

1971 Raleigh Carlton Grand Prix, bought new on Long Island shortly after college graduation. Simplex deraillers with plastic housing, held up surprisingly well.

Followed me to Massachusetts in 1975 and was my main commuter vehicle for several years. Cops caught two kids trying to steal it on the campus of Harvard University.

Followed me to Honolulu, 1990, more commuting. About 10 years later finally realized that road bikes are not for me, "upgraded"(?) to a Specialized Sirrus and gave the Raleigh to a friend.

Not a sleek machine by any means, but plenty of fine rides, stood up to a lot of punishment over the years and made me into a cyclist for life.

gettingold

Your boat anchor was a feather compared to my bright yellow World Traveler. A friend had a burgundy continental. Nice bike.

Oldguyonoldbike

I never had one of my own, but I inherited my brother’s JCPenney 10 speed when he went away to college in 1975. My sister moved out the next year and left her Schwinn Varsity at home. At that point I had my pick. I liked the Penney’s bike better; it was much lighter.

Unlike my siblings, I took the bike with me to college, but it got stolen a couple of years in.

I now have the components for a complete 2x5 build in the shed, everything but the frame.

deacon mark

I had a Royce Union. Anyone else heard of them it was white.

jskash

I had a Schwinn Varsity. Probably a 1970 or 71. It looked very much like the picture below.

Bob Ross

In '71 I got a Schwinn Varsity Sport.

gettingold

What a market share Schwinn had in the early 70s.... They couldn't touch the price and quality of the Japanese bikes though later in the 70s and 80s. My Nishiki was so much lighter and faster than the old Varsitys. It was a 12 speed and about 10 pounds lighter (maybe more)!

tigat

The main shop in my hometown in Wisconsin was also a Schwinn dealer (still around and now a Trek dealer). Those were the first 10 speeds I saw, once we outgrew the Stingrays. The wealthy kids got them in junior high, when I was on a 5 speed delivering papers.


But by the end of high school in 1974, my friends who rode more than little were on Gitanes, Peugeots, and a much coveted Bianchi. I didn't see any Japanese made bikes until college. I started with a Raleigh, and when it was stolen, bought a Bottechia-both pretty low end in their respective lines.


Looking back, I am wondering where we might have found these "exotics" as I don't recall a second bike shop in town. I still ride with some of my high school buds when I'm back in the Midwest. I'll have to ask.


In 1977 or 78, I picked up the Atala, which was my only bike for better than 30 years, and is still in my garage. While I agree 10 speeds seemed like plenty, 22 is fine by me as well.