 
Tponetom
Member
Username: Tponetom
Post Number: 50
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 10:45 pm: |    |
Early forties:
Western Auto Stores sold the "Western Flyer" Model. It was easily the choice of many carriers because of the low price of $19.95. Incidentally, U. S. Royal made the premier bike tire. The Non-Skid, Whitewall tire with small horizontal slits in the tread to help eliminate skidding, especially on wet pavement. ($ 2.50 ea.) The second best was the "chain link" design in the tread./ |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 1650
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 11:27 pm: | |
Naw, Tp, it was the Hawthorne by Montgomery Wards that was the choice of carriers. Except for the rich ones that had Schwinns. The Western Flyer was used by kids delivering the shopping news.
(Just kidding!  ) |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 1960
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 11:35 pm: | |
Ohhhh them is fighting words Ray |
Tponetom
Member
Username: Tponetom
Post Number: 52
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 11:42 pm: | |
Ray1936.
You could very well be right because every neighborhood had its own icons to possess. There is a bike store here in town and I seen an array of bikes parked outside. There was a Schwinn, knee action in all of its glory. $ 495.00.
I just checked the Cost of Living Index. In 1940 it was 42.0. In 2005 it was 578.8. Nearly 1400 % increase, so a Shwinn for 500 isn't out of line. |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 1009
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 9:05 am: | |
I bought a used Schwinn "Black Phantom" for $30 back in 1966 to use on my new and larger Free Press paper route. I had already opened a credit union account to hold my previous Macomb Daily paper route savings and when I went to withdraw the $30 I needed, the manager (who was also our next-door neighbor) suggested that I borrow it instead. I had the loan paid off in less than 60 days and that bike served me well over the next two years. However, once I quit the route and started driving it just sat in the garage and I eventually sold it. My next Schwinn purchase was a new, three-speed "Collegiate" in 1971 to use while I was away at college. I still have that bike, plus a Schwinn "Air-Dyne" that I rescued several years ago from a dumpster, but I wish that I had that "Black Phantom" instead! |
Revaldullton
Member
Username: Revaldullton
Post Number: 220
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 9:38 am: | |
I used to love the Western Auto. Mom used to take us there for toys as well as Woolworth.
<sigh>
Days gone by left never to return again.
the good rev |
Jb3
Member
Username: Jb3
Post Number: 186
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, July 15, 2007 - 1:02 am: | |
The Schwinn's with the speedometers were the best. How come kids bikes don't have speedometers anymore? |
Revaldullton
Member
Username: Revaldullton
Post Number: 235
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, July 15, 2007 - 1:05 am: | |
or headlights lolol |
Jb3
Member
Username: Jb3
Post Number: 187
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, July 15, 2007 - 1:21 am: | |
I just remember how cool it was to peddle so hard and so long to try and get up to 15 mph. Thank god i didn't grow up San fran or Pittsburgh...i'm sure i would've broken my neck trying to get up to 45. Probably the reason they aren't standard issue anymore.
They do have some really awesome bike headlights out there though that are super simple to install. I definitely recommend the headlights and not the speedometer to those of you w/ kids. |