Along about 1971 I was saving up my lawn mowing money for a new bike. I had never had a new bike of my own having hand me downs from my uncle. I had an uncle close to my age. My roller then was a Schwinn Stingray. Candy Apple red with a white banana seat. Rear slick red wall tires. Wish I still had it now. But it was passed back to my uncle for his kids by me. As was the tricycle I used and back to him again.
I went to the Western Auto store. In the little town that I lived in Western Auto was a big deal to me. My mother went to school and was friends with the owners daughter. Do not know why I added this. But in small towns things are different. And everybody knows everything. One more Western Auto thing. Around Christmas the entire basement was filled with toys and the usual hardware and mower stuff was out. A big place to go as a little kid.
Sorry about getting off the subject there. I ramble. So the bike I settled on was a metallic dark green touring bike. Matching fenders and a 5 speed. It was the daddy to me and everyone on the street. All the boys wanted to ride it. I of course liked it too. It was like my uncle's three speed Raleigh.
Almost at that instant ten speeds came out in a big way. A racing looking bike making my touring bike look like something grand pa would ride. My neighbor across the street got a yellow Schwinn Varsity. It was now the hot shot bike on the street. The Western Flyer held up well. Then I got a Schwinn LeTour. Still have it.
There were thousands of ten speed bicycles sold in the seventies and eighties. Most of them rode about seventy five miles and parked in a corner or hung in the garage. These bikes were European, American and Japanese for the most part. The high end being the European. But a lot of these bike were made. The Japanese ended up making the best all around bikes with all things considered. Under many brand names and makers.
So when I got on the bicycle kick many years ago I go wild. The old Schwinn and Western Flyer I had would be enough. Good thing I had the Schwinn because dad donated the Western Flyer to AmVets. So that one bike I have certainly would not do. I need more. I can get more bikes and have all these friends to go riding with.
Visiting Ebay I find thousands of bikes. $20-60. Costs more to ship than buy. So I can make up this fleet to have a bunch of people to go riding with. I buy three bikes on Ebay. Get into the fixing mode. Make them nice. Now when I go to Ebay these same bikes are fetching $200 plus. Used to find them at Goodwill. Yard sales. Now they are hot. Do not find them everywhere for cheap anymore.
For the most part these bikes are bullet proof. Find one your size. Give it a little maintenance and you are set. The brand name does not matter that much. I have found the Japanese ones to be the best. At one time they littered the landscape. Don't even see them anymore. Where have they gone?
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