This has got to be one of the coolest collections of hot rod style bicycles we have ever seen for sale in one place. I’m a huge fan of vintage and beach cruiser bikes, and dream of owning something like the Orange Krate or Lemon Peeler that are in this collection, but I’ve never seen this many cool bikes in such great condition together. Wow. It’s awesome. The seller is short on words, but not on photos and has all 11 bikes that are for sale in the ad featured in nice size photos. Check them out on the original eBay listing below.
TELL US WHICH ONE YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO OWN!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ORIGINAL AD FOR THE COLLECTION OF SCHWINN STRINGRAYS AND MORE
I’ll tell you a little story you might get a kick out of Chad
One day I was outside playing when all of the sudden my brother & all his friends came rolling up on brand new Stingrays like the ones in your picture. I was in fantasy land dude, every kid I knew wanted one of those, including me. Next thing you know the cops pull up and totally crush my rush, turns out they went into a bike shop and the owner was nowhere to be found, naturally being kids they decided to help themselves. The owner didn’t press charges he just wanted his bikes back.
I still have my old Schwinn, frame was Stingray styled but it had “RUNAWAY” on the chain guard.
Like a typical pre-teen of the time, I wanted a BMX, so I stupidly stripped it down, repainted, and equipped it with BMX bars and seat and ditched the fenders, ape-hangers, and bananna seat.
Fortunately (in an uncharacteristicly un-idiotic move) I kept all that stuff in a box. And still have both the box of stuff AND the bike.
I have never found a RUNAWAY to see if they are worth saving or not. Figure they are either uber-rare, or uber-worthless…..anyone know?
You were rollin’ in it if you had one of those “Krate”-type bikes from Schwinn. I had the Huffy knock-off, rr slick and front 16″ wheel included, but with a higher raked-back sissy bar and a good stripping-down it might have been cooler. Certainly lighter.
The Sting-Rays were also pricey (and heavy) but went on to become the first common moto-x bike conversions in part because the frame had a guarantee and kids could trade them in after they cracked ’em. All ended when Schwinn wisened up and purpose-built bikes became available.
I also had a Schwinn Orange Krate knockoff called the Western Flyer. My parents bought it at the local Western Auto store in town.
First week, blew the rear slick! Also took off the sissy bar, just didn’t like it.
I had a Lemon Peeler as a kid, I loved that bike. I think I let Mom sell it away in a yard sale in the late ’70s after high school. It was heavy and didn’t handle well, and was a bitch to ride a long wheelie with the heavy front end. The Wow factor was high, and wish I had never let it go, it would be one hell of a pit bike today.
Awesome ! You were hooked up if you had one of those with the 5 speed shift and springer ! We couldn’t afford them but we all grew up and bought Springer Harleys and shared it was because of the Apple Krate memories !
I currently own six Schwinn Sting-Rays, ranging from 1965 to 1978 vintages. As much as I would want another, I just can not justify it. Plus, I’m into the De-Luxe models, not the Krates. Rays are the best pit cruisers ever for the drags.
I bought a chinese knockoff about 7 years ago on Ebay for $130. It gets all kinds of kudos and if it gets stolen (it’s my pit bike) I’m not suicidal.