The Varsity was offered between 1960 and 1962 as an 8 speed and as a 10 speed between 1963 and 1982. It’s designed for commuters who like a little pep in their daily ride but aren’t fans of bike maintenance. Recreational-focused riders will do fine with the easier gear ratio and budget-friendly parts of the $499 Ace of Clubs (which also comes in a Pantone limited edition for a fifty bucks more). Performance-minded riders will appreciate the Ace of Spades for its carbon fork and seatpost, and higher gear ratio. From across the street you might easily mistake the Loft 7D for a 1970’s vintage Schwinn or Raleigh, but when you get up close you will see it is a thoroughly modern around town bike. Electra combined retro styling and modern parts into one heck of a package.
Thanks for listening and may your ride be pleasant and the joggers get out of your way . The bike went together ok, the manual was lacks many steps. Our experienced testers spent many hours and miles using these bikes for their intended purpose.
City, urban, commuter, cargo, utility, folding, and e-fill in the blank—call it what you will. Your commuter bike has a job to do, and only you know what that job entails. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. Here is a selection of four-star and five-star reviews from customers who were delighted with the products they found in this category.
While the Vado is pricier than some other bikes in the class, it has a refined feel, a strong global dealer network in case of motor issues, and is a thrilling e-bike to ride. Finally, manufacturers have also introduced the “comfort bike” category, to combine the soft ride and upright posture of cruisers with a more conventionally styled bike. Comfort bikes have such features as fenders, suspension seatposts and forks, and large padded saddles with giant springs. All of these features are copied from cruisers, but redesigned to look more like regular road or hybrid bikes. Huffy aims to manufacture trendy bikes and comfortable cruiser bikes for people of all ages and genders.
Nevertheless, Schwinn’s cruiser bikes are also very high in quality. Some of its cruiser bikes even come in a tricycle or electric with extra storage to carry your snacks and beverages. Kent also offers a wide variety of models to choose from, so you can find the perfect bike for your needs. Kent bikes are a great option for those looking for a bike to use for long-distance riding.
Cruisers are popular among casual bicyclists and vacationers because they are very stable and easy to ride, but their heavy weight and balloon tires tend to make them rather slow. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, bicycles imported from Great Britain and Continental Europe became popular, especially lighter and more nimble sports roadster models or “English racer”. These models featured three-speed gearing, taller wheels, narrower tires and lighter weight[11] and greater hill-climbing ability. By the late 1950s, U.S. manufacturers such as Schwinn ramped up production of the English racer.[12] Schwinn was no stranger to this style. These prewar bikes could be had with imported half inch pitch drivetrains with freewheels and hand brakes.
He most recently worked as the Style Editor for Reviewed, a top product recommendation site owned by USA TODAY. He also helped with the launch of WSJ’s Buy Side commerce vertical, and has covered the music and podcast industries for Mass schwinn mountain bike Appeal, Genius, Vulture, Leafly, Input, and The A.V. Club. Equally passionate about leisure as he is his penmanship, Kevin dedicates his spare time to graphic novels, birding, making cold brew, and taking long, meandering walks.
If you haven’t heard of these guys, but have a thing for quality, short documentary films, then click that link. So “cruiser” may have originated as one model name used by one distributor of the motorbike style of bicycles. Kevin Cortez is an editor for Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics covering reviews. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors.
The Spitfire was reintroduced as a heavyweight for 1977 and was sold through 1979 with reissue S2s that were made in Hungary. In 1980, Schwinn introduced the Cruiser Series which has survived multiple iterations and has been offered more or less continuously through present. The most desirable Cruisers are the Cruiser, Deluxe Cruiser and Cruiser 5.