Hobbies And Interests
The Styles
The early 1960s were an era of muscle cars and motor bikes. On the West Coast, kids were copying the styles of these motorized counterparts by customizing their bicycles with high handlebars and low-rider seats. In 1962, an engineer from Schwinn named Al Fritz traveled West to check out these innovations. He set out to create a bike that mimicked these styles with a banana seat and high handlebars, the Sting-Ray was born.
The Models
In 1963, Schwinn Sting-Rays hit the market at $49.95 in five colors: Flamboyant Lime, Flamboyant Red, Violet, Sky Blue and Radiant Coppertone. These first models had a rigid front fork, nylon tires, chrome fenders, a coaster brake and butterfly-style handlebars.
The most famous Sting-Ray was the Krate. The Krate arrived in 1968 and featured classic Sting-Ray styles such as the small front wheel, rear shock, springer front end and Stik-Shift. Schwinn sold over a million Krates between 1968 and 1970. The signature Stik-Shift was banned in 1974 putting an end to the popularity of the bike.
In 1964, the Fair Lady model for girls went on sale. It featured pastel paint, a front basket and was an instant success.
Schwinn continued to release new models each year. If you had a Orange Krate, Apple Krate, Grey Ghost or Pea Picker in those days, you were a lucky kid indeed.
The Hype
The hype surrounding the Schwinn Sting-Ray continues. Krates sold for between $86.95 and $129.95 in 1968. If you happen to own an original today in decent shape, these bikes are fetching between $2000 and $4000. A story even surfaced about an offer of $100,000 for the Sting-Ray with the lowest serial number in existence.
The Modern Sting-Ray
In 2004, Schwinn released a new modern version of the Sting-Ray. The new bicycle is reminiscent of the classic chopper motor bike. The new Sting-Ray boasts four and a quarter inches of rubber in the rear tire, a low-rider saddle, drag handlebars and loads of chrome.
The release of the 2004 Sting-Ray reignited consumer demand and Schwinn has manufactured several spin-off models including an electric Sting-Ray and other branded customizations.
In addition, Schwinn also re-released their more popular Sting-Ray models including the Pea Picker, Gray Ghost and Coppertone.
Where to Buy
Since 2004, consumers can find the modern Schwinn Sting-Ray at a number of popular retail stores including Walmart and Toys-R-Us.
If you are hankering to relive your Sting-Ray glory days, you can find a myriad of vintage models for sale on the Internet; however, expect to pay up to 10 times the cost of your childhood Sting-Ray.