# Pee Wee Herman Poorly Represents Bicycle Collectors



## frankabr. (Jul 21, 2011)

Pee Wee Herman Poorly Represents Bicycle Collectors.

When I think about bicycles from the 1950's,  I think of newspaper deliverers, I think of early rock and roll, I think of the era of the baby boomer, post war peace, American greatness, and a bright future.

I don't think of some actor (whose personal life leaves something to be desired), who rides a red bike (of which is really of combination of several bikes), and whose reputation tends to lead to negative comments by those who see you riding an old bicycle  "looks like Pee Wee Herman's Bicycle."

No I tell them,  It's a classic bicycle from the 50's and not only is Pee Wee Herman's bicycle fake, I don't associate myself with either him or his fake bike.

This misrepresentation occurs in other areas as well.

For instances, I also collect string musical instruments, such as ukuleles.   And I must add that Tiny Tim represents the ukulele world at least as poorly as Pee Wee Herman represents the bicycle collector world.

So there you have it.   Feel free to disagree.   F.A.


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## DonChristie (Jul 21, 2011)

So your saying you dont like to tip toe thru thr Tulips? lol. 

ya, PeeWee sux! I tend to think "American Pickers" is something I hear more associated to bike collecting.


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## teisco (Jul 21, 2011)

I kinda like "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" and think the bikes in are cool. So what if they dont look like your normal  paperboy bike,,,you going to complain about "The Munsters" next because they give custom cars a bad name?


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## Larmo63 (Jul 21, 2011)

Paul Reubens, AKA Pee Wee Herman, is actually a cool guy. He is human like all of us. You should read his Playboy magazine interview and you might come away with a different opinion of him. He does a huge thing at Sturgis every year too for the Harley Davidson guys. They love him. Don't be so hard on him, Google his interview and see how he was somewhat mis-treated by the press. They tried to ruin him actually.


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## partsguy (Jul 21, 2011)

Larmo63 said:


> Paul Reubens, AKA Pee Wee Herman, is actually a cool guy. He is human like all of us. You should read his Playboy magazine interview and you might come away with a different opinion of him. He does a huge thing at Sturgis every year too for the Harley Davidson guys. They love him. Don't be so hard on him, Google his interview and see how he was somewhat mis-treated by the press. They tried to ruin him actually.





The press ruins everbody. They tear them down and twist things to fit their ratings. They did to Paul Reubens, Michael Jackson, and pretty much everybody who rises to the top.


To really know what is going on, you have to do a little reading and not listen to everything Joy Beehar/Beehive (whats her name?) or any other media quack says.

Reminds of this music video that portrays the press in an annoying matter, actually! I find it funny!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oENLVraWP3o


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## charnleybob (Jul 22, 2011)

Per Wee's movie makes me laugh.
American Pickers represents the ugly underbelly of 
the  old style pickers that use to be in this hobby years
ago.


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## partsguy (Jul 22, 2011)

What do you mean "ugly underbelly"?


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## old hotrod (Jul 22, 2011)

What do you mean use to be in the hobby? I still buy from pickers on a regular basis...only now they sell on ebay...


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## PCHiggin (Jul 22, 2011)

I think most of us older guys never took that bike as anything more than prop,which it is. I always thought it looked like a bunch of stuff thrown together,although I do like the Tiger thing.It's not  a classic by any means and I don't know if I'd  want to be seen on it,maybe I'm getting old.I have a nos pair of Esso tiger grips from '65 that I might  put on a Cruiser but feel kinda funny about because they remind me of the Pee Wee bike.

Pat


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Jul 22, 2011)

*Pee Wee Hermans*

I set up and display about 10 of my classics including a schwinn pee wee type bike here on the boardwalk every year at the DOO WHOP SHOW, the pee wee bike draws more attention then all the rest.I have turned down $1500.00.A few of the menbers on here have seen it and know what it looks like.


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## scrubbinrims (Jul 22, 2011)

*pee wee*

The Pee Wee Herman movie is a comedy classic and some would argue that negative attention (to a degree) is better than none at all.
So the bike is flashy and incorrect... it is still a major focus of the movie and representing a love for these bicycles we share.
It'a just a movie and Pee Wee is not an ambassador or spokesperson in the hobby.
American Pickers is the only show I have on DVR for myself and folks wonder whether or not they are letting something go undervalue, regardless of whatever Frank and Scott come across on television.
That's about it as I am more concerned in building my own diverse collection, following a personal passion, not what others outside of the hobby are thinking.
Chris


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## Ozark Flyer (Jul 22, 2011)

It's unfortunate many people cannot distinguish between entertainment television (Pee Wee and so called news broadcast included) and real world Americana. The fact that they would prefer to pay big bucks for a Pee Wee knock off over a vintage piece of American history is a testament that most folks simply don't know (or care about) the difference.

Gosh....I sound like an angry old man.


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## militarymonark (Jul 22, 2011)

i'd rather hear "that looks like a peewee herman bike" than "thats something off american pickers"


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## Nickinator (Jul 22, 2011)

Here is an interesting and different angle from a newbie, whether you feel Pee Wee Herman's bike is purely for entertainment or actually sacrilegious :eek:-
chew on this- my teenage son just sold his XBox to buy a balloon tire bike to restore, he got the fever after watching that Pee Wee Herman movie. I am thrilled!!!


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## bikesnbuses (Jul 22, 2011)

militarymonark said:


> i'd rather hear "that looks like a peewee herman bike" than "thats something off american pickers"




I agree


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## partsguy (Jul 22, 2011)

Ozark Flyer said:


> It's unfortunate many people cannot distinguish between entertainment television (Pee Wee and so called news broadcast included) and real world Americana. The fact that they would prefer to pay big bucks for a Pee Wee knock off over a vintage piece of American history is a testament that most folks simply don't know (or care about) the difference.
> 
> Gosh....I sound like an angry old man.





Well, that bike is just as historic any other classic bike. It is cinema history, and it is a bike that nearly everybody has seen on TV or the big screen (if you are old enough). It is one of those icons we all recognize. To talk it down as if it belongs in the crusher is just ignorance. JMHO

What makes this vintage, very recognizable movie bike any different than the vintage, very recognizeable Schwinn Sting-Ray?

Are cars like the Back To The Future DeLorean, and the original 1963 Batmobile the same thing? Knock offs?


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## MrColumbia (Jul 23, 2011)

I think some of the origianal thought was that it is a bit embarasing to ride our classic balloon tire bikes in public and be compared to Pee-Wee Herman which is a rather silly _character_. Lets face it folks, some of our classic ballooners are a bit silly looking, especially when ridden by a grown man. They were made for kids. 
 Years ago my father used to take his Columbia 5-Star and bring it to the bike path in Northampton/Amherst Mass. He got more "Hey PEE-WEE's" than he could count. He had never seen the movie and asked me about it. We rented the movie and he loved it. Rather than be embarased he was honered. 
 Just my two cents but I gave up caring what other people thought of me long ago. I love the old bikes Pee-Wee or not.


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## frankabr. (Jul 23, 2011)

*Back To The Future*

I knew this post would get some interesting comments.   Me, I just like originality.  Sure, Pee Wee did raise some interest in vintage bikes.   But what I'm saying is that maybe theres a better example of actors using authentic old time bicycles for movies, props, etc.

I kind of like Back To The Future when Marty is transported back to 1955 and his father to be, played by Crispin Glover, rides by on a 1955 Black Phantom.

Now that sparks of authenticity.

If I were a Hollywood set designer and propman, I'd spend my time doing the research necessary to tell the story in an authentic way.  

I like old bikes just as much as I like history.   And historical revision unfortunately becomes fact as later years go by.   And thats just wrong.

My take on things,

F.A.


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## MrColumbia (Jul 23, 2011)

I got to thinking about the point *frankabr* makes about representing bikes as authentic as possible in the movies. I think that often they are and we miss them. This may be because the story is not specificaly about bicycles and the *"authentic to year bike"* was just a prop to help the story along. There was a movie I saw a while back staring Tom Hanks, I can't remember the name, taking the place in the 1930's. His kid comes home riding his bike. I spent some time_ "re-winding"_ to try and identify the bike. A Mead Ranger if I remember correctly. Then all I could think about is who in this hobby rented the bike to the movie production company. After that I thought about what kid rode this bike when it was new. Could he ever imagine that his prize bike would end up in a Holywood movie? Was he anything like the kid in the move?
 Boy do I have too much free time! Anyway I'm off to Mike Kaplin's bike show in Dudley Massachusetts tomorrow morning. Maybe some more history awaits.

Happy riding all.


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## chitown (Jul 23, 2011)

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It is a bit of a stretch that hollywood using non-correct props will have that much an influence on what the future generations will take as fact. It does however make for fun trivia bits to know these things. Just like the Tiger tanks portrayed in the Saving Private Ryan are actually Soviet T-34s. You could tell by looking at their wheels. Real Tigers had interleaved wheels. These Tigers clearly had the T-34 suspension. Or Kelly's Heroes private Gutowski, the unit's sniper, should be armed with a US Model 1903A4 Springfield sniper rifle with an Unertl target scope. He instead is armed with a Soviet-made Model 91/30 Mosin Nagant sniper rifle with a bent bolt and a PU 3.5X-power side-mounted scope, with a US GI bayonet tied into place on the muzzle.

Hollywood will always take liberty with anything to enhance the story (Pee Wee's modified cruiser) or if correct props are near impossible to use (real Tiger tanks). I will watch those movies and when they are over, I will return to the real world and work on modifying history with my rat-rods or preserving history with my restoration builds. If generations from now people use Pee Wee's bike as a reference to how bikes used to be, then that's their problem... it's the American way!

Chris


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## abe lugo (Jul 23, 2011)

*Big Adventure- one of my favorite movies = X1 my favorite bicycle*

I'm a youngin here, but I saw the Big adventure when I was a little kid, its one of my favorites. If fact, I went to a screening just recently at LACMA. 

Anyhow I don't think PW is representing his bike as some authentic 50's bike. It's more of a full custom one of a kind bike. That is why it was irreplaceable in the movie. Not for a million-billion dollars!  Yes, it has a lot doo-dads and chatchskis but that is what the character is all about, look at his house. The bike is as much of a character as Pee Wee. The X1 is prop, it's a character of a movie.  If they sold them as classic bikes when the movie came out then.. ok fake, but didn't reproductions come out about the same time? They never put a year to the bike either.

Now, as far people referencing the movie when the see a classic bicycle is another story. They are just trying to recall what they remember and it seems that the Pee Wee bike happens to be a very memorable part of the movie it's now an icon.  Anyone that grew up in the 80's would tell you that same like " Hey that's a Pee Wee bike".

If you have a mean mustache, don't people yell out at you "Hey you've a mean Burt Reynolds mustache"!!.. JK

I know there are a handfull of movies with the main character using a bike, but I can't recall to many where it all about the bike and the main character. I've been wanting to put together an internet movie bicycle database like the car one, http://imcdb.org/ i mean they have one for guns http://www.imfdb.org/index.php?title=Main_Page !!!

If people get into classic bikes because of this movie, can you blame them? This movie might also motivate people to just ride bicycles in general. Do you want less people into the hobby, maybe more bikes will go to the dump or them pickers!

On the topic of Paul Rubens personal life, most any actor in Hollywood has some issues and had to do things to get to where they are. Just bad decisions.


BTW, I have a couple of classic bikes and am also building a Pee Wee X1 custom, and a Dottie bike. My customs are built from the ground up because I'd hat to ruin a conplete original bike. 

The X1 is a schwinn camelback DX about 1948-1952- I don't think there are many other brand parts other than the sprocket in one scene, maybe the hardware. but most all of it is either custom or just accessory parts. They never call it a Schwinn in the movie either.
I've also helped the Bike Museum of America ID and do some restoration of their Pee Wee bike. They have a ways to go.

 You can hate on me if you want but I just can't afford to build a 1:1 1966 Batmobile.

bottom line, get over it or just explain to them what classic bike are all about which sounds like is what you are doing already.


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 23, 2011)

While not a big Pee-Wee fan, I think the most horrible thing I've ever heard someone say about one of my bikes is "Wow! look at the old Schwinn!" I'd rather they thought about Pee-Wee!


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## Andrew Gorman (Jul 23, 2011)

I like Pee Wee Herman.  I like bikes.  My 6 year old daughter likes Pee Wee.  I like Pee Wee Herman a lot more than the the pickers dolts, and as far as movie references go, I'd much rather have someone yell out "There goes Pee Wee Herman!"  than "There goes Miss Gulch!"  The original poster sounds a lot more like Miss Gulch.


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## fordsnake (Jul 23, 2011)

If *frankabr* was looking at Pee-wee's Big Adventure as a documentary of authenicity, perhaps he missed the point of the movie. 

Like *abe lugo* mentioned PW surrounded himself with strange inventions and contraptions and his bike was just another extension of his make believe world.   

If you watched the opening scene of the movie...PW wins the Tour De France on a red Schwinn DX sans the tank! The next time you see the bike it’s transformed and adorned with the bubble bags and all the bells and whistles. I liken PW’s over-the-top accessorized bike to a customized automobile that has pushed the limits of its original design, i.e., hot rods, low riders, hoopties, and exaggerated whips!   

Here’s a little back story you may not be familiar with about the movie; Paul Reuben's (Pee Wee Herman) original idea for the movie was a remake of Pollyanna. Halfway through writing the script, Reubens noticed the many bikes on the backlot and asked the Warner Bros execs, when he would get his? They presented him with a refurbished Schwinn DX and this was the impetus for him to start on a new script about Pee Wee’s obsession for a bike and his quest to find the bike after its stolen. 

No matter what you may think about Pee Wee and his bike, there's a cult of people who loved that bike as much as you love your classic bikes http://www.therpf.com/f9/pee-wees-big-adventure-bike-58046/  By the way the movie bike sold in 2007 for $17,877.00!


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## abe lugo (Jul 23, 2011)

*rpf link*

fordsnake, funny you posted that link, I had posted a ton of info on that thread and continue, but have a rash of lurkers coming in and posting inconsistent info. I edited a lot of my post, but feel should add the info back. I didn't post the link because I figured anyone hating like the main post would appreciate anyone building the bike. Ed H and I have figured out most the parts. I'm still sculpting my bags and painting my bike. All while restoring a regular DX for my wife.

If anyone wants more info the the PW X1 just PM, I've collected most all of it and have images of the bike at the museum.


BTW lets see in 25 years if you get "That's a Pee Wee bike" of "that's a Pickers bike" I think Pee Wee will win.


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## partsguy (Jul 23, 2011)

I think with that price, the Pee-Wee Herman bike has made its way into the top 5 most valueable bicycles. Only one that comes to mind being as pricey, or close, is the Elgin Bluebird.


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## catfish (Jul 23, 2011)

charnleybob said:


> Per Wee's movie makes me laugh.
> American Pickers represents the ugly underbelly of
> the  old style pickers that use to be in this hobby years
> ago.




I agree with Bob.


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## SailorMac (Jul 24, 2011)

*Re: Pee Wee's Big Adventure*

Tim Burton + Paul Rubens = GENIUS

Watch the DVD, listen to the commentary, best Special Feature ever!


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## Boris (Jul 24, 2011)

I'm glad we all could come to some kind of agreement. Well, I guess that solves that then.


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