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Cruiser Boom of the 1980's...

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After Schwinn closed down Murray built the cantilever Cruisers for a couple years before they were produced in Taiwan.

Just trying to educate myself on whats original and whats not. I have this cruiser that I believe is an original 86. Head badge #2456 and it has the Taiwan sticker. Nice rider, not sure if I'm going to keep it or not.
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Looks like one of the Giant-made Schwinns bikes from the 1980s. Giant made (and still makes) usually decent, cost-effective bicycles. Giant eventually became a rival that out-competed Schwinn.
 
Just trying to educate myself on whats original and whats not. I have this cruiser that I believe is an original 86. Head badge #2456 and it has the Taiwan sticker. Nice rider, not sure if I'm going to keep it or not.

Looks like a nice one. The last year these came with blade forks was the actual 1982 models. Lots of things going on with Schwinn during this time like the closing down of the factory and I'd bet Chicago's overall production was way down. I've only seen a few actual 1982 Cruisers and I believe the actual production number on these was super low. If you look at Dan's bike he has for sale here you can see the serial number is a September 1982 number but the badge stamping says the bike was built in May of 1983. Just note that the serial number has nothing to do with any build date. Long gap between the serial number stamping date and the actual build date on this one.
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/blue-september-of-1982-26”-schwinn-“cruiser”.122815/

One of the quickest ways to spot the Taiwan Cruisers is the chain guard's rear mounting.
 
I also have an 82? 81-82 with blade forks. It was in pretty rough shape but I think mostly original. Chainring was changed for some reason and the bars are padded but I think every thing else is/was correct. KS sn# & 0742 HB. Front hub is an ACS dated 81. Not gonna do my usual rat rod thing, think I'll clean this one up a bit... maybe a rest o mod.
 
The cruisers are good riders. It's funny how things go full circle on what the end user wants. A friend of mine bought a nearly mint one at an auto swap meet, the first thing he did was cut the foam off the handlebars, put vintage grips on, and swap the tubular forks out for a springer front end.
 
Looks like a nice one. The last year these came with blade forks was the actual 1982 models. Lots of things going on with Schwinn during this time like the closing down of the factory and I'd bet Chicago's overall production was way down. I've only seen a few actual 1982 Cruisers and I believe the actual production number on these was super low. If you look at Dan's bike he has for sale here you can see the serial number is a September 1982 number but the badge stamping says the bike was built in May of 1983. Just note that the serial number has nothing to do with any build date. Long gap between the serial number stamping date and the actual build date on this one.
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/blue-september-of-1982-26”-schwinn-“cruiser”.122815/

One of the quickest ways to spot the Taiwan Cruisers is the chain guard's rear mounting.
I've got a Feb. 1983 (serial number) Sidewinder with the tubular forks and unmarked S-2 rims, but the head badge number also dates to May. I wonder if they were using using up all the parts left before they shut down?
 
I just bought a 1980 Blue Schwinn Cruiser BIN on eBay cheap enough....same bike I had around
1980 that was STOLEN from the COURTHOUSE where I rode to pay a ticket....
yep stolen from right in front of the courthouse...
Maybe I'll post before and afters of this bike...garage fresh
 
I just bought a 1980 Blue Schwinn Cruiser BIN on eBay cheap enough....same bike I had around
1980 that was STOLEN from the COURTHOUSE where I rode to pay a ticket....
yep stolen from right in front of the courthouse...
Maybe I'll post before and afters of this bike...garage fresh
Did you have to ship it or was it still in the neighborhood?
 
Did you have to ship it or was it still in the neighborhood?

Local PU and reasonable enough BIN price on eBay 100 bux.....orig owner...very cool Windsor Hills part of LA
I had not yet explored... some great old homes still there, not 'developed' yet.

For the record....I would almost bet money that there were more of the late 70s early 80s Schwinn cruisers, klunkers, spitfires
etc shipped to the beach communities of Southern California than anywhere else in the US. Those bikes were everywhere
back then....saturation!
 
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