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Does anyone still make a high quality cruiser?

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Yep!
Trek made this gem back in 2015, for no other reason than looking unique and cruising the beach.
View attachment 1849207So, that how I intend to use it.

I’ve never taken it out, when someone hasn’t stopped me to ask me what it is?
That is usually followed, by,

“ That is the coolest looking bike I’ve ever seen!”

So, I think, Trek achieved their goal with this exercise in classic American bicycle design.
Did they clearcoat over the chrome like they did on the Murray bikes?
 
Let me point out a couple of things about about myself and Cook Bros. Racing then I'm off to do useful things like gardening.

  • Cook Bros. Racing made EVERYTHING "in house" except the last runs of BMX handlebars were made by Voris Dixon! I am really proud of that fact and if I were to return to the bicycle business it would remain that way ( though personally, I'd rather eat broken glass)!
  • When I designed and built the 25th anniversary Cook Bros. Cruisers, I made every effort to design a stylish frameset that paid respect to the original design... But in NO way could be confused for the them! I could have made exact replicas, but had enough respect for my company's heritage to leave the old cruiser fixture on the shelf!
  • The CBR Mt. Bike component business was fantastic and WAY more successful then BMX could have ever dreamed of being! At it's heyday, we had 1600 dealers in the US and distributed to 49 countries around the world. So when my peers were traveling around the world their race teams and living like rock stars, I was saving $$$ and buying property here on the California & Baja coasts.
  • "Don't cry for me Arroyo Grande"... But after I got my first NASA contract, I realized that the American bicycle industry was "circling" the drain" and started doing industrial design work out in the "REAL WORLD". Before I knew it, I was pocketing more cash working by myself then I ever had when I had 30 employees.
  • Honestly, my only regret was that I wished I bailed on the bicycle business sooner!



  • Bass 1.jpg

  • What can I say... "I have integrity issues"!
 
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Holy cow, did this turn into a 4 page..... argument ?!!!!!

So, as the guy who posted the original thread, I appreciate all the responses, and the.....entertainment? I guess?

The BMX stuff is neat, but not what I am into. I guess I was more curious about 1940's-1950's style bikes and the retro-ish inspired designs that were meant to capitalize on that nostalgia. I have several old original Schwinns and a few of the 90's-early 2000's re-pops, and also quite a few Electra and Felt cruisers that were not really a copy of anything, but were meant to look "retro" I was just curious if there were still any companies building a decent quality complete Bicycle along those lines.

Again, nothing against the BMX stuff, just not my cup-o-tea
 
@oldcars: Did you ever think about commissioning your own design frameset? There are a lot of really talented custom frame builders in the US and I'm sure that many of them would be excited to built you your "dream cruiser".

The builder that is on the top of my list is Curtis Inglis. He is incredibly talented and an excellent eye for design!
https://ingliscycles.com/retrotec/

The way I would go about it "if I were in your shoes" would be start collecting photos of bikes that you like and make notes what part of the bike you like & not like. Then once you accumulated enough "info", pare down to group of photos and send them with the notes to a couple of builders and wait for their feedback. I wouldn't worry about geometry, because any builder "worth their salt" should/ could take care of that for you.

Also, let me apologize for turning your thread into a "pissing contest". There a few members on CABE that REALLY don't like me or my opinion ( one in particular)! 🙄
 
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