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First and Last Ballooners?

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I think that's a key qualification. What are known as "balloon" and similar tires in the US were being used in Europe before 1933 for transport/commercial/delivery/heavy cycles and the like.

yes frank schwinn did not invent the balloon tire, he introduced the balloon tire to the usa setting the bar for all other bicycle manf. companies and its my understanding this was no easy task by any stretch, im not sure a smaller bicycle company could have pulled it off, firestone had no beef with making the rims for schwinn but the tire companies basically laughed at his idea, once he convinced us rubber to make the tire it was only a short period of time before it was the standard for all
 
Yes, I suppose the answer is Schwinn if you're asking about American balloon tire cruiser bicycles, at least the sort we normally associate with balloon tires now. I suppose that is the glamorous answer that brings up images of the classic, pre-war Schwinn bikes.

If you're talking any bicycle using balloon-type tires, probably some early european delivery bicycle long since turned to dust and forgotten. That is a decidedly unglamorous answer.
 
well he posted the question in the classic balloon tire 1933-1965 thread so i have to assume he's asking about usa
 
I have a 1964 Schwinn, with S-2's. That is the last year balloon tire I recall, because it change to Heavy Duti after. Correct me if I am wrong.
Mitch
 
The 63's and 64's did have a lighter weight frame with unitized frame/luggage rack but still kept the heavyweight wheels with .105 spokes and balloon tires. As far as I know Columbia never stopped making a balloon tire bike as long as they made bicycles.

When was the last Columbia with Balloons??
 
When was the last Columbia with Balloons??


I would have to say the 125th anniversary bike they made in 2002 was the last Balloon tire bike they made in the Westfield plant. It was also the last bike at all they made there. They still claim on their web site to sell a line of mountain bikes if you consider them to be balloon tire bikes but those are imported.
 
I would have to say the 125th anniversary bike they made in 2002 was the last Balloon tire bike they made in the Westfield plant. It was also the last bike at all they made there. They still claim on their web site to sell a line of mountain bikes if you consider them to be balloon tire bikes but those are imported.

Thanks Mr. Columbia!

It looks like Columbia may be the last USA balloon bike in 2002.

But this forum catagory ends in 1965. Who drew that line? ...there must be a reason, and its probably a good one.

Is 1965 the end of the 'Classic' era for balloons? What does 'classic' mean here as it applies to balloon bikes?
 
Thanks Mr. Columbia!

It looks like Columbia may be the last USA balloon bike in 2002.

But this forum catagory ends in 1965. Who drew that line? ...there must be a reason, and its probably a good one.

Is 1965 the end of the 'Classic' era for balloons? What does 'classic' mean here as it applies to balloon bikes?



You can walk in to any bike shop or department store right now and buy a brand new balloon tire bike, they refer to them as cruisers or beach cruisers. The 1965 end date may be fairly arbitrary put there to guide the discussions to older bikes and not newer modern made bikes. It’s kind of like the 12 items or less isle in the supermarket. The ones here say “13 or 14 are ok too”.
The reason for the 1933 start date is obvious.
 
Hawthorne

Is it just me or did everybody just ignore the 1932 Hawthorne ad featuring a bike with balloon tires on it? I always thought it was Schwinn B line bikes too but I guess that's not exactly true - or somebody has an older Schwinn ad featuring 26x2.125s?

It clearly says on the ad both above the picture and to the right of it that it's the first bike to have such tires. However I can't find a year written on it albeit captioned on nostalgic as being a 1932 ad page. I think it's worth confirming that to be a 1932 page. It wouldn't suprise me if people think it was Schwinn (who 'inventec balloon tires on bikes) regardless because they are the king kong market and ad/business/sales experts. I think they might have taken the idea and ran with it, claiming to own it perhaps. That is how business works in the real world afterall. Often the original idea comes from a quieter entity.

Just incase you really didn't notice eazywind's post here is the ad again:

1932pic3JPG-1.jpg


I never knew that - you learn something new every day I guess :)

....and the reference page: http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle721
 
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