I'm issuing a challenge!

[DonChristie]

That is what makes this site so nice - variety! Alot of good points being made here. You may think I am a Schwinn head, but I love all old bikes! I was wondering if and when Iver Johnson would be mentioned. How many bike makers made their niche in guns first then evolved to bikes? The reason I like Schwinns is because when I was young, we were kinda poor. I always wanted a Schwinn (brain-washed) but always got a secong hand Royce Union instead. So to me, Schwinns are best because of my lack of ownership when I was young. But I gotta say, an Iver is more precisely built than a Schwinn.

 

[MrColumbia]

Ok, I think this is the place for relating what happened to a couple of months ago. I was getting quotes on a new roof and one sales guy spots the restored 1921 Columbia Chainless hanging on my livingroom wall (yes, I have issues). Anyway, the first thing out of his mouth is "Wow...is that an old Schwinn?". I proudly state that, "no, it is a shaft drive bike made by Columbia just a couple of miles from here". He replies "I'll bet you wish it was a Schwinn though". What could I say? He does not know I am known as MrColumbia. Deserved or not Schwinn had/has a universal reputation.
My personal opinion is what you grew up with may be the best bike ever.

 

[Aeropsycho]

@¿@!!!

Ok, I think this is the place for relating what happened to a couple of months ago. I was getting quotes on a new roof and one sales guy spots the restored 1921 Columbia Chainless hanging on my livingroom wall (yes, I have issues). Anyway, the first thing out of his mouth is "Wow...is that an old Schwinn?". I proudly state that, "no, it is a shaft drive bike made by Columbia just a couple of miles from here". He replies "I'll bet you wish it was a Schwinn though". What could I say? He does not know I am known as MrColumbia. Deserved or not Schwinn had/has a universal reputation.
My personal opinion is what you grew up with may be the best bike ever.

Very True!!!

 

[redline1968]

oops! i thought it was best ride. the elgins and the shelby airflows are tops in my book. the designs are spaceage and capture the future. they made them into a ridable art form.

 

[Larmo63]

If you picked the '57 Chevy Bel-Air convertible, at least you could drive it every day. If you picked the Delahaye, you would drive it once a year and invite your friends over to oogle over it in your garage.

Personally, I'd take the Delahaye if offered the choice, sell it, and buy as many cool old bikes of every make that I like. This list would of course include Schwinns, Elgins, and Shelbys, etc.

As for a car, I'd rather have an old Porsche.

 

[slick]

Ok here we go. I have a Scwinn B6 and it rides terrible, feels heavy, and the stock gearing sucks. I have multiple Colsons but they are a little hard on the legs to pedal if your seat is in an asthetically pleasing location (low) looking good as the bike sits there. I have ridden Elgins and they are OK. Jc Higgins no way. WAY too heavy and uncomfortable. Monarks, same thing. Big and bulky like i'm riding the titanic. But the top of my list is My Shelby Airflow or Hiawatha Arrow. I have ridden ALL my bikes every sunday on long 25 mile plus rides and the Shelby and Hiawatha both have great gearing, have never left me sore to sit on the toilet when I got home, and never felt heavy even though they do weigh in up there. The bars alone make your arms feel at ease. O and i've only had to stand up on the pedals to climb a hill or if against the notorious Long Beach Cyclone Coaster headwind out on the beach path that I have encountered both times we rode down there. LOL!! My two babies of the bunch.

 

[Larmo63]

As far as styling, those two bikes are the Delahayes in my opinion, SWEEEET.......!!!

 

[slick]

Thanks buddy. I love the off the wall stuff that people trip on. They attract head scracthers everywhere I ride them. The best was when some guy asked if it was a repop because he thought he saw one like it at walmart? I told him i'd buy them all if he did. LOL!!

 

[meteor]

What is the gearing on these bikes??

 

[slick]

Skiptooth 26-10 or 52-20 in a standard pitch. My B6 has a standard phantom 52 tooth front sprocket with a 18 in the rear standard pitch. It may sound like not much difference but it seems like the world to me!