Classic & Vintage - Anyone ever own a Schwinn Manta Ray?

I had one from late '71 through some time in '73.

I lusted BADLY for a Krate, or any kind of chopper-type bicycle,
for what seemed like ages, and my old man kept telling me,
"No, they're too little for you [sad but true] and those damn wheels
are too little, they have to undergo way more revolutions to get anywhere compared to the standard size wheels, etc. etc...." Mind you, this was in the late sixties, on the back of the era of big-wheeled Murrays and all.
(I had one of those big Murrays at the time, and felt it to be pretty much
a total dork bike.)

Anyway, somewhere along the way, I sort of got over my lust for the Krates
and Sting Rays, when Schwinn came out with the Manta Ray.
At first, I thought it was rather bizarre, but then I began to think it was
really cool, more mature looking or something. So it came time for a new bike, and my Dad and I had cut some sort of deal together, and had to drive to
a bike shop in Atlanta (from Nashville) to get it.

It was awesome, silver and black, only five speeds but that was plenty, with the stick shift mounted on the top tube, and the racing slick rear tire.

Done with the sentimental rambling. A search here came up empty, so I was wondering if anyone else here ever had one.

My brother had a 71/72 copper orangish color. I had a blue sting ray. They both bring back fond memories of youth. We litterally rode them everywhere.

I never had a Schwinn. I lusted after the Raleigh Chopper, but it wasn't in the budget. Instead, I got a Ross Apollo 5 speed, which also had a top tube mounted stickshift. It was black metalflake with lotsa chrome.

I lusted after the Raleigh Chopper

That thing always looked very badass in the print ads.


...had a top tube mounted stickshift. It was black metalflake with lotsa chrome.

Back when we wanted bikes to look like sports cars... :p

Hey, does anyone remember a bike sold by Western Auto
that had a steering wheel instead of handlebars???

I tried to ride one once; mundo bizarro...

After having an orange metallic Sting Ray for a few years - 67-70? - I was in the bike shop and saw one of those Ross Apollos. I HAD to have it. My Dad would only hear of getting another Schwinn, so I settled on a Manta Ray (dark metallic green- just like his 1970 Ford LTD). It was a great bike, everyone loved the five speeds, although the tall shifter was in an "inconvenient" place during wipe-outs and sudden stops. I could see safety advocates having a field day with that today. The wide seat was cool, especially since I had a somewhat wide seat at the time... And how about that slick tire?


I had one from late '71 through some time in '73.

I lusted BADLY for a Krate, or any kind of chopper-type bicycle,
for what seemed like ages, and my old man kept telling me,
"No, they're too little for you [sad but true] and those damn wheels
are too little, they have to undergo way more revolutions to get anywhere compared to the standard size wheels, etc. etc...." Mind you, this was in the late sixties, on the back of the era of big-wheeled Murrays and all.
(I had one of those big Murrays at the time, and felt it to be pretty much
a total dork bike.)

Anyway, somewhere along the way, I sort of got over my lust for the Krates
and Sting Rays, when Schwinn came out with the Manta Ray.
At first, I thought it was rather bizarre, but then I began to think it was
really cool, more mature looking or something. So it came time for a new bike, and my Dad and I had cut some sort of deal together, and had to drive to
a bike shop in Atlanta (from Nashville) to get it.

It was awesome, silver and black, only five speeds but that was plenty, with the stick shift mounted on the top tube, and the racing slick rear tire.

Done with the sentimental rambling. A search here came up empty, so I was wondering if anyone else here ever had one.[I]

I had one when I was a kid. I was just lusting over this one.....
Just sold on ebay for $500.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=008&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=180092691167&rd=1&rd=1

Not a Manta Ray, but I bought an Apple Krate in the late 60's. 5 speed top tube shifter, springer front end, 16" front, 20" rear, tube shock sprung banana seat. what more could a young boy want? At least until I got my hands on a real 10 speed around 1972. no idea what happened to that Krate.

I had a Sting ray somewhere around 1969,by 1971 the fenders went bye-bye,we welded a cross brace across the handlebars,the slick tire got swapped for a knobbie,and another Evil Kinevel wanna-be kid was born! when I tryed to imiatate Evil's jumps over cars this kids jumping days came to "Smashing"end...one broken arm and a stove in roof and shattered windshield on my grandfathers '64 Pontiac Gran Prix put an end to this in a hurry!!

Sidenote: Its easier to jump a car from side to side than from end to end!!

I had a Sting Ray, an Apple Crate, and then I graduated to road bikes!

I had a new '72 Manta Ray,yellow 5 speed.They made them for just 2 years.They built a lot more Sting Rays & Krakes.The CPSC later banned the Hurst looking shifters.The Choppers and Ross Apollo's are behind the Sting Ray's as collector values(?) Chris

No Manta Ray...

My first bike in the US (I lived in the Netherlands before) was a used Cotton Picker - $20. I did a quick search on it just now and it seems to be the 1970 version - 16"/20", front drum brake, 5 spd, seat shocks, rear slick. It has a brand new rear slick tire but that was in 1980 that I got that tire new!

I started "training" on the bike and several weeks ago actually found my training diaries from that time. I'd carefully note that I rode to the end of the street and "up the steep hill". Then I came back home. I probably rode less than a mile! I asked for a "racing bike" for my 12th? birthday and got it. It was probably about half the weight of the Cotton Picker.

My biggest regret was not to buy a matching bike I saw for sale at a tag sale for $30.

The Cotton Picker currently sits behind my weight bench. Still the same shape as it was when I graduated from that to a 10 speed, just a lot dustier.

cdr

This is as close as I got, a 64 or 65 Sting Ray, purchased for $10 and shined up as much as possible!

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f106/RabidKoala/StingRayLime2copy.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f106/RabidKoala/StingRay64copy.jpg

I had one from late '71http://www.geocities.com/sldbconsumer/1971/71ccpg25.html

Stylin' hair ...

At the LBS tonight, they had a pristine Orange Krate AND a Lemon Peel. I was in heaven! Neither were for sale......opposite of heaven!:mad:

There is an Apple Krate in a local pawn shop for about $1600. Needless to say, it has been there a while and will likely remain there.

Really nice looking, though. If I had a rec room it would look good next to the juke box.

Mine were hand-me-downs from my big brother, 5 years older.
A Schwinn Sting Ray like Rabid Koala's photos, but red, used during elementary school years for all transportation needs. Then I inherited the super-cool big Sears bike. I don't recall the name, but it was metallic purple with a fat back tire, banana seat w/ high back rest and a 5-speed shifter mounted on tiny multiple top tubes. Seems like there were 4 top tubes all tapering toward the seat post. I rode that bike for a long time with my paper route, then bought my first 10-speed, a Raleigh Record.
Anybody out there recall a Sears bike like that? Probably would have been a mid-to-late 60's bike.

Anybody out there recall a Sears bike like that? Probably would have been a mid-to-late 60's bike.Sears Spyder?, Sears Rail?, I dunno, dig around in here ...

http://www.nemusclebikes.com/picoverview

I had a Huffy Rail back in the day. I used it to deliver newspapers, changing the banana seat to a regular seat and one of those heavy, black steel racks. Had my worst bike wreck ever on that one, slid in water making a turn while going fast downhill. Woke up across the street at the curb with my friend laughing at me. -1 for slick rear tires!

I had a green stingray around 1970 then an apollo 3 speed after that a 10 speed with disc brakes 1977, I went over the bars a few times when only the front brake worked. Would have loved to have had a manta.

I had a Huffy Rail back in the day. I used it to deliver newspapers, changing the banana seat to a regular seat and one of those heavy, black steel racks. Had my worst bike wreck ever on that one, slid in water making a turn while going fast downhill. Woke up across the street at the curb with my friend laughing at me. -1 for slick rear tires!

Me too! Deep purple metalflake the color of cheap chianti. I even had a similar incident on wet leaves.
A 20 miles Boy Scout bike hike on that thing made me want a real bike. The Atala arrived next birthday (thanks, Dad!)
Top

Me too! Deep purple metalflake the color of cheap chianti. I even had a similar incident on wet leaves.
A 20 miles Boy Scout bike hike on that thing made me want a real bike. The Atala arrived next birthday (thanks, Dad!)
Top

Yep, purple it was!

That is also the only bike I have ever broken a crank on. Steel Ashtabula, of course, snapped right near the pedal threads.

I had my first "good" bike, a Raleigh Grand Prix from the time I was about 12, but I had a steady stream of other bikes along with it. I also had a Murray Eliminator for a short time. I bought lots of Sting Ray type bikes from my friends, cleaned them up, rode them for a while and then sold for a profit after I got bored with them. I don't think I paid more than $10 for any of them.

Looks like the Manta Ray is the successor to the Fastback Stingray. I had a black Ramhorn Fastback 5-speed I bought on June 3, 1967 (the only reason I remember the exact day is the song 'Ode to Billy Joe' that was popular that summer). It was a heckuva lot better than the '65 Deluxe Stingray it replaced, but still not a practical means of conveyance -- which I soon thereafter found out.

Was the Sears the "Screamer"? Had a multi-bend handlebar like a bigger paperclip.The frame was a orange & reddish psydellic paint job.Was seen in print ads more than in person.Chris

Was the Sears the "Screamer"? Had a multi-bend handlebar like a bigger paperclip.The frame was a orange & reddish psydellic paint job.Was seen in print ads more than in person.In grade school we had one kid with a Screamer and one with an Apple Krate (we hated both of them). A few real Sting-Rays here and there, some department store clones. Mine was a Schwinn -- 20" Typhoon? -- that my Dad repainted, put a red banana seat on, rams-horn bars, red sparkle grips, high-loop sissy bar, etc. It was low-budget, but I loved it and rode the crap out of it. Until I got a chance to ride a '67 Coppertone Continental ... :eek:

http://www.mostlymusclebikes.com/547searsscreamer.html

The Huffy Rail:

http://www.geocities.com/chopper10speed/harryrail.jpg

The Murray Eliminator:

http://www.geocities.com/chopper10speed/daveelim.jpg

I just bought a 1972 Disc Manta Ray. Awesome bike to ride, much more comfortable than the Sting Rays since it uses 24" tires and the seat is wider and has more foam. If you want some more info on them, this site has lots of it and tons of pictures. SchwinnMantaRay.com (http://schwinnmantaray.com)
Here's my Manta, it's all original down to the tires and tubes.
http://www.schwinnmantaray.com/images/2b.JPG

Manta Rays were for fat kids and bullys. They were never as cool as a sting ray. They never will be. Schwinn put the same tires on their adult tricycles.

Sounds like somebody got their butt kicked by a Manta Ray owner lol!

Wow, this thread lives.



Here's my Manta, it's all original down to the tires and tubes.


Nice! They look small now...


Manta Rays were for fat kids and bullys. They were never as cool as a sting ray.

I was neither, just way too tall for a Stingray or a Krate. No, they weren't as cool, until I got one. It felt more serious than a little kid's bike.

My buddy had one. I thought they looked a bit odd with the skinny tires. I was a Stingray guy myself.

Those old muscle bikes are crappy bikes but great collectibles. I love them all. Makes me look at my beach cruiser with ideas of an adult version of the bike I never had......

Memory lane...I bought a Raleigh Chopper from my best friend's older brother for $10, when that was a lot of money. I power-skidded a bald spot into that back tire. :D

I had the Sears Screamer 2 growing up and my best friend had the Sears Gremlin. When my 16" from rim died, I replaced the small forks with ones from my mom's 26" bike and used a 20" rim. It made the Screamer even cooler. Wish I still had that sweet ride.

Looking at the pictures posted on this thread, makes me wish that those kinds of bikes were available in my youth.

One of my younger buddies showed me a picture of a chopper style bike that he had with a homemade sissy bar so tall that he couldn't ride through the entrance way of his school.

Ya evarything was cooler in the late 60's .