Swamp Yankee

I had one and the stock crankset self-destructed on it within a year or so of very mild usage around a campground. The seat went as well - so yeah, plan on making upgrades. Other than that, it was a nice light ride and plenty of fun. Bought a step-through frame version for my wife and hers is still going strong - of course it saw about 1/5 the use mine did.

Swamp Yankee

Here's me talking to my friend Stu while holding my Wallyworld "Panama Jack" cruiser. This bike spends all of its time at our permanent campsite and I use it for playing around, for taking the trash to the dumpster, and for scooting off to the public bathrooms when my camper's full of grandkids.

Homer Cooper 

1995 Schwinn Classic Cruiser. Its been my primary mode of transportation for about a week and will likely be for several months.

KOTA

Cruisers come in all sizes! Bought this for my granddaughter. When she was done with it, it was handed down to her brother......He didn't like it.





It took me just a few hours to change his mind.

Niner9

Dumpster bike I fixed up. Wire brushed the frame. Grips are flush mounted inside the bars. The seat was off a Tecumseh tricycle complete with gun shot hole through it.

Niner9

And a Jesse James chopper I wire brushed.

KOTA

Niner9. They both look great! What did you use to protect the bare metal?

Niner9

Linseed oil works. But not riding in the rain works the best.

Crossthreaded88

I get a call from a friend of a friend, you know how that goes, and he heard I worked on bikes and wanted to know if I could find him a Stingray bike because his Dad had one as a child and now that he had swapped coasts, Boston to Los Angeles, he wanted to live his dear old Dad's shadow. The Stingray's were 20 inch wheeled and not so great for an adult plus original ones are big money now. I suggested we get a used beach cruiser and I had the connections to score an big size banana seat, sissy bar, and mini ape hangers. He opted for a new 26" cruiser in gloss black and it turned pretty sweet. He sent a pic to his Dad and now Dad can't wait to visit so he can ride it.

KOTA

A neighbor (who has since passed) liked the style of some of my bikes. This was his version. He cruised around a lot on this thing.

okane

Most of the cruisers I see here are "mens" models.

Here's a 1941 Goodyear badged Colson I got last week. A future amateur restoration is planned.

SquidPuppet

That looks like it's filet brazed?

And it looks like it has an Ashtabula forged fork, a la Schwinn.

Crossthreaded88

I found an old ladies cruiser in a hedge I was tearing out. Lots of rust and all the soft parts of the seat were eaten by rats yummy. I am thinking of using your "wire brush" technique to take it down to bare metal only I'm using a drill motor and cheapo wire wheels and to say it's slow going is an understatement. What is your weapon of choice to combat the evil rust? Also can you explain "Grips are flush mounted inside the bars" I get all the words but I'm for a loss for what it means. The only reason I kept this old bike is that it had a German "Komet" rear hub (me likey) and the crank, sprocket, and chainguard were in great shape 50's chrome I guess. Anyway I'd appreciate help you can spare. Photos to follow thanks in advance.

Niner9

The grips are from a pump sprayer. Cut them off with extra length of pipe which slid inside the bike bars. Which gives it a flush look. They are not the typical grips that slide over the bars. I sand blasted the frame first then used a angle grinder with a wire wheel to get it to shine. I also used a die grinder with wire brush to get into tight spots. Then finished it off with steel wool.

Crossthreaded88

Okay now I get it. Sand blasted huh? Well I don't have one of those in the garage I knew it couldn't be that easy that sure explains why a wire wheel on a drill ain't scratching it. Maybe I can rent one or use a service, gee I hate to miss out on any of the fun it's sweet to see the rust surrendering to the steel underneath. Thanks, back to the drawing board for me.

Swamp Yankee

Awesome - I was just thinking about my old "Wheelie Bike" from when I was a kid. I had a Ross Barracuda back then.

dark30

Here are a couple more for your enjoyment.

ste6168

Here are the Jamis Earth Cruisers my wife and I just picked up! Love them, so far.

dweenk

What I have got is a Raleigh Sports camel back. It was made for 26 x 1 3/8" wheels. I am not worried about brakes, because I want a coaster brake on the rear (559 wheels maybe).

I want a cheap build, using as much of the original bike as possible. Here is my starting point.

KOTA

That is going to make one nice, clean, Raleigh cruiser, with a coaster brake!

dark30

Just rides the Blues away!

mrpickem

Rescued this old timer from a garbage sale for a few bucks. I believe it's a 72 or 73 Fairway Flyer 3 speed. Industrial child seat probably weighs close to 20lbs. lol

Needs a lot to look good but only needs rear tire repaired to be ride-able. I know it's not rare or that desirable, but I had at least 2 before I was 18 and there were a helluva lot sold. 50 years old and appears to be all original as far as I can tell.

mrpickem

Pics not showing now...weird, I've posted pic sbefore but now u need 10 posts...nevermind, I have 10 now.

Here's more pics https://imgur.com/a/dOBBB

Crossthreaded88

If it were a thrasher I might agree with you but I think it's a shame to bastardize a clean bike for a frankenbike project. People turning sweet old road bikes into fixies was the first thing that made me sick to my stomach and I still see the aborted results for sale on CL. I agree Sturmey Archer 3 speeds can be sticky, icky, and clicky and not a whole lot of fun to ride (okay I can hear the groans) compared to modern Nexus hubs (there any better?). Hey I'm totally in favor of "It's mine and I'll do what I want" but seems this bike is far from dead compared to the carnage these eyes have seen. I have one in my project pile that someone in their infinite wisdom decided to spray paint fire engine red over good black original paint which broke my heart a little. Then I poached it from the culprit for $20. I'm thinking 26 x 1 3/8 free wheel and keep the brakes. Hey your bike do what you think is best, hope you don't have to crush the frame to get the coaster to work.

Crossthreaded88

What does the youth of today have against chain guards? Maybe no one wears long pants anymore and haven't had their pant leg stuck between their chain and sprocket and maybe crashed hard? Even if you don't crash you have that nice grease tattoo forever on your pants. Maybe it's skinny jeans that make the need for chain guards obsolete even though I don't personally own such a thing. I guess you know you're getting old when you start saying things your parents said when you were a kid.