Originally Posted by
noglider
RaleighComp, you must be similar to me in age (49). I felt the same way about all Schwinns. It was reinforced by the fact that they were a rare brand in the NYC area, where I grew up.
Now that I've worked on thousands of bikes, I appreciate the quality with which Schwinns were made. They were designed for durability, not speed. And they're really pretty pleasant to work on.
Yep, you got me pegged Tom, I turned 50 two months ago. I'm also from Northern NJ (Rockaway). Our "main" LBS back then was Cycle Center of Denville. They sold, I think, just about nothing except Raleighs and Schwinns. Some kids went West to Ledgewood to buy French bikes from Andre Fraysee (Paris Sport bikes). There were two smaller shops close by in Rockaway and Dover, but they didn't have much of a selection. My first multi-speed new bike was a 1966 Gold Columbia 20" High Rise Sturmey Archer gears shifted with one of these neutering devices:
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