Has anyone heard of a Free Spirit?
 

Has anyone or knows where I can get information on a Free Spirit bicycle. The tires are 26" and coster brake.


Thank you

I know "Sears" used to sell them years ago. (back in the 70s)

Pictures would help. But I suspect it was the base model sold by Sears. Not a real collectors item but if in ridable shape it would make a decent neighborhood cruiser.

Aaron:)

Sears, Its cool to cruise around on, Ive had many, many of them in the past, I give them away to the kids around these parts (Philly) dont get me wrong, if I didnt have a bike Id be cruising around on a Free Spirit with no shame! :D

Over the years, the Free Spirit marque was applied by Sears to a variety of bicycles. 1960s specimens were often decent 3-speeds and basic 10-speeds from Steyr-Daimler-Puch (Graz, Austria), whereas 1970s and later models tended to be American-made boat anchors from Murray or Huffy.

Free Spirit
 

I bought a Free Spirit back in 1988 from Sears. $149.00.Was a 3 speed

There are a few models but most are cheapie entry level bikes. There was one made by Puch? that was worthwhile. Here is a Brittany FreeSpirit I jsut gave away:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=276722

There are also newer mountain bikes with the free spirit name, but not with a coaster brake.

During the 1960's and 1970's, probably half the bikes in any given small town in America were labeled "Free Spirit". Most were sturdy bikes for their specific price range. An oddity of "Free Spirit" bikes in the 1968 to 1980 period was that Sears would buy bikes of similar appearance from suppliers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Japan. So, although the bikes looked like the same model, they might use different size rims and tires.

I had a "Free Spirit" three-speed built in around 1980 that used an odd-size European rim. The neighborhood bike shop found a tire they could get on the rim, but they were unable to get that tire off the rim without an intense struggle.

Many times you will go by a garage sale and see a "Free Spirit" one speed or three speed bike in "like new" condition. A Christmas gift from 1975 that made one trip around the block, and got stored in the garage for thirty years. When you can buy such a bike for $10 or $15, they make a nice "rainy day" bike for running up to the corner store.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a57...881Large-1.jpg

A Free Spirit Greenbriar complete with Positron and FFS.

I had two of them dropped off at my house (people just drop old bikes off at my house), both were in horrible shape, I was bored, had a welder and ended up making my first tallbike out of them (now awaiting the sawzall to become a chopper)...




http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/2213/p1010011sc1.jpg

that looks like a good idea, I just picked up 2 varsitys for $1 each.

Ah, a Free Spirit thread. I have a '76 "Bicentennial Edition" 10-speed and I'm trying to get some info on it. Aside from the obvious red/white/blue paint scheme (actually, white/red/blue), it has a twin top tube. Shift levers are cheap; the right-side lever snapped in half 30 years ago. Steel rims I think, because I remember that stopping wasn't easy in the wet - brake pads just slid along the rim.

I've called the folks to send me some pictures; it's still hanging on the garage wall at my parents house, and I'll post those pics when I get them. In the meantime, does this set-up sound familiar enough to anyone to give a tentative i.d.? I'm guessing it's some kind of Huffy.

I had a 1976 Bicentennial Free Spirit, but with a single top tube. Very nice bike with stem shifters, 2x5 friction. It was the only bike in town the Schwinn guys thought was cool. It was lugged steel, and had excellent center-pull brakes.

I want another one.

Nice! Yeah, mine's also lugged steel. Heavy, but strong.

All the other Free Spirit 10-speeds I've ever seen have been single top tube like yours. I'd like to get the thing off of my parents' garage wall have the LBS restore it, but we'll see.

Why was this thread resurrected? I guess it's a good excuse to post photos:

Free Spirit 3-speed
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/c...1-20-08008.jpg

Free Spirit 10-speed with indexed shifters. Unfortunately, I did not take the "after" photo before I sold it.
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/c...1-20-08005.jpg

I know someone who will give you two hundies for that 3 speed:)

The chain guard on the 3 speed is neat looking

Darn. To think I was glad to get $25!! I found that bike abandoned by the side of the road, along Michigan Avenue. All it needed, besides new tires and cleaning, was the snap-ring re-installed on the three-speed hub, just like in the story by the other poster.

If you mean the shape, yes, it is a little different -- not quite the hockey-stick shape, but similar. I liked it. The colorful strip indicating "3-Speed" was actually a decal.

You may want to hurry, get it ready for the tricentennial. 2076 is right around the corner.

Bicentennial Free Spirit
 

Got home to see the folks over the weekend and took some pics of the old ten speed. I never paid attention to the components. Anybody know anything about the Shimano Eagle component set?

Shimano Eagle = bottom end, heavy, but quite functional derailleurs.

Thanks! Heavy fits with the rest of the bike, but man, the thing's tough.

I fixed a FS-3 ladies bike up for my aunt. This bike was definitely sourced from a good maker. The red paint was incredible, nicely outlined lugs, and VERY comfortable. The Shimano 3-speed hub was very nice to use.

If I ever come across the same bike in a mens version, I would definitely not kick it out of bed.