The "other" classics
 

Does anyone collect the "balloon tire or old middle weight bikes?like to see some pics if you do.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...9hawthorn.jpg?

nice looking bicycle. they are quite collectable but most people on here are more into multispeeds I think

I wish I had some photos, but I have had a 40s Hawthorne ballooner, and I did have a 1964 Columbia middleweight bike. Although the Hawthorne was a very nice bike it was a bit like pedaling a bowl of noodles through jello. The Columbia was actually quite a nice ride, except that as with most cantilever frames you have keep the seat height kind of low, so it's only comfortable for very short trips.

I don't collect them. They collect me. All I really want is a nice 531 Raleigh but every yard sale I stop at has some dumb old $20 cruiser. I must have a half a dozen in the basement.
This is my fave. It is (was) a 1950 Schwinn. Alloy wheels, more realistic gear ratio (why were they all so high geared?) and canti front brakes;
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...n/IMG_0996.jpg
This is a 61 Columbia that I swapped a Schwinn for. I'll flip it this spring;
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...a/IMG_4406.jpg
Here's a 50s Monarch that I flipped last summer. Loads of style. Silly gear ratio for a hill town.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...n/IMG_4011.jpg
This one isn't mine but I like it a lot;
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...9ce8b4c22a.jpg

Oh, I've said it before but it bears repeating. Try www.thecabe.com for more info and www.ratrodbikes.com for some good ideas and an enthusiastic crowd.

I've been to the cabe and have seen other bf members there.The cabe is not nearly as active as BF. I just like seeing some of the hard pedaling fat tire bikes that some of us grew up on. Pics are always the best.

I have a Hawthorne two speed from childhood, twin top tube, curved frame, real nice. It is up for a re-do at some point. However, it is not a balloon tire. It has a Sturmy Archer and steel rims. I will rebuild it this time with new alloy rims, 26 1&3/8 (which are the size it was built for).

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...s/DSCF0038.jpg