It can if pre WWII.

http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wiel...k%20kramer.JPG

Newspaper boys, BMX, and all the young framebuilders in the early 70's who bought in to all the Italian "mystique" and did it for real should not be counted out as well.

Yes! Let's not forget Major Taylor, though. If his skin had been a different color, he probably would have been more famous than Kramer.

I agree. Wilbur and Orville's bike:

http://www.wright-brothers.org/Infor...ht_Bicycle.jpg

[QUOTE=bikingshearer;13236931]No, you're not alone. There are at least two of us.

QUOTE]

Three at the least. Trek does nothing for me.

My father bought a Schwinn track bike in 1939 or 1940. He said it was called an Excelsior, but I think he meant Paramount. He paid $75 for it.

His father sold it when my father was in the war, thinking his son wasn't going to make it home. He almost didn't.

Gotta be either the Beaver or Pee Wee
 

http://sharetv.org/images/guide/271568.jpg

Summary: Beaver gets permission to ride his bike to school from his father. On the first day, Beaver lets a young stranger borrow it but the stranger never returns with it. Beaver gets in trouble when he gets home for being careless. A few days later the bike is recovered, but it is in terrible condition. Beaver's parents say they will pay for the repairs.

Any, cantilever or double top tube frame with 26 x 2.125 "Balloon tires". But, mostly envisioned as the Schwinn.
Where I grew up in Detroit, only the "rich" kids families could afford Schwinns. We muddled on with our Rollfasts, JC Higgins and Monkey Wards bikes dreaming of the Christmas morning there would be a REAL SCHWINN or maybe even a COLUMBIA under the tree.

I purchased a Raleigh 3 speed in the mid 60's with my paper route money, and when I met up my friends on my brand new ride, I was considered to be un- American. They pointed out the "cheap" lightweight lugged frame and "cheap" aluminum rims to point out that it wasn't a real bicycle.

I think he was "as" famous, now maybe more so. Of course not as well treated or paid in his day.

Schwinn owned Excelsior-Henderson and sold moto bicycles under that name as well as motorcycles.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=219057

The Wiki sez Excelsior Henderson motorcycles were done in 1931. The only Excelsior bicycles I know of were balloon tire bikes from later years. Perhaps there were track bikes too, but I dunno.

Wow! Does this bring back the memories! My first bike was a Schwinn American that looked exactly like this one. Bought for me by my parents in, I think, 1964 or 1965. Alas, by the time I got to junior high school, I wanted to have a "cool" bike with multiple speeds, shifters, hand brakes, etc. So, I stopped riding my American. It sat in my parents' basement until a couple of years ago, at which time I gave my dad permission to sell it. I would have kept it, but I live in a really hilly area, and a single speed with the weight of a tank just wouldn't have worked for me. I didn't want to keep it just to look at it. Sigh.

Not a very nice Dad!

My suggestion is not a classic or vintage bike but that does not seem to bother the guys who are posting motorcycle pictures.

The Handsome Speedy Devil has a patriotic version:

http://twinsix-images.s3.amazonaws.c...k01_main_1.jpg

You can find the frame here.
The complete bike here.

You are welcome.

- Bruzer

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...6200001_01.jpg

For those alive today, not a bad choice.

In the modern era, I'd say something made by Cannondale. A company that innovated (by borrowing/stealing), built a solid reputation on innovation and niche products, then overextended and got gobbled up by an equity firm. Outsourcing all production they are now really nothing more than a marketing company, Cannondale in name alone.

I thought Motobecane up there was a good answer as well for similar reasons.

Personally for me, it's this 1972 bike (frame).
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44...R/DSC01913.jpg
As it kinda symbolises for me a time of great pioneering technological advancement which we can be really proud of as this bike and a few more after it were direct outgrowths of tech advancements in materials used in the space programs at that time. The CF/Al tube materials were supposedly sourced from the same company that NASA used on their projects.
I'm presently putting together as much American made component pieces to complete the resto/build up the bike and complete the "picture" as much as possible. Unfortunately, it will still have to retain some of it's Italian and maybe Japanese period components as many of them do/did not have any proper American equivalents. But I did find a few American component "jewels" so far, not neccessarily period correct stuff, but real good and pretty American stuff......

Chombi

The Varsity, made in America, with some help from France - and then some years later we make fun of the french parts.

Basically a summary of the history of our great nation, in a bicycle.

For me, it's between the classic Schwinn cruiser & the Stingray. One was the father of the mountain bike, the other the father of BMX. Both are good looking bikes. No other country made anything like them, except as a poor imitation.

Laugh & scorn all you want, nothing is as satisfying as riding a cruiser how it was meant to ridden.

[QUOTE=DavidW56;13237837]Four. A friend of mine calls Trek the GM of bikes.

Anyway, my contribution is any Schwinn, Monark, anything from Colson or Cleveland Welding with 26 x 2.125 tires. I didn't start to stray from this belief until I was 13.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...4-13070023.jpg

I like this perspective! When you really sit back and think about what US cycling has contributed to bikes in a global perspective, it's new manufacturing techniques and the inclusion of high tech.

Indian, for the 50's (yes, they had bicycles)

Centurion, for the 80's (US spec, made in Japan better than we could do it)

Trek for the 90's (regeneration of the sport/casual rider)

Kestrel for the 00's (defense contractor spinoff company)