The Cruiser
Bicycle
Many of us can remember our youth back in the
50's which included riding a comfortable bicycle designed for
easy riding along flat roads. We had no idea that we were
riding what
was to become known as the
classic cruiser style bicycle. We only knew that it was
comfortable and never broke down. Somewhere around the late
1960's they all but disappeared from the scene with the influx
of mountain bikes and multi-speed road
bikes.
The old-fashioned cruiser
style bicycles are made with heavy frames and usually have only
one speed which is fine for flat terrain such as roads and even
beaches. But the introduction of racing style road bikes lured
many younger riders away from the cruisers. As more riders
turned toward bicycle touring or off road riding, they turned
to the modern forms of road bikes, mountain bikes and even new
hybrid bicycles.
Today the cruiser bicycle has
enjoyed a nice comeback. The modern riders of cruiser style
bicycles use them on college campuses, for local commuting, in
oceanfront beach communities and even in city areas. They known
for comfortable, leisurely riding and are built with an eye
toward simple riding and style. While Schwinn is probably the
largest manufacturer of cruiser bicycle models just about every
well known bicycle make offers a variety of cruiser bicycles
today. The new style cruiser bikes come equipped with 7-speed
transmissions hand control brakes which has added to the
versatility and comfort afforded by these classic bikes. There
is no doubt that if you desire a comfortable upright ride and
travel relatively short distances on fairly level terrain, the
cruiser bicycle might be exactly what you need.
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