Lets see your Balloon Tire Bikes

[KilroyCD]

Nothing vintage in our house, but my wife's is pretty keen-



and mine is just about the OPPOSITE, everything is flat black, 'cause i roll like a ninja.




Anyone got a lead on some cool baskets? My wife would love one...white wicker, preferrably, with a lid.

I think she is still trying to find a way to pack her cat harold in it. I found her some goggles sized for very small dogs that would round out the image. Harold is a black sphinx cat. I hear the witch theme music in my head when I imagine her riding around with him in the basket.


KillroyCD, I love the military bike. Someday, i'll have my Zundapp.

You might want to try www.BikeWorldUSA.com for the basket. They have baskets of all types, wicker, willow, plastic and metal.
-Chris

[KilroyCD]

I was trying to find a certain family photo this evening and I came across several pictures of my ancestors with their bikes:



Great uncle Tom with his bike sometime in the early 1920s



My grandmother in the mid 1930s; I wish this one would have been waiting for me but, alas, it was long gone!



My mother and uncle around 1950

The 1930s photo of your grandmother shows what looks like an Iver Johnson bike. That would be quite the collector's item if you had it. It appears to be a pair of Schwinns in the photo of your mother and uncle.
-Chris

[KilroyCD]

I have two balloon-tyre bikes. The first one is a vintage repro, made by a company called Mercury Cycles. I couldn't find any info on them, so I'm assuming they're out of business... I bought it about 7 years ago at a Dick's Sporting Goods, and have put many miles on it. Right now it's got a Burley trailer hooked to it so I can take my son for rides.


This is my vintage Sears bike. The tires are original, but are in need of new tubes. My husband rides it once in a while, but it's not nearly as comfy as the bike above.

Your Mercury bike was made by Murray, just as the originals were in the late 1930s. Unfortunately, I got into the hobby right after Dick's Sporting Goods sold through their supply of Mercuries, so I never got one. The Sears bike is a toned down version of their avant-gard "Spaceliner", lacking some of the space ship styled trim pieces but using the same frame. These were made in the early to mid 60s, and were also Murray-built. You have a nice pair of vintage / vintage style bikes.
-Chris

[texasgirl]

[QUOTE=griffer]Nothing vintage in our house, but my wife's is pretty keen-





Anyone got a lead on some cool baskets? My wife would love one...white wicker, preferrably, with a lid.

QUOTE]

Is that an Electra? I love it- red's my favorite- Electra does have some baskets- she could paint this one white?

http://www.electrabike.com/miva/merc...egory_Code=BSK

[sean138]

Hello, here is a pic of my '63 Schwinn.



After new tires.

[BeBopBaby]

Anyone got a lead on some cool baskets? My wife would love one...white wicker, preferrably, with a lid.

I got a nice wicker basket for my bike off of eBay for dirt cheap.

[griffer]

Texasgirl, yes the Electra women's deluxe 3 speed.

Bepopbaby and Texas girl, thanks for the suggestions. She is for some reason aversion to painting the basket, but those are exactly what she wants.

I will troll the eBay!

[imoldfashioned]

Thanks for the info on my grandmother's bike KilroyCD, that's good to know. Alas, that bike was long gone by the time I made the scene. By then my grandparents had a matching pair of Schwinns that they bought in the late 1960s (didn't get those either!).

[Sweet Leilani]

Your Mercury bike was made by Murray, just as the originals were in the late 1930s. Unfortunately, I got into the hobby right after Dick's Sporting Goods sold through their supply of Mercuries, so I never got one. The Sears bike is a toned down version of their avant-gard "Spaceliner", lacking some of the space ship styled trim pieces but using the same frame. These were made in the early to mid 60s, and were also Murray-built. You have a nice pair of vintage / vintage style bikes.
-Chris

Thanks, Kilroy, for the info. I always wanted to know who made the Merc but never really got the time to dig.

[imoldfashioned]

I passed a charity shop today and saw this bike in the window:





It's in kind of tough shape and I don't know how much they want for it (the shop was closed) but I like the decoish look of it. Does anyone (ahem, KilroyCD, ahem!) know what kind of bike this is, how old it might be and/or what a fair price would be? It looks sort of similar to the JC Higgins posted earlier in the thread, but I know nothing of bikes. TIA.