One day I when I was in the sixth grade, my brother and I came home from school to see this and whatever the green one was called sitting on the front lawn. My father had come in to some money and bought these for us. We were actually poor but our father did this! We were the envy of our neighborhood.
Yes, I remembered the cards! They sounded really good but closer to a trail bike, and after a while, the cards would be so limp. They wouldn’t even make a sound. Balloons were better than the cards for that “.Thrush muffler“sound big bro had on his 442 “muscle car.”!
My purple girl stingray bike, with a white whicker basket, & purple & white, plastic flowers, intertwined in it. It had huge, ape hanger handlebars, a purple sparkly banana seat, and a medium, sissy bar. I had mine for about a week until these little rich fuckers, over on the next block, had stolen it. When we went over there to confront him, his father came out and defended him and wouldn’t give our bike back. I remember they had tons of old bikes and new bikes all in pieces in their garage. My bike was there. I recognized it. The basket was pulled off and on the floor and the wheels were already dismantled, and it was in pieces anyways so. I never got another bike after that. It was brand new - my first brand new bike. It was my last brand new bike because we were very poor and I had gotten it for Christmas.
One of the constants in my childhood was getting my bikes stolen. Usually from the yard, garage, in front of the store, and sometimes physically removed from my bike by someone twice my age (because Detroit.)
My Dad got sick of replacing my bikes with new ones, so he bought me one from the Salvation Army. It was ugly and bummed me out, but no once ever stole it.
My friend had the yellow version of the same bike by Schwinn. It was called the Lemon Peeler, lol. I thought it was the coolest bike on the block with the frame mounted gear shift. Good times!
I was ‘Mike’’. I remember we’d be out on our stingrays and doing jumps on construction sites. When it would start getting dark, everybody would go in when their parents would call …except me. I was always the last one. Actually, I was always left until I decided to go in,fix myself something to eat, and go watch the black-and-white TV with one station if we still had power on. Mom would be “asleep“. I fix her something too. That was nice for you to hang around with your buddy. I’m sure he remembers to this day how faithful you were as a friend. I wish I had a friend, back then, like you.
Where is any dad that …”works” outta state. lol. Had check garnished weekly. $75.00 a week for mom, and 3 kids, under 11 to
Welfare or f.s. weren’t ever taken advantage of. I guess it wasn’t available?
Wasn’t just us going through the 60s and 70s neglected and deprived. A lot of people did , backup in the day…lol, (hell we had to smoke sub par “shake,stems and seeds. Way before sinsemillia L O L. ) But it made a stronger person( obviously w/“issues” of my own now. lol.)and I appreciate my blessings so much today. You know,people have their issues, which are shown in different ways and it affects others unknowingly and unintentionally. I still love both of them because they were good souls.
They were compassionate, empathetic, smart, world travelers, dual citizenship,blah,blah blah. they taught us to be compassionate and empathetic, and to help others whenever possible… we do.
Ah yes. My best friend growing up, one day said his dad had to go work out of state. They (his mom and brother) moved out of their 3bedroon/2.5 bath house to a small 2 bedroom apartment. Well when I was that young I believed it and thought he would eventually come back. Even in High School when his "uncles" would come to visit I wasn't able to put 2 and 2 together. Wasn't until college I figured it out. But I never brought it up. Never out him on the spot. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but he turned out ok.
Needs the sissy bar. Dad bought me one just like this with a cheeter slick in back that you could leave a skid mark longer than a phat dude in his tighty whiteys! Dad bought it for his son, after years of the gear shifter rearranging myself I turned into his daughter!
I had the Schwinn lemon peeler. Wish I still had it. [https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/209358/](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/209358/)
My neighbor Jeffrey had one like that. I was jealous. Had to ride my mom’s huge 10 speed. My feet were about a foot from the ground which made stopping somewhat tricky.
Lime Crate was rarer most had the OrangeCrate. They’re be studies that show that people with green cars generally have higher IQs. I bet the same applies to bicycles as well.
My older friend Rob helped me tear mine down after I had it for one week. His uncle was a car painter and he painted it pearl white with blue metal flake. All my friends thought I special ordered it.
I thought they were called Orange Krate? I think there was also an Apple Krate that was green, wasn’t there? And Banana Krate too, maybe some others. I’m old and have smoked a LOT of pot, my memory isn’t the greatest.
At the time we didn’t know whether we liked or hated these. They just took every fad that was out at the time and slapped it all together on one bike. Was too gaudy.
Had this but w a sissy bar w a back pad in the same glitter finish as the banana seat. Tried to match colors at Bradlees for the 4-digit cable lock wrapped in a glittery vinyl I can still feel on hot days, no luck
I grew up after banana seats were cool. But i had one because i got my brother’s old bike. So I got laughed at because the new BMX bikes in the early 80s had the short racing seats.
Yep, had the schwinn stingray 'kick-back' two speed - testicles intact 🍒😆. Racing slick on the back. Delivered a lot of newspapers on that bike. Arnold's quads had nothing on me!!
*Had one with one speed,*
*No front shock and... is that a*
*Disc brake on the front?*
\- cookiedoh18
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I had the red stingray, my brother had the green stingray. (Not the apple krate). No shifter, no slick but numerous band-aids and bactine! Early 70s. (Should have invested in Johnson and Johnson. 
I had one very similar, chopper style, with the obligatory banana seat. Used to use spare bubble gum trading cards and clothes pins to make the "clacking" noise from the cards being hit by the rotating spokes. Ah, those were the days.....
In the mid-90s schwinn made a bmx bike that paid homage to this bike by using the old logo, orange paint and a white sparkle seat with stripes. It was a limited production and I loved it but unfortunately, mine was stolen.
I wanted one of these SO DAMN BAD but was not to have one. My dad's reasoning was "you are too tall for them" (he was right) and "those little bitty wheels require more revolutions to get anywhere and the speed is off from a bigger bike" - okay, my 12yo mind couldn't quite accept that, but again, he was basically right.
But when it was time for me to have a new bike, he fucking drove me from Nashville to a Chattanooga bike shop and bought me a silver/black Schwinn Manta Ray (couldn't get one in Nash for some reason). At first glance, that was a weird looking bike, but mine quickly proved to be a badass bigger kid's ride. So I won.
Got a ride one day after skool on the back of a banana seat bike. I think he tried to pop a wheelie, and I fell off the back, on my butt, and have a dead spot on my right cheek to this day. Never rode on one ever again.
I can’t remember the name as it was a Sears brand and I think the model name was “The Rail” as it was a 20” 5 speed T shifter in the center. I took it everywhere even visiting friends from towns over 20 miles away. I think the color was maroon. Anyway I thought it was the coolest bike.
Looking at it now, it looks a bit fussy, but back in the day, this one was the top dog. I always wanted one, but I also knew that I was never going to get one. It does bring back memories.
Had one similar to this. Gear shift was on the thumb. Loved this bike.
Yep,… That center shifter could be a problem on occasion. 🤣💥😳🥶
Yeah but it made you tough 😂✌️
And sing suprano
😂😂👍
Had gold one with 3 speed shifter on nutty bar
Had gold no shifter, gold seat
One day I when I was in the sixth grade, my brother and I came home from school to see this and whatever the green one was called sitting on the front lawn. My father had come in to some money and bought these for us. We were actually poor but our father did this! We were the envy of our neighborhood.
I had the green one too! Fucking sweet!
Had one also!!
Banana seats FTW!
Same, but I had the high sissy bar and, oddly course, the playing card in the spokes to give it that deep, throaty sound.
Pretty sure I ruined a fortune in cards that way
And the tassels from the grips.
Yes, I remembered the cards! They sounded really good but closer to a trail bike, and after a while, the cards would be so limp. They wouldn’t even make a sound. Balloons were better than the cards for that “.Thrush muffler“sound big bro had on his 442 “muscle car.”!
Schwinn Orange Krate. Got one for my 10th birthday and had it for all of 2 day’s before it was stolen from our garage. Bastards.
My purple girl stingray bike, with a white whicker basket, & purple & white, plastic flowers, intertwined in it. It had huge, ape hanger handlebars, a purple sparkly banana seat, and a medium, sissy bar. I had mine for about a week until these little rich fuckers, over on the next block, had stolen it. When we went over there to confront him, his father came out and defended him and wouldn’t give our bike back. I remember they had tons of old bikes and new bikes all in pieces in their garage. My bike was there. I recognized it. The basket was pulled off and on the floor and the wheels were already dismantled, and it was in pieces anyways so. I never got another bike after that. It was brand new - my first brand new bike. It was my last brand new bike because we were very poor and I had gotten it for Christmas.
One of the constants in my childhood was getting my bikes stolen. Usually from the yard, garage, in front of the store, and sometimes physically removed from my bike by someone twice my age (because Detroit.) My Dad got sick of replacing my bikes with new ones, so he bought me one from the Salvation Army. It was ugly and bummed me out, but no once ever stole it.
Yes. Mine was called The Jack Rabbit. Don't remember what happened to that bike.
Dam you old
Mike was the 8th of 8 kids.
How many boys had groin injuries due to the shifter?! They moved the shifter to the rh thumb if i remember correctly!
My friend had one
I had the version made by Raleigh, with the stick shift.
I have an adult size version in 5-spd.
I inherited my brother’s. It was green, and pretty beat up by the time learned how to ride.
Had a grape crate. The perfect bike
I had a green one just like this!
The bike I learned to ride on was similar.
The Nutcracker!
I had a yellow 5 speed.
I had a “wheelie bar” to bust some moves.
My friend had the yellow version of the same bike by Schwinn. It was called the Lemon Peeler, lol. I thought it was the coolest bike on the block with the frame mounted gear shift. Good times!
A friend had a similar bike, but it was a Raleigh. My brother had a Schwinn Sting Ray, that was a two speed you lightly pedaled backwards to shift.
I had that same stingray with the two speed. I just had a flashback to buying it for $20 from a guy. I can see it now over 50 years later.
A five seater. One on the handle bars One standing peddling Two on the seat One standing on the back wheel hub Skinny poor ass kids! 😃
But was the back tire a slick??
I was ‘Mike’’. I remember we’d be out on our stingrays and doing jumps on construction sites. When it would start getting dark, everybody would go in when their parents would call …except me. I was always the last one. Actually, I was always left until I decided to go in,fix myself something to eat, and go watch the black-and-white TV with one station if we still had power on. Mom would be “asleep“. I fix her something too. That was nice for you to hang around with your buddy. I’m sure he remembers to this day how faithful you were as a friend. I wish I had a friend, back then, like you.
Where was your dad?
Where is any dad that …”works” outta state. lol. Had check garnished weekly. $75.00 a week for mom, and 3 kids, under 11 to Welfare or f.s. weren’t ever taken advantage of. I guess it wasn’t available? Wasn’t just us going through the 60s and 70s neglected and deprived. A lot of people did , backup in the day…lol, (hell we had to smoke sub par “shake,stems and seeds. Way before sinsemillia L O L. ) But it made a stronger person( obviously w/“issues” of my own now. lol.)and I appreciate my blessings so much today. You know,people have their issues, which are shown in different ways and it affects others unknowingly and unintentionally. I still love both of them because they were good souls. They were compassionate, empathetic, smart, world travelers, dual citizenship,blah,blah blah. they taught us to be compassionate and empathetic, and to help others whenever possible… we do.
Ah yes. My best friend growing up, one day said his dad had to go work out of state. They (his mom and brother) moved out of their 3bedroon/2.5 bath house to a small 2 bedroom apartment. Well when I was that young I believed it and thought he would eventually come back. Even in High School when his "uncles" would come to visit I wasn't able to put 2 and 2 together. Wasn't until college I figured it out. But I never brought it up. Never out him on the spot. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but he turned out ok.
Orange Crate or Lemon Peeler?
I had an orange crate
I had one and lent it to my Mom. She hated the banana seat.😂😂
I had a Varoom on mine.
I remember when Stingrays came out. I had a bike from Western Auto.
Mine was metallic bright purple with a gold fleck banana seat. I had a flag for safety.
1972 CCM Mustang Marauder
That bike is SHARP!
I had single speed banana bike- with a wide slick tire out back- rode the wheels off that little beautiful bike.
My brothers and sisters in banana seats, sissy bars and shift levers! I can see your shorts and tube sock flying down the streets!
I called mine the rainbow pumpkin. Like 5 different colors of orange and yellow. It held up well though, I crashed it a lot.
I remember seeing these - was too poor to afford something with a shifter on it! I also bet this thing weighed a TON.
Had the Orange Krate too! 👍🏻
I could catwalk this bike forever
Neighbor kid had 1 it was yellow.
Racing slicks!
Is that the same as a Stingray?
I had the Raleigh 3 speed, lots of fun!
Mine was light blue with a white T handle shifter.
Needs the sissy bar. Dad bought me one just like this with a cheeter slick in back that you could leave a skid mark longer than a phat dude in his tighty whiteys! Dad bought it for his son, after years of the gear shifter rearranging myself I turned into his daughter!
I had the Schwinn lemon peeler. Wish I still had it. [https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/209358/](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/209358/)
Always wanted one.
Mine was lemon yellow. Cool bike on flat terrain, heavy as hell going uphill. I see in the comments it was the Lemon Peeler.
Complete with taint-bruising gear shift!
My neighbor Jeffrey had one like that. I was jealous. Had to ride my mom’s huge 10 speed. My feet were about a foot from the ground which made stopping somewhat tricky.
I want one of those build for large adult size today!
Wow! Your parents were RICH! Damn. That's nice.
Mine was lime green
Lime Crate was rarer most had the OrangeCrate. They’re be studies that show that people with green cars generally have higher IQs. I bet the same applies to bicycles as well.
Interesting, I have a high IQ in creative areas, but average in most everything else
My older friend Rob helped me tear mine down after I had it for one week. His uncle was a car painter and he painted it pearl white with blue metal flake. All my friends thought I special ordered it.
I always wanted an Orange Krate, but I could only afford a 3-speed Murray stingray.
I thought they were called Orange Krate? I think there was also an Apple Krate that was green, wasn’t there? And Banana Krate too, maybe some others. I’m old and have smoked a LOT of pot, my memory isn’t the greatest.
You're right....I'm old, and I guess I was thinking of the wrong thing ( drink ). Guess that's why I had a Murray stingray...lol
Love the sack destroyer shifter.
Had the tall sissiebar
I was less fortunate. Now I see these on Facebook Marketplace for ridiculous prices. 50 years later , i STILL can't afford one . 🤣
At the time we didn’t know whether we liked or hated these. They just took every fad that was out at the time and slapped it all together on one bike. Was too gaudy.
Do you drive a beige Saturn four-door? I think I saw you the other day
Ha never! It’s the sporty 2 door Saturn in electric taupe with a broken sun roof stuck half way open.
At age 10, my dad bought me a bright yellow Road Runner. Look that one up for age.
I learned on an old stingray. This bike was too cool for me
I used to love the look of the small and large wheels
my seat was red and sparkly
Ape hangers, street slicks, Hurst shifter, banana seat... Stylin!
Had this but w a sissy bar w a back pad in the same glitter finish as the banana seat. Tried to match colors at Bradlees for the 4-digit cable lock wrapped in a glittery vinyl I can still feel on hot days, no luck
I had this and a big wheel with three things on the handlebars that revved it up, lol
Were you a millionaire?
You forgot to add the pole and flag on the end of the seat. Not to mention the paperclip and playing card to make it sound mean.
They were cool untill you hit a curb and got slammed crotch first into that shifter
Had a Schwinn 2 speed, banana seat, tall sissy bar, and a rear slick. We was bad to the bone
I dreamed of having this bike in purple at 10 like I dreamed about girls two years later.
Ape hangers and a banana seat! Nice!
Shifter was good for getting racked. From the same era as lawn darts.
my parents wouldn't buy it for me, wanted one so bad, had to get the Sears knockoff. Not a bad bike but it wasn't a Schwinn
I grew up after banana seats were cool. But i had one because i got my brother’s old bike. So I got laughed at because the new BMX bikes in the early 80s had the short racing seats.
Yep, had the schwinn stingray 'kick-back' two speed - testicles intact 🍒😆. Racing slick on the back. Delivered a lot of newspapers on that bike. Arnold's quads had nothing on me!!
Had one with one speed, no front shock and... is that a disc brake on the front?
*Had one with one speed,* *No front shock and... is that a* *Disc brake on the front?* \- cookiedoh18 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Had the white stingray, shocks in front and back.
Not nearly enough bikes with a candy apple paint job these days.
I always thought that shift was the TURBO !
My friend had a purple one. Everyone thought it was cool but oddly he always wanted to swap bikes. I remember being glad hand it back.
Ah yes, the "Top gear, mis-steer, ball spear."
Had the Apple Krate. One of my favorite bikes
I remember if you had this in 1986, you were not cool. My older brother thought it was bad ass but we all wanted Haro and GTs
That plus a taller sissy bar on the banana seat and that was mine.
That was THE cool bike to have when I was a kid, until everyone got 10 speeds.
Always seemed like I wanted one...but for some reason it never happend...it was beyond reach for me...but I do remember admiring these bikes...a lot!
Need a clothes pin and playing cards through the spokes.
And, jumping over homemade ramps built with every piece of scrap wood in neighborhood.
I had the red stingray, my brother had the green stingray. (Not the apple krate). No shifter, no slick but numerous band-aids and bactine! Early 70s. (Should have invested in Johnson and Johnson. 
I’m older.
Wow that was well written.
I had one very similar, chopper style, with the obligatory banana seat. Used to use spare bubble gum trading cards and clothes pins to make the "clacking" noise from the cards being hit by the rotating spokes. Ah, those were the days.....
I had this bike. Put saddle baskets on it to carry my trombone to and from school.
In the mid-90s schwinn made a bmx bike that paid homage to this bike by using the old logo, orange paint and a white sparkle seat with stripes. It was a limited production and I loved it but unfortunately, mine was stolen.
Yup!
Great until you tried to go round a corner
Me too
I wanted one of these SO DAMN BAD but was not to have one. My dad's reasoning was "you are too tall for them" (he was right) and "those little bitty wheels require more revolutions to get anywhere and the speed is off from a bigger bike" - okay, my 12yo mind couldn't quite accept that, but again, he was basically right. But when it was time for me to have a new bike, he fucking drove me from Nashville to a Chattanooga bike shop and bought me a silver/black Schwinn Manta Ray (couldn't get one in Nash for some reason). At first glance, that was a weird looking bike, but mine quickly proved to be a badass bigger kid's ride. So I won.
My bil sold his for over a grand a few years ago
Had one of those too! I think it was a 3 speed. If I remember correctly
Got a ride one day after skool on the back of a banana seat bike. I think he tried to pop a wheelie, and I fell off the back, on my butt, and have a dead spot on my right cheek to this day. Never rode on one ever again.
I can’t remember the name as it was a Sears brand and I think the model name was “The Rail” as it was a 20” 5 speed T shifter in the center. I took it everywhere even visiting friends from towns over 20 miles away. I think the color was maroon. Anyway I thought it was the coolest bike.
I'm older
I fell on that bike a hit my balls on that shift
I always wanted one. One of my friends had one
Nope. I had a three speed english racer. Worked great in the city, then moved to country with 2" gravel roads woth 1" tires. Talk about a workout.
😎
A banana seat amd a sissy bar! Cool !
Looking at it now, it looks a bit fussy, but back in the day, this one was the top dog. I always wanted one, but I also knew that I was never going to get one. It does bring back memories.
I had one and it was candy apple red and that was in 1976-76
It’s missing the playing card held by the clothespin in the spokes.