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1970s Homemade chopper bike-- love the pack of smokes tucked just within reach on the forks.
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Back in the day, you most likely graduated from your Schwinn Stingray straight to a 10-speed– the big leagues, baby. Maybe there was something in-between, a hand-me-down 3-speed or 5-speed– but more than likely you just made the big jump. I remember some pretty crafty adaptions– like wood blocks taped to the pedals to get you over the hump until you grew into the bigger bike.
And there were always guys like our friend above– that guy whose old man or older brother was a welder, or maybe he was a metal shop junkie himself. Anyway, he’d build some crazy bike, and it’d become his signature– he’d be that guy with the wild ride. The two would become inseparable in your mind– even years later when the bike was long gone. The guy had to have a mustache too– that was like an unwritten rule. You just couldn’t have a wild bike guy without the ‘stache– it wouldn’t work.
Man, those were the days– not like today. It wasn’t like most teenagers had cars, the way it seems now. If you were lucky, you got to drive an old family car that maybe you even shared with your siblings. Spoiled kids got cars, the rest of us dealt with getting rides, pedaling our bikes– or we busted our humps at a job to buy a used car. You didn’t get everything handed to you then– we called it character building. Today it’s all about immediate gratification and convenience, for the kids– and the parents who don’t have the time or interest to mold their kids. Maybe that’s one reason personal character is becoming scarce. Nobody wants to bother with learning or earning. Just give it to me.
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Love this shot-- 1970s California chill beach style at its best. Makes me want to throw-on a pair of OP shorts and head for the beach on my Schwinn.
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1970s California criusin' on an old Schwinn ten speed bike. I remember everyone turning their handlebars back like that-- or flipping them around completely. He kinda looks like a young Tom Cruise.
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Soaking up the rays on a bike, 1970s California style. Back before the days of sunscreen-- people actually used sun tan lotion, oil essentially, to cook themselves faster.
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This kid looks straight outta "Superbad", cruisin' the scene on his 1970s Schwinn ten speed.
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Facial hair folly-- stayin' fit and tan aboard his bike.
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Crankin' away on her bike that looks a little too small for her long frame-- raise the seat at least!
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Cruisin' with man's best friend in retro 1970s California daze.
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Swim, surf & sun in good ol' 1970s California.
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Cruisin' to the beach on the Schwinn for a little surfing action-- 1970s style.
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The Selvedge Yard 
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Is that tony alva in the second pic?
No, sorry that’s not TA, these are shot in South Bay, you need some Venice action for that!
AWEsome shots. That was me in the ’70s@ I went from the gold flaked stingray to the green flaked schwinn 10-speed. It was all so cool! And you’re right – that was our transportation, until we could afford to buy our own first car! None of this “happy 16th birthday, here’s your car!” stuff for us.
I actually recently wrote a booa ll about this kind of stuff for us who grew up in the ’70s. you can read about it here: http://www.my70sbook.com. It’s a great trip down memory lane!
Very cool.
Pingback: Summer Cruising In Life Magazine | Definitive Touch
great shots. a lot of inspiration here. thanks for posting!
Nice Nostalgia trip via Life Mag, the funny part is that It is most definately the south bay, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach, pretty awesome to look through that lense of time! Thks for sharing JP!!
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What a great entry! Schwinn really was king back in the day, huh?
I rode one of those old 10-speeds when I was a junior-high kid…and a similar era 5-speed up until I broke the frame a couple of years ago. They’re stylish, but I must say that given my druthers, I’d ride something a little lighterweight and more nimble these days.
Man, though I think your blog is going to be one of my regular stops online. Things look really, really cool around here.
Great shots. Shows why “city bikes” are such a great style to keep around: I want to reach out and slap every one of those riders who has flipped their drop bars. Man, I can’t stand that!
OK, that was a bit harsh, they’re just getting by with what they have. I should instead reach back in time and dope-slap whatever salesperson or marketing person got them to buy a “racing” style bike in the first place.