Guess we can’t call the long bar off the back of the seat sissy bars anymore….but they were all good. Stingray was one (red) and white one was called the cotton picker. I shit you not
In 1970, I won the state third-grade spelling championship, and my prize was a three-speed Schwinn with a banana seat. To this day, that’s still the coolest ride I’ve ever owned.
I loved my red “banana” bike with those big handlebars. It was my prized possession for many years until I got a 10 speed.
My banana bike only had coaster brakes though for a while I had a flag on it for safety. (My dad was really into make sure we were safe). He also worked for GM and got me one of those car names to put on my bike. So I had ”Chevelle” or something on my bike.
I also had a little siren on my bike from radio shack. There was a button mounted on the handle bar you could push to make it go off. It was super cool.
There’s some fancy stuff in this pic I didn’t know existed and I was there. We visited the bike shop a lot, salivating over the next banana seat or sissy bar. I never saw caliper brakes on a kids’ bike. The shifter on the leftmost bike was never seen either. We had our Huffy knockoffs of Schwinn Stingrays with one gear and coaster brakes. I resent these obviously rich kids across 50 years.
I had one similar- but not as fancy – as the blue one in this pic. It was my prized possession for years. I could really crank on that thing. It was hard to put away in the Chicago winters. The first melt that bike was out of the basement.
I was just telling my wife they need to make an e-bike version of these classic cruisers. I loved my banana-seat chariot but it weighed enough to require a horse, lol. The Rise of BMX pretty much nuked this style of bike for my friends.
Those are some of the comfiest banana seats I’ve ever seen.
My ‘who needs instructions’ dad put my bike together for xmas with the goose neck on backwards. It caused just enough balance shift that, combined with sitting way back on the banana seat, I could pop and ride a wheelie with zero effort. I used to ride wheelies for blocks and around corners and stuff to my friends’ amazement. RIP pops, you legend.
The seats had to be padded like that because our behinds were on them all day.
Those were perfect for jumping off of homemade ramps like Evel Kneival but the stick shift could rack you pretty badly.
That’s the chances we took.
Riding barefoot. My dad used to get so pissed off when I did that.
Very nice bikes, btw.
Oooh proto Goonies. 
Looks like Australia.
And no-one wearing branded footwear!
Loved those bikes. So easy to pop a wheelie.
Guess we can’t call the long bar off the back of the seat sissy bars anymore….but they were all good. Stingray was one (red) and white one was called the cotton picker. I shit you not
Ooh, fancy ones with brakes – mine only had coaster brakes (you stomp on the pedals in the reverse direction).
These are the rich kids. Lol
Loved my banana seat bike!
The combined weight of a battle tank!
In 1970, I won the state third-grade spelling championship, and my prize was a three-speed Schwinn with a banana seat. To this day, that’s still the coolest ride I’ve ever owned.
banana seats and baseball cards on the spokes!
No helmets, no shoes, no cares
Simpler times
All they needed was a pile of bricks and some boards. And bandages.
That kid at the back needs a nap.
I loved my red “banana” bike with those big handlebars. It was my prized possession for many years until I got a 10 speed.
My banana bike only had coaster brakes though for a while I had a flag on it for safety. (My dad was really into make sure we were safe). He also worked for GM and got me one of those car names to put on my bike. So I had ”Chevelle” or something on my bike.
I also had a little siren on my bike from radio shack. There was a button mounted on the handle bar you could push to make it go off. It was super cool.
There’s some fancy stuff in this pic I didn’t know existed and I was there. We visited the bike shop a lot, salivating over the next banana seat or sissy bar. I never saw caliper brakes on a kids’ bike. The shifter on the leftmost bike was never seen either. We had our Huffy knockoffs of Schwinn Stingrays with one gear and coaster brakes. I resent these obviously rich kids across 50 years.
Good old days when you could leave your bike out on the grass and it would still be there later.
I had one similar- but not as fancy – as the blue one in this pic. It was my prized possession for years. I could really crank on that thing. It was hard to put away in the Chicago winters. The first melt that bike was out of the basement.
I was just telling my wife they need to make an e-bike version of these classic cruisers. I loved my banana-seat chariot but it weighed enough to require a horse, lol. The Rise of BMX pretty much nuked this style of bike for my friends.
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the banana boys
Banana bikes were super cool. I built my own from my basic kid bike over a few weeks after earning enough money mowing lawns for a whole summer.
Those bikes are probably worth $5k each today in that condition. If we only knew then what we know now…
I don’t remember my banana seat being that cushy
My bike was a Frankenstein of sorts….old hand me down parts. Loved that thing
Super Fly, love the banana seats. Also, **bare feet**. My goodness, that brings back memories.
Getting ready to hunt down a clown in the sewer. Or possibly rescue an alien from the FBI.
I look at this picture and I can still feel the pain in my groin from that middle bar.. oooooch… mooooooom!!!!!!!
The Schwinn Stingray was the best kid bike ever.
Saw a really cherry Schwinn Orange Krate go for like $3K a year or so ago. Pretty sick.
Those seats were so comfortable. Why did they ever get rid of them?
It is so clear that USA made bikes for playing and for looking like motorbikes.
Not bikes that had the main purpose as a thing to travel with
70s rich kids
Banana seat!!!
Those are some of the comfiest banana seats I’ve ever seen.
My ‘who needs instructions’ dad put my bike together for xmas with the goose neck on backwards. It caused just enough balance shift that, combined with sitting way back on the banana seat, I could pop and ride a wheelie with zero effort. I used to ride wheelies for blocks and around corners and stuff to my friends’ amazement. RIP pops, you legend.
I had a brown Apollo 5, five speed with high handle bars and a squared off banana seat. 1974. It was the shit.
man, those were the days!! freeeeeee to go anywhere!!! <3