LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Lowrider Cars: Bikes
built 638 days ago
Lowrider bikes were originally fashioned after the lowrider cars of the 1960s. They were called by many names from lowriders to dragsters to cruisers to pimp bikes. As their name suggests their body was low to the ground. These bikes ... had a long curved banana seat, they had apehanger handlebars and a sissy bar.
Source:
The Lowriders movement was not restricted to cars. Due to the expense of owning one of these vehicles people started to modify bikes as well. In 1964 George Barris modified a Schwinn cycle for use in the television series The Munsters. The Schwinn cycle resembled a dragster, perhaps due to the fact that the racing of these bikes was one of the top motoring sports of the time. Before long these bicycles became very popular and began to be modified in a similar way to Lowrider cars. They became heavily chrome plated and the forks were bent to lower them.
Source:
Lowrider bikes first appeared in the 1960's in America. It was started by 'Custom King' George Barris who customised automobiles. Kids would copy his work on their bikes usually using common muscle bicycles, allowing those who were too young to drive a car to have a custom vehicle.
Source:
Schwinn was the first bicycle manufacturer to come out with a lowrider bicycle. Their lowrider was called the Sting Ray. George Barin modified a Schwinn Sting Ray for Eddie Munster for the hit television series the Munsters. After its appearance on this popular cult classic sitcom, lowrider bike popularity skyrocketed. Unfortunately this popularity was short lived, because the lowriders were overshadowed by a new bike fad the BMX bike. However, a resurge of lowrider popularity developed again in the 1970s when Mexicano kids began to customize their bikes to be lowriders.
Source:
Some make bicycles are particularly popular among lowrider builders. Most well known of these are the American-produced Schwinn Stingray (usually 20", but 16" and even 12" Schwinn tigers are used) and in australia the malvern star long frame dragsters and bratz beutie bikes. Another favorite of the period was the Iverson Dragstripper, which featured a long "exhaust pipe" body that gave it a distinctive look. The new lowrider trend is ... related to the trend in Cruiser or Beach Cruiser style bikes. Today, pre-built and even custom made one of a kind lowriders are available from Lowrider bicycle shops, Custom Chopper Bicycle Designers and even some Lowrider car workshops.
Source:
During the 1970's lowrider bicycles began making a come back. This was partly to do with the Mexican-American movement. In the 60's it was considered a bad thing to be Mexican. Then with the Chicano movement of the 70's, it became a good thing to have Mexican heritage, which was good for everyone. All of a sudden Mexican-Americans were making gains in this society. That's when lowrider bikes came back on the streets.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Bikes