Cruiser Bike

A cruiser bike is a type of bike that was first made popular in the 1930s, though the style has had a recurrence in popularity as of the late 1990s.

Basically, a cruiser bicycle is a type of bicycle that has balloon tires, a single speed drive train, an upright seat, steel construction, and unique, expressive styling. They are durable, heavy weighted, and enjoyed as a bike to ride for pleasure cyling and light exercise.

The cruiser was first developed by a company called Schwinn, and was designed as an alternative to the expensive bicycles that were not selling so well at the time.

The cruiser was very sturdy, and would endure punishment that would cause other bikes to break down. This factor, added to a low price and heavier design, helped to make the cruiser extremely popular in a time that was wracked by the financial qualms of the great depression.

Cruiser bicycles were ideal for street riding and flat terrain, mostly due to their heavy weight and wide tires. For this reason, they were popular with paper boys, deliverymen, and even bicycle couriers. Cruiser bicycles again became popular as a sort of mountain bike as downhill riding became popular prior to the emergence of the mountain bike in the 1970s.

They were study enough to put up with the punishment of downhill riding that caused most light-weight road bikes to crumble. Some of these bikes were even fitted with motorcycle brakes to make them more suited to the downhill courses.

Cruiser bikes are readily available today. They are sort of a novelty item, as mountain bikes and other varieties perform the “off-road” functions with more efficiency. Still, cruiser bikes are enjoyed by a lot of people as a sort of all purpose bike that can ride on many different types of terrain.

Additional information on cruiser bikes can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruiser_bicycle.