The coolest bikes ever made Apple Krate, Lemon Peeler, Grey Ghost.

[440 PHIXX]

Just picked up this 80s Apple Krate 3 speed. These were the first run of replicas that were sold in actual Schwinn stores. This boy is getting a Stingray for Christmas!

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That is probably late 90’s. The last Sting Ray was built in late ‘81. Then the company went bankrupt. The name was resurrected not long after and owned by a Korean company. The first reissue of the Krates was around 1997. The last American Schwinn to have the top bar mounted shifter was the ‘73.

 

[chargervert]

I was guessing late 80s. I knew that there was a run that were actually sold in the Schwinn stores,before they closed down. I knew that the shifters went away in the early seventies and the handle bars were narrowed to discourage people riding on them.

 

[440 PHIXX]

I was guessing late 80s. I knew that there was a run that were actually sold in the Schwinn stores,before they closed down. I knew that the shifters went away in the early seventies and the handle bars were narrowed to discourage people riding on them.

An easy way to date the bike is… Made in Taiwan= ‘97-‘01. China= ‘04-present. I’ve heard the chrome and build quality is much better on the Taiwan bikes. I have one of the Chinese Grey Ghost bikes, and after getting it I decided to get OG Chicago Krates.

 

[Danno]

I had one exactly like this

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I had one except it was purple...wish I woulda kept it... crazy prices

 

[chargervert]

I have had two of the Taiwan built Stingray replicas and the quality is definitely better. This one I bought today appears to be Taiwan built as well. I have two OG us built ones,the 75 Stingray that I put the mags on,and the Grey Ghost clone which I believe is built on a 77 Schwinn scrambler frame in original silver paint.

 

[chargervert]

I just looked up the Apple Krate replica, it is a 1999 anniversary edition replica. You were spot on on the date.

 

[chargervert]

More pics of the new to me Apple Krate. The joints on the frame are blended the way Schwinn originally did them and the paint process appears to be done as the original old school Schwinn bikes were done. It rides great and shifts correctly too. It has the Apple Krate water bottle which I replaced with something more appropriate! It has the baseball bat holder as well because you never know when you might need a bat! Maybe the Warriors might want to come out and play! Lol

 

[chargervert]

More pics,it came with the original seat,with and new metalflake red seat cover with the white stripe,as well as the black seat on the bike. The numbers on the neck say,JAK08442.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

That is cool, hey no beer until you’re old enough!

 

[chargervert]

I don't wanna grow up,it's too much work and no play!

 

[SteveSS]

I agree with Hey-O! Disco was great if you could dance. From 1975 to 1986 I got laid twice a week by different chicks. I was never good at sports but man I could pick up women. I started being careful and if we were getting cozy during slow dances I started asking, "Where's your husband tonight?" It would take them off guard and I would hear, "Oh he doesn't like to dance." Leave that one alone. Usually. Of course, during the eighties, it was more pop/punk. Stuff like Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

 

[chargervert]

No Disco sucks!

 

[PeteBell68]

I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find a picture I traded for a Yamaha shock bike that was a single shock in the rear it was heavy but jumped great can’t find a picture most likely 1976,77,78

 

[6PKRTSE]

I had a grape crate sting ray as a kid. Then got into BMX and freestyle. Had a Mongoose, Redline Proline, Haro Prostyler, Redline Radberry RL20II. All going for crazy stupid money these days.

 

[chargervert]

I steal the mags off those BMX bikes and put them on my old school Stingrays,because no one else did it!

 

[Bob Sawyer]

I was at a local car show about a month ago and some guy had this display set up. Then earlier this week I saw he has them listed for sale on FB Marketplace.

 

[chargervert]

It is amazing how much money the original krate bikes are selling for these days! I saw a 70 Grey Ghost restored with all NOS date coded parts and they wanted five grand for it. I remember being a starry-eyed kid in the local Schwinn bicycle shop looking at the Stingray bikes for $129.00. They were out of reach, but a kid can dream! It may as well been 129k lol. My friend used to carry his up the stairs to the second floor apartment and keep it outside the door in the hallway, and one day he came out of his apartment to find it gone! Some other kid got his bike for Christmas!

 

[guy gadbois]

I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find a picture I traded for a Yamaha shock bike that was a single shock in the rear it was heavy but jumped great can’t find a picture most likely 1976,77,78

I certainly do NOT claim to be the end all expert on BMX bikes, but TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, all the Yamaha built BMX bikes were twin shock. Kinda ironic since Yamaha was building and pushing their Monoshock system [which wasnt theirs actually ; it was invented by a guy in Belgium and first installed on a CZ. He knew Roger DeCoster apparently and pitched the idea to Suzuki; they built a prototype Monoshock bike or two and decided to pass on the idea. Yamaha came calling and the rest is history...]
There were indeed Monoshock BMX frames produced, but not by Yamaha as I remember.

 

[streetwedg]

I have always been a fan of the Schwinn Krate-type bikes. Granted today's reproductions don't have the gear shift lever that ripped your man-sack off but they're pretty damn close. Chrome wheels, rear shocks, springer front end with the 16" front wheel and drum brake. Walmart was selling the basic Sting Rays for about $199 but they were the regular 20's no-frills Sting Rays. They sell the Krate bikes for $930 when you can find either the Krates or the regular Sting Rays. I keep an eye on prices and figured out who's making these Schwinn bikes.

Pacific Cycle makes them and sells them through its own website. They're cheaper than Walmart at $650. I happened to check them last week. They are now on sale for $389, free shipping!!!! I bought the Apple Krate, Lemon Peeler and Grey Ghost. I might list them for a profit before Christmas, if not, they sell really well at classic car swap meets. They're even fun just as props in front of your classic car at a show. If you like these, get 'em while you can at this price.

Right about 1969 I used to go to the sporting goods store and sit on these bikes and dream. At $110 they were way out of my paper route budget. I think Schwinn knows that, thanks goodness I get to relive those days.

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Can you send me the link to the web site you ordered from? I’ve been looking and can’t find anything.

 

[chargervert]

That's how I ended up finding the 99 Apple Krate,I went on Craigslist to see if anyone was selling these new repros Steve was talking about I didn't find anyone selling them on there yet.