John's Vintage Bikes - Boulder Cruiser Bikes

John's Vintage Bikes
Minutes from downtown Boulder!
A short drive from Fort Collins, Denver, or Greeley!
CU Boulder and UNC students - Now's your time to dress up your ride!
Mobile repair, pickup, parts and restoration available! Reasonable Rates!

Buy / Sell / Trade - Any Condition

Whole or Parts - Rusty or Not!

Welcome to John's Vintage Bikes!
John's Vintage Bikes, serving the Colorado counties of Boulder, Denver, Jefferson, Larimer and all counties in between with mobile sales, service, restoration, and delivery of vintage and antique bikes - and parts.   Why not cruise Boulder and downtown Denver in style on one of my vintage cruisers? They have a uniqueness all their own. If you really want a bike to impress, then might I suggest spec'ing out your own custom ride?

Vintage Cruisers unequipped (stripped), modestly equipped, and fully equipped Deluxe cruisers from the 30's through the 50's await you at John's Vintage Bikes! Looking for a bike that hasn't been copied and reproduced yet? Then maybe you should take a look at some of my vintage 1950's and 60's Middleweight bikes. When the Jet Age really took off, so did the biking industry. There were Jet Fire, Jet pilot, and just about any combination of names with jet in them... These were streamlined, sleek bikes that looked faster that they actually were, but who cares - certainly not the kids that rode them - and neither should you! Then, in the mid to early 60's, came the Space Age. You had Spaceliners, Space Riders (no space cadets though...). These bikes were super streamlined with Buck Rogers style consoles and accessories. Some even had big flashing lights mounted on the rear racks, so they looked like landing lights.

Vintage Roadsters, Touring Bikes, and Townies are also available. Primarily 3-speed models, but I also have some very nice five an 10-speed models from the early 60's, when quality components were expected, not offered at an additional charge.

Tandems, Adult trikes, and Stingrays are occasionally offered - but if you don't see one here, ask. I may have what you're looking for.

I have an ever changing inventory which makes it difficult to keep my website updated, so if you don't see what you're looking for, just ask! If you're not really sure what you're looking for, then maybe you should check out some of the bikes I've had in the past - it's a great place to get started - and it's fun to look at old bikes.

New and Vintage Bike Parts!    Is it time to fix up that Old Beach Cruiser of yours? Need new Schwinn S6 or S5 tires for your Schwinn Breeze, Speedster, or Traveler?
What about new rims for your Shelby or Columbia? Some chrome fenders for your Hawthorne or Roadmaster?
In need of hard to find Schwinn S7 tires or whitewalls for that Schwinn Hornet, Panther, or Tiger that you bought at the Boulder Swap Meet?
Or maybe you're looking for a basket, bell or replacement Sturmey Archer cables for that Raleigh Three-Speed Roadster?
What about 26x1-3/8" EA3 tires for your vintage 3-speed Hercules? Are ya in the market for a deluxe cruiser saddle, Springer Fork, or fender light for that new Townie?       Am I drivin' you nuts with all the questions? Then check out my online catalog of New cruiser parts and accessories While you're at it, take a look at my vintage parts catalog. I have a lot more than what's shown because I'm always getting new stuff! If you don't see it - just ask!

Sales

I take great pride in the bikes I own, so each one is ready to ride and properly fitted to your height before you even go on a test ride. In addition, I stand behind what I sell (you can usually see me waving goodbye if you look over your shoulder as you ride off). Seriously, I do care care about my bikes, the people who buy them. So not only do I make sure the bike looks good, I make sure you look good on the bike. It's important.

You can scroll down to the bike gallery, or, read through some of the description I have provided below. The links will take you to various pages of bikes representing that category. I have a great selection of:

Vintage and Antique Cruiser bikes (a.k.a. fat tire, balloon tire, cruisers, heavyweights, cruizers) for men and women. Prestigious bicycles by Schwinn, J.C. Higgins, Columbia, Hawthorne, Dayton, Huffman, Elgin, Shelby, Western Flyer, and Monark that turn heads wherever you go! I also have Models that were only available in catalogs, such as the Spiegel Airman (made by Monark).

Middleweight men's and ladies' cruisers from the late 50's and early 60's - with inch and three quarter whitewall tires (1¾ for Schwinns and 1.75 for all others) which are fat enough to get second looks, but nimble enough for every day use. Select from streamlined and cruiser bicycles made by Schwinn, J.C. Higgins, Columbia, Hawthorne, Elgin, Shelby, Monark that turn heads wherever you go!

Town bikes or townies - also known as Touring bikes for men and women, such as the Schwinn Suburban, Breeze, Racer, and Speedster, (also known as cruisers) for those serious commuters.

British Roadsters made by Raleigh, Hercules, Robin Hood, and more! These beauties really turn heads and in some cases, I have them in his and hers models! They are nimble and quick, due to the narrower tires and 3-speed Sturmey Archer hubs.

Schwinn Stingrays old and new, restored and original. These are tough to come by and sometimes sell before I can even post them. I currently have several in stock, including the new Schwinn Orange County Chopper (OCC) Stingray. In addition, I have a couple project bikes that I just have not had the time to assemble, so I may be selling them "as is". Take me to the Stingrays!

Adult Trikes - these three wheel, adult tricycles rock. They are great attention getters for local businesses, especially those that deliver. Email me for details. I'll have pictures posted soon. I can also now order new Adult Tricycles!

Tandems - old and new, what fun to ride a Bicycle Built For Two!. Vintage Schwinn Twinn, Hawthorn, Columbia and more. Plus I now carry an exciting new line of Sun retro tandems that give you the 50's look you are looking for combined with the modern conveniences of the new millennium.

New Accessories - I have just added a complete line of cruiser bike lights, baskets, horns, tires, wheels... You name it, and I'll most likely have it. Check out my Parts and Accessories section.

Vintage Parts for that cherished heirloom of yours. Need a vintage or gently used part? I most likely have the real McCoy. I have a complete inventory of Dunlop rims, Dyno hubs, vintage tires, Sturmey Archer hubs, and vintage baskets with just the right patina. Please ask if you are looking for anything special. I may not be willing to sell it, but will have no problem teasing you over it.
Custom builds - I can build a cruiser from the ground up for you. You specify all of the accessories, color, tires, forks, and lay as much chrome on it as you like.

New Aluminum Frame Cruisers and Tandems, by Sun. Step aside Electra and Nirve, these cruisers have received fantastic reviews and are both easy on your eyes and pocketbook.

All of my bikes have been tuned, tweaked and tested, so you won't have to spend a small fortune getting them road worthy, like so many other bikes you can pick up for less. Some of my bikes are all original, others have been completely restored or customized. The choice is yours. I'm certain that you'll be happy with your purchase from John's Vintage Bikes!

Mobile Service

Afraid of scratching your car up? I can deliver your new, vintage, or antique bike to your home, ready to ride.

For those of you that are not within a reasonable distance of Boulder Colorado, I'll be happy to ship any vintage or antique bike to any of the 48 continental states (sorry, but Puerto Rico isn't a state... yet). I proudly use Fed Ex ground and carefully package all of my bikes.
Service
Unfortunately, not too many people know how to fix the vintage bikes anymore - especially the 3-speeds. They would much rather try to sell you a new one. When it comes to the old cruisers I've heard them say "Coaster Brake? Never heard of one!" So let me ask you, do you really want that guy working on your bike?

Need an estimate? I'm an email away. I am also available to do onsite repairs and onsite restorations.

Considering a full restoration? Let's talk about the pros and cons before making your final decision - I can work wonders with the original paint! In the event that you will need a full restoration, take a look at my before and after pictures. I'll be posting more photos when I find more of the "before" pictures.

Need a bike repaired - but you don't have a big enough vehicle? I can help! I offer local pickup and delivery for sales, repairs, and restorations.

Support and Questions

I stand behind my work and offer free flat fixes and cable adjustments on all bikes I sell and service. For those of you that purchase bikes from me that need to be reassembled. I even offer step by step assembly instructions.

Do you have questions about a vintage or antique bike? Email me! Please include a picture of the bike or body part that needs identifying! One request though - do not send me a 2 megapixel or larger image! Really, I'm not going to blow it up into 16 x 20 glossy and hang it over my mantel... so an 800 x 600 or a 1024 x 768 compressed image will do nicely. Not only will I thank you, but the 94.2% of the population that shares the Internet with us, will also appreciate it. Just make sure you compress it using the software that came with your camera (or that you downloaded off of some P2P site). You can compress them at 50% or higher and still have a very viewable image which will be about 80K in size - not 2+ Meg.

Vintage Cruisers, Roadsters, Town Bikes and Parts For Sale

You're almost there! The bikes and parts that I have for sale are coming up next! But first, what kind of a bike are ya lookin' for? If you already know, then skip ahead to the pictures below. If not, you may want to read through the description I have provided.

What exactly are British Roadsters, Touring Bikes, Middleweight Bikes, and Balloon Tire bikes?

Hopefully, the information that I have provided below will help you make an informed decision. Click on the links below the pictures to be taken to the gallery for that particular style of bike. I have a lot of bikes that I have not photographed yet, so if you are looking for something special, please let me know. I may have it!

Men's Bike Gallery		Lady's Bike Gallery
Men's Balloon Tire Bikes For Sale	What are Balloon Tire Bikes? Balloon tires bikes came out in the 30's and remained popular until the early 70's. They get their name from the wide tires they rode on 26 x 2.125 inch tires. Also known as Fat Tire bikes, these bikes were meant to make a kid feel like he was driving a big Buick, loaded with chrome. Some models had dashboards sporting clocks and speedometers, others were art deco works of art.	Lady's Balloon Tire Bikes For Sale
Men's Middleweight Bikes For Sale	What are Middleweight Bikes? MiddleWeights came out in the 50's as an alternative to the balloon tire bikes. They used a thinner, 1.75 inch wide tire, which made the bike a little more nimble than the wider, balloon tires. They were still quites stylish with their large headlights, faux gas tanks, and matching rear carriers	Lady's Middleweight Bikes For Sale
Gent's British Roadsters For Sale	What are British Roadsters? British Roadsters consist of bikes from the 50's, 60's and 70's that were made in Great Britain. Most famous are the Raleighs and Hercules, made in Nottingham England. Other brands to hail from there are Rudge, Royal, Armstrong, Robin Hood, Royal Scott, and others. Most of these bikes were at some time made by Raleigh, as Raleigh was in the habit of buying it's competition. It Bought Hercules in 1960. These bikes are well known for their great ride, dependability, and sleek styling. The tire size is 26 x 1/38.	Lady's British Roadsters For Sale
Men's Vintage American Touring Bikes For Sale	What are Touring Bikes? Touring bikes are the type that maybe your mom and dad rode. Typically, they are 3-speeds, however, Schwinn came out with some great 5 and 10 speed models in the 70's. These bikes were like Cadillacs. Solid built, with soft saddles, and upright handlebars, so you could look around and wave to neighbors as you'd cruise by. They are extremely dependable and known for their great ride. Their tire sizes are 26 x 1-3/8 and 27 x 1-1/4	Lady's Vintage American Touring Bikes For Sale
Trikes For Sale	Tandems For Sale	Stingrays For Sale

New and Vintage Bike Parts and Accessories

New Cruiser Parts and Accessories

John's Vintage Parts & Accessories

No Longer Available, My Collection, and Before / After Pictures

No Longer Available!

Take a look at some of the bikes I have already customized and restored. I may have several others just like them!

View My Collection

These are bikes that I have posted to the website in order to show other collectors or have questions answered. Please feel free to browse around and ask questions.

Before and After pictures

You can go here to see some of the bikes I've restored in the past. I wish I had more "before" pictures, but I can never seem to remember to take them...

Date Codes, Charts, Diagrams, Specs, Brochures, Owners Manuals

You can use this section to research your bike and possibly determine it's age. The Date Codes and Dating Info section will allow you to determine your bike's age by either the serial number, or characteristics of the bike. There are a couple Owner's Manuals listed. I have a lot more but never enough time to add them to the site.

The Charts, Parts, and Other Handy Info section contains exploded diagrams of various hubs, through the years, including the Bendix Overdrive! If you have a Schwinn with a locking fork - but no key, then i recommend you taking a look at the Schwinn Cycle Lock Codes and Repair Info section. It will help you decipher the key code. Coming soon - will be a Raleigh key code chart!

Date Codes and Dating Info

Owners Manuals and Price Guides

Repair Information

Bicycle adjustments and repairs courtesy of park Tool Co.

Accessory Catalogs
Wald Parts Catalog (baskets, fenders, etc)

Charts, Parts, and Other Handy Info

Hercules Parts Lists

Schwinn Cycle Lock Codes and Repair Info

Schwinn Tandem Specs

Schwinn Brochures

Contacting Me

If you are interested in one of my bikes or parts that I have for sale, but do not live in the Denver / Boulder metro area, please include your zip code so I can quote the shipping cost.

Dating Your Bike
If you would like assistance in dating your bike because you want to know everything there is to know about it, or it used to be your mom or dad's, or are just plain curious, please attach a picture or two of it. See Attaching Digital Images, below.

Appraisals and Value
If you have an old bike and are curious about what it may be worth, because it was your grandma's, or the nice neighbor that never rode the bike when you were a kid and said someday... then send me a picture. Let me know how long you have had it, if it was a family member's, or anything else you can remember.

If you bought and old bike at an antique shop or flea market and are wondering if you got a good deal or not, I'll save you some time and tell you what I tell everyone else... A bike means different things to different people and therefore that sentiment helps guide you on the price. Obviously you felt that it was worth what you paid when you bought it, so enjoy it! If I told you it was $500 and you paid $50, would you call the newspaper and place an ad to sell it? Certainly not. Besides, you may have a tough time finding the right person to pay that much for it anyway. So ride it , take care of it, lock it up when you park it, and take it in at night. In return, you'll have a reliable friend who will always be there, when needed.

If you bought a bike to resell it and want to know how much it is worth, do your own research. You most likely got screwed anyway. That's why you see $100 bikes on eBay for $400! I've got some books that will help you out though. You can check them out in my online catalog. Oh yeah, and please don't try pull one over on me. Like the person inquiring about the value of their beloved old bicycle, that they had since childhood... and the front fork is on backwards - yet the bars and fender are correctly positioned. After all those years you forgot how it looked? And possessed you to take the front wheel, bars, stem, and fender off in the first place? I'll tell ya what, if you did buy it to resell it, then at least tell me where you are from (it makes a difference) and how much you paid - how much you really paid for it and I'll let you know if it is even worth the effort to try and resell it. Deal?

Attaching Digital Images
I'll need a photo of the chainguard side of the bike. If it has a rear carrier, a top-down shot of the carrier too. If you're feeling really ambitious, a shot of the headbadge - but only if it is an unusual brand. If it's a Schwinn, Shelby, Columbia, etc there's no need.

Now this is the important part - Please do not send me a 2+ meg jpeg image. Either dial your camera down to its lowest setting, such as .5M or .3M, -or crop the image before sending it (I don't need to see your backyard, garage, or cat) and / or compress it 60 to 70%. The software that came with your camera will do nicely. The all have a save for email setting which will do nicely. That way it will open faster for me and send faster for you!

Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you! Now, email me! : forsale@johnsvintagebikes.com

Search John's Vintage Bikes

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Exact Match Search

John's Vintage Bikes Homepage
Vintage Gent's Roadsters - Vintage Lady's Roadsters - Men's American Touring Bikes - Lady's American Touring Bikes -
Middleweight Men's Bikes - Middleweight Lady's Bikes - Balloon Tire Men's Bikes - Balloon Tire Lady's Bikes
Tandems - Stingrays - Lady's Mountain Bikes - Parts & Accessories
Already Sold! - My Collection (not for sale) - email: forsale@johnsvintagebikes.com

New and Vintage Bike Parts! I've got 'em - and much, much more!

Is it time to fix up that Old Beach Cruiser of yours? Need new Schwinn S6 or S5 tires for your Schwinn Breeze, Speedster, or Traveler?
What about new rims for your Shelby or Columbia? Some chrome fenders for your Hawthorne or Roadmaster?
In need of hard to find Schwinn S7 tires or whitewalls for that Schwinn Hornet, Panther, or Tiger that you bought at the Boulder Swap Meet?
Or maybe you're looking for a basket, bell or replacement Sturmey Archer cables for that Raleigh Three-Speed Roadster?
What about 26x1-3/8" EA3 tires for your vintage 3-speed Hercules? Are ya in the market for a deluxe cruiser saddle, Springer Fork, or fender light for that new Townie? Am I drivin' you nuts with all the questions? Then check out my online catalog of New cruiser parts and accessories While you're at it, take a look at my vintage parts catalog too! I have a lot more than what's shown because I'm always getting new stuff! If you don't see it - just ask!

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