The "Krate" models are a later Stingray model, starting in 1968. Mine was probably more like 1964 or '65. Mine was a lot less gimmicky-looking, as far as I'm concerned...
Had my purple Stingray until I started driving in 1974, gave it to the kid next door.
The original banana-seat-and-high-handlebars concept was drawn up and sent in to Schwinn by the lady who owned and ran the very bike shop that our family used, in Concord CA.
Her thought (and Schwinn's also) was that little kids should be able to have a beginner bike that didn't *look* like a beginner bike. That was fine, but she and Schwinn both got a pleasant surprise when the Stingray became a super-hot seller to older kids who loved the sporty look of the bike along with its high maneuverability.
At the time, rival bikemaker Huffy had a tiny bike with high handlebars and tassels on the grips that was marketed for little girls... My guess is that the Concord Schwinn lady saw those bikes and thought she could do better. She was sure right...
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Had my purple Stingray until I started driving in 1974, gave it to the kid next door.
Her thought (and Schwinn's also) was that little kids should be able to have a beginner bike that didn't *look* like a beginner bike. That was fine, but she and Schwinn both got a pleasant surprise when the Stingray became a super-hot seller to older kids who loved the sporty look of the bike along with its high maneuverability.
At the time, rival bikemaker Huffy had a tiny bike with high handlebars and tassels on the grips that was marketed for little girls... My guess is that the Concord Schwinn lady saw those bikes and thought she could do better. She was sure right...
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