Theme park Schwinn

“Vintage Disneyland Tickets” is a funky blog of old photos and memorabilia from Disneyland and other southern California theme parks.

I’m enjoying their selection of scans from Schwinn’s 1966 catalog, which was shot at Disneyland. This 1966 Disney catalog includes a radical quote from Dr Irvine Page, one time president of the American Heart Association: “We ought to replace the automobile with bicycles. It would be better for our coronaries, our dispositions, and certainly our finances.” The Disney catalog concludes with a description of Disneyland (I guess it wasn’t so well known in 1966), and then “Although most of the photographs in this booklet were taken at Disneyland, bicycles are not permitted in the Park at any time.” Talk about Mickey Mouse.

For next year I suggest Bavarian oompah band theme rides; tweed rides are so last year, after all.

Schwinn girl bike Disney

 

In 1970, Schwinn visited Knott’s Berry Farm for their catalog photos. Inside the catalog, Schwinn used attractive young women in short skirts to highlight the features of bikes like the Suburban, Super Sport, and Collegiate.

Schwinn 1970 Super Sport

Schwinn Suburban catalog scan

 

“Lighweight bikes for girls,” because college coeds were “girls” back then. I guess the bare midriff isn’t a new thing.

Schwinn 1970 Collegiate - 5 speed

Did you notice that almost all of these bikes have chainguards and fenders?

Schwinn 1970 Breeze Bicycle

I love this banana seat Schwinn Stardust “Shoppers Bicycle,” which Schwinn describes as “the special new lightweight Stingray bike for mother or daughter. A delight for shopping. New chrome plated basket carrier and removable floral trimmed shopping basket with handy carrying handles. Quick release clamps on carrier makes basket removal simple.” Cargo bikes have come a long way since then!

Schwinn Stardust Shoppers bike

Finally, did you know Schwinn marketed folding bikes back in the day? This is the Schwinn Runabout.

Schwinn Runabout - folding bicycle

View the Disney Schwinn catalog here, and Schwinn’s Knott’s Berry Farm catalog here. Full catalog downloads are available from each of those pages!

2 Comments

  1. =v= When I was a kid I wanted a Sting-Ray more than anything. The photo of the blonde woman on the yellow bike predates my adolescence, but they must have kept using the photo, because I remember wanting her more than anything, too.

    I am intrigued by the Schwinn Runabout, which combines my current folding bike obsession with my preadolescent one.

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