Schwinn Sting-Ray (Bicycle Books) [Paperback]

Liz Fried (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bicycle Books | Publication Date: August 1997

This guide for collectors and enthusiasts looks at the Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycle. The high-rise handlebars, banana seat and wide rear tyre gave it an distinctive appearance, captured in this book in factory photographs, brochure and other promotional and archive shots.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks International (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0933201885
• ISBN-13: 978-0933201880
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #948,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sting-Ray History 101, March 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Schwinn Sting-Ray (Bicycle Books) (Paperback)

Liz Fried captures the look and feel of the musclebike era in her book. She details the inception and development of the Sting-Ray craze, but doesn't provide the necessary details for collectors to use this book as a reference. The book includes some very fine photos of Schwinn Sting-Rays and wets the reader's appetite for more.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, But Not Great, February 18, 2009

By 

Michael K. Shearn "Ventana" (Lynnville, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Schwinn Sting-Ray (Bicycle Books) (Paperback)

I have no idea if the author, Liz, is male or female. The author's gender is not relevant. I call this book good but not great because it takes a fluff and fold approach to the topic and really never progresses beyond the level of casual when it comes to research. If you are interested in the subject of Schwinn Stingrays you will find this book informative but not all that well written. If you are a collector of Stingrays then you probably already know most of this book's content simply having spent time reading the different online forums that cover the topic of Schwinn bicycles in general. What would have moved this book beyond the casual level would have been, at the very least, a year by year break down of the different models with a comprehensive overview of the many production changes and differences that Schwinn chose to incorporate between 1963 and 1982. Unfortunately most of this information remains esoteric as it is enjoyed only by a small collection of very dedicated enthusiasts. For a comparison read a copy of "Original Porsche 911" by Peter Morgan and the difference between a serious reference work and Fried's book will become quite clear.
What Fried covers instead is the broader overview of Stingray production and interweaves some relevant information of the social climate in which the Stingray was conceived and produced. For those that grew up during the 60's and 70's it will be a pleasant walk down memory lane. For other readers those passages of the text will seem less than important unless they dream of living in the 60's. Overall Fried's approach and skill as a writer tends to wander. The content does repeat at times and the entire text shows the earmarks of being self-edited. Overall the book deserves a place on the shelf of anyone interested in the Stingray not only as a unique, trend-setting bicycle but as the social icon it has deservedly become. In the end Fried's book does provide the Schwinn Stingray with that. If for no other reason buy a copy now while they are still affordable. I doubt this book will ever be republished.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Last Word on Schwinn Sting Ray Series - A New Printing PLEASE !, July 4, 2010

By 

James J. Varela (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Schwinn Sting-Ray (Bicycle Books) (Paperback)

I bought this book new when it came out and lost it and look how valuable now. The reason is only one printing and much demand has driven the price of used copies into the statoshpere because so well done and packed with rare photos and information. I owned a red 1973 Scwhinn 5 Speed Sting-Ray as a child and most of the kids in my school drove Schwinns and mine remains the best gift I ever got from my father. The bikes were costly even then but worth it, I recall my friend had a Hawthrone bike from Montgomery Ward that rusted away after 2 years, mine lasted and there was trade-in value afterwards. I wish this book were back in print so I could afford another copy!