| Custom bicycles and lowriders have been around | | | | were soon being mass produced by Schwinn |
| for a long time, but they seem to be back in | | | | bikes. Their owners could still customize them as |
| fashion again. They were first popular in the 60's | | | | the company sold many ad ons to the bikes, so |
| and 70's but in the year 2000 they started to be | | | | that they could still get that home made fashion. |
| popular again. These bikes usually have a long seat | | | | But the more recent custom bicycles and |
| and high curved handed bars. The riding position is | | | | lowriders are much better made than the originals. |
| usually fairly laid back. They were originally | | | | They are also much lower to the ground. This is |
| fashioned on the chopper motorbikes that were | | | | really a fashion thing but that is what these bikes |
| popular at that time. They often have a lot of | | | | are all about. But there is usually suspension on |
| accessories on them and are not just built for | | | | the front wheels and an oversized rear tire to |
| riding. | | | | make them more comfortable to ride. They also |
| There is now a thriving industry in these bikes | | | | are trying to make them have more of a |
| that until recently had been thought of as a | | | | motorbike thing to them. |
| novelty. The bikes that they are making now, | | | | Another thing that the custom bicycles and |
| although they draw their inspiration form their | | | | lowriders usually have is a stick gear system. This |
| earlier models are much more sophisticated and | | | | is actually more like a car gear and it is an |
| stylish. They are also a lot better to ride than the | | | | essential part of the bike. There are a lot of |
| original bikes were. But although they are | | | | these bikes being sold at the moment and they |
| different, they still retain the same character. | | | | are getting more and more popular. There are |
| The fashion of custom bicycles and lowriders | | | | some really good websites as well where you can |
| really started in the US around 40 years ago. But | | | | get some good advice if you are new to them. |
| they were not called lowriders then, they were | | | | But if you are going to get one of the m then |
| called dragsters. Although they were originally | | | | you have to customize it. That is really the whole |
| bikes that were made by their owners, they | | | | point of these great bikes. |