1970 Schwinn Stardust

1970 Schwinn Stardust

1970 Schwinn Stardust

From the catalog:

Schwinn Stardust
…the Shopper’s Bike!

The special new lightweight Sting-Ray 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 clamp on carrier makes basket removal simple.

Sleek lightweight style electro-forged Schwinn frame that’s so easy to step through, contoured and comfortable solid color Sting-Ray saddle with chrome saddle struts.

“MAG” type sprocket and chrome trimmed chainguard. Chrome plated fenders, schwinn tubular rims, Slik rear tire, 20″ x 1 3/8″ front sports tire.
Colors: Lemon, Campus green, violet, blue……$63.95

First, let’s get the sexist marketing and ad copy out of the way: The “Shopper’s bike” for “mother or daughter”? Schwinn did a disservice to all of the little boys of the 1970’s. None of the “boys” bikes came with this awesome basket. Can you imagine how much easier a paper route would have been with this basket and rack on the front of your bike? I’ve ridden this Stardust to get lunch on Winslow Way, and it’s really the best thing ever.

Also, “handy carrying handles” seems redundant in a few different ways.

Stardust basket

Basket rack

Chainguard

From United Cycle in Everett, Washington

Carol Guse (Yost) July 1970

Second thing: The original violet color banana seat was in rough shape, so we got this purple reproduction off of Ebay. A nice saddle but the color doesn’t quite match. We feel pretty good about it being nearly right for only $30, however. The exact replacement saddle in new condition? It’s still available for a “buy it now” price of $275.

Third thing: The cute little girl in the picture here? Her name was Carol Guse (well, she probably wasn’t married when the photo was taken, so it’d have been Carol Yost). It looks like her parents bought the bike for her 9th birthday in the spring or summer of 1970 from United Cycle in Everett. Carol’s daughter Karrie donated the bike for everyone to enjoy here after her mom passed away.