The lines of the bike frames became more exaggerated, chrome plating was applied liberally, and paint jobs became much more elaborate with flames, metal flakes, and wild colors. These new bikes were still in the cruiser tradition, but were inspired by the Southern California hot rod “kustom kar” culture. In 2002, the company diversified its products, introducing the new “Stream Ride” series. Įlectra advertising in the early days focused on the company’s combination of classic looks with more modern features, such as aluminum frames and multiple speeds, with the tagline “Modern cruisers, with modern components, for modern people.” Hot Rod Influence Today, Electras are available in bike shops throughout Europe, the USA, Japan and Australia. In fact, the fledging company’s cruiser sales were so strong that larger firms were spurred to start offering their own cruiser models. "But people realized they didn't need a mountain bike to go to the grocery store." However, when bike shops tried stocking the Electras, they began to sell, and word-of-mouth convinced more dealers to sign on. At first, "Dealers laughed at us," says Bänziger. The new Electra cruisers were manufactured by a Taiwanese contractor and the two partners began trying to sell them to bike shops. The two remain the firm’s sole shareholders. Erforth said he could sell the kind of bikes Bänziger was designing, so the two pooled $30,000 in personal savings and founded Electra Bicycle Company. About this time, Bänziger met Erforth, a fellow German transplant who was selling pieces of the Berlin Wall. “Back in 1993, there were no cruisers available,” Erforth told the Carlsbad Local News, “You could buy a $99 Huffy at Wal-Mart, or you could try to find an old one and restore it, which is very expensive,” Bänziger decided there was a market niche for a stylish, affordable cruiser bicycle for twentysomethings and began working on designs that combined old school looks with contemporary technology. I wanted to introduce the ‘having a bike in your life’ factor, as opposed to ‘being a cyclist.’” Founding the Company Īt the time, there were very few cruisers, the classic “fun” bike, on the market. Then his attention shifted to bicycles.Īs Bänziger told the San Diego Union-Tribune, “The one thing I found when I looked at cycling in the US was that everything was some kind of sport, but very few people used bikes for fun or for transportation. He had originally planned to start manufacturing snowboards or skateboards, but found that those markets were crowded with competitors and seemed a poor bet for a startup. Bänziger moved to California after graduating with a degree in graphic design, founding his own firm, Projekt Design, in 1990 and doing work for companies like K2 and Adidas. When he was a teenager, he began designing and manufacturing snowboards in Germany. Their range extends from bells, bikes and baskets to mirrors, mud-flaps and “Bike Bling”.Bänziger, a Swiss national, grew up in the Swiss Embassy in East Berlin fascinated with California and action sports. The brand also sell accessories to give your two wheel ride a personality. It has since gained popularity for its comfort, control and style of bicycles. Grips: Electra Saddle Matching Hand-Stitched LeatheretteĮxtras: Painted Stubby Rear Fender, Kickstand and Stainless Steel and Anti-Rust Hardware, Dice Valve CapsĮlectra is a world-wide known brand and was was founded in 1993. Stem: BMX Direct Mount 25.4 mm x 50mm Ext. Seat Post: Classic Alloy Pillar 27.2mm X 300mm Saddle: Electra Rat Fink Bucket w/Double Springs Rear Hub: Shimano Nexus 3-Speed w/Coaster 36HĬrankset: Electra Custom Alloy 3-Piece 170mm We believe Ed would be pleased to find that his namesake is the coolest of cool bikes.įrame: Electra Hydroformed 6061-T6 Alloy Flat Foot Technology®įork: Triple Tree w/Alloy Crown's, High Tensile Steel Legs Disc Compatible Ed was constantly inventing and innovating new cars, new trikes and new bikes. His Rat Fink grinning, fly-pestered image is an icon of the Southern California car scene and beatnik years. Electra Rat Fink Alloy 3i Metal Flake Green Mens Bike 2020Įd “Big Daddy” Roth was, to many, the consummate artist, free-spirited maverick of Southern California’s car culture of the 1950s through the ‘90s.
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