[analog31]

>>>>> There's no equivalent to the Dutch department store bikes that, if memory serves correctly, were cheap but simple, low-maintenance, and better outfitted for casual riding (fenders, a light, a lock).

Schwinn made such bikes for decades. Folks stopped buying them.

[zachrose]

Interesting, do you know what they were called?

[to11mtm]

My favorite Schwinns to find are the 'Suburban' models.

You can find them with fenders and a rack pretty easily. They're a simple 2x5 drivetrain.

They start out very heavy. The wheels/braking is terrible. -but-. If you swap the wheels out for something modern, perhaps do some minor drivetrain upgrades you'll wind up with a still-kinda-heavy but amazingly capable and cheap city bike. Plus, in some areas it has a bit of a 'sleeper' effect and will get lower attention from thieves.

[petre]

Clunkers. The early MTB pioneers were racing them downhill in SoCal during the mid 70s. The bikes had coaster brakes which failed often with that kind if usage. Then they invented the MTB and everything changed.

Electra still makes them but they're quite heavy and too expensive. One could buy a much more useful urban IGH or 1x derailleur bike for the same amount. Like a Kona Dew.

[analog31]

Indeed, I own a 60's clunker, and enjoy having it for the experience and audacity of riding it, but you take the basic clunker concept and replace every piece with its modern counterpart, and now you've got a much better bike. For instance I wouldn't build up a new bike with steel rims, or expect any kind of performance out of a coaster brake.

[kbrosnan]

They were not all exactly like Dutch bikes. Though they were inexpensive and fairly common through the mid 80s Stuff like the Breeze, Speedster, Suburban, etc. See https://bikehistory.org/ for a lot more examples.

[analog31]

Indeed, the styling was different, but the concept was similar. Here is just one example.

https://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCat/flschwinn_1961_1970/19...

They also had a delivery bike that almost anticipates the modern baekfiets. And some department stores such as Sears and Wards had similar lines at somewhat lower prices.

I have a early 60s Schwinn that is still in good working order despite no maintenance other than lubrication and new tires.