Schwinn backpedaling

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Men of a certain age who relish the memory of their old Schwinn "banana seat" bike may want to pull a wheelie: The company has reintroduced this two-wheeled icon of the 1960s.

Schwinn introduced the reinvented Sting-Ray bicycle in Madison, Wis., yesterday, billing it "The Rebirth of Cool."

The bike is unabashedly a relic from the all-American playground.

"With its raked-out fork, knees-to-the-breeze seat position, a huge rear tire and enough bad-boy character to raise eyebrows, this is no ordinary bicycle," Schwinn says.

Schwinn received design advice from Orange County Choppers, the New York-based custom motorcycle shop whose work has been inspired by the films "Easy Rider" and "The Wild One."

The shop is busy working on a line of special edition Sting-Rays, complete with fancy logos and extreme features. There is also talk of adult-size Sting-Ray bikes as well, sure to cause a stir on the typical Sunday morning bike path.

"The new Sting-Ray is for the kid who wants a bike that offers the riding experience of a chopper," said Schwinn spokesman Joe Werwie.

"Just like the original model, every kid can customize his Sting-Ray with cool accessories coming soon like custom wheels, high-back sissy bars, over-sized chain guards and more," he said.

Ironically, the Sting-Ray, along with a few other youthful playtime icons, has lost its American roots.