Arguably ‘balloon’ tire bikes were introduced in the United States in 1933 by Schwinn. The rest of the industry followed suit within months of Schwinn’s introduction of the Model B10E Motorbike. The balloon tire bike is the ancestor of modern beach cruisers as well as mountain bikes. 

Most collectors divide the balloon tire era into pre war (WWII) and post war. The pre war era produced some of the most beautiful bikes ever made to include the Elgin Bluebird, Shelby Airflo Speedline, Schwinn Aerocycle and Deluxe Autocycles, the Huffman Super Streamlines, exotic Colsons, and many others. The post war era gave us the iconic Schwinn Phantom along with the Columbia Five Star Superb, the Monark Super Deluxe, and the Western Flyer X53 to name a few.

By the late 1950s the import of British lightweights spelled the end of the heavy balloon tire bicycles in the United States. Today these bikes are cherished and highly sought after. Riding one of these classics is sure to put a smile on your face and whisk you away to simpler times! 

Click the link below the picture to read more about the bicycle and see additional pictures.

1935 Schwinn Aerocycle

1935 Schwinn Aerocycle-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1935-schwinn-aerocycle/

1935 Elgin Bluebird

1935 Elgin Bluebird-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1935-elgin-bluebird/

1938 Shelby Airflo Speedline

1938 Shelby Airflo Speedline-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-shelby-airflo-speedline/

1940 Elgin Twin 20

1940 Elgin Twin 20-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1940-elgin-twin-20/

Western Flyer X53

1958 Western Flyer X53-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1958-western-flyer-x53-murray-built/

1941 Elgin Miss America

1941 Elgin Miss America-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1941-elgin-miss-america/

1935 Shelby Western Flyer

1935 Western Flyer (Shelby)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1935-shelby-western-flyer/

1941 Colson Goodyear Double Eagle Deluxe

1941 Goodyear Double Eagle Deluxe (Colson Clipper)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1941-double-eagle-deluxe-colson/

1934 Colson Hi-Lo

1934 Colson Hi-Lo-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1934-colson-hi-lo/

1938 Shelby “No Nose”

1938 Shelby Standard Airflo (No-Nose)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-shelby-airflo-standard-no-nose/

1937 Dayton Super Streamline

1937 Dayton Super Streamline (Huffman)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-dayton-super-streamline/

1938 Firestone Twin Flex

1938 Firestone Twin Flex (Huffman)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-firestone-twin-flex-huffman/

1934 Schwinn B10E

1934 Schwinn B10E Motorbike-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1934-schwinn-b10e-mototrbike/

1934 Huffman LaFrance

1934 LaFrance Camel Back (Huffman)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1934-la-france-camelback-huffman/

1937 Hawthorne Zep

1937 Hawthorne Zep (Snyder)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-hawthorne-zep-snyder/

1937 Firestone Fleetwood Supreme

1937 Firestone Fleetwood Supreme (Huffman)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-firestone-fleetwood-supreme-huffman/

1939 Iver Johnson Super Mobike

1939 Iver Johnson Super Mobike-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1939-iver-johnson-super-mobike/

1947 Monark Hex Tube

1947 Monark Hextube-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1947-monark-silver-king-hex-tube/

1941 Schwinn Autocycle Deluxe

1941 Schwinn Autocycle Deluxe (original paint)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1941-schwinn-autocycle-deluxe-original-paint/

1954 Monark Cycle King

1954 Monark Cycle King-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1954-monark-cycle-king/

1937 CWC Roadmaster Supreme

1937 Roadmaster Supreme (aka Bug Eye)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-roadmaster-supreme-aka-bug-eye/

1940 Monark Four Bar Loop Tail

1940 Monark Four Bar (loop tail) girls-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1940-monark-four-bar-loop-tail/

1938 Elgin Robin

1938 Elgin Robin-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-elgin-robin/

1951 Pope (Columbia) Five Star Superb Super Equipped

1951 Pope (Columbia) Five Star Superb Super Equipped-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1951-pope-westfield-five-star-superb-super-equipped/

1938 Schwinn Autocycle Super Deluxe

1938 Schwinn Autocycle Super Deluxe-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-schwinn-autocycle-super-deluxe/

1937 Elgin Skylark

1937 Elgin Skylark-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-elgin-skylark/

1941 Mercury Pacemaker

1941 Mercury Pacemaker Deluxe-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1941-mercury-pacemaker-deluxe/

1939 Monark Five Bar

1939 Monark Five Bar-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1939-monark-five-bar-super-frame/

1940 Roadmaster Model A Supreme

1940 Roadmaster Model A aka Supreme-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1940-roadmaster-model-a-aka-supreme/

1941 Seminole (Columbia) Custom Deluxe

1941 Seminole (Westfield) Custom Deluxe-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1941-westfield-seminole-custom-deluxe/

1938 Hiawatha Arrow

1938 Hiawatha Arrow-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-hiawatha-arrow/ 

1938 Roadmaster Supreme

1938 Roadmaster Supreme-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-roadmaster-supreme/

1950 Schwinn Phantom

1950 Schwinn Phantom-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1950-schwinn-phantom/

1939 Monark Five Bar Model GT 495

1939 Monark Five Bar Model GT 495-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1939-monark-five-bar-model-gt-495/

1938 Cyclone 80 Twin Flex

1938 Macy’s (Huffman) Twin Flex girls-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-macys-huffman-twin-flex/

1953 CWC Trojan Super

1953 Trojan (CWC) Super girls-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1953-trojan-super/

1935 Bluebird (Original)

1935 Elgin Bluebird (original paint)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1935-elgin-bluebird-original-paint/

1938 Shelby Airflo Speedline Model 62

1938 Shelby Airflo Speedline Model 62-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-shelby-model-62-airflo/

1938 Wards Hawthorne Comet

1938 Wards Hawthorne Comet (Snyder)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-wards-hawthorne-comet/

1937 Evinrude Streamflow Imperial

1937 Evinrude Streamflow-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-evinrude-streamflow/

1938 Hawthorne Zep

1938 Wards Hawthorne Zep (Snyder)-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1938-hawthorne-zep/

1949 Shelby Donald Duck

1949 Shelby 24″ Donald Duck-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1949-shelby-donald-duck/

1951 26″ Shelby Donald Duck

1951 Shelby 26″ Donald Duck-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1951-shelby-26-donald-duck/

1941 Schwinn Ace B607-1 Autocycle Deluxe

1941 Schwinn Ace B607-1 Autocycle Deluxe-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1941-schwinn-autocycle-deluxe-b607-1/

1937 Schwinn Liberty Model BA96

1937 Schwinn Liberty Model BA 96 Motorbike-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-schwinn-liberty-model-ba-96-motorbike/

1937 Mercury “Mono Pod”

1937 Mercury Semi-Deluxe aka Pod Bike-https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/1937-mercury-murray-semi-deluxe-pod-bike/

1937 Mercury Super De Luxe aka Dual Pod

1941 Mercury Pacemaker Model 7

1941 Schwinn Autocycle Super De Luxe Model B707