Cruiser bicycles are balloon-tire bikes with heavy duty frames and were America’s standard bike from the early 1930s right through the 1950s. Their wide tires and simple mechanicals (usually single speed with coaster brake) are ideally suited to riding on flat sandy beaches, which means that they remained popular through the 1960s and 1970s as “Beach Cruisers.” In the late 70s/early 80s, durable old cruiser frames formed the basis of the newly-developing mountain bike. Cruisers’ comfort, style, and affordability (compared to mountain and racing bikes) have led to renewed popularity in recent years.