The Lowrider Bike: A Form of Cultural Expression.

These unforgettable bikes may have been born in the barrio, but they remain a community staple. Lowrider Syndicate takes a deeper look at rise, fall, and rise of...

THE LOWRIDER BIKE

Story: Carlos Santiago | Photos: LRS staff

LOWRIDER BIKES BECOME A PART OF THE FAMILY

A lowrider bike is more than just a custom creation. It’s a statement that defines its owner. It’s a piece of art that speaks volumes about a culture powered by tradition and pride. I know. I grew up in a family obsessed with them. Even after moving to three different countries and 6 different houses, our bikes are still here with us, and the mere sight brings back incredible memories of my childhood.

For many, a lowrider bike is the entry ticket into lowriding culture, and for some, a life-changing hobby that keeps them from the perils of the streets. Like the cars they emulate, there are no rules to the game, but there are traditions to be followed. For starters, they’re designed to go low and slow. Some are built as two-wheel bikes; others are built as three-wheelers called trikes. Some are built to cruise; some are built strictly for show. These bikes are built both by the young and old, but more often than not, the more pricey projects tend to be built by both father and child. With some of these custom lowrider bikes costing upwards of $10k, it becomes clearly evident why the full show bikes aren’t ridden on the street.

In the future, we will get in more detail about the builds, but for now, let’s say that most lowrider bikes sport custom paint jobs, custom frames, mirrors, engraving, custom wheel sets; and some even have steering wheels, continental kits, spotlights, and who could forget the gold or chrome-plated sprockets, knock off forks, and bananas seats that are usually upholstered.

THIS LIFESTYLE HAS TRADITIONAL VALUE

This subculture comes with plenty of built-in traditions (and unofficial rules), as we soon found out. Many of these bikes are built in secrecy – with only the builders and the artists contracted in the know. I found this out when we asked if we could take a picture of one of the bikes. Seconds after posing the question to the owner of the bike, his dad, Miguel, cocked his head back with hesitation and cautiously replied, “Umm. I don’t think so. Please. At least not yet.”

Many owners treat their builds as art that should not be unveiled until it’s done, which is exactly the case for the father-son duo. As we circled the bike, Miguel started talking more about the bike; he said, “I’ll tell you this. Lowrider bikes helped keep my son occupied. It kept him out of trouble.” He added, “It taught him how to work hard and save money. We built this bike together, and it’s never been shown. But now that he’s older, he’s building a 64 Impala that will match the same colors and theme on his bike. So if you took a flick of the bike, it would end up giving away how his Impala is gonna look, and we can’t have that.”

Miguel’s explanation was more than fair, and if anything, pretty damn cool – especially in this day and age of social media where everyone is showing off their every move. He did agree to call us back when the two were completely done.

WHEN DID LOWRIDER BIKES START

According to an article referenced from Lowrider magazine. Lowrider bicycles originated in East Los Angeles and took inspiration from the creation of famed car builder “George Barris” – who’s best known for creating movie cars such as the Batmobile, the Munsters’s Coach, and the Black Beauty. When Schwinn bicycles came out with the 1963 Sting-Ray, it was every kid’s wildest dream. The bike was designed to mimic a dragster, but once Barris got his hands on it, he was inspired to cut it up and customize it. The result? A custom bicycle that Eddie Munster would use on the hit television series: The Munsters.

Once that bicycle was seen on the big screen, it was game over. This inspired young kids from East Los Angeles to do the same, except they would pattern their builds based on their parent’s lowriders or the ones they’d see cruising their local blvd. With plenty of chrome and an aggressive stance, lowrider bikes were born but would soon fall in popularity to BMX bikes. But the hiatus only slowed the movement till the 70’s when it made its revival, and now that it’s taken yet another short break. Interestingly enough, low-rider bikes seem to fade to black and come back in full color, taking on the same growth patterns as low-rider cars themselves.

Eddie Munster's bike built by George Barris/ Von Dutch

ARE LOWRIDER BIKES BACK?

I would be lying if I said it’s back because it never went anywhere. Lowrider bicycles will forever remain a part of the community and a multicultural form of expression open for everyone to enjoy. There was even a publication devoted to the scene called Lowrider Bicycle. The magazine ran from 1993 to 2007 (if I remember correctly), but since then, there’s only been a handful of stories featured in their now-defunct parent company, Lowrider magazine.

Stay tuned because we will be featuring more custom lowrider bikes and trikes soon.

These unforgettable bikes may have been born in the barrio, but they remain a community staple. Lowrider Syndicate takes a deeper look at rise, fall, and rise of...