Hello and thank you for looking. Before we start with the description, if looking at the pictures of this little demon didn’t bring an uncontrollable smile to your face, I kindly ask you not offer and make room for those who still have a 12 year old maniac living in their souls who are dying to jump on this thing!

I will be starting the offerding at $93.95, the sticker price for a Krate Pea Picker in 1969. That seems like an appropriate place to start.

So here with have an absolutely stunning example of a Schwinn Krate Pea Picker. The serial number (MD14641) dates this as being built in December 1968 (sold in 1969), making this a very early Pea Picker, as technically the Pea Picker was not produced until 1969.

I will start by mentioning one thing this beauty is entirely lacking- Rust. There is not a fleck of rust to be found anywhere. As far as originality, the bike is damn close to being exactly as it was the day it left the store. Original paint, breaks, break lines and break pads, handlebars, grips, chainguard, pedals, shocks/springs, reflector, shifter, fenders, kickstand, and front tire (the rear tire appears to be replaced.

As for the seat, I’m a bit unsure about it. I am used to seeing Krates having the Schwinn “S” and single vertical stripe. As you can see this Krate has the glittery seat with many horizontal stripes you usually see on a Stingray. I brought this bike to a speciality vintage bike store however, and their resident Schwinn expert pointed out that this seat had the “Sting-Ray” metal plaque on the back but the writing had been worn completely off, suggesting it was very old, and in his opinion, the original seat. However I cannot be certain either way, all I can say is the seat is in incredible condition with no rips and is a genuine Schwinn Stingray seat.

As you can see the overall condition of the bike is just about as clean as you will ever find on a bike that wasn’t simply kept in a box the last 50 years. The bike has been ridden, but clearly has been babied. The original paint is almost entirely intact with just a few small areas where it has been scraped off. The original chrome fenders are brilliant, without any dents or noticeable scratches. The bike comes ready to rider and boy it rides smooooooth and the shifter is like butter, cleanly advancing gears. The brakes are in great shape, however as you can see, the original break lines will likely need to be replaced, but will be included with the bike. There are just so many areas on this 50 year old bike you would expect to find serious signs of wear, but there just isn’t.

All in all this Is just a beautiful Krate Pea Picker, exactly what this bike should be. It is a joy to ride, and brings an instant smile to all who see it. If you have any question, don’t hesitate to ask. I have perfect response and much experience shipping valuable and fragile items, so please offer with confidence. Best of luck, and have a blast with this baby!