Compton's Lowrider Bicycle Originally Came From Mexico
Learn about the unexpected history of this symbol of West Coast culture.
The lowrider bicycle has deep roots in street culture, specifically the West Coast rapper look as made popular by the likes of Snoop Dogg. It’s such an entrenched image in the urban fabric of Los Angeles and Compton, that most would be surprised to find out that the lowrider actually comes from south of the border. Joe Manny Silva of Manny’s Bike Shop is the individual responsible for bringing it from Mexico to Compton in the ’70s, and after the neighborhood’s residents began taking notice of the flamboyant two-wheelers displayed within his shop, the rest was history. Hear the journey of the bicycle from the father of the lowrider himself in the video above.
