However, Schwinn switched up the industry by instead insisting that Schwinn branding had to be retained on the bikes sold by stores. Schwinn bikes were an iconic household brand name of bicycle in the US for nearly all of the 20th century. The Schwinn Coston CE is very much a commuter electric bike, but it’s not one of those thin-wheeled messenger e-bikes. Speaking of which, check out my video below to see the bike’s performance and features in action, including those cool frame lights. It may not compete head to head with many of the direct-to-consumer companies, but it represents a big jump for Schwinn’s e-bike line and may just fit the right commuter looking for an e-bike with these features. By 1996 Schwinn had climbed to second in the industry for product shipment, behind Trek.
Bike sales fell from one million in 1987 to 500,000 in 1991 and to approximately 275,000 in 1993. By 1992 Schwinn held only about five percent of the U.S. bicycle market and had lost $50 million in the previous three years, including a $25 million schwinn beach cruiser loss in 1992 alone. Having lost the confidence of its dealers, fallen behind in research and development, and given up market share to new companies with aggressive distribution, the company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 7, 1992.
These years as the top bicycle manufacturer in the United States represented a high point for Schwinn. With phenomenal name recognition and consumer loyalty, Schwinn dominated the market. Filling the Shinola contract will strain
the capacity of the welders, brazers and shippers working in the cluttered
Waterford plant. The company’s reputation earned it the business, according to
Sky Yaeger, an industry veteran and the design leader for Shinola. We offer service contracts on a monthly, bimonthly and quarterly basis. A preventive maintenance program helps to keep your equipment in top condition, decrease downtime, and prevent major equipment failures.
In 1938, Frank W. Schwinn officially introduced the Paramount series. Developed from experiences gained in racing, Schwinn established Paramount as their answer to high-end, professional competition bicycles. The Paramount used high-strength chrome-molybdenum steel alloy tubing and expensive brass lug-brazed construction.
During this period, Schwinn bought up a number of smaller bicycle production companies in order to survive. They then built a small factory in Chicago, which was at that point the center of the bicycle industry. This was a no-expense-spared project of Frank W. Schwinn, who wanted the bike to be introduced in 1938.
The limited run of Paramounts and the
foundation of the Waterford and Gunnar models connect the company to its
lineage as an offspring of the once-dominant Schwinn line. That’s about the number of bikes
that Waterford now produces in a year. The company has been rolling out new services in Europe, including the popular “Swapfiets” in Amsterdam where users pay a monthly fee and get repairs and replacement bikes for free. Schwinn is one of the oldest and best-known cycle brands in the United States, making an array of bikes including notably “beach cruisers”. Mongoose is known for BMX and dirt bikes, while Cannondale makes high-end road bikes. “Together we can further cater to the ever growing demand for quality and electric bikes, whether it’s for urban use, leisure or sports,” CEO Janus Smalbraak said in a statement.
Despite the company’s serious problems, it held some appeal to those wishing to salvage it. Schwinn’s name recognition remained high in the U.S. sporting goods market, and its dealer network was extensive, comprising 1,800 dealers throughout the nation. Reversing the family’s policy of not bringing in outside investors, Edward Schwinn Jr., the last Schwinn to run the company, sold the company in January 1993 to Scott Sports Group Inc. Scott USA, the world’s foremost ski accessory manufacturer, already had a successful bicycle business, Scott Holdings, which was the number two seller of Asian-made bikes in Europe.
It was an unqualified success, other than that it was very expensive to produce and showed little if any real profit potential. Sponsorship of 6-day riders produced a team to showcase the Paramount, the riders such as Jerry Rodman (The Michael Jordan of that time in Chicago) and the rest of the Schwinn Co. bicycle line. If I recall, it was what Schwinn called a “cantilever” frame, where the seat stays pass by the seat cluster and continue on in a graceful curve to join the bottom of the head tube. Older Schwinn “cruisers”, such as the Excelsior that was the inspiration of the first mountain bikes, used a straight lower top tube from the bottom of the head tube to the seat tube.
Although their models were favored by slightly older buyers, they weren’t able to find huge success in the growing younger market, which had leaned increasingly towards lightweight and technologically advanced road bikes. Throughout the decade, the company further expanded its range of 10-speed racing bikes with the launch of the Varsity, Continental, and LeTour models, in order to rival European heavyweights such as Peugeot and Gitane. You also get two different frame sizes to choose from, which is a big upgrade over the single one-size-fits-all frames that many e-bike companies still offer. I’m sure that keeping it in low pedal assist will still net riders the claimed maximum of 35 miles that Schwinn promises.
W. Schwinn tasked a new team to plan future business strategy, consisting of marketing supervisor Ray Burch, general manager Bill Stoeffhaas, and design supervisor Al Fritz. With the first production bike designed specifically for indoor cycling, Schwinn set the standard for an industry. Riders experience enhanced comfort with adjustable seat slides and handlebars, and durable stretch pads. A product of input from hundreds of users, cycling instructors and fitness buyers, this innovative bike belongs in a class by itself – but your riders will definitely want it in theirs.