In an effort to cut costs, Schwinn moved production to Mississippi, Hungary, Taiwan, and mainland China. These mostly overseas suppliers had problems delivering their products on time, and those products schwinn dealers they did deliver were generally of a lower quality than customers had come to expect from Schwinn. Unable to keep up with its commitments to dealers, Schwinn lost floor space to competitors.
It’s important to keep in mind that there are so many beautiful – but less widely-known -vintage Schwinn bikes worth buying beyond those listed above. The Paramount was first introduced in 1938 and became one of Schwinn’s longest running models. This not only presented Schwinn with a lack of publicity, but also meant that Schwinn did not keep up with the latest innovations in frame geometry, gearing, and other components pioneered by the professional peloton.
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.
The bikes are also compatible with the Schwinn Triple Link pedal upgrade. Triple Link Pedals accommodate Look Delta and SPD style cleats to simulate an outdoor riding experience. They also easily convert to accept traditional athletic shoes with the snap-in locking toe clips. Sometime in the 1970’s, the Schwinn Chicago factory was organized by the United Auto Workers union, who felt that bicycle factory workers should be paid on the same scale as automotive workers. Unfortunately, the realities of the marketplace didn’t agree, and Schwinn closed the factory, transferring most production to Japan (Panasonic) and Taiwan (Giant). Schwinn also built a factory in Greenville, Mississippi, but it didn’t last, and even bought a factory in Hungary, but the deal fell through, and Schwinn never imported any Hungarian bikes to the U.S.
Irrespective of their age, most Schwinn cycles in good condition retain their value for a long time. It means that any bicycle more than 50 years old in a good or fair condition is likely to attract interest from other buyers. It also means that old Schwinn bikes before 1975 will be of greater value to collectors than a newer bike.
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 schwinn beach cruiser 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.
The bike accelerates fine on flat ground, but you’ll definitely need to add some leg assist if you’re going to be climbing tall hills. If you like Stingrays and Krates (I don’t…don’t get me started!), check out the bicyclehistory.com page abotu them. Mark Smith has a nice page about his Schwinn bikes , also some good Schwinn Repair and Restoration tips. The Bike Fed is here to cultivate, motivate and unite a strong community of residents as well as business and political leaders to move bicycling forward in Wisconsin – through education, legislation and involvement.