bikes were originally made in the U.S., but by the mid-1990s, the company fell into deep financial trouble. The U.S. Bicycle industry had consolidated, and high-volume retailers accounted for three-fourths of the U.S. market, which gave them massive control over manufacturers. Huffy bikes are today manufactured in China, which is why they sometimes get a bad reputation. However, it’s important to understand how Huffy – originally a U.S. company – ended up outsourcing its bicycle manufacturing. In 1982, George Huffman observed the bicycle craze sweeping the nation and decided to transform his simple sewing machine company into one focused entirely on manufacturing bikes.
The women’s Deluxe cruiser is one of schwinn bicycles’s cheapest bicycles on offer. This is a good-looking single-speed cruiser bicycle that’s great for first-timers and recreational riders. These bikes are great for smooth riding and will provide you with a nice experience on the road. You can at least expect them to provide you with a comfortable bike that has an amazing steel frame. They have really good entry-level bikes, and their build quality is nice too.
Mole developed the bike based on heavily modified children’s bicycles that were becoming popular with pre-teens in Southern California, and which mimicked the appearance of customized “chopper” motorcycles. The High Rise had a long banana seat with supporting struts and tall “ape-hanger” handlebars. Huffy hesitated for several months before agreeing to make the bike, on the condition that if the bike failed to sell that Mole would buy all the leftover parts and frames. The new bike, informally designated the Penguin, began appearing in retail stores by March 1963. The Penguin was the first of the banana-seat chopper bicycles to reach the U.S. market. Huffy is well-known for making budget-friendly, entry-level bicycles for American consumers.
Huffy said it has retainedPaineWebber Inc. to explore alternatives to boost its flagging stock prices. The company will close its two U.S. bicycle plants–in Farmington, Mo., and Southhaven, Miss.–by the end of the year, eliminating about 600 jobs. During the 1930s, Huffman participated in the revival of the American cycling industry, during which Horace Huffman commented on a “change of attitude”.
Experienced riders and casual riders both love Huffy Bikes, one of the main reasons is that they are extremely affordable. Mounting competition from foreign bicycle manufacturers, particularly Asian, and a generally sluggish retail market combined to cause a hefty loss for Huffy in 1995. The company answered the competition aggressively with the 1997 introduction of 16 new BMX models.
The growth of the corporation during the 1980s was significant and was nearly a Fortune 500 Company. In the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, United States athletes riding Serotta-built bicycles racing under the Huffy brand won two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. A technical development center housed in the Huffy Corporate Offices in Dayton, Ohio was formed to research and create next-generation carbon fiber road and time trial bicycles. It was led by Mike Melton and Steve Bishop, two legendary custom bicycle builders. The subsequent fallout in the cycling community was devastating to Huffy, but not surprising considering the nature of the athletes involved.