Even the paint colors were the same (remember that the fillet-brazed frames were hung on the general Schwinn painting line). Only the round Schwinn badge, downtube diameter and pointed seatstay tops are visibly different. Although they were fabricated in the same shop as the Paramounts, from there Schwinn’s fillet-brazed frames took a different production path. Paramounts continued through their own paint and assembly processes, while the fillet-brazed models were added to the assembly line with high-volume Schwinn flash-welded frames for serial-number stamping, electrostatic painting, and final assembly. Hence Paramount serial numbers are unique to Paramounts and serve as a tally of Paramount production, while serial numbers on the fillet-brazed models were mixed in with other Schwinn models. This is also why the fillet-brazed models came in the same colors as lower-priced Schwinns, which contributed to their obscurity.
Over the years, Schwinn has empowered millions of people, earning a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of riders. We have spent over a century building the bicycle industry into what it is today, and we’re not done yet. While not a true high-end mountain bike, the Protocol does have many of the positive features of a rugged trail bike with the smooth ride of a commuter bike. We suggest replacing the original saddle for casual riding, but the retail price point is hard to beat. Many riders will appreciate the convenience of a folding bicycle for short commutes and camping trips. We suggest getting a professional tune-up and possibly changing out the seat before hitting the road for the first time.
With this partnership, Schwinn increased their bicycle sales to 500,000 per year by 1985. Schwinn’s annual sales soon neared the million mark, and the company turned a profit in the late 1980s. However, after unsuccessfully attempting to purchase a minority share in Giant Bicycles, Edward Schwinn Jr. negotiated a separate deal with the China Bicycle Co. to produce bicycles mongoose bmx bike to be sold under the Schwinn brand. In retaliation, Giant introduced its own line of Giant-branded bikes for sale to retailers carrying Schwinn bikes. Both Giant and CBC used the dies, plans, and technological expertise from Schwinn to greatly expand the market share of bicycles made under their own proprietary brands, first in Europe, and later in the United States.
Application of the rule of reason here cannot be confined to intrabrand competition. When we look to the product market as a whole, we cannot conclude that Schwinn’s franchise system with respect to products as to which it retains ownership and risk constitutes an unreasonable restraint of trade. This does not, of course, excuse or condone the per se violations which, in substance, consist of the control over the resale of Schwinn’s products after Schwinn has mongoose bmx bike parted with ownership thereof. By 1990, other United States bicycle companies with reputations for excellence in design such as Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale had cut further into Schwinn’s market. Unable to produce bicycles in the United States at a competitive cost, by the end of 1991 Schwinn was sourcing its bicycles from overseas manufacturers. This period in Schwinn’s history plays a cameo role in a novel by Dave Eggers, A Hologram for the King .
The Varsity and Continental sold in large numbers through the 1960s and early 1970s, becoming Scwhinn’s leading models. The wheel rims were likewise robust, chromed, stamped steel with a unique profile designed to hold the tire bead securely, even if pressure were low or lost. After a series of production cuts and labor force reductions, Schwinn was able to restructure its operations. The company renegotiated loans by putting up the company and the name as collateral, and increased production of the Airdyne exercise bicycle, a moneymaker even in bad times.
But it’s not just the names customer’s trust, it’s the look and feel of our products, our superior quality, and our outstanding customer service that help us bring these premium brands to the hands and feet of our customers. Since applying that strategy to Schwinn, the brand has lost the support of most independent dealers, whose ranks are in decline. But it’s been a hit among mass merchants, with the Sting Ray expected to top many kids’ Christmas lists this season. “The bikes that we’re putting the Schwinn brand on and selling to Wal-Mart are absolutely the best bikes that Wal-Mart has ever sold,” Hornung said. Schwinn is the American icon that has built some of the best-known and most-loved bicycles of all time. Schwinn models like the Aerocycle, Paramount, Phantom, Varsity, Sting-Ray, Krate, Homegrown and more are forever firmly ingrained in biking’s lexicon.
Customers preferred lugged construction and equated lugless frames with Varsitys and Continentals or, worse, low-quality department-store bicycles. Reinforcing sleeve on a Schwinn fillet-brazed frame.The finished frames were strong, durable, and relatively lightweight. They feature contoured joints, thin seatstays with bullet-point tips, and those slightly oversize seat- and downtubes. Their frame geometry includes long chainstays and fork rake, a low bottom bracket shell, a 73 degree seat-tube angle, and a 72 degree head-tube angle, all of which provide a smooth and stable, “sweet handling” ride. With these models Schwinn achieved a nice balance of frame rigidity and smooth handling. We proudly serve all types of cyclists, including new and veteran riders, road and mountain aficionados, and recreation and transportation cyclists.
If you find an old bicycle at a flea market, yard sale, or thrift store, it’s important to be able to identify what you have. Knowing how to tell if a Schwinn bike is vintage and how to tell whether your old bicycle is made by Schwinn can help you determine whether you have found a valuable transportation treasure. From streamlined Aerocycles and classic Phantoms to Varsity eight-speeds and Sting Ray Krates, vintage Schwinn bicycles are popular with collectors.