Tag: chicago

Steel is robust and extremely durable, though it’s comparatively heavy. That’s not really a problem if you’re a casual rider, and it’s a good, low-cost choice. If you’re a more competitive rider, you’ll be looking to reduce that weight. Aluminum alloy is lighter, still very strong, and an excellent choice for mid-range bikes. Carbon fiber… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns

Squeeze it dry and then use the rag to wipe your bike’s frame. Especially in areas that are more likely to accumulate debris such as the underside of the downtube and the fork area. A Schwinn grape krate in perfect condition was sold for up to $3000. Rear carrier, cycle lock steering mechanism, chrome steel… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns

However, the stock market crash at the end of the decade had a huge impact on the motorbike industry. Excelsior-Henderson went bankrupt and Arnold, Schwinn & Co was on the verge of bankruptcy. Schwinn purchased the Henderson Company and the Excelsior Company to form Excelsior-Henderson, manufacturing motorbikes. They became the third-largest motorbike manufacturer in America… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns

While the Paramount still sold in limited numbers to this market, the model’s customer base began to age, changing from primarily bike racers to older, wealthier riders looking for the ultimate bicycle. Schwinn sold an impressive 1.5 million bicycles in 1974, but would pay the price for failing to keep up with new developments in… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns

In terms of climbing traction, I think the weight of the bike is actually a plus, as are the 2.6-inch-wide tires. The company was founded in Chicago in 1895 by a pair of German immigrants, Ignaz Schwinn and Adolph Arnold, amidst the nation’s halcyon days of bike riding and manufacturing. By the mid-1970s, competition from… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns

The Greenville plant was not a success, as it was remote from both the corporate headquarters as well as the West coast ports where the material components arrived from Taiwan and Japan. The Greenville manufacturing facility, which had lost money each year of its operation, finally closed in 1991, laying off 250 workers in the… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns

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. By 1975, bicycle customers interested in medium-priced road and touring… Continue reading Chicago Schwinns