These guys have flawless customer service and are very friendly. The Paramount was developed for track and road racing by Emil Wastyn, a 6 day racing frame builder, mechanic and schwinn dealers Schwinn dealer in Chicago, who immigrated from Belgium. The Chicago Schwinns were among the most bomb-resistant bikes ever built, and they were built with unique technology .
In addition to the fond memories these beautiful bicycles inspire, enthusiasts praise their quality workmanship and enduring value. Whether you’re considering a vintage Schwinn for personal use or want to invest in a piece of American popular history, you’ll have a lot of options. The ownership of Schwinn-branded bikes has changed hands several times. In October 2021, a privately-held Dutch group called Pon Holdings bought Dorel Sports from Dorel Industries, the parent company for Schwinn, Cannondale, GT and Mongoose. The deal included acquisition of Pacific Cycle, which still manages the Schwinn brand and others from its headquarters in Madison. Schwinn authorized dealers flourished in the fifties and around 500,000 bikes were sold almost every year from 1950 to 1959.
It also may be cost-prohibitive to repair your machine if it is older. Our technicians are skilled in repairing and maintaining Schwinn fitness equipment. Electric bikes make riding more fun and accessible for everyone.
By 1992, when the Schwinn Bicycle Company went into bankruptcy, the manufacturing of its bicycles had moved almost entirely overseas, primarily to Asia. That’s still the case for Schwinn-branded bikes sold in the United States. Discover the newest offerings in Specialized bikes, e-bikes, gear, and apparel at our store. Our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you in navigating our extensive product lineup.
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. 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.
They are similar to the gravel bikes popular today, which also handle well on a range of surfaces. “Even if we built every bicycle in this country, you would probably build them with less than 10,000 people. And that’s not nearly as strategic as the automobile industry, which employs half a million people,” Schwinn said.
As always, the Paramount spared no expense; the bicycles were given high-quality lightweight lugged steel frames using double-butted tubes of Reynolds 531 and fitted with quality European components including Campagnolo derailleurs, hubs, and gears. The Paramount series had limited production numbers, making vintage examples quite rare today. Other road bikes were introduced by Schwinn in the early and mid 1960s, such as the Superior, Sierra, and Super Continental, but these were only produced for a few years. 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.
The new company produced a series of well-regarded mountain bikes bearing the Schwinn name, called the Homegrown series.[62] In 2001, Schwinn/GT declared bankruptcy. We proudly serve all types of cyclists, including new and veteran riders, road and mountain aficionados, and recreation and transportation cyclists. Whether you prefer to shop on our website or to come visit us, we’re here to help you with all of your cycling needs. Learn more about what makes us unique, and visit us today to meet our friendly staff and experience our incredible product selection.
However, one member of the Schwinn family remained at the helm of a U.S. bike company. Richard Schwinn ran Waterford Precision Cycles out of the same plant in southeastern Wisconsin previously owned by his family.
Whether you’re looking for a fixer-upper or want a bike in mint condition, there are plenty of places to shop. If you’re considering buying or selling a vintage Schwinn, you’ll need to get an idea of how much it is worth. To determine the condition schwinn ebike of your bike, examine the paint, tires, spokes, and all equipment. The more you know about the bike and its condition, the better your estimate of its value will be. In 1950 one in every four bicycles sold in the U.S. was a Schwinn.