|
 |
Ignaz Schwinn and partner
Adolph Arnold incorporate
"Arnold, Schwinn & Company"
on October 22, 1895. The
company is founded in
Chicago.
"Roadster" single speed, 19lbs. |
|
 |
Paced by a locomotive,
Mile-a Minute Murphy is
the first man to go... you
guessed it... 60 mph. |
|
Bicycling is an adult-driven market. A
racing bike costs $150 ($27,450 in
today's dollars). Time payments are still
a long way from reality.
Bicycles are where most advances in
machining and metallurgy take place. |
|
Ignaz and the Mrs. Have a baby, Frank.
Ignaz Schwinn buys the interest of his partner, Adolph Arnold, and becomes the sole owner of Arnold, Schwinn & Company. |
|
With the advent of the affordable automobile, bikes become passe for adults.
Manufacturing advances mean lower prices, making bicycles available to children for the first time. A new market is born. Tough bikes are developed to stand the punishment that kids dish out.
|
|
| Schwinn buys Henderson Motor Cycle Company. |
|
| Schwinn creates a new department comprised of bicycle and motorcycle engineers to improve quality and appearance. Schwinn becomes the standard of innovation for the industry. |
|
| Arnold, Schwinn & Company introduces the bicycle balloon 26x2.125 tire in the spring of 1933 - two years later, it became the standard of the industry. "Ignaz Schwinn's balloon tire is the single biggest innovation in mountain bike technology." - Bike Magazine, May '95 |
|
| Schwinn introduces the Cyclelock, "the final solution" to the bicycle theft problem. Guess they didn't plan on New York of the '90's. |
|
 |
Schwinn presents the "Auto Cycle" Deluxe balloon tire bicycle - featuring the Schwinn full floating saddle and seat post, plus twin headlights and speedometer. |
|
 |
Drafting a race car, French racer Alfred Letourner sets the speed record of 108.92 mph on a Paramount bicycle with 255 gear inches. Now that's pushing a BIG gear. |
|
| Built-in kickstands and new styled drop-outs developed during the war, now improve post-war bikes. |
|
| Schwinn begins an "Authorized Dealer Network" and expands the genuine parts and accessories program. |
|
| Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ronald Reagan and all the stars from Hollywood's "golden era" choose Schwinn bikes! |
|
| Not just bikes anymore. Seeing the trend towards fitness, Schwinn introduces the first in-home workout machines. |
|
 |
Captain Kangaroo always says, "Schwinn bikes are the best!" |
|
| January 1, 1967, Arnold, Schwinn & Company becomes the "Schwinn Bicycle Company." |
|
 |
The BMX craze is in full gear, raising a gear as bike-riders headed towards the dirt. |
|
The "Airdyne" stationary bike is introduced.
|
|
| Schwinn moves from Chicago to Boulder, Colorado. |
|
| The radically new Schwinn line includes the new Moab S voted best of show by Mountain Bike Magazine. |
|
| Schwinn celebrates 30 years of manufacturing fitness equipment. From the humble roots of the Deluxe Exerciser stationary bike now springs a full line of advanced apparati equipped with the state of the art computers and electromagnetic resistance. |
|
Schwinn re-introduces its muscle car inspired Sting-Ray and Krate bicycles, wildly popular models offered in the late sixties and early seventies. Nostalgia buffs everywhere shed a collective tear of joy.
Schwinn acquires Hebb Industries, a leading manufacturer of treadmills. In an extreme non-coincidental development, Schwinn unveils a new line of 8 quality treadmill models, instantly becoming a serious player in the treadmill business. |
|
| Pleased to learn that the only thing tragic about Y2K was Dick Clark's lethargic television commentary as The Ball dropped in Time Square, Schwinn employees emerge from subterranean bunkers and enter the new millennium determined to uphold the company's tradition of legendary innovation. Big things are, as always, on the horizon. |
|
After more than 30 years, the Schwinn Sting-Ray returns with a new look, but the same soul as the original. The 20" juvenile bike is an immediate success and quickly becomes the world's fastest selling bicycle.
|
|
|
|
There are 300 bicycle companies in the
US (101 in Chicago, alone). Schwinn
starts its racing program. By the end of
the year, Schwinn bikes have more
victories than any other bike company.
In 1896, the Schwinn line is composed of
the bicycles ranging in price from $100 to
$125 and in weight from 19 to 24 pounds! |
|
Six-day races become the rage. Board tracks spring up everywhere. Bicycle racing clubs are an outlet for affluent Americans.
At the turn of the century, there are two patent offices one for bicycle innovations alone... the other for everything else.
|
|
Road maps are utilized to show bicyclists new places to explore away from their homes.
Couples can now "Court" off of their parent's porch. |
|
| Schwinn buys Excelsior Motor Cycle Company. |
|
Mudguards are the major technological achievement of the '20's. No appreciable increase in sales results.
While the Great Depression drives most bicycle companies out of business, Schwinn makes bold moves to increase capacity and develop new products.
|
|
| The Schwinn Aerocycle takes bicycles to the next dimension, styled to resemble airplanes, streamlined automobiles and motorcycles. This new aerodynamic style sets the trend for not only the '30's and '40's, but into the '50's. |
|
| Schwinn introduces the "Fore-wheel" brake, "Cantilever Frame" and the "Spring Fork." This style is the Grandfather of today's off-road bicycles. |
|
| The "Cycle Truck" a delivery bicycle built from 1940 until the mid-1960's, and still in use today. |
|
| In World War II, Schwinn produces military items, including top-secret electrical devices, shells, ammunition, plane parts and numerous other war-related items. Schwinn receives the Army and Navy "E" award for Excellence. |
|
| The Schwinn Black Phantom is introduced as the top of the balloon tire line. All the right stuff- chrome fenders and horn, tank, whitewall tires, head and tail lights, spring fork, deluxe saddle, and more. This is the bike every boy wanted. A classic in the making. |
|
| Schwinn introduces the Varsity 8-speed and Continental 10-speed bicycles. The Varsity teaches America to ride a touring bicycle. |
|
 |
Schwinn introduces the Sting-Ray. With high-rise handlebars, banana seat, Stick-Shift and racing Sliks, it becomes the "in" style machine.
|
|
 |
Schwinn Bicycle Company introduces the Sting-Ray Krates. These muscle-car era bikes were truly an American Phenomenon. The Sting-Ray is the machine that will father the BMX bicycles of the 1980's. |
|
 |
Seeing the trend toward mountain bikes, Schwinn management calls it like they see it. "A Fad." Oops.
|
|
| Schwinn files for bankruptcy. New management takes over. We fell, we got up. End of apology. |
|
The Homegrown Series brings high-tech, lightweight mountain bike production back to the U.S.
And that's just the beginning... Schwinn, The Second Century... |
|
Schwinn introduces the Straight 6TM downhill specific bike, featuring dossiers full of secret technology. World Cup points begin accumulating faster than bugs in our race team's teeth.
|
|
Schwinn introduces the 4-BangerTM, an all mountain suspension bike, inspired by the Straight 6TM.
"As good as it gets."
Mountain Bike Magazine
Two old rivals form a lucrative alliance as Schwinn and GT bicycles join forces to form the Schwinn/GT Corporation. The competition quakes in its SPD-compatible cycling shoes.
Schwinn introduces the Fitness Advisor system, an interactive data network that provides health club members with a customized workout and continual assessment of their progress. The days of hefting rusty dumbbells and counting reps aloud are officially over. |
|
|
The gavel hit the bench and Pacific Cycle, Inc in Madison, WI, buys the Schwinn and GT brands in Denver bankruptcy court on September 11. A new age dawns for Schwinn, continuing its 107th consecutive year of quality and maintaining its position as the world's most formidable lifestyle merchant. |
|
Dorel Industries Inc. purchases Schwinn's parent company, Pacific Cycle, bringing further stability and global presence to the Schwinn brand.
|
|
|
