Developed from experiences gained in racing, Schwinn established Paramount as their answer to high-end, professional competition bicycles. The Paramount used high-strength chrome-molybdenum steel alloy tubing and expensive brass lug-brazed construction. During the next twenty years, most of the Paramount bikes would be built in limited numbers at a small frame shop headed by Wastyn, in spite of Schwinn’s continued efforts to bring all frame production into the factory. All-terrain, wide knobby mountain tires provide the grip and stability you need out on the trail, while high profile double wall alloy rims add lightweight strength. All-terrain, wide knobby mountain tires provide the grip and stability you need out on the trail, while alloy wheels add lightweight strength.
By 1960, annual sales had reached just 4.4 million.[10] Nevertheless, Schwinn’s share of the market was increasing, and would reach in excess of 1 million bicycles per year by the end of the decade. Featuring front suspension, 21 speeds, and all-terrain tires, these bikes are built for grand adventures. In the late 1960s, the Varsity and Continental pioneered the use of auxiliary brake levers, which allowed the rider to rest hands on the straight, horizontal center section of the ram’s horn handlebars, yet still have braking control. To further improve control from this more-erect riding position, the levers used to move the derailleurs (shifting the chain from one sprocket to the next) were moved from the traditional position on the “down tube” to the top of the headset, on a ring which would turn with the handlebar stem.
This proved to be a major miscalculation, as several new United States startup companies began producing high-quality frames designed from the ground up, and sourced from new, modern plants in Japan and Taiwan using new mass-production technologies schwinn mountain bicycles such as TIG welding. At the close of the 1920s, the stock market crash decimated the American motorcycle industry, taking Excelsior-Henderson with it. Arnold, Schwinn, & Co. (as it remained until 1967) was on the verge of bankruptcy.
It’s designed with a durable aluminum mountain frame for controlled riding, and the 27.5-inch x 2.2-inch all-terrain tires have go-anywhere traction for a variety of surface types. The 21-speed rear derailleur helps you shift gears as soon as necessary, and the front suspension fork offers a smooth ride, even over bumpy surfaces. Schwinn was soon sponsoring a bicycle racing team headed by Emil Wastyn, who designed the team bikes, and the company competed in six-day racing across the United States with riders such as Jerry Rodman and Russell Allen.
Front and rear alloy linear pull brakes provide secure stopping power and speed control so you can ride with confidence in a variety of conditions. Schwinn mountain frame delivers controlled riding on tough trails, while the with Schwinn suspension fork helps absorb bumps in the road for a more comfortable ride. Front and rear mechanical disc brakes deliver all-weather stopping power and speed control so you can ride with confidence in a variety of conditions. 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.
We have spent over a century building the bicycle industry into what it is today, and we’re not done yet. Ignaz Schwinn was born in Hardheim, Baden, Germany, in 1860 and worked on two-wheeled ancestors of the modern bicycle that appeared in 19th century Europe. In 1895, with the financial backing of fellow German American Adolph Frederick William Arnold (a meat packer), he founded Arnold, Schwinn & Company. Schwinn’s new company coincided with a sudden bicycle craze in America. Chicago became the center of the American bicycle industry, with thirty factories turning out thousands of bikes every day. Bicycle output in the United States grew to over a million units per year by the turn of the 20th century.
The Paramount continued as a limited production model, built in small numbers in a small apportioned area of the old Chicago assembly factory. The new frame and component technology incorporated in the Paramount largely failed to reach Schwinn’s mass-market bicycle lines. W. Schwinn, grandson Frank Valentine Schwinn took over management of the company. At the time, most bicycle manufacturers in the United States sold in bulk to department stores, which in turn sold them as store brand models. F. Goodrich bicycles, sold in tire stores, Schwinn eliminated the practice of producing private label bicycles in 1950, insisting that the Schwinn brand and guarantee appear on all products. In exchange for ensuring the presence of the Schwinn name, distributors retained the right to distribute Schwinn bikes to any hardware store, toy store, or bicycle shop that ordered them.
Another problem was Schwinn’s failure to design and market its bicycles to specific, identifiable buyers, especially the growing number of cyclists interested in road racing or touring. Instead, most Schwinn derailleur bikes were marketed to the general leisure market, equipped with heavy “old timer” accessories such as kickstands that cycling aficionados had long since abandoned. More and more cyclists, especially younger buyers, began to insist on stronger steel alloys (which allowed for lighter frames), responsive frame geometry, aluminum components, advanced derailleur shifting, and multiple gears.[8][30] When they failed to find what they wanted at Schwinn, they went elsewhere.
Explore new bike paths and light trails with the Schwinn Timber Trail AL 26 Mountain Bicycle. This trail bike comes with an aluminum hardtail frame and suspension fork for controlled riding. The 21-speed twist shifters and rear derailleur on the mountain bicycle provide effortless gear changes, while alloy linear pull brakes deliver reliable stopping power. Like all Schwinn bikes, the Timber Trail AL comes with a limited lifetime warranty for as long as you own the bike. Conquer tough trails with the Schwinn Ider Dual Suspension Mountain Bike. The Ider features a Schwinn aluminum dual suspension frame and Schwinn suspension fork to soak up all the bumps on your next trail ride.
With throwback features like moto-inspired handlebars and a cruiser-esque frame, the Vega makes it almost too easy. If you would like to know when this item is available, please input your email address in the field below. This item is offered by one of our Exchange Plus partners – a trusted, third-party company that ships directly to you when you order on ShopMyExchange.com. The Exchange sells and handles payments for this item, and you can track the status on your Exchange order details page. Put more energy into cycling and less into worrying with our ERT helmets.