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 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 .
You’ll get an extra boost of power while you pedal, which makes getting up hills and riding longer distances easier and more enjoyable than ever. Make it a trip to remember with camping and mountain biking combined! The kids will sleep great in their tents after all that riding. Starting in 2005, Schwinn also marketed Motorscooters under the Schwinn Motorsports brand.[69] Production ceased in 2011 (approx).
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 schwinn ebike 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.
Mountain bikes were originally based on Schwinn balloon-tired cruiser bicycles fitted with derailleur gears and called “Klunkers”. A few participants began designing and building small numbers of mountain bikes with frames made out of modern butted chrome-molybdenum alloy steel. Using the standard electro-forged cantilever frame, and fitted with five-speed derailleur gears and knobby tires, the Klunker 5 was never heavily marketed, and was not even listed in the Schwinn product catalog. Unlike its progenitors, the Klunker proved incapable of withstanding hard off-road use, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reintroduce the model as the Spitfire 5, it was dropped from production. 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. In 1938, Frank W. Schwinn officially introduced the Paramount series.
The Sting-Ray[28] sales boom of the 1960s accelerated in 1970, with United States bicycle sales doubling over a period of two years. Although the selection of merchandise is constantly changing, Craigslist can be a great place to score a deal on a vintage Schwinn. This isn’t the place to go if you need a bike immediately, but if you’re patient and watch the listings carefully, you may just find the vintage bike of your dreams. One of the best ways identify an old Schwinn bike is to compare the bike you have to advertising images and photographs of other Schwinns.
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 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.
There are necked-down parts that fit into the top tube and down tube, like internal lugs. Often, vintage bikes are not in great condition when you find them. In fact, this can be a great way to purchase an old Schwinn for an affordable price. If your vintage Schwinn needs some restoration, you can buy parts on eBay or from VintageSchwinn.com, a site devoted to Schwinn enthusiasts. From streamlined Aerocycles and classic Phantoms to Varsity eight-speeds and Sting Ray Krates, vintage Schwinn bicycles are popular with collectors.
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. In the United States, however, bike companies had to find bike buyers outside the mass market dominated by bikes made in Asia. American and European makers geared their bikes for competitive riders, such as triathletes and other road racers. Marc Muller, a young new Schwinn engineer, was given the responsibility to head up the project. The Paramount operations were moved to Waterford, Wisconsin, where the Paramount was reborn with a modern factory and workforce.
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.