A growing number of US teens and young adults were purchasing imported European sport racing or sport touring bicycles, many fitted with multiple derailleur-shifted gears. Schwinn decided to meet the challenge by developing two lines of sport or road ‘racer’ bicycles. One was already in the catalog — the limited production Paramount series. As always, the Paramount spared no expense; the bicycles were given high-quality lightweight schwinn beach cruiser 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.
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 schwinn dealers the United States at a competitive cost, by the end of 1991 Schwinn was sourcing its bicycles from overseas manufacturers. This in turn led to further inroads by domestic and foreign competitors.
Best suited for flat areas, this single-speed drivetrain is easy to use and simple to maintain, while the chain guard keeps your clothes and shoelaces free & clear. I get being conscious of where you spend your money but you just have to face facts. We offer service contracts on a monthly, bimonthly and quarterly basis.
Get ready to look good both on the path and in your camera roll. With throwback features like moto-inspired handlebars and a cruiser-esque frame, the Vega makes it almost too easy. If you like Stingrays and Krates (I don’t…don’t get me started!), check out the bicyclehistory.com page abotu them. Mark Smith has a nice page about his Schwinn bikes , also some good Schwinn Repair and Restoration tips.
Padded handlebars and a comfort molded seat ensure that you keep going back for more. The adjustable seat allows for a perfect fit for most riders. 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.