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Schwinn is an American icon, a world leader in technology and fabrication. We are on the forefront of advances in fitness equipment, and have been an indispensable player in revolutionizing bicycling around the world. Schwinn knows that who we are is in direct relation to where we came from... and the vision of our founders.
> View the historic Schwinn Timeline
Classic Classifieds
Dust off the old Stingray! Keep your eyes open for a great deal on the bike you dreamed of owning as a kid. The Classic Classifieds are the ideal location to sell or buy parts, bikes, and other Schwinn accessories from days gone by.
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Forums
This is your opportunity to meet and discuss Schwinn's Classic Bikes and what it takes to restore them. Join the Schwinn Collectors, Restoration and Sting-Ray's Rebirth of Cool Forum discussions, and share in the wealth of knowledge available from your peers.
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History of Schwinn
Ignaz Schwinn, with his partner Adolph Arnold, incorporated "Arnold, Schwinn & Company" on October 22, 1895. Within a few short years of its creation, the company became an acknowledged technical and quality leader of the bicycle industry.
More than 100 years later, Schwinn has become an American icon and built some of the best-known and best-loved bicycles of all time, including the Aerocycle, Paramount, Phantom, Varsity, Sting-Ray, Krate, Homegrown and more. A world leader in technology and fabrication, Schwinn has been an indispensable player in revolutionizing bicycling around the world.
BMX, a popular youth sport of millions of riders can trace its roots directly to Schwinn, with the first BMX riders taking to the track on modified Sting-Rays in the mid-1960s.
However, Schwinn was delayed in entering the mountain bike market - one of the trends that would see explosive growth starting in the late-1980s. That coupled with some other misfires sent the then family-owned company into bankruptcy in 1993. One year later in 1994, Schwinn moved from its Chicago roots to the bike-Mecca of Boulder, Colorado under new management. Schwinn regained its strength, grabbing some of the best talent in the industry and giving the company a much-needed shot in the arm of youthful exuberance. Accolades for Schwinn's revitalized product line rolled in.
In 1998, Schwinn joined forces with another leader, GT Bicycles, and formed the Schwinn/GT Corporation. A force in bike technology, innovation and product development, Schwinn/GT Corporation became the dominant force in bikes and accessories through the independent bicycle dealer channel. However, Schwinn/GT also met their share of challenges, eventually filing for bankruptcy in Denver in 2001.
On September 11, 2001, Pacific Cycle, the nation's largest importer of quality bicycles, purchased the Schwinn/GT Corporation out of bankruptcy court, and united the two brands with the company's other quality lines like Mongoose, Mongoose Pro, Roadmaster and Pacific.
Paired with these product lines and under new management, Schwinn moved into mass retailers in 2002, effectively making high-quality Schwinn products available where Americans shop most. Schwinn also carries on the winning tradition of sponsoring world-class athletes by featuring two-time X-Games Gold Medallist dirt jump king, TJ Lavin.
In 2004, Dorel Industries, Inc., a global consumer products company, purchased Pacific Cycle. Pacific Cycle now operates as a division of Dorel, and its headquarters remains in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
With these moves and a continued dedication to quality, forever synonymous with the Schwinn name, America's most famous bicycle brand looks forward to another century of quality, dependability and performance.
Moving forward, Schwinn continues to lead the industry with innovative new bikes such as the proprietary Iso-Drive mountain bikes, Super Sport flat-bar road bikes and ergonomically-superior Sierra and Voyager comfort bikes joining the heritage-inspired Cruisers, trail-conquering BMX and kid-tough juvenile bikes that has made Schwinn a favorite of families for generations.
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