Schwinn Milestones

Ignaz Schwinn

In 1860 Ignaz Schwinn was born in Hardheim, Germany. Thirty-five years later, one of the most well known distinctive names in the bicycle industry came on the scene in the city of Chicago, USA. The rest is history. Here is a list of the milestones that began that day.

1895 Ignaz and partner Adolph Arnold form the Arnold, Schwinn & Company to build bicycles.

1933 Schwinn introduces the balloon tire. Two years later, it became the standard of the industry.

1946 Schwinn introduces built-in kickstands.

1948 Ignaz Schwinn dies in Chicago, Illinois.

1949 The famous Schwinn Black Phantom is introduced.

1952 Schwinn begins an “Authorized Dealer Network.”

1958 Bob Keeshan of the popular children's TV show, Captain Kangaroo becomes Schwinn's lead spokesperson. Schwinn's partnership with Bob Keeshan and Captain Kangaroo proved to be very successful and lasted for more than 20 years.

1963 Schwinn introduces the Sting-Ray, with high-rise. handlebars, banana seat, and Stick-Shift. 

1965 Schwinn introduces the first in-home workout exercise machines. 

1967 Arnold, Schwinn & Company becomes the “Schwinn Bicycle Company.” 

1968 Schwinn introduced their first Krate series bicycles.

1993 Schwinn files for bankruptcy.

1998 The Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycle is re-introduced to wide market acceptance.

2001 Pacific Cycle, Inc. buys the Schwinn company. 

2004 Dorel Industries Inc. purchases Schwinn’s parent company, Pacific Cycle.

2013 Schwinn commemorates 50 years of the Sting-Ray and introduces the "50th Anniversary Fritz 50 Sting-Ray." Only 500 were made.