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THE STORY OF Schwinn Bicycles. Quotable:

In the glass atrium that marks the entrance to the Pacific Cycle company, the old and the new of the bicycle business are displayed side by side. Each is called the Schwinn Sting Ray, and each in its time has been a bestseller. But the similarities end there. In the space of a generation, everything about the process of designing, producing and selling a Schwinn has changed ..

Here's what a Schwinn Sting Ray bicycle looks like today. Here's what it looked like in 1968, "when 70% of all bikes sold in America were either Sting-Rays or Sting-Ray knock-offs." In never owned one. The kid across the street had one, and I can't tell you how much I wanted one -- until I convinced myself what I really wanted was an adult style 3 speed. I paid for it with my own hard earned money (dad owned a laundry and paid me to clean up, among other jobs.) I ordered my bike out of a Montgomery Ward catalogue, and picked it up at the outlet store. I have no idea were it was made, but I do know that I never was much impressed with the local Schwinn dealership. My bicycle was purchased just before the 10-speed bikes became hugely popular.

UPDATE: Who knew? Montgomery Ward still exits -- and has a web site. Somehow, I don't think its the same thing. Posted by Greg Ransom | TrackBack