Schwinn was a good brand, I rode a pixie as a child, a lemon peeler ad a kid and a speedster as a teen, nothing ever broke or wore out in normal use, the peeler was a handown from older brother my older brother used my speedster when in college, younger when he went to school, nothing but wear items needed to be replaced. True quality , the best of American manufacturing.
When a privately held company gets to the grandchildren of the founder, it has little chance of surviving. Sorry, but that's the way it is. My first real full time job lasted 7 years after the Grandson took over.. Next company I worked for sold to a bigger competitor and is still healthy.
Yes it was really a shame how Edward destroyed the company in the 1980's. Total market dominance to bankruptcy in about 15 years, at exactly the time when there was a huge boom in the bike market
