First Schwinn does have two lines of bikes. The bike shop Schwinns (along with GT, Mongoose and Cannondale) are designed at Cannondale in CT. Bike shop Schwinns are great bikes at their price points and come in many sizes (plus some models come in more than one color). The Schwinns in the marts are not rebadged or leftovers. They are cheaped designed bikes made for the marts. They are designed in Madison, WI at Pacific (along with the mass Mongoose, Iron Horse, Roadmaster, and Pacific bikes). They come in one size and color.
Most all bikes today are just a decal. Only a few custom bikes are designed, made, and sold all by the same business.
EX.
Specialized-All models made in factories in China and Taiwan that are not owned by Specialized
Schwinn, Mongoose, GT, Cannondale-All models made in factroies in China and Taiwan not owned by Schwinn (some cannondales are still US made but they are closing it down)
Trek-Fishers-All models made in China and Taiwan noted owned by Trek (except for a few carbon bikes are made in the USA)
Giant-All models made in China and Taiwan. Giant builds most of the bikes for the above brands.
The lists goes on and on. What matters today is the designing behind the bikes. Schwinn (and sister brands) are still designed by some of the best bike guys around.
Schwinn just does not go after the high end brands anymore. They let Cannondale and GT do that now. It is hard to bet them. Also I rode some of the nice Mongooses this summer and they are very nice. People need to stop knocking Schwinn for making some of the walmart bikes. So they are not owned by the Schwinn family anymore. Out of the 10 largest bike shop brands in the world only one is still owned by the family that started them, Trek. All other brands have been sold or are owned by many people and sold on some type of stock market. A family that owns most all of the stock owns Schwinn, GT, Mongoose and Cannondale. They also own some other brands. So what they own other businesses. They also never sell anything. I believe the Schwartz family will own Schwinn for a long time. Owning more that one company helps lower shipping cost and other things. Also selling bikes in Wal mart, they are just doing what Sony, Mircosoft, Dell and many of the other large brands do. They make cheap junk for the marts and good stuff for the dealers that would like to sell them. I bought a super high end Sony TV the other day from a TV speciality store. Sure I could have bought a Sony from Wal-mart but it is not the same. I needed quailty and service.
Also until the USA remembers that you need Service and quailty. We will not rebound. Cheap is not always good. My father always said, " If you pay a cheap price. You are getting something that is cheaply made."
