Founder
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German-born inventor Ignaz Schwinn joined his partner Adolph Arnold in incorporating Arnold, Schwinn and Company in October 1895. That year they manufactured their first bike, the Roadster, in Chicago.
Buyout
In April 1908, Schwinn bought out his partner and became the sole proprietor of Arnold, Schwinn and Company. The company became the Schwinn Bicycle Company in 1967.
Motorcycles
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Like many early bicycle manufacturers, Schwinn diversified his manufacturing line by branching into motorized vehicles. In 1911, he bought the Excelsior Motorcycle Company, and in 1917 the Henderson Motorcycle Company.
Innovations
With the Great Depression crippling Schwinn's competitors, the company jettisoned its motorcycle divisions and focused on new developments for bicycles. In 1933, Frank Schwinn introduced the Aerocycle, a child's bike that mimicked a motorcycle, with the balloon tire, which became standard across the industry.
Postwar
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In the decades following World War II Schwinn introduced the Sting-Ray and other popular models. Misreading the 1980s mountain bike craze as a fad, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1993 and reorganized. Dorel Industries purchased Schwinn in 2004.
