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Photo Credit: taken by jfischer
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Name: | Schwinn Approved Japan |
Brand: | Schwinn |
Badge Type: | Metal Attached |
Frame Types: | Vintage Lightweights |
Country: | United States |
Years: | 1970's; 1980's |
Added By: | JFischer on 10/05/07 |
Updated By: | JFischer on 12/03/07 |
Additional Photos - click for full size |
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Badge worn by Japanese built Schwinns such as the pictured 1980 Schwinn Traveler.
Beginning around '73/'74 some Japanese built Schwinns began sporting headbadges with a 4-digit stamping that represented the assembly date and consisted of the ordinal day of the year and the last digit of the year (2456 decodes to the 245th day of 1976 or 1986 -- use decals and components to determine the decade). The ordinal dating was adopted for Schwinn's domestic production in 1976. The date decoded from the serial number of the frame can vary from the assembly date by quite a bit. |
Frame Examples using this style Head Badge |
Frame Example Name | Category | Added |
Schwinn Volare (1977 - 1978) | Road Sport | 04/06/2013 |
Schwinns were made in Chicago, IL USA up until the 1970's. Sometime in the 1970's, the Schwinn Chicago factory was organized by the
United Auto Workers union, who felt that bicycle factory workers should
be paid on the same scale as automotive workers. Unfortunately, the
realities of the marketplace didn't agree, and Schwinn closed the
factory, transferring most production to Japan (Panasonic) and Taiwan
(Giant). Schwinn also built a factory in Greenville, Mississippi, but it
didn't last, and even bought a factory in Hungary, but the deal fell
through, and Schwinn never imported any Hungarian bikes to the U.S.
Pacific Cycle, founded in 1983, designs and markets bicycles and
scooters under several brands, including Schwinn, Mongoose, DYNO,
InSTEP, Roadmaster, Pacific Outdoors, and others. It's also a top maker
of bicycle helmets in the US. Pacific Cycle, which outsources its manufacturing
to China and Taiwan, got its operations in gear by buying Brunswick
Bicycles, Schwinn/GT Corp., InSTEP, and PTI Sports, all within a few
years. Dorel Industries owns Pacific Cycle alongside its popular
Cannondale brand.