Classic & Vintage - Oldest Surviving American Bike Maker?

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mboeglin
06-08-04, 04:24 PM
I've just finished an article at www.cityspoke.com (http://www.cityspoke.com) about Worksman Bicycles (www.worksman.com), a 100+ year old workbike manufacturer in New York City. I state in the closing paragraph that I believe Worksman to be the oldest surviving American bike manufacturer. Can anyone confirm to me that this is true? I no longer consider Schwinn to be an American manufacturer if that shortens the discussions. Thanks! Mike Boeglin.

--Cityspoke.com (http://cityspoke.com) : a magazine of urban cycling, advocacy, and bikes in the workplace.

RegularGuy
06-08-04, 05:01 PM
Schwinn was founded in 1895, and though the marque no longer belongs to the Schwinn family, bicycles bearing the Schwinn badge have been in continuous production to the present day. They predate Worksman by 3 years. I don't know if there is an older manufacturer extant, but...
mboeglin
06-08-04, 05:15 PM
Yes, Schwinn is arguably older, but is anything Schwinn makes still being manufactured in the US? Waterford and Gunnar are sort of a legacy of Schwinn, but they are no longer Schwinn. I have an amazing Schwinn Fastback road bike, but I think I remember peeling a 'Made in Taiwan' sticker off of the frame when I bought it (no insult intended to the fantastic Taiwanese frame builders). Its splitting hairs, I know. I'm really interested in knowing if there is anyone else? Huffy? Murray? Anyone older?


Schwinn was founded in 1895, and though the marque no longer belongs to the Schwinn family, bicycles bearing the Schwinn badge have been in continuous production to the present day. They predate Worksman by 3 years. I don't know if there is an older manufacturer extant, but...

randya
06-08-04, 05:37 PM
Huffy? Murray?
I believe these two nameplates are also being manufactured overseas these days...