Ashtabula Crank Company - History
02-21-08, 04:15 PM
#1
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Ashtabula Crank Company - History
02-21-08, 04:25 PM
#2
surly old man
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Didn't they start out in the shipping business? Making iron hulls for battleships. Then anchors for aircraft carriers. Then cranks for Schwinn and others. I think they have since moved into the home improvement market. Pipes for gas water heaters, as I recall.
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Cross Check Nexus7, IRO Mark V, Trek 620 Nexus7, Karate Monkey half fat, IRO Model 19 fixed, Amp Research B3, Surly 1x1 half fat fixed, and more...
--------------------------
SB forever
02-21-08, 04:45 PM
#4
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Or do I have the name wrong?
This looks like the EF Schwinn kickstand, registered to ASHTABULA BOW SOCKET CO.
https://www.freepatentsonline.com/3608929.html
But what I want to know is whether Schwinn forged their own Ashtabula-style cranks and forks, or Ashtabula made (either of) them.
This looks like the EF Schwinn kickstand, registered to ASHTABULA BOW SOCKET CO.
https://www.freepatentsonline.com/3608929.html
But what I want to know is whether Schwinn forged their own Ashtabula-style cranks and forks, or Ashtabula made (either of) them.
02-21-08, 04:48 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Aha, a clue from here:
https://stlbiking.com/forum/lofiversi...php?t1701.html
It is interesting that the initials of your current store are the same as those of the late, lamented, gloriously-named, Ashtabula Bow Socket Company, which made one-piece cranks for many years (as well as those famous forks for Schwinn). It stamped everything "ABS".
https://stlbiking.com/forum/lofiversi...php?t1701.html
It is interesting that the initials of your current store are the same as those of the late, lamented, gloriously-named, Ashtabula Bow Socket Company, which made one-piece cranks for many years (as well as those famous forks for Schwinn). It stamped everything "ABS".
02-22-08, 08:34 AM
#6
Senior Member
I always figured that these parts were manufactured in Ashtabula, Ohio. The items that they made in the 70's were good as gold and could not be destroyed-i.e. forks, cranks, stems, etc. I hardly ever saw bad threads on a crank or fork (from a USA made Schwinn) when doing repairs. Cheaper 1 piece cranks would get bad threads and need to be replaced. I guess it is similar to the real steel bumpers that cars used to have, compared to the plastic with styrofoam ones today. Great information on Ashtabula, thanks !!
