Originally Posted by suntreader
Perhaps, instead, it has something to do with an good American corporation being unable to compete with third-world slave labor wages. Schwinn made good quality bikes for many years. In the end, there was no way for them to compete... especially in the mass market.
In this case, I think it was some of both. The Japanese were able to win on price, but Schwinn was a bit behind the curve with realizing lightweights were superceding their old bread and butter - the heavy, indestructible battle-tanks. From the excerpt of the memo up the thread, it looks like they misread the market on BMX/Mountain bikes too.
Please bear in mind, I'm not saying they didn't make some good products - but there are two universal rules at work here.
Nothing man creates lasts forever.
Everything happens for a reason.