I think whether or not you believe the Schwinn name stood for quality depends on how you define the word "quality." Yes, they were durable, and mostly reliable. But unless you invested in a Paramount, Schwinn bikes were also heavy and sluggish, and made with many inexpensive steel components that were prone to rust. If you were interested in performance, the sub-Paramount Schwinns were not what you thought of as "quality" bikes.