The talk about Schwinn regarding bicycles as children's toys is on the harsh side. Schwinn's lesser known efforts to make adult-oriented bicycles prior to 1960 should be mentioned.

Before WWII Schwinn produced the adult-oriented New World and Superior models. Both were fillet brazed frames in the early years, with the Superior being a cr-mo frame. A wide variety of British and American parts were offered, including hand brakes and three speed hubs. Frames up to 23 inches on 26 inch wheels were offered, again mirroring British utility and touring type bicycles. The New World also was produced in a drop bar "racer" variant, with road or track type parts offered depending on how the rider wanted to use the bike. These bikes were aimed squarely at adult and sporting type riders, with advertising emphasizing that British and foreign bikes were the competition, not children's cruisers or undersized bikes.

After the war, Schwinn continued to make adult bicycles at a time when the market for such bikes was reaching a low point. The New World continued to be made, with the Superior being a step up from that, and then the 3-speed premium Continental (a high end 3-speed model not to be confused with the later and unrelated 10-speed Continental). These bike were also built along English lines, with 21 inch and 23 inch frames on 26 inch wheels. Premium stainless steel and even alloy rims were offered on higher-end models as upgrades. The high-end Continental 3-speed of that era also was offered in a drop bar Clubman model to compete with higher end British road models of that time. These models were ultimately replaced by the Racer and Traveler models in the 1950s, again British-style bikes offered in several frame sizes up to 23 or 24 inches on 26 inch wheels. Alloy brake levers and calipers also became the norm (Weinmann 810s usually) on the bikes in the 1950s.