We asked readers if they’ve owned a Schwinn bike and to tell us their story. Here’s what you said, lightly edited for clarity:
“On my 7th birthday in August 1950, my parents thrilled me with a new maroon and yellow-striped, 24-inch two-wheeler. My first bicycle. All for myself. Not to be shared with my siblings. It was purchased from a Schwinn retailer on Clark Street in Edgewater. A photo shows me protecting my new bike from my older brother’s somewhat suspicious and sneaky attempt to snatch it away to take the first ride on our Rogers Park sidewalk. I graduated to a used Schwinn 26-incher. But nothing ever could replace my first bicycle.”
—John Fitzgerald
“I got a pink and white one for my birthday in the ’60s. My friends rode on the handlebars.”
—Janis Pote Varey
“I still ride a Schwinn Super Sport that was made in Chicago in 1970. It rides great. 15 years ago I bought a mountain bike made in China to replace the Schwinn and temporarily parked the Schwinn in the garage. The mountain bike was falling apart after a year. I threw it in the garbage and went back to the Schwinn.”
—Mike Butler
“I had a yellow Schwinn Varsity that we got from Richard’s bikes on South Kedzie. It was stolen near South 51st and West May circa 1972, and it still hurts. If anyone knows anything about my missing bike, please let me know.”
—Ed Volpi
“I got my first Schwinn when I was 7 with my first communion money. It was pink and white. My second one when I was in high school? Still have it hanging on my garage.”
—Sharon Brady
“I’ve had three! My 10-speed Schwinn Continental was my graduation and birthday gift. The second week I had it, a friend and I went to meet my oldest sister at the train. My pal and I then rode on my old Schwinn Stingray as my sis rode my 10-speed. Unfortunately her purse got caught in the front wheel and she flipped over. Had it for another 17 years.”
—GJ Thrasher
“I still have my Schwinn mountain bike my dad bought for me 35 years ago at the Schwinn shop in Beverly where I grew up up — just down from Rainbow Cone.”
—John Cain Forst
“This is my fifth Schwinn, purchased in 1987. The other four were stolen. Bought them all from Rudy’s bike shop on West Irving Park.”
—Brian Meidel
“Back in the day, kids could win a Schwinn bike if they sold enough subscriptions to (I can’t remember which newspaper). I pestered family and neighbors until they caved, and soon was riding my bike around the neighborhood.” (Editor’s note: The Chicago Daily News ran a contest as the reader describes.)
—Carol Bryant, Near North Side
“I always wanted one when I was a kid in the 1960s. Ufortunately we were too poor to afford them.”
—Randy Pressner
“In the spring of 1979, my parents bought me and my brother Schwinn Caliente 10-speeds. Blue for him, red for me. They had little attachments that used your pedal power for the headlamp at night. Naturally, these attachments were immediately stolen from our parked bikes when we were at the movies.”
—Tracy Lewis Liang