“The severe retail price decline and margin erosion confronting the bicycle company have negatively impacted our results,” the company said in announcing the decision. “The changes in the bicycle operation will significantly enhance its ability to compete in the fiercely competitive bicycle market.” Huffy said the pre-tax cost and other charges associated with the plant closings are estimated at $42.4 million, or $2.64 per share. The company said its earnings will also be hurt by having to sell its inventory of more expensive, U.S.-produced bikes and winding down domestic production. About 100 employees in the bicycle division will remain at Huffy headquarters in the Dayton suburb of Miamisburg to work on design, marketing and distribution.
The company holds 25% to 30% of the U.S. market, the largest single share. It plans to continue making bicycles with partners around the world. I have a very romanticized vision of riding a bike – perfect sunny day, no crowds and no hills. The schwinn bicycles Men’s and Women’s Cranbook cruiser bikes have many features in common. Huffy Cruiser bikes use coaster brakes to bring your bike to a stop.
There are also several Raleigh-made three-speeds and Carlton road bikes that were imported by huffy mountain bike which are very nice. Huffy, for much of the 1930’s to 1960’s, manufactured bicycles that were equivalent to — if not as fancy as — Schwinn, and they have found a niche among collectors. The older Huffy bikes were quite nice for their era and can be a great pick-up, if you can find them at a garage sale or craigslist. If someone unilaterally says that all Huffys are junk, there are several examples of quality or dependable bicycles you can refer them to. “Yeah I guess I had a good time on my date the other night, the girl was nice but she gave me a total huffy.”
Excel Group Inc. was a leader in the shift, moving production to Brazil, Taiwan and China. U.S. bikemaking jobs began moving across the Pacific Ocean more than a decade ago as economics and demographics forced the industry to rethink strategy. huffy mountain bike itself shuttered its largest production plant, in Celina, Ohio, last year. The union had tried unsuccessfully in recent years to organize the two plants being shuttered. For example, a Schwinn subsidiary produces mountain and BMX bikes in Santa Ana, Calif., and makes frames at various U.S. locations. Leibowitz said Huffy’s move is a strong indication that the less expensive bicycles are being made overseas, leaving U.S. production to focus on more expensive bikes.
Several different brands are actually the same or similar bikes coming off the same Taiwan or China production lines with different paint and stickers on them. Also, most folks don’t know that Raleigh USA bikes from most of the 1980’s were actually licensed by Huffy, which sold them in the United States, but those bikes were produced in Asia as well. The growth of the corporation during the 1980s was significant and Huffy was nearly a Fortune 500 Company. In the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, United States athletes riding Serotta-built bicycles racing under the Huffy brand won two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. A technical development center housed in the Huffy Corporate Offices in Dayton, Ohio was formed to research and create next-generation carbon fiber road and time trial bicycles.
In 1968, in an effort to market a children’s bicycle with an automotive theme, Huffman designers added a car-type steering wheel in place of handlebars to the Rail frame, which became the Huffy Wheel. In mid-1968, Huffman released the Flaming Stack chain guard, which was designed to look like the distinctive side exhaust pipe covers on the Corvette sports car. Later that same year, Huffman released a new Slingshot model with 16″ front dragster wheel, and 20″ rear.
Our algorithm is concerned with making sure you are fitted to a bike that will provide you maximum comfort. Is there a local Huffy bicycle sales location in or near Indianapolis, IN? Would like to see the options in person before I make a purchase.
It was led by Mike Melton and Steve Bishop, two legendary custom bicycle builders. The subsequent fallout in the cycling community was devastating to Huffy, but not surprising considering the nature of the athletes involved. Huffy spent $500,000 to be named the Official Bicycle of the 1996 World Cycling Championships, held in Colorado Springs, the first time the World Championships has been held in the United States. In 1962, Peter Mole of the John T. Bill & Co contacted Huffman with a concept for producing a bicycle based on a motorcycle, which he called the High Rise. Mole developed the bike based on heavily modified children’s bicycles that were becoming popular with pre-teens in Southern California, and which mimicked the appearance of customized “chopper” motorcycles.