This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Schwinn has been kind of a reanimated cadaver the last few years anyway even though there have been some bikes showing good thinking--the Super Sports, for instance. The best thing to come of this would be dealers seeking out smaller bike lines like Fuji, Marin, Kona, Jamis, etc., and avoiding the sharecropper-like relationship that the big folks like Dreck and Cannondale seem to rope their dealers into. Fewer big brands may not be a bad thing for dealers or consumers! David Feldman
> Grim-but-predicatable news from an industry "insider":
>
> > >From the press releases, the Huffy folks have said they think Schwinn
is
> > ideal for multichannel distribution. So, you'll see Schwinns right next
to
> > Huffy's at Kmart. If it gets decent product into those kinds of outlets,
> > it'll improve the market through increased competition. If Huffy just
slaps
> > a label on low end product, it will kill any equity the Schwinn name
had.
> >
> > In the short term, Derby, Giant, and Trek will pick up some more
dealers.
> > This will put pressure on the marginal dealers because with two less
brands
> > in the market, it will be a (manufacturers')seller's market.
> >
> > If nothing else, it helps take up press space so the trade papers say
less
> > bad things about Derby.