Vista was a brand name created by a group of ex Schwinn distributors. Schwinn went to direct distribution in the early 70s leaving their former distribution system without a bike to sell.(they were independant distributors) . Initially they were made by Columbia with various upgrades simmilar to Schwinn like Ashtabula forks cranks etc. a few years later they added Import models like this Elite . I worked for one of the Distributors, Wilson Bicycle Sales which had warehouses in Union City ,CA and La Mirada (Socal). Hans Johnsen in Texas was another and there were at least 3 or 4 others in the east. Connection with Columbia was strictly as a supplier,I left in 1980 and I believe we were still sourcing childrens bikes from them with the rest of the line coming from people like Araya in Japan and Sentinel in Socal.
BOB FREITAS
climbing out of the "wayback machine" here in
MILL VALLEY,CA