Roadmaster (bicycles)
Encyclopedia
Roadmaster is an American
bicycle brand currently owned by Pacific Cycle
, who in turn is owned by Dorel Industries
of Canada
.
to a new facility in Little Rock, Arkansas
. The new plant was heavily automated and featured more than a mile of part conveyor belts in six separate systems, including an electrostatic induction painting operation.
Taking advantage of the increase in its target markets in the aftermath of the baby boom, AMF was able to diversify its product line, adding exercise equipment under the brand name Vitamaster in 1950. As demand for bicycles continued to expand, the company found the need for a new manufacturing facility to keep up with demand. As two-wheeled bicycles are increasing in popularity a new production plant is built in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1951. In 1962, the company moved its operations to Olney, Illinois
, where it built a new factory on a 122 acre (0.49371692 km²) site that would remain the company's principal bicycle manufacturing location into the 1990s. Products manufactured there were children's vehicles, sidewalk bikes, toy autos, tricycles, garden tractors, seat cars and wagons and playground equipment. the company produced over 100,000 miniature Mustangs are produced for Ford Motor Company late in the 1960s. BMX bicycles, mopeds and exercise bicycles are introduced in the 1970s.
After two decades of consistent growth, the AMF Wheel Goods Division stalled under the long-distance management of a parent company bogged down in layers of corporate management and marginally profitable product lines. Manufacturing quality as well as the technical standard of the Roadmaster bicycle line - once the pride of the company - had fallen to an all-time low. Bicycles made at the Olney plant were manufactured so poorly that some Midwestern bike shops refused to repair them, claiming that the bikes would not stay fixed no matter how much labor and effort was put into them. The division's problems with quality and outside competition were neatly summed up in a 1979 American film, Breaking Away
, in which identical secondhand AMF Roadmaster track bicycles were used by competitors in the Little 500
bicycle race. Despite this product placement
, the film's protagonist expressed a decided preference for his lightweight Italian Masi road racing bike, deriding the elderly Roadmaster as a 'piece of junk'.
In 1987 the company changes its name to Roadmaster Industries, Inc. and positions itself as the leader in the fitness equipment and junior toy industries. In 1993 Roadmaster experiences a 72% increase in bicycle sales - helped by the increasing popularity of "Mountain Bikes." A new bicycle production plant is built in Effingham, Illinois to keep pace with the growing demand. Roadmaster acquires Flexible Flyer Company, whose history dates back to 1889.
In 1997, the Roadmaster bicycle division was sold to the Brunswick Corporation
. However, it had already become evident that production of low-cost, mass-market bicycles in the United States was no longer viable in the face of intense foreign competition, and in 1999, all U.S. production of Roadmaster bicycles ceased. Brunswick sold its bicycle division and the Roadmaster brand to Pacific Cycle
, which began distributing a new Roadmaster line of bicycles imported from Taiwan
and the People's Republic of China
. Pacific Cycle still uses the Olney facility for corporate offices and as a product inventory and distribution center.
The Roadmaster brand has been reactivated and is basically a low-end bike sold thru box stores.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bicycle brand currently owned by Pacific Cycle
Pacific Cycle
For the Taiwan-based folding bicycle company see: Pacific CyclesPacific Cycle, Inc. is an American bicycle importer and distributor founded in 1977 by Chris Hornung. The company owns the following brands; Schwinn, Mongoose, Roadmaster DYNO , InSTEP, Pacific Outdoors, Powerlite and Cannondale....
, who in turn is owned by Dorel Industries
Dorel Industries
Dorel Industries Inc. is a Canadian company, based in Montreal, Quebec, which designs and manufactures for three areas: juvenile, home furnishings and recreational/leisure. It was formed in 1987 as a result of a merger between Dorel Co. Ltd., founded in 1962 by Leo Schwartz and Ridgewood...
of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
In 1936 Roadmaster Bicycles are first introduced by the Cleveland Welding Company. In 1950, after purchasing the Roadmaster line of children's and youth bicycles from the Cleveland Welding Company, AMF entered the bicycle manufacturing business with its newly formed AMF Wheeled Goods Division. In 1953, after a prolonged labor strike, AMF moved bicycle manufacturing from the UAW-organized plant in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
to a new facility in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. The new plant was heavily automated and featured more than a mile of part conveyor belts in six separate systems, including an electrostatic induction painting operation.
Taking advantage of the increase in its target markets in the aftermath of the baby boom, AMF was able to diversify its product line, adding exercise equipment under the brand name Vitamaster in 1950. As demand for bicycles continued to expand, the company found the need for a new manufacturing facility to keep up with demand. As two-wheeled bicycles are increasing in popularity a new production plant is built in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1951. In 1962, the company moved its operations to Olney, Illinois
Olney, Illinois
Olney is a city in Richland County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richland County.-History:...
, where it built a new factory on a 122 acre (0.49371692 km²) site that would remain the company's principal bicycle manufacturing location into the 1990s. Products manufactured there were children's vehicles, sidewalk bikes, toy autos, tricycles, garden tractors, seat cars and wagons and playground equipment. the company produced over 100,000 miniature Mustangs are produced for Ford Motor Company late in the 1960s. BMX bicycles, mopeds and exercise bicycles are introduced in the 1970s.
After two decades of consistent growth, the AMF Wheel Goods Division stalled under the long-distance management of a parent company bogged down in layers of corporate management and marginally profitable product lines. Manufacturing quality as well as the technical standard of the Roadmaster bicycle line - once the pride of the company - had fallen to an all-time low. Bicycles made at the Olney plant were manufactured so poorly that some Midwestern bike shops refused to repair them, claiming that the bikes would not stay fixed no matter how much labor and effort was put into them. The division's problems with quality and outside competition were neatly summed up in a 1979 American film, Breaking Away
Breaking Away
Breaking Away is a 1979 American film. A coming of age story, it follows a group of four male teenagers in Bloomington, Indiana, who have recently graduated from high school. It stars Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern , Jackie Earle Haley, Barbara Barrie and Paul Dooley...
, in which identical secondhand AMF Roadmaster track bicycles were used by competitors in the Little 500
Little 500
The Little 500 , is a bicycle race held annually at Bill Armstrong Stadium on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana...
bicycle race. Despite this product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
, the film's protagonist expressed a decided preference for his lightweight Italian Masi road racing bike, deriding the elderly Roadmaster as a 'piece of junk'.
In 1987 the company changes its name to Roadmaster Industries, Inc. and positions itself as the leader in the fitness equipment and junior toy industries. In 1993 Roadmaster experiences a 72% increase in bicycle sales - helped by the increasing popularity of "Mountain Bikes." A new bicycle production plant is built in Effingham, Illinois to keep pace with the growing demand. Roadmaster acquires Flexible Flyer Company, whose history dates back to 1889.
In 1997, the Roadmaster bicycle division was sold to the Brunswick Corporation
Brunswick Corporation
The Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...
. However, it had already become evident that production of low-cost, mass-market bicycles in the United States was no longer viable in the face of intense foreign competition, and in 1999, all U.S. production of Roadmaster bicycles ceased. Brunswick sold its bicycle division and the Roadmaster brand to Pacific Cycle
Pacific Cycle
For the Taiwan-based folding bicycle company see: Pacific CyclesPacific Cycle, Inc. is an American bicycle importer and distributor founded in 1977 by Chris Hornung. The company owns the following brands; Schwinn, Mongoose, Roadmaster DYNO , InSTEP, Pacific Outdoors, Powerlite and Cannondale....
, which began distributing a new Roadmaster line of bicycles imported from Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Pacific Cycle still uses the Olney facility for corporate offices and as a product inventory and distribution center.
The Roadmaster brand has been reactivated and is basically a low-end bike sold thru box stores.
External links
- Roadmaster official site {dead link}
- Roadmaster article at Dave's Vintage Bicycles
- Pacific-Cycle official site
- Dorel Industries website