Possibly, Lobdell developed the rim, since they were the established rim manufacturer.
Schwinn liked what they saw, so they bought the exclusive right to manufacture the rims?
There’s no way, one company copied the other with something so unique without generating a lawsuit.
It stands to reason that Lobdell,
“Rims are our Business”
Invented, and developed the manufacturing process for the Tubular Rim, and then sold it to Schwinn, with an exclusive agreement.
But, who knows?
I just thought that 1949 Lobdell advertisement was interesting.
The text is pretty clear, it says,
“Our New Tubular Rim”
Your correct you can read it any way you choose. Advertising needs to be viewed with a grain of salt, just like the internet today. Just because you read something doesn't mean it's true. Kind of like an insurance company saying we are here to help you.
Keep in mind Schwinn kind of danced to their own music during the early days. They designed many original features and incorporated new design and technology into their products. It's what drove the company from the 20's into the 70's as a market leader. They did not buy much during that time., they developed it. Spring forks, locking forks, knock out hubs, floating cup headsets, 28thread cranks, dura roll bearings, while the industry stayed with single tapered cones, etc.
Later on in the 80's they bought entire companies for the new technology as the market was changing fast on many fronts. Bowflex Fitness in Vancouver, Frontline computerized trainers in El Toro, Kestral carbon frame bikes in Watsonville, Cespel in Hungary, The new aluminum frame factory in Greenville MS., were a few.
It's great to discuss these topics today, I wish we still had some of the original people around that could tell us the behind-the-scenes story so we would know for sure. Richard Schwinn, Jay Townley, and I are all about the same age, so we are not good sources as it happened when we were in diapers.
Anything was possible.
John
