What is an Ashtabula Front Fork?

[bloo]

The Schwinn blade forks are probably all Ashtabula.

Ashtabula's aftermarket forks for BMX use had the welded in reinforcement, but did not always have the embossed name. Most of the ones I saw back in the day did not have the embossed name. This goes for stems and cranks too.

Most Ashtabula aftermarket stuff has a black oxide finish, but some of their Chrome Moly cranks are Chrome plated and look just like postwar Schwinn cranks, but available in longer lengths than Schwinn offered. Speaking of postwar Schwinn cranks, many of those were Ashtabula too, ones marked "SA".

IIRC Schwwin may have used some of the reinforced ashtabula forks on their BMX bikes. They had been using the regular Ashtabula (non-reinforced standard duty) forks on all sorts of bikes for decades.

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

Most Ashtabula aftermarket stuff has a black oxide finish,

Yes after reading this post was looking on feebay lots of black oxide cranks non embossed. I don't ride hard enough to need more then the regular Schwinn forks but i will be looking out for the reinforced and embossed ones.

 

[Schwinny]

They are called Ashtabula forks because they were made for Schwinn in Ashtabula Mississippi. Whatever the foundry company name was that actually made them, they made forks and cranks and other cast iron bicycle parts for sure. Schwinns from the 50's have Ashtabulah forks, maybe earlier? There are at least three different styles of Schwinn Lightweight Ashtabula forks that I know of. If its Schwinn,and cast iron, it's probably Ashtabula.

 

[furyus]

Ashtabula, Ohio. Ashtabula Bow Socket Company, 1880-1982. RIP.

 

[Schwinny]

Ashtabula, Ohio. Ashtabula Bow Socket Company, 1880-1982. RIP.

There ya go. I didn't remember and didn't bother looking it up. I knew they were named after a the town the foundry was in tho.
Was there something else Schwinn in Mississippi ? Hmmmm.

 

[furyus]

I think they (Schwinn) moved manufacturing to Mississippi towards the end. A Murray factory I believe. Mid-80's.