They were marketed as being just asnimble as their European counterparts but more reliable. Because of theirpopularity, Schwinn had created a whole line of bikes for those that were notenamored with the stylish, yet heavy, balloon tire bikes. Schwinn was facing increasing competition from Europe startingin the 1950s. This tradition was eroded in the 1960s and 1970s with the rise in thevolume of Schwinn sales. Although these figures are a bit dated, the odds of family businesssurvival are generally accepted to be low for several reasons. The charisma ofthe early founder fades and business conditions change. Successors may not be qualified for the job.Finally, nepotism and family feuds are inevitable. Schwinn decided to meet the challenge by developing two lines of sport or road 'racer' bicycles. One was already in the catalog — the limited production Paramount series. The Paramount series had limited production numbers, making vintage examples quite rare today. Other road bikes were introduced by Schwinn in the early and mid 1960s, such as the Superior, Sierra, and Super Continental, but these were only produced for a few years. The Varsity and Continental sold in large numbers through the 1960s and early 1970s, becoming Scwhinn's leading models. The wheel rims were likewise robust, chromed, stamped steel with a unique profile designed to hold the tire bead securely, even if pressure were low or lost. Thisincluded the closing of a longtime factory in Chicago, starting a new factoryin Greenville, Mississippi, buying a 40 percent share of a plant in Hungary,and purchasing a one-third interest in a factory in Hong Kong. Spurred by theera of globalization, by the end of the decade Schwinn outsourced most of its manufacturingto Asia. To accomplish this, in the mid-1980s Schwinnpurchased a one-third share of a China Bicycles factory in Hong Kong (Crown andColeman 1996). By 1992, when the Schwinn Bicycle Company went into bankruptcy, the manufacturing of its bicycles had moved almost entirely overseas, primarily to Asia. That’s still the case for Schwinn-branded bikes sold in the United States. Schwinn followed the Scrambler line with the Predator in 1982,[38] their next step into the competitive modern BMX market. Schwinn had a very successful BMX factory supported racing team (beginning in 1976) made up of some of the best riders of the day. Schwinn adopted a policy to encourage thefamily members of those leaving for military service to fill their vacant jobs. Many mothers, wives, and sisters beganworking on the Schwinn’s factory floor as their loved ones headed for the militaryconflicts in Europe and Japan. During the war years, women became the mainworkforce for Schwinn.