Huffy

Early history

It has its roots in 1887 when George P. Huffman purchased the Davis Sewing Machine Company and in 1890 moved its sewing machine factory from Watertown, New York, to Dayton, Ohio. The Davis Sewing Machine Company made its first Dayton bicycle in Dayton, Ohio, in 1892. By 1897, they were the largest producer of bicycles in the United States.

In 1924, George's son, Horace M. Huffman Sr., founded the Huffman Manufacturing Company. From then until 1949, Huffman continued to manufacture and sell bicycles under the "Dayton" brand.

During the 1930s, Huffman participated in the revival of the American cycling industry, during which Horace Huffman commented on a "change of attitude". Although Huffman dabbled in the high-end of the market, they never overcame their entry-level reputation.

Post-war history

In 1949, Huffman developed the Huffy Convertible, which was a children's bicycle with rear training wheels and foot steps. The invention of the training wheels revolutionized the market for children's bicycles, and this was the first Huffman bicycle under the Huffy brand.

Also in 1949, Huffy started selling push and riding mowers. The company would eventually leave the market in 1975.

By 1953, a Huffy logo was created and Huffman switched all its bicycles to the Huffy brand. A few of the most popular models included the Special Roadster, the Racer, the LaFrance, and the Streamliner.

Seven years later in 1960, Huffman was the third largest bike manufacturer in the United States. Popular models produced during the heyday of the Huffy Corporation included the RadioBike, which had an electron-tube radio in the tank; the Scout, a 10-speed road bicycle; the Dragster, a so-called "wheelie bike"; and the Sigma, a BMX bike.