Ignaz Schwinn was born in 1860 in Hardheim, Germany. His father died when he was only eleven and he was forced to leave school and become a mechanic's apprentice.

After completing his apprenticeship, Schwinn traveled from town to town repairing the primary mode of mechanical transportation at the time-the bicycle.

At night he would work up designs for bicycles of his own. He showed some of these designs to a wealthy customer, who was sufficiently impressed to back the designer financially.

In 1895 Schwinn teamed up with a man named Adolf Arnold, and they formed Arnold, Schwinn and Company. The company grew dramatically, and in 1908 Schwinn bought Arnold out, becoming the sole owner of Schwinn and Company.