The Schwinn Madison made its first appearance in 1985, taking its name from a form of two-man track racing that dates back to the turn of the previous century. With one rider racing at a time, the team that completes the most laps wins. I was only dimly aware of the fascinating history of Madison Racing (also known as Americana Racing) when I found this beautiful 2008 Schwinn Madison in the used bike rack in a Sarasota, Florida bike shop a few years ago. It had belonged to a shop employee who bought it when he immigrated from Cuba. He told me he rode it all over Miami during his first years in the states. I've turned it into a more comfortable single speed by mounting a Brooks saddle, raising the bars, and adding a few extra teeth to the original freewheel. The original badge (a rather cheap plastic job) was missing, so I replaced it with an authentic Schwinn badge from the seventies, a perfect match for the retro graphics on the frame. (Thanks to Charlie Dixon for fabricating the faux rivets). The Madison has proven to be the perfect ride for Florida, where the roads are "some kind of level," as they say in the South.

The original owner, with the Schwinn Madison, as found:

2008 Schwinn Madison​  ©Daniel Dahlquist