Classic & Vintage - Best tires for 1959 Paramount "Tourist" 3-speed?

Well, I pulled the trigger and bought the '59 Schwinn Paramount "Tourist" model that I posted about a couple of weeks ago. It's on itis way via FedEx Ground and I've already decided to put "North Road" bars on, remove the front rack and replace the current saddle with a Brooks
B66.

Once I have everything cleaned, trued and lubed I will need to put on new tires. I was hoping for some advice as to the best tires for these wheels/application. The current ones are Shwinn "Puff" 27" x 1 1/4" and are rotten.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=174783&d=1287693287

But, but, but, you're taking all the cool stuff off. The rack is classic. The saddle looks awesome. The bars are cool.

Oh well. Panaracer Pasela. Might want to go with the 27 x 1 1/8. the 1 1/4 may get you clearance problems.

Fantastic! Can't wait to see your pictures. The Panaracers would be great. If you wanted to go bigger and squishier, and the clearance is adequate, the Michelin World Tours are nice big gum wall tires and would be perfect on a Tourist bike.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/images/tire630-mich-worldtour.jpg

http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=1278

Paselas tend to run large compared to other tires; I'd stay away from the 1-1/4s. So... watcha gonna do with the existing seat? (If it's for sale, I call dibs, assuming, of course, a reasonable price). I think it will look great with North Road bars. I'd leave the rack on it.

But, but, but, you're taking all the cool stuff off. The rack is classic. The saddle looks awesome. The bars are cool.

Oh well. Panaracer Pasela. Might want to go with the 27 x 1 1/8. the 1 1/4 may get you clearance problems.

The rack doesn't belong on a Paramount. It's for a bike with 26" wheels.

I guess I can keep the rack--even though it's a Wald designed for 26" wheel bikes! I do like the way it looks.

I am hoping to trade this saddle for a B66 of the same vintage so as not to mess up the look of the bike.

But the Maes drop bars need to go--I really think this one needs North Road bars! Hoping to find some really nice vintage bars--again, so as not to mess up the look of the bike-- NO ALLOY NITTOS on this one!

I also need to chrome the chain guard. Other than that this one will remain as you see it.

First of all, congratulations on a spectacular buy. I'd love to add you to the registry, if you'd be willing.


Were the original North Road sets on the Paramount Tourists made by Titan? Bear with me on that...

Get a set of the Pasela 27x1-1/8's if you want the 1-1/4" look. 27x1"s if you want the 1-1/8" look.

-Kurt

The serial number of the bike is B75, so go ahead and add it to the registry.

I have no idea who made the original Paramount Tourist bars, but I would love to know and would REALLY like to find a set . . .

The serial number of the bike is B75, so go ahead and add it to the registry.

I have no idea who made the original Paramount Tourist bars, but I would love to know and would REALLY like to find a set . . .

Excellent. What name should I put it under?

Dig up another photo of a P11 if you can; you might get a fix on the bars.

Take care,

-Kurt

The only pics I can find of a "Tourist" Paramount are these. Do you know what bars are on these examples?

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/1952FWSchwinnParamountTourist.jpghttp://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1961_1970/1964dlr_Paramount_tourist.jpg

I know it's a Paramount and all, but I bet if you got some townie bars from a lesser Schwinn they would look identical to those pics.

The only pics I can find of a "Tourist" Paramount are these. Do you know what bars are on these examples?

It looks like the same stem, as a matter of fact; and Doohickie might be correct in that the bars are the same oversized North Roads as used on cheaper Schwinn upright-bar bikes.

I can't understand why someone would want to use as long a stem as your example seems to have come with, but it might look right when all is said and done.

-Kurt

I have a '73 Schwinn Suburban around here that I can swap bars with to see if it works. I would prefer something "nicer," but you all might be 100% correct . . .

That is a pretty bicycle.

The tourist bars look just the same as the ones which came on Collegiates and Racers in the '60s. There are many nice examples on ebay at the moment.

The tourist bars look just the same as the ones which came on Collegiates and Racers in the '60s. There are many nice examples on ebay at the moment.

Bob's word is good enough for me.

-Kurt

I did it to my Varsity; went from this

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Doohickie/09Varsity/th_100_0087.jpg (http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Doohickie/09Varsity/100_0087.jpg)

to this

http://i764.photobucket.com/albums/xx290/CyclingFW/20100924CriticalMass/th_0924101857-00.jpg (http://s764.photobucket.com/albums/xx290/CyclingFW/20100924CriticalMass/0924101857-00.jpg)

Paselas tend to run large compared to other tires
+1 This has been my (limited) experience with my 32's when compared to my 32 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme.

Nice bike! I think your changes will look beautiful!

I like the idea of trying the bars on your suburban. I agree with Grand Bois, that rack does not belong on a bike that nice. I had a murray balloon tire bike with the exact same wald rack on it.

I think the world tours would look better on your paramount but I suppose they are considered lower performance that the Paselas.