92 Schwinn Paramount
 

Can someone tell me where these bikes were made?

It's a 1992 Schwinn Paramount OS PDG series 3.... The bike is blue with red speckles, and RX100...... Is this a decent Schwinn or not worth the time. As you can tell I do not know very much about Schwinn bikes.. LOL

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Japan - Panasonic/National.

I think these tend to go for a premium over other Japanese bikes because they say Paramount. I'd rather have one of the other Japanese bikes.

They're worth the time if the price is right.

The bike is really clean, and in fantastic condition, but I think he want's too much for it.

What they said.

The Paramount OS bikes are said to be pretty nice bikes whether built in the US or Japan. I have a 1990 Paramount OS (Waterford) made with True Temper OS and a Columbus fork. I'll get it back from the powder coater next week and will hang 6400 STI on it.

I'm not certain, but I don't think the Japanese built ones had lugged fork crowns.

I don't know about your location, but here in NorCal, we
have entered the season where prices tend to drop as
bicycles remain unsold for longer and longer periods of
time.

Put it up on the valuation forum and see what comes out.

OK..... I guess it's not really worth my effort in talking the guy down anymore. I got him down to 350 but he will not go any lower.

He's not taking $350 for a bike with RX100? He's bonkers. A standard bike with RX100 goes for $200 median in my area. And they won't sell next day.

This is what I meant by overpriced for a Paramount sticker. My absolute cut off for that bike...and ONLY if I wanted it and it was super clean, would be $250. Think of what you can for $350 in the bike world - that bike is essentially buying a frame, since the parts have little inherent monetary value (they work well actually).

They ride pretty nicely. The specc'ed components were underwhelming compared to the frame.

Not sure if this is gauche since it is my bike but there is a '91 Series 3 PDG on the Boston CL.

Exacty, and this is why I won't buy it....... I'm trying to get him down to the 200 range but he thinks I'm crazy, and that his bike is worth way more.

There might be people who will pay for that sticker...but a Japanese bike with RX100 = $200 to me, and that's a rider price, not a flip price.

I saw that one on the Boston CL that's your bike?

Yeah it is mine. I like the bike but I live in a studio with 2 bikes already and am saving up for a nice Italian frame :).

I wouldn't be surprised to see it sell on eBay for $350 or more. My LBS has one on the floor in essentially NOS condition and I believe he's asking a good deal more than that. The brakes were upraged to 6403 dual pivots, though.

If it were 56-58 I would come up an look at it but 54 is too small......

If it helps give you a point of reference, I recently sold a '91 Paramount Series 5 (white with the purple spatter paint treatment) that had the full Shimano 105 group and Campy rims for $380...bike was in excellent condition...

Thanks..... I was not concerned about the value as I knew it wasn't worth very much, just the quality of this year bike. Somehow we have turned this into a valuation type thread, and that's not the intent..............

The Series 7 and Series 5 Paramounts were made by National/Panasonic in Japan, but the Series 3 and Series 2 were initially made by A-Pro (Taiwan) with production moving to mainland China in 1992. Regardless of the country of origin, they're all nice bikes.

Richard Schwinn confirmed this in an e-mail to Bob Hufford:

"The 'Series' Paramounts mostly came from Japan, but the Series 2, 20, 3 and 30 came from Taiwan (A-Pro) and eventually China by 1992."

The Series 2/3 were from Taiwan according to Richard Schwinn.

I'm personally curious about the Tange OS tubing on these different series bikes -- does anyone have more info on this? I've read that the frames are essentially the same but the components (and country of manufacture) were better on the 5/7 series.

Fwiw I sold a Schwinn Super Sport with RX100 for $340 in Boston last year. Buyers are out there but it's certainly a waiting game.

The easiest way to discern Japanese versus US made Schwinns would be the serial number location. IIRC Panasonic Schwinns have the serial number stamped into the lower head tube lug while US made Schwinns generally have them stamped into the BB.

Naysayers can say what they want but RX100 components outperform anything Campy made during the same time period....maybe thats a stretch but only because Record bearing races were better. In every other area its RX100 hands down....better shifitng, better braking.

Series Schwinns are very, very nice bikes...they just dont have that panache. The overall quality is exceptionaly high, I dont want to turn this into a big debate but the quality is on par with most of the hand made Italian big boys.

The Japanamounts or all Japanese Schwinns?

I have four Japanese built Schwinns. None of them have a serial number on the head tube lug.

The Panasonic ones from the late 80's...