Justin, in the "self-describing" Waterford serial numbering scheme, for certain years and in the "company code" location within the serial number, K does mean road bike. At the "month code" location in the serial number, K = October. The Series Paramounts don't follow the "self-describing" serial numbering scheme, though, and I believe they're more like the production bikes which use letters A through M (excluding the letter "I" which can be confused with the number "1") for the month. I've never seen the coding explanation for the Series Paramount serial numbers, though, so I could be mistaken.

Here's the "self-describing" serial numbering scheme for the Waterford Paramounts from around late 1984/early 1985 to 1994.

Self-Describing Serial Numbers

This system started in use during the mid-eighties (sometime between September, 1984 [J8496] and April, 1985 [520AD8584]) to 1994. It consisted of six components:

- Size Code: The size code represented the center to top seatmast measurement, rounded to the nearest 5mm. For example, a 55cm frame had a serial number starting with 550. Mountain bikes required rounding since they were built in one or two inch size increments. Occasionally, custom frames might not have the same size as indicated by the serial number.

- Product Code: This was not applied consistently. Up to some point in the early 90's, it designated the fork length with forks short bikes getting an "A" progressing to large forks getting an "E". Later, it was used to designate the kind of frame: A=Road, B=Off-Road, C=650C Road, E=Track.

- Company Code: In the 80's the code indicated the type of bike, where K=road bike. Later, especially after the formation of Waterford, this letter indicated the company. K was for Paramount and L was for Waterford.

- Factory Code: A "W" followed to indicate a bike coming from the Waterford factory.

- Month Code: This one letter code corresponds to the month with A=January, B=February and so on. Because I is not used, September=J and December=M.

- Year Code: This two digit code is the last two digits of the year - 96 is 1996.

- Sequence Number: This three digit number represents the nth frame and/or fork scheduled during the month.

Example: 540AKWE91042 was a 54cm road racing Paramount built at the Waterford factory. It was the 42nd frame built in May of 1991.

My 1987 Waterford Paramount's serial number is 620E WK 87077, which is broken down as:

620 = frame size in mm from crank center to top of seat tube

E = Longest steerer tube fork

W = Waterford

K = October

87 = 1987

077= the sequence number of the frame in October, 1987

In 1987, there was no indication either in the product code or company code position of the type of bike.