Originally Posted by
Chuck M
Since the seller is somewhat willing to provide photos at your request, ask for a photo of the markings on the handlebar. If they are the SP alloy custom bars in the spec sheet it stands to reason these are the original bars as I doubt someone would have gone to the trouble to source original equipment bars if they did swap back to drop bars. If they have some other markings, then it may lean more towards being your bike.
As an aside, I too wish I could get my hands on my high school bike. But a few months ago I paid twice what I wanted to for a Takara like I had back in the day so nostalgia does have a dollar value. I hope this is indeed your old bike and that the seller realizes the asking price is too far out there to be reasonable. Good luck.
Thats a good point and it occured to me that those bars are original and if so then its a lean towards not my bike.
But SR aluminum bars are fairly common on low to mid range bikes. So just because they didnt replace them with nitto or kmart steel bars doesnt mean they arent replacements. If they ARE steel bars or non SR alloy bars it is strong weight in our favor.
That stem is suspect to me. It looks awfully short compared to pics of stock Paragons. It looks to be an SR but about a 60mm?? The spec sheet doesnt say what size the stock stem was.
If the 1984 catalog says a Velo seat was the spec then its pretty safe to say its not my bike especially if the bars are SR alloy. That would lower my chaces to 90% not mine. I do not have access to an 1984 spec sheet. Do any of you?