Schwinn Paramount or Not
 

I recently bought a Yellow 1970's Schwinn that has basically the same frame as a Varsity, Continental, etc.
However it has "SCHWINN PARAMOUNT" decals. It has chrome forks, aluminum "S" neck, those age old heavy steel cranks, all Schwinn components, and a Brooks saddle. Was this a factory job or not?
Here's a couple pics:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-...8/DSCN4368.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-...8/DSCN4369.JPG

Jay,

Sorry, but your new bike isn't a Paramount. Every Paramount since 1938 has had a lugged frame. In the seventies, all Paramounts were made with Reynolds 531 double-butted tubes and had chrome Nervex "Professional" head lugs. Your bike appears to have a high-tensile steel electro-forged frame, although it could be a Sports Tourer or Super Sport with a brazed 4130 frame.

Here's what a Kool Lemon Paramount of similar vintage (1971) actually looks like.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...CIMG2246sm.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...CIMG2247sm.jpg

I got my hands on a '72 Schwinn Super Sport a little while back, and the bike you've got looks almost identical. While mine lacks the chrome fork that yours has, the components and frame appear to be almost exactly the same. In the early '70s, as the other poster mentioned, Schwinn had a stint with fillet-brazing some of their 4130 frames. Though they used mostly their own components, many of which (one-piece cranksets, stem-mounted shifters,) were not usually seen on higher-end road bikes at the time, what came out were very nice bikes. Most of the measurements on the bike (if I am correct in my conclusion about its model,) are kind of sketchy, so you might have some trouble in finding parts, but I've found the originals on mine pretty durable.

Sheldon Brown's site has a link to an article specifically about bikes like this, which includes a surefire way to verify its origin and authenticity. Check it out, and good luck with your Schwinn, whatever its make. I love them so...

I bought a 70 Varsity back in 1970. Yours is much nicer than mine.
I'd buy a bike like that. This is part of the learning curve. You have a
nice bike, and you know what you need to learn for the future.

That may have steel wheels. Steel wheels are a thing with me, don't like them.
I'd find some rims on ebay that were fairly old but unused. Match them with either the hubs you have or some newer ones and you will have an even nicer bike.

Hey Jay,

Welcome to the forum! That sure looks like a Super Sport to me, particularly if those are aluminum rims. Given the center-pull brakes, the other possibility is a Continental, which would weigh just under 40 lbs with steel rims, perhaps 37 with aluminum. Read Sheldon's articles on Schwinn frames; if I recall correctly, one can distinguish a fillet-brazed CrMo Super Sport frame from an electroforged "gas pipe" Varsinental frame by looking for a subtle taper where the top tube meets the seat tube.

Scooper, the chrome Nervex lugs were an option, correct? My 73' P13 has them, but my 76' P14 doesn't.

Yup, an this is a Varsity.

http://otisrecords.com/images/varsity1.jpg

Jus kiddin'.

Looks like a Varcinelli.

Yes. The spec sheet for the 1976 P14-0 states, "FRAME- Frame is silver solder brazed with Nervex Professional lugs."

and

"FRAME FINISH- Chrome head lugs and fork crown available at extra cost."

The 1976 P13-9, though, states, "FRAME FINISH- Chrome trim on headlugs, fork crown and six inches of front fork and rear forks and stays."

So, in 1976 the chrome lugs were an option on the P14, but were standard on the P13.

^
And if anyone wants to know what that really is, it's a Frejus.

-Kurt

Not even close.

Then, pray tell, why does it have a Frejus seatlug and Frejus seatstay treatment?

http://bikecult.com/works/archive/03...rejusPIPsn.JPG

EDIT: Just took a closer look. Looks like I stuck my foot in my mouth. Very similar, but not identical. What IS it?

-Kurt

EDIT: Just took a closer look. Looks like I stuck my foot in my mouth. Very similar, but not identical. What IS it?

Copy of a Cinelli Super Corsa by Raysport.

Beauty it is!

-Kurt