'64 Olympics Paramount
 

We're always debating about the importance of preserving our vintage bikes, and whether we should keep them as original as possible or make modifications. We present the pros and cons, especially when considering to paint or not. Generally this is one of those debates where we never change each other's minds.

My position usually is that unless the bike has some sort of real history, then why not enjoy the bike and "make it your own." If the bike has history, i.e. was ridden in the Olympics, TdF, or in some other professional capacity, well then there would be good grounds to preserve the bike "as is," and I would also argue that it should be only ridden occasionally.

Well, low and behold, look what's on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1962-SCHWINN-PAR...QQcmdZViewItem

It's a '62 Paramount ridden in the 1964 Olympics, offered by the very person who rode it in Toyko. But is it original? Far from it. It's been repainted and has the wrong decals. The saddle is not orginal. Neither is the crankset (look at the 144 BCD rings, they should be 151 BCD).

I know this won't settle the debate, "Original verses Restoration," but it does add a new twist on the argument. :rolleyes:

Pastor Bob, are you being a troublemaker? YOU?

He does say it was repainted by Schwinn, though. Does that make it semi-original?

You're right, it's an interesting twist.

East Hill

Margaret,

Not a trouble maker. And I'm not saying the seller is misrepresenting the bike. It's just curious to me that someone who rode a bike in the Olympics was not concerned about maintaining the originality of the bike.

I should have put in a smiley there, Pastor Bob :D.

I don't think he's misrepresenting the bike, either. It simply looks as if the seller/original owner just loved that bike, and rode it so much that he made it better for himself as he got older (especially the saddle replacement!).

By the way, the newspaper photos have some fascinating history. Can anyone tell if the bikes being held by the other family members would have been the bikes that those individuals would have ridden in their respective Olympics?

East Hill

The bigger question is, at what point in a persons life do the circumstances/life events cause a person to put on ebay a personal possession that obviously is such and important reminder/momento of a major event in the life jouney. Puts me in mind of the Neil Diamond song, "Morningside". Kind of a sad thing...

I wonder if there is something of Lance Armstrong's attitude involved with his experience in the Olympics. That is, "It's not about the bike."

For the athletes it probably isn't, but for us it is. :D

Is there a U.S. Olympic Cycling Museum? Maybe we should all chip in and then make a donation.

I suppose I'm a bit surly due to the second blizzard in 8 days. We're getting slammed and I covet better riding weather.

I had that same thought--he's kept the newspaper clippings, and the fact that he was the third generation to go to the Olympics...the bike obviously represents something very special to him.


Pastor Bob, don't worry, the weather will improve, and eventually you'll get out there with the good riding weather :) .

East Hill

Take a look at this link. Scroll down to 1964 and there you read;
http://209.177.135.188/news/user/sto...id=953&PRINT=1

So, I wonder... did he ride a road bike in a track race?

Doesn't look like the US was very successful in the cycling events in 1964. Best finish was 14th.

Maybe he just rode it to his event.

I'm sure this guy road his cycle after the olympic event, probably a lot, maybe well into the 80s/90s which could explain the parts changes.. and the decision to get it repainted. Stuff is going to wear out eventually even if you do baby it. The Paramount still looks great and is mainly period correct so I don't see the big deal.

Keeping an old bicycle (especially rarer ones) original is never going to be easy, some of those original parts you need could be impossible to track down, and the cost for them if you do find them is usually sky high - I see what all that old campagnolo stuff sells for on ebay, its not a very affordable hobby.

I don't like museum pieces, and I think any and every bicycle should still be ridden. Now im not saying take your mint condition 50s/60s racer out in the snow, but the occasional sunday spin won't hurt!

Cool bike, not exactly raced at the Olympics but used to warm up I would think.

Olympians bike, used as part of arsenal at 64 Games, re-finished by original builder during Olympians ownership all adds up to a great provenance and really can't be compared to a new owner taking the original bike and re-finishing it.

Thanks for the link!

vjp

This is about an hour away from me. I might see if I can go check it out.

I just sent an email to see if he'll provide more information concerning its use in the Olympics.

I do notice he has a Schwinn fixed hub for sale as well... perhaps related?

That is a sweet looking bike!

I wonder what happened to the other bikes in the picture? Notice he is standing with a track bike in the photo. If the one for sale is in the photo is is on the far right.

You would think he would have posted something about the size of the bike..............

Wow...

He has some really cool stuff for sale

And why he didn't raise the saddle off the top tube. I must assume someone other than the former Olympian would have last ridden it as it appears in the photo.

As for why someone would put such a thing on ebay, we could probably all do our descendants a favor by doing likewise before they have to do it for us or sell our bikes for $10 each at estate sales. On the other hand, our procrastination could be seen as a favor to the younger contributors here. :)

Did you see the Iver Johnson frame in his other auctions?

Not an unusual twist, I have a bike that I bought new in 1974, sold it in '75, bought it back in '83. At this point the chrome was shot, 2nd owner was not careful. rode it as was till '85, at that point just an outdated bike. Upgraded the cable routing, added braze on waterbottle bosses and shift bosses myself (school torch) and refinished it (powder coat) very basic but with cut vinyl graphics. It needs paint again now... it will get a good wet paint finish, original transfers but no chrome. Its not a museum piece, its a bike, I will keep the aero routing of the brake cables, all these mods were done when it was just a USED bike. I will restore others.

A moral here? don't powder coat.

So it goes.

Just got a response to my question concerning the road bike versus track bike question...

I'm confused. Did the guy actually ride the bike in the Olympics or did he just train on it?