How much does a paramount from the 70s weigh? I read somewhere that on frames larger than 58cm, schwinn opted for straight guage 531 tubing over double butted. So what would, say, a 56cm paramount weigh? I'm guessing it weighs quite a bit more than a PX-10.

^
Sounds like someone's trolling for a flame war...

-Kurt

Mr.Peugeot, is that you?

The 1972 P13-9 weighs 23 pounds; the 1972 PX-10 weighs 22.5 pounds, so the Paramount is MUCH heavier.

The tour de france was never won on a paramount.

Who cares?

True, but Peugeots are like French cheese, an acquired taste at best, a stinky mess in most other cases! (Oh man am I gonna get flambe'ed for this!)

I own both, and like em both.

But I agree with DirtDrop. Nothing rides as nice as my Gitane Tour de France.
But I don't think the Tour was ever won on one of those either.

Drax, eh? Were you that guy in a Bond movie trying to eliminate all other bikes to proliferate the world 30 years later with Peugeots?

-Kurt

Jacques Anquetil won 4 tours on gitanes. Lucien van Impe won on a gitane in '76, as did Bernard Hinault for 4 of his 5 tour wins. And of course Fignon, riding for the RENAULT gitane team in 83 and 84.

If the tour, or any world class race for that matter, had been won on a paramount there would be endless bragging.

The TdF was essentially a European race until Greg LeMond won it in 1986. Prior to 1986, all of the TdF winners and the vast majority of participants were Europeans who had little or no awareness of the Schwinn Paramount. To most Europeans, Schwinn was an American company building mass produced carbon steel bikes. European riders were mostly sponsored by European bicycle manufacturers who provided their rides.

TdF winners win because of the engine they're using (their own blood, sweat, and muscles - with maybe a little help from EPO, HGH, and steroids), not the bike they're riding.

I don't know if it's "world class" or not, but those colored bands on the seat tube aren't just on there to be pretty. Sheila Young allowed Schwinn to apply those with her World Track Championship (Sprint) win in '73.

True enough. Thinking that the name on the bike was the actual maker is also false.
What was the first bike made in the USA to race in the TdF?

Small hints, Greg did not ride it and it had others' transfers on it.

Hmmm.. I remember reading something about that, and because the rider put other decals on it (sponsor?), the actual builder was very miffed. Unfortunately, I don't remember the builder or the rider.

Confente built Le Jeune for Jacques Boyer?

In the early 1970s Kawamura (Nishiki) had to switch to straight gauge on the 25" / 63.5cm Semi-Pro / Competition frames, because of oscillation problems. Even their double-butted frames were not particularly light -- the best I could do with my Nishiki Semi-Pro was 25lbs with tubulars and a Brooks Pro saddle, which wasn't much lighter than a UO-8 with aluminum cranks and tubulars.

Laurent Fignon came close.

So, what does this have to do with "How much does a Paramount weigh?"

My 1974 parapount 58 CM P 10-9 touring bike weighs just under 25 lbs with a Brookes Pro on it. Roger

Someone said the tour hadn't been won on a gitane.

I only carry my bikes from the basement to the back door, which I'm strong enough to do, so I really don't care about weight. However, I have both a Paramount and a PX-10 and I'd guess the Peugeot is lighter...but...I carry the Paramount up the stairs the most often!

Yes, actually an arsenal. I always felt the paint on them was a bit lacking though.

Does anyone know how much a "standard" (1986-1991) frame and fork weigh? I have a 1990 53cm frame. I remember seeing on one Schwinn catalog listing the weight around 5.9lbs.

Thanks in advance.

[QUOTE=Scooper;

The 1972 P13-9 weighs 23 pounds; the 1972 PX-10 weighs 22.5 pounds, so the Paramount is MUCH heavier.[/QUOTE]

That's interesting. My Raleigh Competition weighs in at 22 lbs. 14 oz. I would have thought the Paramount was a fair bit lighter.

my '89 waterford paramount w/ 8 spd. dura-ace is 23 lbs. I think.