I was at our local Velodrome bike swap this Sunday and made a deal on a 72 chrome Paramount frame. It is in good condition, not quite as good as my 71 P 13-9 but pretty good nonetheless. I wasn't really looking for one, but this one must have had my name on it. I have little resistance to things with chrome on them. This one is a 25 inch frame, the same as my Opaque Blue P 15, a bit more comfortable to me than the 24" P 13-9.

It is a touring frame, serial number indicates November of 1972. The decals, or what was left of them, were the pre-73 style. This brings up the question.....how to build it?

In looking at the 72 and 73 catalogs (thanks, Bob!), there is no P-10 shown in the 72 catalog but there is in the 73. I'd love to build it as a P 15, but I have no triple and the options for obtaining one aren't all that good. I have a fear of spending big bucks to buy one, only to find the common stress crack in it that is beyond repair. I have an entire gruppo taken from a 76 P 10, some of it with no date code or ones that predate 1972. I guess Schwinn let that stuff sit around without using the old stuff first, or something like that.

The 76 P 10 frame had a closer brake bridge and used Campy brakes, there is no way they will work on this frame, so I have to go with Weinmann.

I have thought of finding a more modern Campy triple and using that, also of doing what Stan did to his P 15, using a more modern Campy RD.

Pictures forthcoming, for now just imagine a large chrome Paramount frame with Nervex lugs and no lug lining.

I am open to suggestions. Anyone got any?

RK,

You've got it bad! I'm looking at the list at the bottom of your post and thinking you should be aiming for a '60s or '80s Paramount in order to round out your collection.

Speaking of the triple, you could always go the same route I went with Sporty and use a TA triplizer. I know the chainrings are not Campy looking, but they are significantly more shinny and very chrome like! For a RD, you could go with the Sachs-Huret Eco Par. I tried the 1st generation Rally on Sporty, but a Alivit shifted better.

P.S. Want to trade your 24" for my 25"?

Bob, I am trying to figure a way out of selling SOMETHING to make room for this one. I swear, I really didn't go there with the idea I'd get another Paramount. I was looking for some companions to some orphan rims (found two!) and tools, along with my biannual visit with my former bike shop co-worker. There is another smaller local swap this weekend, but we will be at Disneyland with some friends, planned before I knew the swap date. Maybe this is all for the better......

I was going to ask you about the TA triplizer. I googled it and didn't see much. I don't think Harris still sells them.

If I dispose of any 24 inch frames, you will be the first to hear! I do have the 24 inch P 10, I was planning to ebay it as the paint is toast and the chrome is substandard. It looks more like French chrome. It was discussed here last August. The owner lived up in Orange County so I drove up and bought it. I had entertained the thought of painting it Lime Green, but the chrome made it not really worthy of the effort or expense.

Is that a late production Record crank? That thing looks NICE!

I should have pulled up the Smilies menu and added a few winkies!

I need to pare down my herd. But I have come to the conclusion the '66 P-13 25" is a tad too big for me. Here's the link to Harris where I bought my TA https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/chainrings/144.html. I also bought the TA granny from Harris. It's not cheap.

What was hard was finding the big ring. I wanted to avoid dealing with Mr. P White, even though he's all of 20 miles from my house. He is so disagreeable. Eventually I found a 50 tooth on ebay from a seller in England. He was less then Mr. White even with the shipping.

Koala, I have a Nuovo Record tripilizer that Pastor Bob sent me for the Raleigh Alyeska. Ended up going with the Sugino AT on it. Let me know if you need it.

-Kurt

P.S.: Another Paramount? Congratulations...I'm still trying to find #3...

RK,

Congratulations. It's such a mystery the way Schwinns keep following us home.

Stan, someone out there has to take care of them. It might as well be us!

I am very jealous a chrome paramount is one of my dream bikes. I will keep scrounging hopefully I can join the club soon.

damn you guys. you have all the fun...

someday. . . . sigh.

nice find. now why doesn't one of these in a 21 or 22 frame show up?

marty

The 22 inch chrome paramount frame only did show up 3 weeks ago on ebay----I happen to be the lucky winner and just got building it up---will post picture's tomorrow or this weekend depending on my daughter, she's computer smart---and the story of the buildup----Jimc

My brother found out about the velodrome swap that night!
We rode up there actually around 4-ish but they were just closing up the track.
Kinda glad looks like I really wouldn't have any money!

Post some pics!!

TP

There is another swap meet this Sunday at Hi-Tech Bicycles, 7600 block of Clairemont Mesa Blvd. across from Sears Essentials. He usually has it a week before the Velodrome swap, but for some reason the Velodrome folks moved theirs up a couple of weeks.

It is smaller, but there can be some pretty good bargains.

I'm going to be up in Orange County, so no swap for me.

Pictures? We MUST SEE the before pictures!

Pastor Bob, you must have been reading my mind.....

I just went out and took a few. I just used the upper part of a headset to hold the fork in place. It only looks bent.

Beautiful!

Wow. Can I have that? I'll be glad to pay for the shipping.

Here is a brief progress report.

Kurt was kind enough to trade me a triplizer ring, but for the short term I have opted to use a later Campy triple crankset that was very cheap. It is a Mirage, in good shape and I had a Campy sealed BB that worked out just fine. I'll use this setup as a place holder until I decide which way to go-a higher grade modern crankset or a NR with the triplizer. I thought it would be nice not to have to worry about the dreaded NR crack letting loose and making me a soprano, even though most of mine have been destressed.

I have ordered a new Campy long cage RD, some tires and some blue cloth bar tape, as well as some Kool Stop Continentals. I need a Schwinn Approved Weinmann 2.7 rear caliper, but have one that will work with Weinmann badging. The wheels shown have been hanging in my garage for a few months awaiting a new home. They are Super Champion blue label rims with Presta drilling.

Barcons on this one, of course, but I have not decided between SunTour and the counterbalanced and fairly rare Shimano ones. Probably Shimano, subject to change.

clamping onto the top tube is a no-no

I have a Schwinn Approved Weinmann 750 centerpull brake that I'd be glad to trade for similar with different markings. Is that what you're looking for?

Neal

You've been schooled by people who have only worked on aluminum and carbon, I take it? On a steel frame, it isn't of much consequence, unless you have a half-dozen cables that might kink from placing the clamp on them.

-Kurt

I never put pressure on it while in the stand. If I am doing something that requires force, i.e. bottom bracket, etc. I remove it from the stand. I merely use the stand to hold it rather than putting it on the ground.

Neal, I'll PM you later.

good to know and yes i was schooled by people who work with carbon and aluminum bikes.

Somewhat off-topic, but could you send those catalogs my way?