A few months ago I bought a vintage 1972 Schwinn Paramount P-15. It is nearly original -- all Campagnolo NR (brakes, headset, triple (52/49/36) crank, seatpost, Superleggieri pedals, HF Record hubs, etc.) The front derailleur is the classic Record, and the rear derailleur was upgraded to the Campagnolo Rally. The wheels have the classic Campagnolo Record HF hubs laced to Weinmann 27x1 1/4" rims. The rear dropout spacing is 120mm, which was typical for the era.

If I wanted to turn the bike into a museum piece and hang on my wall, I could send the frame to Waterford and have the labels/decals restored.

But I really bought the bike to ride it. The main complaints so far is the drivetrain shifting. I'd like to upgrade the drivetrain to a wider-range triple crankset, and put either a new 6 or 7 speed wide-range freewheel on the rear. I really don't care for the existing freewheel (no idea if it is orginal) -- the largest cogs are the style with every other tooth missing--I'd like to replace it. What was the original freewheel on this bike, and does it shift well? I don't mind the Campy downtube friction shifters, but I'm considering bar end shifters as well.

The brakes are Campagnolo NR sidepulls, which work well. If I wanted to put new 700c wheels on this frame, though, I would need new brakes -- will Weinmann centerpulls do (610/750)?

Any suggestions for a more modern drivetrain (derailleurs/freewheels/crankset)?

Thanks for any advice

I was amazed the first time I replaced my old freewheel and chain with a more modern 'ramped tooth' style my shifting went from decent though noisy to precise / whisper quiet. An easy/cheap place to start.

I did the same to a '72 Chrome Paramount. I used the center pull brakes you described w/Kool-Stop continental pads and then also used a set of Paul Racer center pulls. Both worked well an allowed for use of 700c wheels w/ 32mm tires & full fenders. I used Suntour (schwinn approved) bar-end shifters w/ an IRD 7 speed freewheel 13-32. The rear hub was 126mm and I just spread the drop outs w/ my hands while inserting the wheel instead of re-spacing the rear. I used an 8 speed chain. I was not a fan of the Campy Triple, as a 36th for a small ring seemed usless. I would suggest maybe a TA (or Ta style crankset w/ 46/30 chainrings. All of you original parts should work fine. Good luck and any pictures?

This is wat I did on my 1966:





Scott

Need picture.

I'm running a widely spaced Suntour New Winner ultra spaced 6 speed freewheel, 14-32. There are times when I wished the gearing was more closely spaced, but for the most part it works. I'm shifting with barends and I run the housing completely under the bar wrap.



I'm not certain what the BCD is on the granny chainring on the Campagnolo, but sometimes you can find 144BCD triple adapter. This one is made by Williams and has a 31 tooth granny. I also have a TA made triple adapter on a Super Sport. The beauty of the TA version is the granny BCD is 74, so there are many options for the tooth count on the little chainring.

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One more option is to send your crankset to one of the drilling outfits to have them add mounting holes in the spider arms using the 74 BCD sizing. Best of luck.

Instead of a triple crankset you can put a compact on there that will be a bit lighter, maybe shift better, and offer almost as much range. Here's my wife's Bianchi with a Veloce compact, which I think looks pretty vintage-like. It works great. It also has long-reach dual pivot calipers (Nashbar branded Tektros), which stop much better than anything vintage. But wait, there's more! - it has Shimano ratcheting barcons because she doesn't like to take her hands off of the steering wheel.

I am, admittedly, a heretic about such things, but I say go Campy 10-speed triple, brifters and all. If you go 7-speed, you have to spread the rear triangle to 126mm anyway, so why not go all the way to 130mm and run 10-speed? (Yes, I have had the rear spread from 120 to 130, including on a 1967 Paramount, and it works fine.) The shifting will be flawless, you can easily run a 30x29 low gear with Campy cassettes or 30x34 with IRD cassettes, it will look good, and you will have a great riding frame with great working components.

If the brake reach is an issue such that you cannot use what are now "normal" reach brakes but used to be "short" reach brakes and go the Weinmann/Dia Compe center-pull route, you are absolutely spot-on in replacing the brake pads. I had exactly that issue with my Paramount, and the Dia-Compes I put on it were death-traps until I installed Kool-Stops. They made a huge difference.

Enjoy the Paramount. They did good work at the Chicago cage.

Here is are some photos:

From the photo I'm really doubting the middle ring is 49 - can you double check that?

You can actually see the "42" stamped in the middle ring at about the 10 o'clock position. Have you tried measuring the BCD of the granny ring?



When you think about it, the Campy Record triple crankset can be set up as a Compact Crankset with an overdrive gear. Most modern compacts are 34 or 36 and 50 doubles. Exchange the middle ring for a 49 or 50, and either keep the 52 or even bump it up to a 53 or 54. Of course buying all these extra 144BCD Campy rings could set you back slightly.

If you could have your rear wheel redished and axle respaced to 126mm, and added a 7 speed freewheel that was geared approximately 14-16-18-21-24-26-32 or 34, you would gain significant climbing advantage. The Rally could handle this arrangement.

Be careful when you ride this, because on a sunny day you
can actually blind oncoming traffic.....at your own peril.

PastorBob,
The bcd of the 36t granny ring on these Campy triples is 100mm. I've often wondered why they didn't make a 32t ring for it. Apparently Jim Merz made some for awhile but I've never seen one. I'd love to find one for my '71 P15.

You're right--I think it is 42. The 36 tooth smallest ring is the main issue--wish it were 28 or 30 instead.

It definitely attracts attention from other old-timers on the bike trails

What a nice bike. JMO but if I owned something so tastefully put together I'd probably just use it as-is.

That said, it would also look hot with some white plastic fenders.

As much as I'm not against respacing frames, for whatever reason, and possibly because I have big-time Paramount lust I would leave this at 120mm, get a new Sunrace 5 speed freewheel or possibly look for a Suntour Ultra 6. If I was gonna do the wheels I'd totally look for period correct 700c clincher rims (or maybe even tubulars) and re-lace to the original hubs using double butted spokes.

Whatever you decide I'm sure it will work well. Its a sweet bike.

Wow, that Paramount is beautiful. Looks perfect like it is. There have been some good suggestions here. You'd probably be amazed by a hyperglide fw, new chain and, perhaps, more modern RD. I don't have experience with the Rally, but it sure is pretty.

Eric, thanks for clarifying this. Wonder why they went with such an odd BCD size? I wonder how hard it might be to find a 32 tooth 74 BCD ring, clamp it to the original 36 tooth one, and drill new 100 BCD mounting holes? I know Frank the Welder could do this perfectly in his shop.

It looks as if 100 BCD would fit on this Sugino 32 tooth.



And maybe even on this 30 tooth.

Beauty. I vote for leaving as original as possible. Start with a replacement and maybe barcon shifters, and see how you like that?

Best of luck whatever you do....