Co-Op '71 Paramount
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Co-Op '71 Paramount
I noticed this bike a couple of weeks ago, hanging with about a dozen others at our local co-op. It's been on my mind since then. Went and took another look yesterday, talked it over with my wife this morning, and brought it home this afternoon. And I now need to learn Italian.









...And she just woke up from her nap so I'm gonna go ride this sucker. More pics later, but I'd love to know exactly what I have here. Everything to this point has been Japanese or American. Pulse is up a bit.









...And she just woke up from her nap so I'm gonna go ride this sucker. More pics later, but I'd love to know exactly what I have here. Everything to this point has been Japanese or American. Pulse is up a bit.

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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
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#3
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Weird combination of components, including the 3-bolt crankset, the Campag. handles with Weinmann calipers, and the strange tooth profile on the freewheel, but great frame. Very nice catch!
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
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I am trying to get past the "noticed it a couple of weeks ago" part!
How did that thing hang there for two weeks without someone grabbing it???

#6
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It *may* be a repaint since Opaque Blue wasn't available until '72, it is missing the seat tube decal and up to late Feb. '72 Paramount lugs were pinstriped by hand as a standard feature.
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is just a real cool dude
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Looking nice and those are my favorite looking Campag cranks. Looks like a mixture of Gran Sport, Nuovo Record, Weinmann, Regina Extra freewheel, Phillipe bars and maybe a sram chain. The Weinmanns could be the rebranded schwinn approved that came on some paramounts. The cranks though would of most likely been Nuovo Records. I think just the bars, possibly the stem, cranks, sugino dust caps, clincher rims are not original but still period correct. The rims were probably swapped out but the hubs are most likely original. The nut for the skewers are from a lower end Campag hhub though.
Either way it's a good looking bike and a killer find. What's your plans?
Either way it's a good looking bike and a killer find. What's your plans?
#8
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It's definitely a respray. There's some overspray on the right side lug and fork crown, and the decals don't look original either.
As for a couple of weeks ago, I guess it hadn't yet had its final inspection -- it was fully overhauled teaching a class, as I understand it -- and wasn't officially for sale yet and was hanging in a fairly out-of-the-way spot. Lucky glance while standing at the counter, I guess. But somebody donated it with the stipulation that all proceeds go toward the "get BICAS a new building" fund, and now they've got some proceeds.
And having now taken a short, hard ride on it I've got to say I'm ... what? This is like a completely different species of bike. Unreal.
One thing I noticed on the ride was the headset seems tight. Is this typical, or should I loosen it up a hair? Seems like it should flawlessly glide like everything else on the bike.
I have no idea. First I'll learn about what's sitting in front of me right now, I guess. Figure out what's supposed to be there and what isn't, although with the exception of the oddly tight headset everything seems awesome. And I've got a mind, somewhere down the line, to get a beautiful repaint. But that's probably years, not months, down the line.
Oh, and I'm gonna ride it. Probably a lot.
...As for the rims, they're 700c, decals absent, definitely been ridden.
As for a couple of weeks ago, I guess it hadn't yet had its final inspection -- it was fully overhauled teaching a class, as I understand it -- and wasn't officially for sale yet and was hanging in a fairly out-of-the-way spot. Lucky glance while standing at the counter, I guess. But somebody donated it with the stipulation that all proceeds go toward the "get BICAS a new building" fund, and now they've got some proceeds.

And having now taken a short, hard ride on it I've got to say I'm ... what? This is like a completely different species of bike. Unreal.
One thing I noticed on the ride was the headset seems tight. Is this typical, or should I loosen it up a hair? Seems like it should flawlessly glide like everything else on the bike.
I have no idea. First I'll learn about what's sitting in front of me right now, I guess. Figure out what's supposed to be there and what isn't, although with the exception of the oddly tight headset everything seems awesome. And I've got a mind, somewhere down the line, to get a beautiful repaint. But that's probably years, not months, down the line.
Oh, and I'm gonna ride it. Probably a lot.
...As for the rims, they're 700c, decals absent, definitely been ridden.
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
Last edited by Fahrenheit531; 03-08-15 at 07:59 PM.
#9
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
#11
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Beautiful bike, and phenomenal score! A Paramount is a bike that has not passed through my hands! Congratulations on that beauty! it is very well deserved! All the best!
Flash
Flash
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Very cool. That's a rare 4-hole FD on there, only made for a year, '78 I think. I got a Raleigh SBDU Team Pro at my local co-op, otherwise I would be jealous too.
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The Campy headset should be rattle-free but smooth as frog's hair. If run too tight it can dimple the lower races. Nice find!
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Man, that is beautiful.
Take some auto rubbing compound then wax to the paint, I suspect no respray will be desired afterwards. A general clean and polish too. I take it that the bike has been fully serviced, given its history, so just some hoods and maybe a headset tweak, match up the front and rear brakes, and you should have a fully sorted and very beautiful classic!
Take some auto rubbing compound then wax to the paint, I suspect no respray will be desired afterwards. A general clean and polish too. I take it that the bike has been fully serviced, given its history, so just some hoods and maybe a headset tweak, match up the front and rear brakes, and you should have a fully sorted and very beautiful classic!
#16
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Nice find. My chromie came off the line 6 bikes later than yours. Took it for a nice 3 hour ride today...my favorite bike by far.

#18
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The headsets can get tight like that too when the bearings are installed upside down. Since the bike was recently serviced by student type mechanics, I would drop the fork and visually inspect the bearings to make sure everything is right. 99% sure that is your problem.
#19
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The headsets can get tight like that too when the bearings are installed upside down. Since the bike was recently serviced by student type mechanics, I would drop the fork and visually inspect the bearings to make sure everything is right. 99% sure that is your problem.
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
Last edited by Fahrenheit531; 03-09-15 at 08:19 AM.
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Good functional bike, brakes and levers, crank set, front dérailleur, rear skewer, pedals rims are all transplanted. Hubs are probably original, as might be the stem. Paint looks serviceable, I would get a seat tube decal.
#21
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From a frame-builder? Online source? I suppose I can poke around. It's 531 all around, right?
...or maybe you mean the white decal midway down the tube. I suppose that'll be online somewhere.
...or maybe you mean the white decal midway down the tube. I suppose that'll be online somewhere.
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
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Yes, both actually. Waterford might be a source. From the frame number you could tell which style would be correct. One had Olympic Rings, later it was no white field just bands. Scooper has that info by memory.
#23
Thrifty Bill
Surprised Bloomington/Normal doesn't have one. A lot of college towns have them connected to the college in some way.
U of I has one, definitely worth scoping out if you get over the Champaign at all.
Best bike I have found at the co-op was a 1987 Trek 560, I did get my black chrome Schwinn Sierra frame for the el cheapo contest from the co-op as well. I stop at the co-op regularly to donate piles of stuff. I usually sift through their broken derailleur selection, as its a good place to find those missing jockey wheels, anchor bolts, etc.
U of I has one, definitely worth scoping out if you get over the Champaign at all.
Best bike I have found at the co-op was a 1987 Trek 560, I did get my black chrome Schwinn Sierra frame for the el cheapo contest from the co-op as well. I stop at the co-op regularly to donate piles of stuff. I usually sift through their broken derailleur selection, as its a good place to find those missing jockey wheels, anchor bolts, etc.
#24
Decrepit Member
A '71 would have had the white panel seat tube decal with the Olympic circles and the 531 decal near the top of the seat tube. Waterford should be able to supply them.





#25
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No fork decals?
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera