I picked up this schwinn paramount for $150 from an older lady, 2nd owner. This bike is dialed in as it sits. I bought this bike to convert to a SS. But now I'm torn if I should convert or restore. What say you?

In before everyone tells you to leave it alone.

That's a beautiful bike. Please don't convert it.

Change out the stem and saddle and clean it up.
It's a PDG model though, one of the less-sought after versions of the Paramount line.

yeah, those were made in japan and not the waterford plants. i'd still ride it geared though, your choice. its not something completely out of the ordinary though.

Don't even if it was made in japan.

I say screw everyone's opinions and do what you want with it. If you know you'll enjoy it more as a single speed, convert that mofugga. As long as you don't go hacking off a derailleur hanger or something, you could always make it geared again someday.

Should be your call.

Dude, check out this paramount:
https://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218...lpid=1&search=

I am gonna break it down and get her powder coated. Just don't know what color yet. I have a good powder coater I deal with here in Tucson. I visioned this bike looking very cleaned up with smooth lines. A quick bike to zip around on for pleasure. My Giant Rapid is my workout/commute bike so I wasn't trying to get high performance out of the paramount. I wanted something low maintenance and with smooth lines for fun.

Very cool!

I would definitely not do this. You can always go back to geared if you save all the parts, but you can never get the original paint back. It's not a super sought after Paramount, but it's still a Paramount and it'll bring money. You'll destroy the resale value if you powder coat it.

As long as you don't do dumb stuff like chop off the shift lever bosses or derailer hanger, I have no objection to converting it to FG/SS.

i personally believe any bike that has managed to keep it's original parts this long deserves to retire with them. but that's just a personal belief. and on the flip side you could clean and tune it really well then sell it for way more than you bought it for and upgrade your actual ss.

That frame is actually not very good for SS conversion, because it has very short horizontal dropouts, and it may be difficult to adjust chain tension w/o a tensioner. Bikes with long horizontal dropouts are much better for this.

Conversions became popular years ago for two reasons:

1) There were no budget fixed gear frames available. (There were track frames, but they weren't cheap or easy to find.)

2) You could take a bike that was doomed for the trash heap and strip off all of the technical bits (derailleurs, shifters, etc) and "save" a bike and essentially get a functioning bike for much less than the cost of a new one. This usually resulted in a Franken-bike.

Fast forward to 2011...

1) There are LOTS of budget fixed gear frames AND complete bikes available.

2) That bike is fully functional and nowhere near being ready for the scrap pile.


There is no good reason to convert it.

^ +1

Converting an older bike can be fun and would allow one to hone in some mechanical skills.

I really enjoy my conversion, just as much as I like my pista.

As people said; it's up to you; you could always even save the parts for reconditioning later when you decide to restore it from single speed or fixed.

I'd say keep it as is. It's nice having a variety of bikes to choose from.

Having gears is the new no gears.

please no... please. please. it's a beaut as she is. buy an eighthinch scrambler/kilo tt/etc. if you want a cheap quick SS bike to zip around on

funny thing is, is that I have seen more and more hipsters on geared bikes....

Another reason for not converting and buying a Kilo TT

Then you'll have two rad awesome bikes instead of one. And since 2>1 We can see NOT converting as the only option. And that's before we take into account the geometric e+ffect that multiple bike ownership has on the scales of awesomeness, in the end i i think comes out at something like 4>1 (+/-10% based on geographic, weather patterns and of course the local bike scene )

I can think of a really good one: he spent the money on it and if he would like it better that way then he should do it.

Not meaning to pick on Carleton here, but it seems like this is a popular sentiment. I understand the whole "it's a nice bike, and it's good to have a geared bike sometimes, etc. etc.," but at the end of the day, if he likes the frame and will get more use or enjoyment out of it as a FG or SS, then I see no reason not to do it.

Worst case scenario someone thinks you're a jackass for riding a conversion that should have stayed geared, but if you're too busy whipping around enjoying your bike you won't care anyways.

This would be the case if the thread were titled, "I got this bike and I'm gonna convert it."

But it's not. The thread's title is, "To convert or not to convert" and the OP further explains...

He asked for opinions and I offered mine.

If he didn't care, he wouldn't have started such a thread.