Did Serotta build a Schwinn???

[Trav]

I bought a Schwinn road bike and the guy I bought it from said it was built buy Serotta. I was wondering if someone could point me in the direction of finding out some more info on this or if someone could just inform me.
Thanks,
Trav

[JohnS]

I believe that they built the titanium Paramounts.

[Trav]

That's what I have, any idea how I could find out more info about this?
Thanks a ton,
Trav

[Serotta PETE]

Years back, Serotta did build a Ti bike that has the Schwinn label. It was positioned below the Legend and Concours and was the entry Ti from Serotta and was sold to Schwinn. Tubing was non-butted. I never rode one, so am unable to give a comparison to any of the other Serotta frames.

PETE

[Keith A]

Try searching the old forum (http://www.hydromedia.com/serotta/). I'm pretty sure this topic came up several times and there was some good information there.

[Satellite]

Trav,

Email Serotta direct with your serial number they can give you some details. I emailed a serial number from a Team 7-11 bike from the 80's and they gave me all the juicy details.

Satellite

[David Kirk]

The Serotta built Paramounts were unique and not rebadged Serottas. As I recall the rear tubes were the same as a Legend but the front end used straight gauge, non-tapered tubes.

Serotta built something like 500 of them for Schwinn but Schwinn didn't want to pay Serotta to paint them so they were sent to Boulder unpainted........and there they sat for a very long time until Schwinn figured out how to paint them. I don't think that they saved any money on that part of the deal.

They were built to a very high standard and the quality was Serotta quality. I think you've got a very nice bike. How do you like it?

Dave

[Trav]

How do I like it? I was riding a steel Colnago for 4 years before I decided I wanted to go to Titanium and let me tell you, it's night and day. I love the ride! I bought it with full Ultegra and Ksyruim SSC wheels and it is an amazing machine. My buddy rides a Serotta and told me I should really check into it as he said it really looked to good to be true. I'm no slouch when it comes to nice bikes but he is a real bike savvy man. He pointed out how well it was built and said there was just no way that Schwinn could build something of that quality. This bike handles like a dream and climbs like a goat. To be honest my biggest complain isn't the frame but the components that are on it. Going from Record to Ultegra was a bit of a let down, I can't stand the width of the hoods on the Ultegra, but I wanted the frame. It has a horrible burnt orangeish paint job that I would like to remove, but don't know the best way of going about it. Thank you so much for everyone's advice and help! I feel like I just found a diamond in the rough! As I am obviously not that knowledgeable about the Serotta line-up, what would be a round about price of this thing new? I paid $1100 dollars for it and felt like I got a great deal, especially considering the wheels were almost new and the frame is in mint condition.
Thanks,
Trav

[yeehawfactor]

this bike, while a serotta and of serotta quality will not sell for serotta prices. you paid about right. my shop has a 58(i think its a 58, its a common size) that's been priced at 1499 for a long time. so you did fine.

[vaxn8r]

Every one of those I saw was burnt orange....maybe that's the only color choice.

Sounds like a nice bike. Butting only makes the bike a little lighter.

[chrisroph]

I believe they were steeper than the standard serotta geometry and had 73.5 or 74 degree seat tubes.

[dirtdigger88]

here you go on how to loose the burnt orange paint

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=5895

jason

[David Kirk]

As I recall there we also some blue ones late in the game that were sold during the next model year.

Dave

[Trav]

That's exactly what I wanted to do to my frame sans decals. I love the plain titanium look. That will really help me out. Did you use Acetone (sp?) as the chemical remover?
Trav

[Keith A]

Since I own a steel Paramount of the same era, I've dug into some of the details as well. The Ti models came in blue, red and the goldish color -- with the steel models having silver as an additional color option. BTW, the Schwinn catalogs listed that Serotta made the Ti frames.

[Trav]

Did they only do this for a certian year? I'm not sure what year mine is. It has a 1" Dura-ace headset so my best guess is it's a 2000 model. I've seen some Paramounts around but all of them were steel. Did Schwinn make the steel ones?

[Keith A]

Trav,

I know for sure that "new" Paramounts were made in '99 and '00 -- I've got both of these catalogs. They may have started as early as '98 and gone until have until '01, but I'm not certain of this.

The steel models (853 main frame with 753 rear triangle) were made by Tim Isaac at Match cycles -- he now works at the Litespeed group. The steel Paramount were also very nice frames with lugged construction, curved seat and chain stays. The lugs are nice looking and are a bit ornate, but not overdone with a slick seat tube lug that seamlessly integrates into the seat stays.

BTW, if you are interested in the exact geometry specs, let me know your frame size and I'll post this information for you.

[Trav]

It's a 54 cm. I'm pretty sure it's a 2000 model. I e-mailed Serotta so don't worry about sending all the info, I'm sure it would take a lot of time and hopefully they give send me all of that. I really appreciate the offer though. I guess if they don't send it to me I'll get back to you.

[Trav]

I've been going through the old forums for about 1 1/2 hours but no luck yet. It's a lot of posts to sort through. Hopefully I'll find something.

[Keith A]

Trav,

I hope you are using the search feature for the old forum and not just going through the postings.

In the catalog, they show the "frame size" to be measured c-t, but I found this to be incorrect on my steel Paramount. Mine is a 54 c-c and all of the other dimensions match the specs listed for what they call the 54 c-t. So I'll assume yours is also a 54cm c-c and here are the numbers...

Frame size: 54.0
Top Tube: 55.0
Head Angle: 74.0
Seat Angle: 73.5
Chainstay: 41.0
Wheelbase: 98.2
BB Drop: 6.5
Offset: 4.0

[Keith A]

The catalog also states the following for the Ti model...

● Schwinn Paramount Road Design Titanium frame with custom drawn double-butted, seamless US Ti 3.25 tubing and 6.4 bottom bracket shell and dropouts. Painstakingly crafted by Serotta Cycles.

● Curved seatstays and chainstays increase lateral stiffness and reflect the highest level of craftsmanship; machined Ti dropouts and brake bride add increased strength

● Time Club carbon straight blade fork

[Trav]

I don't know much about the angles or what double butted does to the ride. I'll have my friend crunch some numbers. And I was looking in the old forum but i didn't know there was a "search" now I do. This forum is the best!

[Ahneida Ride]

There is a pict of a blue one at Wallbike.com

http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/barley.html