Pics of NOS Schwinn Paramount 50th Anniversary frame and fork

[Frank]

Can never get enough of that Mihov image resizer ;-) This is a beautiful new old stock 56cm Schwinn Paramount 50th Anniversary frame and fork. never built and never ridden...really pretty! Color is candy apple red metallic, fork is gold plated. Wasn't bright sunshine outside so the pics don't show the brilliance of the paint and gold.

[weisan]

www.ebay.com/Frank/SchwinnParamount.asp

sorry pal, I can't resist. :D It's a beauty....but still cannot compare to the White Unicorn....and that's just me. :p

Missed talking to you, pal. Hope everything is well.

[PBWrench]

Stunning frame!!

[vaxn8r]

Are you just teasing us? Is that baby for sale? I love about every bike you post photos of but that one has got to be my favorite. I love that color scheme and the old Paramoount decals were way cool.

[Climb01742]

logos/decals don't impact performance an iota, but damn, they impact appearance. what a simple, classy logo. it's totally personal and subjective, but i wish more logos were as understated and tasteful as this. thanks, frank, for the eye-candy.

[Bill Bove]

A buddy of mine has one of those built up with a Campy 50th grupo, he rode it quite a bit when he first got it years ago, it now only sees occasional use. Some things are hard to beat, with that one you just step back and say "We're there".

[cs124]

what's that reflected in the top of the fork crown as it curves up into the steerer tube?

[Trav]

That may be the most beautiful bike I've ever laid eyes on! How would one go about getting some decals like that?

[Keith A]

Very nice one Framk. Did you sell the other 50th Anniversary frame? I believe it was a 57cm c-t and now you have one closer to your size. So where did you find this beauty? So is this one going to get some parts on it?

Trav -- Are you looking specifically for the Schwinn Paramount decals? If so, then contact Waterford bikes and they should be able to help you out.

Edit: Here's a little brighter picture of the whole frame...

[OldDog]

Frank,

Is this frame a standard run 50th addition, available at the time in various colors with matching painted fork, or one of the 600 or so limited editions with the gold fork? I was under the impression the limited editions only came in black. My brother-in-law was a dealer at the time these were issued and we purchased a half dozen of the limited edition frames, all only available in black.

My question is, is this a standard run frame with the limited edition fork added afterwards? If this came from the factory as part of the original 600, it is rare indeed.

The red and gold color combo is beautiful together. Do you intend to build it up, if so with what?

[Frank]

Thanks to all for the compliments!

Not trolling for buyers, because if I was looking to sell it I would not be too bashful to list it that way :) I had not taken any pics of it and thought i would do so.

Keith: Thanks for the pic lightening. I did indeed sell the 57 c-t black 50th anniversary f/f. I bought this red one from a fellow I have exchanged e-mails with over the past couple of years on bikes that we saw that might interest each other.

Per a response from Richard Schwinn at Waterford, this is number 47 of a series of 650 such limited-edition Paramounts. It is built with Columbus SLX tubing, and these framesets came with a gold plated fork, velvet fork bag (a red one...have it too) and application to get a certificate of authenticity (don't have it). He indicated few people actually sent the certificate in.

I am not sure what I will do with the frame. I buy lots of them, but build up very few. This probably sounds strange, but I find myself having a hard time building up new or collectible frames for myself. I like looking at them and admiring their workmanship and significance in cycling history, but I know from my own history that I end up selling all of the ones I have eventually. I fund my bike buying with selling other ones, so to get new stuff I have to sell old stuff.

I love getting them and looking at the different frames, but when it comes to building one up for myself I end up choosing nice frames that are not new (but still look nice!) and building them up myself with Shimano 9 speed Ultegra STI. Last few I have built were a Tommasini SLX Super Prestige (still have), Steelman SR525, and a Marinoni. All were in near-new excellent condition and very pretty, and I loved riding them, but none were brand new.

I know there are folks out there who would build some of these frames and never sell them, and it is fun to see them get what they are looking for and to hear from them several years down the road still enjoying them. I have sold some vintage "name" frames over the past years including a couple of Cinelli's, a Merckx, Colnago's, a couple of DeRosa's, etc. and still hear from some of those folks occasionally. They tell me they consider them "lifetime" bikes and will never part with them. I like to buy and sell and get new stuff to see too much, I guess, because I have never owned a "lifetime" bike...yet :)

[vaxn8r]

Bike porn...that's all that is... ;)

Thanks for sharing Frank:)

[dehoopta]

What a beaut! Not that I could even think about buying a bike since my CdA hasn't even shipped, but what would one like that go for? I LOVE the understated elegance of the decals. Puts a Trek to shame for all the cheap graphics they have.

[SPOKE]

i have two of the black ones with gold forks. one is built up with the campy 50th group and hangs on the wall in my living room. the other one i built up as a rider. both were NOS when i got them. they are great riding bikes. if i ever find another one of that vintage (doesn't have to be the 50th anniversary) i'd like to snag it and spread the rear triangle so i can put some of the new 10spd stuff on it.

if you ever decide to sell yours please drop me a note. i'd love a chance at adding it to the fleet. like you, i probably wouldn't build it up since i already have the other two. it'd look very nice hanging on my office wall in a glass case with some other period campy items.

[Keith A]

Spoke -- I'm 100% sure on this one, but I believe that some (all?) of the late 80's to early 90's Waterford Paramounts actually had a 128mm rear dropout spacing. This would allow you to run both sizes of rear wheels during the transition period.

[Frank]

I was looking at this frame and fork again this weekend and I know it is not one I will build up. I don't have any "special bike ride or Sunday group ride" bikes as my riding is done here on rural roads that surround where I live. This one looks to be too nice for my riding.

I was looking at it in the bright clear Oklahoma sun and it is, to me, like a work of art. The candy apple red frame and gold plated fork are brilliant. I had a neighbor come over (he is not a bike rider) and even he appreciated the color scheme. I can imagine it built up with a nice new retro set of components by someone who builds bikes up like that. I think it will be a spectacular bike.

Frank

[97CSI]

One good Paramount deserves another. Here is mine. Repainted by the factory in Waterford. Is one year too old to be an anniversary model, though. Richardson Bike Mart in Richardson, TX has a black 55 with a Campy 50th Anniversary group. Beautiful match. Nice bike, Frank. Excellent lugged framesets.

[Frank]

One good Paramount deserves another. Here is mine. Repainted by the factory in Waterford. Is one year too old to be an anniversary model, though. Richardson Bike Mart in Richardson, TX has a black 55 with a Campy 50th Anniversary group. Beautiful match. Nice bike, Frank. Excellent lugged framesets.

They look colorful without being garish or taking away from the rest of the bike.

[Jeff N.]

Sweetness. Jeff N.

[dave thompson]

Waterford has done some interesting stuff with flame jobs, some of the best looking in the industry.

[97CSI]

I've been told that Waterford no longer does any painting in-house. And, it took them two tries on this one. When I put the clamp-on derailleur on the downtube the paint was so soft it pushed out from under the clamp. Final job is very good, but took about five (5) months to get it right.

[vaxn8r]

What are you asking Frank?

[Frank]

What are you asking Frank?

Vaxn8r, I sent you an e-mail with pics