[CR]Ebay Outings: Paramounts, Old & New

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli:Laser)

Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2003 14:03:27 -0400
From: "Stratton O. Hammon II" <strattonh@insightbb.com>
To: "classicrendezvous@bikelist.org" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
x-mac-creator="4D4F5353"
Subject: [CR]Ebay Outings: Paramounts, Old & New

There are a couple of Paramounts for sale on Ebay. No relation to these two.

A Tim Isaac, Match Co. built Paramount frame: http://ebay.com/<blah>

Here's a lovely '66 Paramount from the original owner. The bike has been repainted by Schwinn: http://ebay.com/<blah>

I have a Tim Isaac, Match Co. Paramount sitting in the dining room. I'm baby sitting it for my English friend Maxine who rides it when she visits The States. It's a pretty frame with nicely cut lugs and little silver badges on the top tube. The '99 Schwinn catalogue, "Ride Tuned in Boulder, Colorado" shows that these bicycles were available in Silver, Red, and Blue. (The one on Ebay is a gold-orange?) They were "Externally tapered and internally butted Reynolds, air-hardened 853 tubes with Reynolds 725 stays" The '99 catalogue also shows a Titanium Paramount. Just to add to Curt Goodrich's comments. I agree that the bike would look better without the straight fork. And I've found, at least on my friend's small frame, that the hidden seat bolt, that is drilled into the seat stays, is too far away from the slot on the back of the seat lug. The bolt works very poorly and it is difficult to get it tight enough to hold the seat post.

Who is Curt and what was his association with Schwhinn and Paramount?

Off like a flock of turtles, Stratton Hammon Louisville, Kentucky, USA
>Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 10:17:45 -0500
>From: "goodrichbikes" <goodrichbikes@netzero.net>
>To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]match built Paramounts
>We built a total of 750 Paramounts at match. These Paramounts were
>doomed from the beginning of the project. The geometry was not terribly
>desirable (not enough BB drop) and the straight bladed fork was a
>foolish mistake by a MTB driven marketing department. Despite all of
>that, I think these Paramounts were as well made as any of the best
>Paramounts from the past.
>Curt Goodrich
>Minneapolis, MN


>From Rivendell Reader Web Site: http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/reader_articles/MatchRR15.html

Tim Isaacs of Match Bicycle Company: My first custom frame had been a Paramount. It was built as the result of a visit to the Schwinn factory. Frank Brilando showed the factory to me. I was 16 years old visiting Chicago for the chance to compete in the Nationals at Northbrook. I'd won the state championship in Colorado and was off the races. Now, half way around the world, I sat with a friend discussing the future of that same bicycle. Within a year I'd set up Match, and we got the Schwinn Paramount contract.

Rivendell Reader: Would you have started Match without the Schwinn contract? And how many Paramounts did you build?

TI: Well, sure I would have. I just told you I was over there this time on Match business, getting the machinery lined up. But the Paramount deal was a great way to get started, that's for sure.