Todd,
I was speaking specifically of Paramounts in the vintage of the '73 on eBay. Quality varied, depending on the year of manufacture or luck of the draw. As I stated, Paramounts compared well when held up next to the other mass-production manufacturers' top line models. My observation is that the '70s Paramounts were not in the same category as the Masis, Colnagos, and even the Cinellis of the period. And they couldn't be considered even remotely as being in the same class as the budding American frame builders of the era. They were well-built, wonderful bikes, but you just have to look closely at them to see the difference in workmanship. My point is that their popularity with the masses made them an object of disdain with some connoisseurs.
If anyone wants close-up photos of examples of less-than-excellent workmanship on '70s Paramounts, I will be happy to suffice. It's all cosmetic stuff that doesn't detract from the great ride of a silver-brazed 531, classic geometry frame.
Steve Barner, still loving Paramounts in Bolton, Vermont
> on 4/5/03 4:46 PM, Stephen Barner at steve@sburl.com wrote:
>
> > This is probably justified by the fact that Paramounts had
> > a very good reputation with the uninformed, while many bikes, while
superior
> > in workmanship, were largely underappreciated. Those chrome Nervex
curlies
> > loist their appeal when the more sophisticated eye spotted the filemarks
and
> > sloppy bike boom workmanship that too often lay underneath. . .
>
> > They compare very well against similar off-shore companies, such as
Raleigh,
> > Peugeot and Atala. In 1973, the bloom was still pretty shiny on the
> > Paramount rose, so, yes, it would be a shame to part it out, and I bet
it's
> > still a really sweet ride.
>
> Steve,
>
> This is quite an indictment of the Paramount name. Remeber that the
> Paramount history is quite a long one (starting in 1937) and includes many
> famous builders. For example, Albert Eisentraut apprenticed under Oscar
> Wastyn.
>
> Personally, I would place the quality of the Paramounts that I have been
> familiar with above most Raleighs, Peugots, and Atalas, but I'd like to
hear
> comments from others on this matter.
>
> Todd Kuzma
> Heron Bicycles
> LaSalle, IL
> http://www.heronbicycles.com/