My best find was the day before the Spring swap meet in Trexlertown
2003. Thursday, I'd mentioned Trexlertown to a bike shop owner I was
visiting. "I didn't know you were into track bikes", so while I was
waxing ecstatic about the paramount track bike I'd always wanted he said
he knew somebody selling a paramount. He called the guy and 15 minutes
later I was looking at a gorgeous, too small 1974 red original paint
Paramount track bike in great shape, chrome nervex lugs half stays and
half fork. The gentleman asked me what I'd offer. I replied I was
embarassed to say what I could afford. "How about $300?" I ended up
buying it on Friday from this retired engineer/track racer who wanted to
clean out his basement. He kept adding more stuff to the kitty. For
$300, I got the complete bike, 4 total sets of wheels, 3 of them campy
hubs, The 151 crank had 6 chainrings, the 144 Suntour Suberbe crank NIB
had about a dozen chainrings a few of the chainrings NOS, a set of 6
cogs, 4 sets of handlebars and stems including a steel badged Cinelli
stem and bar. 4 sets of pedals, some NOS toeclip straps, chains and
assorted stuff that I was "forced" to take with it. The man's wife had
sewed up two of these really nice fabric sleeves for holding 3 chairings
and at least 3 cogs each and room for a couple of small tools. I
recently sold the frame for what was probably half of what it would have
e-bayed, and I still have the wonderful virtually free groupo waiting
for a nice track frame. Though it wasn't my size, I still miss that
pretty red bike.
http://image14.webshots.com/
Happy trails,
Dan Artley in Parkton, Maryland