Hi, John---
Two years ago I gave my wife a birthday gift of a 1967 Sierra Brown Ladies Schwinn Paramount Deluxe, which I won via ebay. I had watched the first auction for it, was tempted to bid, but did not, and it didn't sell. Later it was relisted and outted by List Member Don Wilson, and he did me a big favor, as I had failed to see the relisting, but, because of Don, ended up bidding and winning.
Shortly thereafter two more ladies Paramounts appeared on ebay, but I don't think they were "Deluxe" models (no pinstriping, and standard Nevex Pro lugs vs. Nervex Super Legere). One of the bikes was white and I think the other one was silver. The one I bought was in the largest size I had ever seen (23-inches c-t-c).
Below is a link to some photos of the machine.
That Sierra Brown Paramount was the subject of some discussion on the CR List regarding the Nervex Super Legere lugs, as they are one of the rarer Nervex variations, as pointed out by Peter Weigle. Peter also noted that the lug lining was done just outside of (as opposed to directly alongside of) the lug edge, making the lugs visually "pop." One guy used to do that job for Schwinn, Peter W. was told by Richard Schwinn, and Ted Ernst later pointed out on the List that that lug liner was Joe Brilando.
Somewhere along the line, before I acquired the bike, somebody messed around with the paint, rubbing sections of it off and making a general mess wherever they touched it, which included some of the pinstriping. I may try to get those areas carefully restored.
I haven't gotten around to writing to Richard Schwinn for the company files on the bike, but I should do that. My local wrench guessed that it may be a special bike, possibly built for one of the tall Schwinn family in-law members from Colorado, as I'm told there are some out there (that's where the bike came from when I won it). My local mechanic used to build Paramounts in Waterford, Wisconsin, before opening his shop here in Whitewater.
The Ladies Paramount came equipped with a partial Campy Record group with Weinmann brakes and Schwinn-branded Huret long-stem shifters. I "blinged out" the bike a bit by finding Schwinn 27-inch whitewalls, a white AFA pump, REG bottle cage and white Thermic bottle, a real canvas Schwinn bag, white Bluemels, and one of the fancy tooled-leather "hawk-nosed" ladies saddles which Brooks came out with a couple years back. I also added a Nitto Technomic stem, for comfort.
I removed the stem shifters and put on barcons. The foam handlebar grips were not my choice---I wanted tape---but I knew my wife likes that stuff, so on it went. I also swapped out the Cinelli racing bars for some rando bars (again, for comfort) and exchanged the rear-derailleur pulley wheels (one was missing a tooth) for red Bulls Eyes. The Lyotard Berthet pedals were on the bike when I bought it. Of course the original Schwinn equipment which I removed has been safely labeled and packed away, so that I can bring the bike back to spec whenever I wish.
My wife grew up in greater Chicago thinking that either a Schwinn Varsity or a Raleigh Gran Prix was THE bike to aspire to (which I think is genuinely unspoiled and sweet), so when I wheeled the Paramount into the house with a gigantic white bow on it, it proved a big hit---once I explained to her exactly what it was, that is! :-)
I have seen many high-quality ladies models in both Reynolds 531 and 501 by excellent makers. I will focus on a few of the British marques because that is my area of greatest interest: Claud Butler (own one) Selbach, Viking, Gillott, Bertrand, Leitch Marathon, Condor, Mercian, etc., etc., etc..... Claud used to make a lot of them. They were called the "Ladies Lightweight" model and later became known by the name of the various mens models which they emulated (Ladies "New All Rounder," etc.)
Enjoy the pix (hope the link works).
Cheerio,
Peter Jourdain Whitewater, Wisconsin USA
--- On Sat, 6/13/09, john strizek <lyonstrings@yahoo.com> wrote, in part:
> I remember seeing the woman's
> model Schwinn Paramount in the ads in the 70s. I know of
> only one person who actually had one and that was 35 years
> ago. I have never seen another or heard of someone with one.
> I have never seen one for sale.
> Have any of you ever seen one?...
>
> John Strizek
> Sacramento, California USA