# '91 Paramount PDG Series 2 Info



## Sablotny (Apr 2, 2004)

Howdy, I know that the non-Waterford Paramounts are the redheaded stepchildren of the Schwinn family... just lookng for some info here. I bought a '91 Paramount Series 2 road bike that I'm going to convert to a city/speed bike- 7 speed MTB controls with a Scott AT-LF bullhorn bar & the like. Wanted to get some info on the bike, like: were these made in Japan, China, or ?? What's the difference between the "Series?" I see everything from Series 1 to Series 70. Frame, components, both? How's the quality on these frames? Think I got this one the year before the heat-treated frames came out. Thanks for any help.


----------



## neveride (Feb 7, 2004)

Its been a while but I used to have a Series 70 back in the day. The 30, 50, 70, and 90's were the Mountain bikes, the 1,2, etc were road. I remember less about the road bikes than I do mountains. My former shop may still have some info, I'll get over there one day this week and see what he's got left on info.

Guessing, I believe the frames were all Taiwan. The Mtb's were:
30: mostly LX, dont remember the color
50: mostly DX, Black, with a sort of red marbalized effect on the headtube and fading back
70: mostly XT, Black with orange Splatter
these guys were all tig welded
90: I remember two different colors for different years, a sort of blueish black, and a purple, though I can't swear on the purple. This was a lugged frame, which was the big difference, as well as smaller diameter tubing. Can't remember if this was a shimano or suntour bike.
All the mtb's were steel, the roads aluminum I believe.
All had rigid forks, though a couple of the 90's may have come through with Paoli forks, but not many.

Sorry I can't help with the road, but back then all I cared about was mountain.  

Again, my memory's a bit fuzzy, but I'll check and see what info my old shop might have.

Dave


----------



## neveride (Feb 7, 2004)

*Picture of My Series 70, circa 91/92*

Here's a pic (sorry for the B/W, I'm surprised I even had this photo) of my Series 70, approx 91 or 92.
Parts I can see/remember
Topline cranks
Control tech stem
Ritchey post
XT derails/shifters/hubs
Ritchey rims (possibly campy)
Trek/Showa fork (temp replace for blown RS 1, curtesy of a friend who was a trek rep)
Ritchey brake levers and 986 cantis 
Vetta Seat
Vulcan bar ends
Porc front tire, smoke rear


----------



## Sablotny (Apr 2, 2004)

*Thanks!*

Type-typing away at work, didn't even realize I posted this to the MTBR retro page instead of RoadBikeReview. But thanks for the info. Love the pic, too. At that time I was being weaned from my Bridgestone retro-grouch era and about to pounce on a '93 Specialized M2 FS. Rapidfire Plus shifters, aluminum frame, an air/oil suspension fork, clipless pedals... all this "verboten" stuff was just too cool.


----------



## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

Really the only difference in the "Series" are the components and the paint schemes.  The Schinn Paramount road bikes were basically just like Cannondale....same frame on all their models just different parts for different price ranges. All the welded frames were made in Taiwan. The lugged frames were made in WI. These wouldn't have a Series # though, they would just have Schwinn and Paramount decals.

The mountain bikes on the other hand had a few different frame designs and used different tubing in some of the models.


----------



## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Thats a 1991*

1991 Series 70 and Series 90 had the same frame which was carried over to 1992 as the Series 30.


----------



## t2p (Jul 22, 2004)

At one time, the non-Waterford Paramounts - Schwinn Paramounts - were considered to be 'misfits' by some, but they were far from that - especially the lugged frames that were hand assembled/silver brazed. They were not Waterford Paramounts however. Thy really do look good today - when you compare them to the stuff that is available now. Not too many lugged steel frames at the LBS. 
.
There were various types of Schwinn Paramount frames - Tange TIG'd, Tange Prestige butted TIG'd, Tange Prestige butted lugged .... there may have been straight gauge Tange/'high tensile' combo steel frame .... ??? ...... it depended on the year and model - I'm sufferring a lengthy 'senior moment' and can not remember the various models produced over the years and the frame type. 
.
I believe most - of not all - of the 'high end' lugged frames were made in Japan using Tange Prestige tubing. Some of the better TIG'd Tange Prestige frames may have also been made in Japan. 
.
Someone previously mentioned a 'blueish black' - that was actually a 70 series - lugged Tange Prestige frame. 
.
The early Series 30 was black with yellow ... or white ... cobweb. This frame was TIG'd Tange frame - but not Prestige tubing. Nothing special - actually kind of heavy. The 30 was equipped with an LX parts group. 
.
The early Series 50 was red red/black fade ... marbelized ... etc. This frame was TIG'd Tange Prestige. Nice frame. DX Parts group. 

The first Series 70 was a Tig'd Tange Prestige frame in black w/ orange cobweb. I believe this was the same basic fame as the Series 50. XT parts group.
.
I believe the early Series 90 at this time was red/white/blue - and it may have been lugged ..... can not remember. Almost certain it was Tange Prestige. Probably Suntour XC Pro.
.
I believe these bikes (30, 50, 70, 90 above) were produced in 91.
.
The next year .... or two years later .....
.
The Series 50 was almost unchanged - I believe there was a difference in the chainstays .... I believe they may have been asymmetrical ........

The Series 70 was a lugged Tange Prestige frame in blueish black. Very nice frame. Still XT.
.
The Series 90 was a lugged Prestige frame finished in a pearl light magenta ... a pinkish purple .... sort of whatever. Same basic frame as the Series 70. Suntour XC Pro.
.
All of these bikes featured a rigid fork. 

A year or two after this, the 'series' moniker - Series 70, Series 90, etc was replaced with R3 ...or R30 ....... R5 ... R 50 ??? ...... or something like that. Most of these bikes were lugged. These were the first Schwinn Paramounts that featured a suspension fork I believe. 
.
I have owned or owned Series 30 thru Series 90 Schwinn Paramounts.
.
I had a Series 30 and Series 50 - sold them. 
.
I currently have two Series 70's and one Series 90: a Series 70 - TIG'd black and orange, Series 70 - lugged blueish black, and a Series 90 - lugged - pearl magenta. 
.
.
....................... or something like that ............


----------



## Sablotny (Apr 2, 2004)

*Thanks T2P - my pic to follow*

I've gotten into the bad habit of rejeuvenating early/mid-90's bikes for friends (I personally think a watershed era for bikes) and this roadie '92 Series 2 did not disappoint. Found it on Ebay, like new, for $160. The seller was very courteous and it looks like it had about 50 miles on it. I stripped it to bits, cleaned the frame, then put 3-4 coats of car wax on it. Its lugged/brazed and made of "Paramount Prestige Butted Tubing, by Tange". The paint's got just a bubble here and there, so its not quite up to "modern" standards. But it sure looks great in fire engine red. I built it up for my girlfriend's sister as a fast townie/speedbike/first road bike. New cassette, chain, seat, tires, Ritchey cromo stem, SunTour XC Expert 7 speed thumbies, Scott AT2-LF bullhorn bar, new cables & housing. Total with shipping & new bits: $325.

I'll post pics soon just to show it off.

I like the fact that this bike's a "redheaded stepchild" in the Paramount family because of its, er, asian heritage. It was cheap but is really a nice bike. And in '92 there were already many US-branded bikes made in Taiwan, a step down on the asian mfr'ing totem pole. My last project bike was a '92 Bridgestone RB-2, which was a competitor to the 'Mount, but this bike has a nicer frame (RB-2 was seamed Ishiwata) & better components (RB-2 was mix of lower Shimano & SunTour Radius/Blaze, 'Mount is all Shimano 500).


----------



## t2p (Jul 22, 2004)

.
Unfortunately, I don't know enough about the Schwinn Paramount road bikes and frames ..... I am trying - but continue to be outbid .... just recently was outbid on a blue Series 3 ....... darn ..... I do have a few vintage Schwinn road bikes/frames though ...... Peloton w/ Columbus SL tubing .... and a Tempo with Columbus Tenax tubing ......... 
.
I agree with your comment about the early-mid 90's as the 'watershed' era for bikes .... only 10 or so years later and it has become evident (to the most casual observers) ...
. 
I like the Bridgestones ..... I even like their old 'catalog' .... remember that one ? ...... I have one ..... somewhere ......... also have a few Paramount brochures somewhere ....


----------



## seely (Jan 20, 2004)

Shayne said:


> Really the only difference in the "Series" are the components and the paint schemes. The Schinn Paramount road bikes were basically just like Cannondale....same frame on all their models just different parts for different price ranges.


Thats actually not quite right... Series 1, 2, 3, etc. seems to denote the grade of the tubeset. I have a Series 3. Its a Tange frame, as were most.



Shayne said:


> All the welded frames were made in Taiwan. The lugged frames were made in WI. These wouldn't have a Series # though, they would just have Schwinn and Paramount decals.


Not true. The lugged frames were produced in Taiwan as well. I have one sitting about 3ft behind me.



Shayne said:


> The mountain bikes on the other hand had a few different frame designs and used different tubing in some of the models.


True!


----------



## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

They all used Tange tubing...except for the 9c which was obviously carbon. 
And you're right, some of the lugged road frames were made in Asia. But as I asid the ones with out a number designation were made in WI as were all the early lugged MTBs and then only the high end MTB's when they went to all lugged frames in 1993 and 1994.

I'm not as familiar with the lower end road frames but I'm pretty sure in 1992 that the Series 2, Series 3, and Series 5 all used the same frame just with different parts.

I know in the MTB lineup the same frame was used for several models. The 1990 Series 70 and 90 were the same frame and this frame was carried over in 1992 as the Series 30. In 1992 the Series 20 and 50 all used the same frame and the Series 70 and 90 were the same frame.


----------



## Sablotny (Apr 2, 2004)

*Here it is...*

Here's the Paramount I toodled with for my girlfriend's sister. From what I've read at the Waterford page (they have a complete history of the bikes, including the asian ones) the Series bikes only differed in components. I belive they were made in Japan also, not Taiwan. Anyway, its a beautiful bike. My crappy digicam can't quite capture the glowing fire engine red of the paint. Great lugwork for a "for the masses" bike. Groovy graphics, showy, embossed gold tubing stickers on the frame & fork. The only cheeseball component is the no-name, chromed steel headset. But its shiny, like new, and I don't think its new owner would appreciate a nicer one like I would.


----------



## seely (Jan 20, 2004)

Heres mine:


----------

