Paramount value
 

OK, this isn't going to be a usual "what's this bike worth?" post. I'm asking for the group mind to bring me up to speed on a particular market. To wit:

The wife asked me to run to the nearby FoodLion to pick her up a box of wine. I take the Raleigh Sprite, but am wearing a Triumph motorcycle t-shirt. Realizing I've forgotten my key to the bike lock, I take the bike inside with me, park it by the shopping carts, grab the wine, run thru the register and I'm on my way back out the doors. A guy walking in comments, "That t-shirt should say Raleigh."

Immediate stop, he's barely looked at my bike and recognizes it? Of course we start talking. He's got (claimed) a '71 Paramount and a Waterford, plus another bike he'd like to sell. I give him my card.

Now, having realized long, long ago that I'd never own a Paramount (no, my PDG Paramount I built about five years ago doesn't count), I've never followed the market. Yes, I can already hear the objections, "You haven't seen the bike." Correct. What I'm asking is, what is the current market value of an early 70's Paramount? For the sake of argument, assume it's complete, hanging in the garage unused for years, but hasn't deteriorated badly. Something that a teardown, rubbing out the finish, and reassembly and tune would make rideable/sellable (it's a 25" frame, too tall for me).

If this guy gets back to me, I'd like to have an idea of what kind of ballpark I'm playing in. I know British 3-speeds and Rossins, not Paramounts.

There have been a few Paramounts in the craigslist finds thread and the comments on those might help give you some ideas and tips what to look for: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...e-part-ii.html

Whatever someone will pay for it.

OP,
Hard to say without photos, Is it a P13, P-15 or? All original Campy...is it chrome?
Condition is also key to the bike's value...I have seen beat up non-original P's go for as little as 300, some nice ones languish at 700, chrome more.
As others have said it depends on your area and the market you are in, I would ask what seller is looking for and go from there...you can always shoot some pics and come back to the forum for evaluation.
Good Luck, Ben

...here in NorCal, the painted ones from the 70's, in excellent cosmetic condition, went for about $1000 pretty quickly on the CL 6-8 years back. NOw, they are considerably cheaper when i see them listed (which is infrequently). IIRC the last one I saw here was listed at $500. I don't know if it sold for that, or if it sold at all...I didn't follow it.

I would think that in your location that things would be a little cheaper. But I'm only guessing. And yes, the chrome ones seem to go for more.

I forget exactly the year that production switched from the Paramount cage at Schwinn to Waterford, but someone here probably knows, or you can Google it. I don't think the Waterford bikes are any better or worse than the older ones, but they do have a different feel to them when you ride them, Part of that is just the way bikes evolved from the 70's through the 80's.

Well, if the paint is great and the parts are predominantly Campy, you should be able to either sell complete, or part it out on fleece bay for around $1000. Of course you have the fees, packing and shipping to take care off. Collectors tend to want the Chicago ones, original paint and decals, in excellent rust free condition helps!

The trend is not your friend! Holding onto bikes to sell sometime later is a way to lose $$. Ask me how I know....

...just informational, but a 70's paramount just got listed here in the Bay area for $2000 on CL. I don't think it'll sell for anywhere near that, but what do I know ?

Pardon my ignorance, but weren't all of the 71 Paramount's made in Chicago?

Yes the 1971s were but the other one you mentioned was not.