Paramount PDG Clearcoat Project
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Center of Central CA
Posts: 1,582
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 897 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
8 Posts
Paramount PDG Clearcoat Project
Have a 1991 Paramount PDG, one of the one with the "splatter" paint jobs. Was never a big fan:
Paint stripped. Got a little carried away with a wire brush, but I wasn't planning a clearcoat then, just a rattlecan job done to perfection. The welds on the Paramount really impressed me, but the quality of the rattlecan paint did not.
So I went with a powdercoat in "clear". Preserved all the welds perfectly:
I love the champagne gold color of the Tange OS steel. I got the idea seeing a Waterford Paramount painted gun metal grey. I thought, "Hey that's the natural color of the tubing they're trying to recreate. Why not just clearcoat it it?"
You can see every weld, and pretty much see how good a day the guy who brazed the bike was having that day. Decals applied:
Velocals screw-up. I complained about the gold missing from the outside of the World Championship logo. They corrected me and said they were "Olympic bands" and offered to replace the letter "M" only.
Assembled and ready to ride:
Would love to try this with other models, to see how the brazing compares. Maybe a Waterford Paramount. Or a Bianchi. Or any brand really, I love this look.
Paint stripped. Got a little carried away with a wire brush, but I wasn't planning a clearcoat then, just a rattlecan job done to perfection. The welds on the Paramount really impressed me, but the quality of the rattlecan paint did not.
So I went with a powdercoat in "clear". Preserved all the welds perfectly:
I love the champagne gold color of the Tange OS steel. I got the idea seeing a Waterford Paramount painted gun metal grey. I thought, "Hey that's the natural color of the tubing they're trying to recreate. Why not just clearcoat it it?"
You can see every weld, and pretty much see how good a day the guy who brazed the bike was having that day. Decals applied:
Velocals screw-up. I complained about the gold missing from the outside of the World Championship logo. They corrected me and said they were "Olympic bands" and offered to replace the letter "M" only.
Assembled and ready to ride:
Would love to try this with other models, to see how the brazing compares. Maybe a Waterford Paramount. Or a Bianchi. Or any brand really, I love this look.
Likes For Colnago Mixte:
#2
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
I'm working on a similar project right now. That clear looks nice - especially the close-up shot of the headlugs! Very nice final result
Here's some "brazing comparison" for you (I did my Colnago in a similar manner a year or so ago):
DD
Here's some "brazing comparison" for you (I did my Colnago in a similar manner a year or so ago):
DD
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Berea, KY
Posts: 1,135
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 360 Post(s)
Liked 328 Times
in
186 Posts
I probably would not have chosen white for the decals but seeing them on there makes me think you made the right choice. That is sharp.
__________________
Andy
Andy
#4
Senior Member
That is really cool, does the ride equal the cool look?
I think the PDG paramount got a bad rap based mostly on the forks.
I think the PDG paramount got a bad rap based mostly on the forks.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,841
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
looking good in the Raw
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,679
Bikes: Paletti,Pinarello Monviso,Duell Vienna,Giordana XL Super,Lemond Maillot Juane.& custom,PDG Paramount,Fuji Opus III,Davidson Impulse,Pashley Guv'nor,Evans,Fishlips,Y-Foil,Softride, Tetra Pro, CAAD8 Optimo,
Mentioned: 156 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2326 Post(s)
Liked 4,997 Times
in
1,780 Posts
Have a 1991 Paramount PDG, one of the one with the "splatter" paint jobs. Was never a big fan:
Velocals screw-up. I complained about the gold missing from the outside of the World Championship logo. They corrected me and said they were "Olympic bands" and offered to replace the letter "M" only.
Velocals screw-up. I complained about the gold missing from the outside of the World Championship logo. They corrected me and said they were "Olympic bands" and offered to replace the letter "M" only.
Nice job by the way.
__________________
Steel is real...and comfy.
Steel is real...and comfy.
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Center of Central CA
Posts: 1,582
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 897 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
8 Posts
Below is a frame I'm working on now, it's a 1986 Univega Gran Rally, that was built by Miyata under contract, with Miyata triple butted tubing. Supposed to be identical to a Miyata 912. The spoon-shaped seatstays are the same, and the lugs look the same as well.
Trying to polish it up before it goes to the powdercoater and sprayed clear.
You can see some of the machining marks on the tubing. This steel is fun to work with, it's hardened so that you can polish it up to a mirror finish. It's difficult to tell from the photo, but I have those seatstays every bit as shiny as chrome plating. The fork is high ten steel, and it doesn't polish up nearly as nice, it has more of a dull finish. You can see the nauseating shade of pink this bike used to be. That pink had to go.
#8
Full Member
I really like how this turned out. How is it holding up? I've seen it claimed here that clear powdercoat invariably develops "spiderweb" rust underneath the surface (though why clear should behave differently than any other powdercoat is a mystery to me).
If yours stays looking this good, I'm definitely going with clear first time I get the chance.
If yours stays looking this good, I'm definitely going with clear first time I get the chance.
Have a 1991 Paramount PDG, one of the one with the "splatter" paint jobs. Was never a big fan:
Paint stripped. Got a little carried away with a wire brush, but I wasn't planning a clearcoat then, just a rattlecan job done to perfection. The welds on the Paramount really impressed me, but the quality of the rattlecan paint did not.
So I went with a powdercoat in "clear". Preserved all the welds perfectly:
I love the champagne gold color of the Tange OS steel. I got the idea seeing a Waterford Paramount painted gun metal grey. I thought, "Hey that's the natural color of the tubing they're trying to recreate. Why not just clearcoat it it?"
You can see every weld, and pretty much see how good a day the guy who brazed the bike was having that day. Decals applied:
Velocals screw-up. I complained about the gold missing from the outside of the World Championship logo. They corrected me and said they were "Olympic bands" and offered to replace the letter "M" only.
Assembled and ready to ride:
Would love to try this with other models, to see how the brazing compares. Maybe a Waterford Paramount. Or a Bianchi. Or any brand really, I love this look.
Paint stripped. Got a little carried away with a wire brush, but I wasn't planning a clearcoat then, just a rattlecan job done to perfection. The welds on the Paramount really impressed me, but the quality of the rattlecan paint did not.
So I went with a powdercoat in "clear". Preserved all the welds perfectly:
I love the champagne gold color of the Tange OS steel. I got the idea seeing a Waterford Paramount painted gun metal grey. I thought, "Hey that's the natural color of the tubing they're trying to recreate. Why not just clearcoat it it?"
You can see every weld, and pretty much see how good a day the guy who brazed the bike was having that day. Decals applied:
Velocals screw-up. I complained about the gold missing from the outside of the World Championship logo. They corrected me and said they were "Olympic bands" and offered to replace the letter "M" only.
Assembled and ready to ride:
Would love to try this with other models, to see how the brazing compares. Maybe a Waterford Paramount. Or a Bianchi. Or any brand really, I love this look.
#9
smelling the roses
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tixkokob, Yucatán, México
Posts: 15,320
Bikes: 79 Trek 930, 80 Trek 414, 84 Schwinn Letour Luxe (coupled), 92 Schwinn Paramount PDG 5
Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7081 Post(s)
Liked 901 Times
in
612 Posts
I have a 92 PDG, thankfully repainted, and then repainted again by me. I think the unicrown forks on those things make the bike. I love the look.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Center of Central CA
Posts: 1,582
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 897 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
8 Posts
I really like how this turned out. How is it holding up? I've seen it claimed here that clear powdercoat invariably develops "spiderweb" rust underneath the surface (though why clear should behave differently than any other powdercoat is a mystery to me).
If yours stays looking this good, I'm definitely going with clear first time I get the chance.
If yours stays looking this good, I'm definitely going with clear first time I get the chance.
My frame was semi-polished, so it's anyone's guess how well the powdercoating will adhere. Fingers crossed. I too, read the ominous internet threads discussing all the horrible things that will happen if you clear powdercoat a bike frame. I live in a very dry area and almost never ride in the rain, so I have that going for me. Bike is not stored outside either.
We shall see.
#11
Generally bewildered
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Eastern PA, USA
Posts: 3,037
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 6.9, 1999 LeMond Zurich, 1978 Schwinn Superior
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1152 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
251 Posts
While a clear coat is not my style, I really like the fact that someone tried it. It shows off the lug work nicely. And it's distinctive, and probably gets more than a few looks and questions when you ride. So, bravo! Thanks for sharing.
Last edited by WizardOfBoz; 09-30-18 at 09:37 AM.
#13
Banned.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,199
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,410 Times
in
910 Posts
The PDG (Tange) forks were most likely Prestige, just easier for Tange to do things that way. They may be been unicrown, and a fashion faux pas, but they were excellent forks.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Queens NYC
Posts: 3,175
Bikes: Colnago Super, Basso Gap, Pogliaghi, Fabio Barecci, Torelli Pista, Miyata 1400A
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 316 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
This seems to be all the rage these days.
Its a nice option to a re-paint when the paint on our old bikes is gone. And cheaper! I love seeing the brazing as well.
Its a nice option to a re-paint when the paint on our old bikes is gone. And cheaper! I love seeing the brazing as well.
#15
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,403
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1556 Post(s)
Liked 2,024 Times
in
989 Posts
Hey, even the amazing (custom mix Prestige-tubed) Davidson Impulse has a quasi-unicrown fork! Rides like a really fast, well-responding dream. The unicrown fork on your PDG looks just fine, if quite natural. And really, the whole visual composition of that bike is lovely!
#16
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,866
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 193 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2935 Post(s)
Liked 2,931 Times
in
1,496 Posts
I always wanted a frame finished like that
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#18
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,399
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,699 Times
in
2,519 Posts
there is most likely a spiderweb of rust under most powder coating, but if the powdercoat is opaque, you can't see it. The spiderweb is only a problem if the powdercoat starts coming up because of it.
I have seen a report of the rust under one of the clear coated bromptons. Those frames are sandblasted before coating, so that rules out sandblasting as a cure. I'm curious how the Vanilla clear coated Speedvagens are holding up. haven't heard anything about them.
I have seen a report of the rust under one of the clear coated bromptons. Those frames are sandblasted before coating, so that rules out sandblasting as a cure. I'm curious how the Vanilla clear coated Speedvagens are holding up. haven't heard anything about them.