Narhay

Some of my favourite bikes were listed here already. That's ok, everyone likes different things.

RobbieTunes

Is this the "Classic & Vintage" The ones you don't understand the attraction thread, or is it being hijacked by the "I want to argue with you about your not understanding the attraction" thread?

I didn't see in the OP's title that any experience was necessary to either understand or not understand the attraction.

RobbieTunes

Cat died.

Flog00

French wine is pretty darn good too.

iab

Sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie but I would never eat the filthy mother ****er to find out.

Sidney Porter

i had a 64.5 mustang and a 64 falcon. It was a lot more than the dash that was the same.

Wileyone 

Isn't the fact that it's French enough?

The Golden Boy 

I totally agree with you.

I think too many people have a need to denigrate the things that are meant for "beginners" and people who aren't "serious" about cycling.

Kickstands, braking from where comfortable, shifting without reaching down, protective gear...


Granted, the classic Greenfield style kickstand can damage chainstays- but when installed and used properly, the damage is minimal and the utility is great.

rootboy 

Hung herself with twine.

Good riddance. Cats are nothing but trouble.

KonAaron Snake 

I've never developed my taste in wine sufficiently to have opinions. I can tell basics...acidity, some notes...but that's about it.
Rene Herse are some charming a** pigs.

Ex Pres 

Now that we're semi-back on track with bikes, why all the picking on Peugeot?

My '82 PXN10 is a great rider. I've done centuries on it. Wish it was one size larger, though.

[As purchased picture - it's been cleaned up and "corrected" since.]

the_tool_man

I don't get:

Mixte frames.
Double top tubes.
Bamboo frames.
Mismatched wheels for no apparent reason, either construction or color, as the SS/FG crowd seems to love. Not to be confused with different constructions for aero purposes.

greg3rd48 

As they say "every jar has its lid". I personally love all things French so I have an affinity for my Peugeots. I also love my '94 Cannondale R600 with the fat D/T so maybe I am just different...

That being said I spent many many weekends in the garage and at car show with my pop who rebuilt and ADORED AMC's (American Motors). He enjoyed being different and the attention and questions that it brought him and I loved driving with him in the Rambler Classic and seeing people admire his handiwork on these less appreciated cars. Maybe the apple didn't fall far from the tree... There must be a reason why I enjoy fixing up and riding French bikes that are older than I am.

noglider 

I have a strong impulse to defend the stuff criticized here but that's not what the thread is about!

Surlys bother me, and it's not really fair of me, because they are a solid value. They're just too heavy for what they are.

Tires that place excessive emphasis on puncture protection and not enough on ride quality: I don't get them.

I suspect the Paramount was intended more as a marketing tool than to ride. I'm sure they ride as well as intended, but their value is attributed to the kid who could afford a Varsity but drooled under the Paramount hanging from the shop ceiling. It built the brand's prestige. I'd bet it didn't build the company's bottom line directly. They look very well made, but I can't justify the prices they command these days. It's sentimentality, not technical superiority driving up the prices.

I'm sure I'll think of more.

Kactus

In the small city near where I grew up (1960's), there were no bike shops selling the top European brands, and the Japanese hadn't started building 'good' bikes yet. Once in a blue moon, one would see an "English Racer", a black Raleigh 3-speed and we thought these to be very exotic.

When we went to buy a bike, it was either at the Schwinn store, Sears or JC Penney's. That, and combined with the "knowledge" that American technology and workmanship was better than all others meant that Paramounts were "the" quality bikes. Very few of our parents could afford to buy them for us, but we all aspired to them. This "belief" continued into the 70's when European and Japanese bikes started to show up (although we still couldn't afford the Paramount). Now that I'm able to afford one (if I could only find​ one) it has become a grail bike for me.

noglider 

Your explanation shows that your background explains your preference. I grew up here in NYC where Schwinn shops were actually rare! NYC is the least brand loyal place in the country. In 1978 and 1979, I sold various bike brands. People walked into the shop and said, "Panasonic makes bicycles?" We would say, "Yes, they're good!" And people bought them, because brand matters, but it matters less in NYC than other places. We have fewer chain restaurants, too. McDonald's came to NYC last, in 1972, after everywhere else in the country. And of course, we have more foreigners (people) here than most places.

So I assumed Schwinn bikes were inferior. I was wrong about that. I eventually learned that they were very well made. But they were not better made than the other good bikes, either, and I have no reason to prefer them as long as the prices are higher.

rootboy 

What's wrong with Paramounts again?

I've never owned one but those early 70's bikes with the chromed Nervex lugs are really nice, in my book.

KonAaron Snake 

Tom - I agree...a lot of our preferences and wants are formed by what was available, or trendy, or appreciated locally. There really is almost a regional mythology behind a lot of our tastes...I have no special affinity for Masi USA or any of the builders that came out of there. I didn't see those bikes here and it wasn't part of our mythology. Neither were Paramounts.

PX-10s were big, Raleigh Pros, Frejus. Those are the bikes the older guys talked about. If you were really lucky, someone would have a Cinelli. In the period I grew up, it was VERY De Rosa, Colnago and Pinarello. The kids my age rode what we got from the shops they rode for...or that they saved up and bought. Lots of Cannondales, Giants, Centurion and Specialized. Trek was getting big. Lotus was really big in my area....probably more so than the other Japanese bikes.

One of the things I like about our forum is being exposed to stuff I wasn't exposed to in my area.

Narhay

I just bought myself my first full Reynolds 531 bike and one that I've wanted for a very long time - a 1971 PX10. I think Peugeots are great, I just don't see what differentiates Rene Herse from a nice Peugeot, other than the ability to buy 30 really nice PX10s.

St33lWh33ls

Back in the early 80’s a friend sold me a chrome Paramount frame, I took it to the local bike shop and bought a Dura Ace group and had them build it up (it was cheaper than Campy). I bought the frame because it was chrome and I lived on the beach and corrosion was a real problem. The bike that I had been riding was an Austro Daimler Vent Noir with a matte black finish that was starting to wear because of the daily washing off of sweat and salt spray. I bought the Vent Noir new in 78 and it had sentimental value so I thought the Paramount would be a good work horse and easy to maintain for most of my riding. I had the same feeling about anything Schwinn at the time, I never really thought of them as “serious bicycles” and chrome plated…come on! Thing is though, even though the Paramount was a bit heavier, it was also stiffer and I found I enjoyed that ride much better than the more compliant Vent Noir. It felt like a firm platform when you got out of the saddle, the AD was just a bit whippy. Turns out I really liked the Paramount and at the time really didn’t know much of anything about them.

This whole thread is about perception, and if you don’t understand something its incumbent on you to find out if you really care at all. Not understanding something speaks more about you than the thing you don’t understand. I don’t know much about PX10s, but it didn’t take a second to look up the rich bicycle history of Peugeot and consequently how it might attract enthusiasts. So in summation, if you don’t understand something look it up you lazy b@$7@4d$!

Italuminium

Even though I have an almost limitless access to fine European bikes, and plenty of pretty Asian made frames, I still long for a chrome Paramount. Amazing pretty frames.

jeirvine 

90's Italian paint jobs. Blecchh!

Camilo

Indeed. Let's get back to dissing other peoples' faves. I already bah'ed 80s Trek. Let's see..... no that's the only popular one I don't get. Let it come back to me though. I have a real soft spot in the very pedestrian Raleigh Supercourse MKII. Meh specs in its day, one of the most common decent bikes in its day. But I consider it a vintage gem in the "nothing special in its day" category.

OldsCOOL

That jar thing doesnt seem to apply to tupperware. I share your love for the Cannondale racers.

jimmuller 

Actually, it does. There are plenty of lids for tupperware. None of them fit.