1988 Schwinn Paramount - Retro Mod pics
08-14-20, 09:40 PM
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Bikes: 1988 Chas Roberts, 1988 Paramount, 1999 Bates BAR, 1973 Charles Roberts, 1976 Glen Erickson, 1986 Bill Davidson, 1986 John Hollands, 1992 Land Shark, 1992 Della Santa, 1969 Legnano Gran Premio, 1997 mark Nobilette
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1988 Schwinn Paramount - Retro Mod pics
1988 Paramount (50th anniversary of this model). OLD: hand made in Waterford, painted in Anniversary Black. Columbus (SLX?) frame and fork, DuraAce brakes, Silca frame pump NEW: Mavic Ksyirium SL wheels, Ultegra 10 speed, DuraAce shifters, Carbon stem, bars, seat post and pedals. What does it ride like? It is a pure race bike, it is "twitchey", you need to be alert all the time, but it loves to run. I am good for about two hours on this bike after that I tire quickly as it is harsh. The road buzz come right up the steel forks.
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08-15-20, 03:31 AM
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That's a very nice bike.
As Jack said, experiment with different tire pressures and widths (depending on rider weight). Another consideration is the radial spoked wheels, they're usually pretty stiff; a set of 32 hole 3x wheels might help as well. You'll be surprised how that bike will ride.
As Jack said, experiment with different tire pressures and widths (depending on rider weight). Another consideration is the radial spoked wheels, they're usually pretty stiff; a set of 32 hole 3x wheels might help as well. You'll be surprised how that bike will ride.
08-15-20, 06:51 AM
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I had the exact same bike. Year, color, and size. Built with Dura Ace 7400 with an uncommon 6 speed cassette hub. Yes it's SLX, and was surprisingly heavy. I also felt it was an incredibly stiff bike and quite unforgiving. Not the greatest ride.
08-15-20, 01:20 PM
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The metallic black paint really has a rainbow-like sparkle in the sun, doesn't it?
As others have mentioned, adjusting tire pressure can help. What are you running pressure-wise right now, front and rear? The tires look like 25s or 28s (mm). Also, along the lines of wheels and their stiffness, I have found that matching a wheelset to a frame, tires, and rider is very important if you want it to feel the best, or at least not crummy. You can really tune a bike's ride with wheels and tires.
A recent/current example is my '83 Specialized Expedition. Low flange hubs 3x laced to Mavic Open Pros and 30-32mm tires (Grand Bois Cypress or Soma Supple Vitesse--extremely similar in feel). Near instant "planing" or "partnership" in riding, both in comfort and in working with my pedaling cadence and power output, both in and out of the saddle. Wonderful! Next: same tires, same low-flange hubs, same 3x lacing, but TB14 rims. TB14s are about 60-70g heavier each and definitely a stiffer rim. The bike rides more harshly over bumps--one can immediately notice how the rim absorbs and dissipates impacts. Put a 35mm (36mm actual) Pasela (wire bead, 490g, so some extra size and heft) and it tames the TB14s and brings them much more in line with how the Open Pro/Grand Bois tire combo felt.
Same goes for 10-speed Dura-Ace WH-7850/C24 wheels (aluminum substrate with carbon overlay) vs. WH-6700 Ultegra wheels (150g heavier or so, all aluminum). The Ultegra wheelset is feistier and reacts to impacts with enthusiasm and sends them to the rider, even with Vittoria Corsa tires. The Dura-Ace wheels, while plenty strong, absorb things beautifully, providing a great ride while also providing plenty of performance.
My '85 Paramount (62cm) was plenty strong, but was dead stable thanks to its 62mm of trail. Mavic MA2 rims and 23mm Vittoria Open Corsa CX (Evo or no Evo) gave a comfortable ride, while allowing the bike to be a little more willing to rock back and forth out of the saddle. Out of saddle antics may not be part of your riding experience, but high-mounted and "rolled up/back" bars and STI levers will definitely contribute to a light-feeling front end (especially with your saddle, and thus body mass, that far back). Different wheels may be the trick, or simply riding it no more than you know you can stand.
As others have mentioned, adjusting tire pressure can help. What are you running pressure-wise right now, front and rear? The tires look like 25s or 28s (mm). Also, along the lines of wheels and their stiffness, I have found that matching a wheelset to a frame, tires, and rider is very important if you want it to feel the best, or at least not crummy. You can really tune a bike's ride with wheels and tires.
A recent/current example is my '83 Specialized Expedition. Low flange hubs 3x laced to Mavic Open Pros and 30-32mm tires (Grand Bois Cypress or Soma Supple Vitesse--extremely similar in feel). Near instant "planing" or "partnership" in riding, both in comfort and in working with my pedaling cadence and power output, both in and out of the saddle. Wonderful! Next: same tires, same low-flange hubs, same 3x lacing, but TB14 rims. TB14s are about 60-70g heavier each and definitely a stiffer rim. The bike rides more harshly over bumps--one can immediately notice how the rim absorbs and dissipates impacts. Put a 35mm (36mm actual) Pasela (wire bead, 490g, so some extra size and heft) and it tames the TB14s and brings them much more in line with how the Open Pro/Grand Bois tire combo felt.
Same goes for 10-speed Dura-Ace WH-7850/C24 wheels (aluminum substrate with carbon overlay) vs. WH-6700 Ultegra wheels (150g heavier or so, all aluminum). The Ultegra wheelset is feistier and reacts to impacts with enthusiasm and sends them to the rider, even with Vittoria Corsa tires. The Dura-Ace wheels, while plenty strong, absorb things beautifully, providing a great ride while also providing plenty of performance.
My '85 Paramount (62cm) was plenty strong, but was dead stable thanks to its 62mm of trail. Mavic MA2 rims and 23mm Vittoria Open Corsa CX (Evo or no Evo) gave a comfortable ride, while allowing the bike to be a little more willing to rock back and forth out of the saddle. Out of saddle antics may not be part of your riding experience, but high-mounted and "rolled up/back" bars and STI levers will definitely contribute to a light-feeling front end (especially with your saddle, and thus body mass, that far back). Different wheels may be the trick, or simply riding it no more than you know you can stand.
