Hi folks,
Thanks to @
machinist42, I now have a great alternative to my beloved 88 Waterford Paramount. Jeff (manchinist42) provided me with a very nice ‘87 Schwinn Prologue frame set. It could use a bit of sprucing up, it but was clean and ready to build.
Using a bunch of bin or recycled parts, here’s what went into it:
Shimano 600 Headset
Cinelli XA bars & stem
Shimano 105 2 X 10 “brifters”
Shimano 600 Tri-color dual pivot brake calipers
Ultegra 6600 Derailleurs
Sugino XD2 Compact Crankset with new, 48 + 36, 10 spd rings.
Unbranded alloy single bolt seat post
Shimano 11-28 cassette
DT Swiss wheels that are branded “CODA”
Undecided on wheels & tires, units shown are for testing
So, why did I need an alternative to the Paramount? Two years ago on a brisk mid-autumn day, I took it out for a quick 10 mile ride. The next morning my shoulders were sore. I figured the cold had just caused them to tighten up. That day I did the ride again to loosen them up. Surprise, the next morning they, particularly the left one, were really hurting. A rub down with some ointment and I got thru the day. The next morning the right was a little better, but the left was really sore and I could only raise my hand to about ear level. Off to the doctor where I was given a sling and a Cortisone shot & scheduled a follow appt 5 days later. There wasn’t much improvement and an MRI plus some other testing. It was determined that I had some pinched nerves and tendonitis in both shoulders. I was put on a physical therapy program and am almost back to normal. After researching smoother riding bikes from the Schwinn family, I decided on one of the “Schwinnasonic” models. First was a PDG Paramount that, while it rode nicely, was a bit too big and had a very high BB. The Prologue is almost perfect. Unfortunately, our weather has limited my ride time since I’m a bit of a wimp. I don’t ride in the rain or below 50 degrees. In the dozen or so miles I’ve put on the Prologue, the fit is very good plus it rides comfortably and handles well.
I’ll keep the Paramount for short rides in warm weather and pass it on to our son when I can no longer cycle. Hopefully, he’ll enjoy it as much as I have.
Cheers,
Van