dbhouston 

I'm trying to sell a great touring bike in Tulsa, which is a small market for vintage bikes overall. The bike I'd be trading is a Centurion ProTour 15, now all chrome and 18 speeds with bar end shifters. I've had it on FB and CL for six weeks time at $350 without the Old Man Mountain rack, but no takers. It

I've been offered a trade from the guy I bought the Centurion from in the first place. He's got two 1991 Paramounts, the PDG Tange OS bikes they were rebooting Paramount with. The Series 5 appears all original, the Series 3 is really just a frame in poor condition with random things attached including, mysteriously, a Shimano Nexus 7 rear hub?!




I gather the 1991 PDGs are all the same frame, and the white one has the full 105 group, which is a solid group for this or any other build. I'm leaning one way on this proposal, but I wonder if the hivemind at BikeForums has a different opinion on this trade.

You'll find some great deals on vintage bikes in small markets, but the flip side is that the market for selling them on later is small. The garage is about full. What would you do?

Frenzen

If he is offering you two paramounts, I would say that is a good deal. Series 5 can bring $300-$325 but as you said yourself that you live in a small market for vintage bikes. That Series 5 stem is awfully long and ugly tho, can't believe it is OEM. Also, make sure that the seat post is not stuck on the series 3, and they would go for $150-$200 in pristine condition. Series 3 originally came with Shimano rx-100 (https://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCa...1PmntCvr2.html ), but that Nexus 7 rear hub can be worth from $50 to $150 depending on the model and with/without the rim.

If you have no space, no reason to get an additional bike (series 3) and potentially another bike that you might not be able to sell/flip. You could trade it and just give away the series 3 frame, and take all the parts for yourself or unless you are interested in restoring it or making it a usable bike (if you have the time & money). It is a good trade in terms of money/value but if you want to sell/flip, there is no telling that you will be able to sell either of the two traded bikes.

rccardr 

The Series 5 with that spray job was my favorite of the overseas-built PDG bike and that particular one appears to have minimal use. Seatpost/saddle/stem not original...bars might also have been changed. Great riding bike and bulletproof components.

I'd consider that an even-up trade for your Centurion, even if you have to do a full tear-down service on it.

From a flipping standpoint: not likely to make you any money, but probably an easier sell opportunity in almost any market. Which is too bad, cuz that Centurion is nice.

cb400bill

The bars, brake levers, and stem to me appear to be OEM. The seatpost may or may not be original. Hard to tell.

cb400bill

They are great riding, and under appreciated bikes. Here’s a pic of my old PDG5.

dbhouston 

I slept in it and read about the PDG Series bikes, and just couldn't get enthused about doing one, let alone two. Took down the Centurion listing, too. It'll be my city bike for a while longer.

I'm working on a near mint 1973 Raleigh Competition, so maybe that'll be the next thing to go. The stable is full!

panzerwagon 

I'd be all over that chrome frame if I didn't already own 2 pro tours! ('80 and '84) The paramounts are nice riders but I personally would keep the centurion-- great bikes and much more versatile. Besides, you already poured all that love into creating something unique.

jamesdak 

First off, that ProTour is gorgeous. Job well done!

As to the PDG Paramounts, I'm a huge fan. I've had one of the earlier ones for years now and have no plans on getting rid of it. It's one of my heavier bikes, over 22 lbs with it's current 8 speed setup. Yet it's one of the faster bikes and crazily, a good climbing bike. Something about the frame just puts the power down to the road really well, flat or going uphill. As I've said here many times, the PDG was always faster over the same route than the exquisite looking 1987 Waterford built Paramount I had that was upgraded with Dura Ace 10 speed parts. For awhile there I had all the upper end 1987 Schwinn bikes. I've sold them all off and kept the PDG. There is no doubt it's the better bike.

Now all that said, they are underappreciated for the most part. There's been a series 5 in great shape for sale about an hour from me for real small change. Been listed a couple of months with no takers. I'm down with a knee replacement right now, otherwise I'd go snatch it up. To me it's the perfect bike to refurb and then pass on to someone to get it back out on the road.

Anyway, I'd call it a fair trade but it looks like you've already made up your mind.

My PDG:


Tange Prestige tubing, Asian build quality, smooth and fast ride, what's not to like???

Oh while I think about it. Tire clearance can be an issue on these. Some folks can get a 700 x 25 to clear under the front fork but mine won't.

dbhouston 

Man, that is a beautiful bike, jamesdak!

georges1

The series 5 stem is original, imagine you upgrade with modern 10 ot 11 speeds components like ultegra and dura ace and better wheels and you have a very responsible and awesome bike. Get rid of the series 3 if it isn't salvageable or difficultly restorable.

georges1

very nice PDG5thanks for sharing

georges1

Lovely bike and thanks for sharing james dak

dbhouston 

Interesting thought. I am about to start a transplant project on the bikes below:

The upper bike, a Specialized Diverge, is getting gravelized with a 1x groupset. The amazing Orbea Spirit, built with Columbus Spirit, below is getting modernized with the 105 groupset from the Diverge. It's also getting the new 28mm Conti 5000 All Season tubeless tires, which should just fit. It's going to be an incredible roadie.

But, I'm going to pull a lovely Campagnolo Chorus 10 Carbon groupset from the Orbea, and plan to sell that on, making the whole project pretty inexpensive. But keeping the Chorus for a PDG 5 project is intriguing!

I also have this one finishing up, a pristine 1973 Competition with Huret Jubilee and TA. I'd hate to break up a bike that pristine, but it could be a fun bike to modernize, though I'm sure there would be hurdles on the way.

seedsbelize2

My 92 PDG 5 is my fastest bike. It cuts through a headwind like no other.
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