cudak888 

The last Superior that broke the $1,000 mark was clean enough to be NOS.

-Kurt

There, there, Bob - do not gloat when a flipper falls. Love your fellow bike seller, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be gifted with many Paramounts.

-Kurt

pastorbobnlnh 

Is 3 enough?

cudak888 

You're slipping, Bob. One can never have enough Paramounts

-Kurt

kevinjg

I did not know that this posting has been repeatedly reposted with this high price, and I should have made it clear that I agree with you. My semi-striped Superior frame was purchased for $75 with a Chorus headset on it.

pastorbobnlnh 

My Flamboyant Red '71 should be ready to road test tomorrow or Saturday. I hope you like what I've done. Tell Michael Angelo to start drooling.

cudak888 

Can't wait to see this build. The very first triplized "new-geometry" P13-9, eh?



-Kurt

pastorbobnlnh 

...with 27" wheels. I don't need no stinkin' drop bolt adapter!

cudak888 

What? 27" rims in a post-1970 P13-9? I didn't even think that was possible. 27x1" tires?

I wish you had said something; I would have hooked you up with some 700C's.

-Kurt

pastorbobnlnh 

Actually, 27 X 1 & 1/4 Panaracer Tourgaurd Paselas. I'm striving for fast "credit card" touring comfort.

I have to deflate the rear tire to mount the wheel. An inflated one and the chainstay bridge just don't like to dance.

I have casually looked for 700c wheels. But at the moment, I have two spare sets of 27" wheels both with high flange hubs. Campy Records with vintage Araya rims, and Schwinn Approved with the Sun CR18 polished rims. It didn't seem to make sense to acquire another set of wheels if I could make these work.

The other place I am diverging from spec is on the stem and bars. I never cared for the "feel" of the graceful sweep of the Cinelli tops to the hoods. Long rides were never comfortable.

Michael Angelo 

I'm sure your Paramount will look fantastic. I kick myself in the ass every time I think about not hitting the "Buy It now" on that frame.......

pastorbobnlnh 

...and I pat myself on the back! IIRC, I thought about the BIN for maybe 5 minutes as I carefully re-read the description and looked at the pictures. Fate!

kevinjg

Any recommendations for finding block letter (white w/black border) "Schwinn" decals as they appear on the Superior model? That was a standard graphic for the period and used on many different models but no one seems to have them or reproduce them in vinyl. There is one set on eBay in a Varsity combo that I am trying to get them to detach, but no response yet.

The frame went in this morning for a pearl orange two-part (90% gloss) powder coat process.

knoregs

You've spurred me into action. I just placed an order for some goodies for my Superior...

Brooks saddle... Mandarin Orange




Tubular tires... The red ones in 25mm width 'Elite Ride'




Bar wrap... Cinelli Cork (NOT the pink)



It's all coming pony express from California, so bear with me.

~kn

Schwinn4125

Interesting in that my 82 Superior serial is 14409 and head badge is 1232. I wonder if Mainland built some and Chicago built some. How could the serial numbers be so different with the same build dae?

pastorbobnlnh 

Would it be possible for you to be more specific since this is an old thread and it's challenging to know specifically to what you are referring. I'll do my best to guess.

The head badge stamping is not a serial number but is a date code for assembly. "1232" specifically designates that your Superior was assembled in Chicago on the "123"rd day of 198"2" or May 3, 1982.

The Serial Number stamped into the left rear dropout (I'm guessing) was placed there by Don as he brazed the frames. I believe the frames were then sent to Chicago where they were painted and had the decals and head badge installed, were built up, and then sent to dealers as completed bikes.

I'm not a Superior "Baby Paramount" expert and others should chime in and clarify. I hope this is at least helpful.

Metacortex

Schwinn did not necessarily use frames in serial number order. In many cases bikes with "later" serial numbers were built into bikes before those with earlier numbers and vice-versa.

dddd

That's become a surprisingly common business model that seems to be taking on "me too" followers at a steady rate.

Just cherry-pick the 1% customers with more $ than time, those who don't want to waste any time with acquiring a wanted item.

I think perhaps Ebay shoots themselves in the foot here by facilitating these rare sales, which take up so much bandwidth on any potential customer's radar. Many of us thus now turn to evilbay only as a last resort because of this.

Increasingly, there are ebay stores where everything is 3x-5x over market, and again they are just cherrypicking for that 1%.

Ultimately these sellers may cause an inflationary trend, which just might be the goal of the 1% sellers and of the facilitating auction site, for items that are not commonly offered on competing retail websites.

Schwinn4125

I'm very curious just how many 81 and 82 Superiors were built.

Osman82

I have a frame #14301 but no head badge. I'm starting to wonder if Don Mainland built them but they were only shipped in bulk to make it cheaper. They probably shipped once every two weeks to a month. This would keep shipping cost down on the per unit cost.

zenbiking

Dredging up a nearly decade old thread, but I believe am in possession of #20732. No headbadge came with it, and it's had a hell of a lot of changes made to it.

thinktubes 

Would love to see pics. Couple of badges you know where for $25-30

cudak888 

Added braze-ons, perhaps? That always seems to be a theme with the modified Superiors.

-Kurt

SharpByCoop 

I'm fairly new here, and just saw this resurrected thread. I didn't think I'd appreciate my Schwinn Superior as much as I do, yet it's NOW my go-to ride.

Serial Number: MH022907 (December 1972)

Facebook Marketplace: $100 in my hometown. I got it in pieces and went through it ALL. I added the turkey levers, because I ride on the top mostly.






I don't know why, yet the shifting and drivetrain noise is the smoothest and quietest of any of my Vintage bikes. Nice. Went 30 miles on it last weekend.

zenbiking

Here's a few shots. It's had a ton of work done. Internally routed and sleeved rear brake cable run
Aero DT shift mounts with internally sleeved shift cable runs
Reverse mounted rear brake
New fork, or one from an 83 with a heavily modified crown.



As purchased. Mish-mash of parts

Headtube

"Havnoonian" rear brake mount and internal cabling

Aero DT shifter mount with internally sleeved cable routing.

Bottom bracket w shift cable exits/guides

cudak888 

Somebody also milled out the bottom bracket shell while they were at it.

I've never seen a PDG with that type of fork crown; I'd say the fork is from a completely different source. That seems to be a normal occurence for almost every repainted and modified Superior I've seen.

The serial is done in the same typeface as the other '81-82 Superiors, correct?

-Kurt