sd5782 

I posted on this bike earlier and have just cleaned it up a bit, and taken off some old accessories. From what I understand, it is rare and these were custom ordered and quite expensive. The original owner's name is on the top tube. It is way too big for me so I will be offering it here and giving half the proceeds to the widow who was married to the OP's brother. The family was the owner of a bicycle shop in Middletown Ohio that has since closed. Several members here have expressed interest already.

Size wise, this is 64cm ctc on the seat tube and 60 on the top tube. It is a big bike. I could see the Columbus rifling in the steerer tube once the front wheel was off. It has quite a few scrapes on the seat tube and chain and seat stays. I think any new owner would want a paint job. Im not sure of the original build and would be interested to hear thoughts on component dating. The RD has Patent 82 on it. I doubt the freewheel or brake levers came with it. Tires and 700c wheels show little wear, but one of the flat bladed spokes in the rear has been replaced. Campy Record hubs and Stronglight tapered bearing headset. Stem is not stuck either.

Wheels and crank spin nicely, but I didn't disassemble or lube as it isn't as much fun wrenching with knowing it is too big and will be sold. Despite the 35" standover height, I did take a short spin, and it was lively and responsive. Rear spacing is about 121.5 and front is 100. I put a string on the frame, and to my unskilled eye, nothing seems bent or out of whack. Shimano 600 13-32 six speed freewheel is an odd choice and needs a little coaxing to get into the dropouts. I didn't measure the hub spacing but would guess 126. I believe the final added parts were for an older guy before he died. Seatpost shows signs of being stuck at one time with some wrench marks on it. No tubing rust that I could see, and peering down into the seat tube after brushing it showed no rust.




















Obviously this one is going to need quite a bit of work. I saw no dents or any real rust. Around this part of the country, scratches on bicycle don't get rust on them quickly as long as bikes are stored under cover or inside.













I am looking forward to valuations on this. Semi custom vintage collectibles are way out of my knowledge area. Thanks for looking.

TugaDude

Bikes are made to be ridden and that one certainly was. Condition isn't great and not all parts are original so both will detract from value. However, should you be lucky to find a tall person who is Jonesing for a vintage Paramount with Chrome lugs, and who might wish to have it repainted, bingo!

Waterford can provide details on the original order should you want to pay them to look up its provenance. If not, maybe the purchaser will want to. They also will do a great job of repainting it, including decals, but the cost is quite steep in my opinion.

trainman999

, $500 on the low end, $900 high end, given its condition I dont think it will make $1000+. Even though few were produced, 80's Paramounts dont have much interst to collectors, they want chrome 60's and 70's Paramounts. For someone to have it sent to Waterford for a repaint and repinstripe ti will be about $1000. Good luck with youe sale.

xiaoman1 

Condition is "Paramount" ......In my estimation not more than 600.00 but probably less. BTW what did you clean the chrome with?
Best, Ben

sd5782 

The chrome really wasn’t pitted. Oily rag and then some 0000 steel wool that is mostly soaked full of oil or mineral spirits is my usual mild cleaning regimen. Price on this doesn’t have many comparables I would think. There is also the fact that it would be quite an undertaking to properly restore. That being said, these don’t grow on trees. Waiting for a few more Paramount people to respond.

pastorbobnlnh 

My two cents: If it were in my size (60cm), I'd be willing to pay up to $1000 in its current condition. Considering how you came into possession of the bike, and the past history, the most important factor would be to find a new owner who will cherish and ride it as the original owner did.

TugaDude

This is very astute. Bikes are worth what they are based on lots of factors but one of the biggest is desire. The desire to own a particular brand in a particular size with particular characteristics spells willingness to invest more than many others might.

That's why it is somewhat helpful to get the opinion of others here but in the long run all that matters is what it is worth TO YOU.

Gary12000 

To further comment on "what I would pay" as in the last two posts, i have been looking for a Paramount, that bike doesn't do it for me like some of the earlier ones or different color ones or even the PDG series, the components are decent, but the color is not my thing, the striping looks non-factory which for me detracts from the look, i think if you manage $500 or better you will have done alright, you could break into components and perhaps realize more than that, if that's your thing and your willing to ship multiple boxes to different locations.

xiaoman1 

The Paramount is indeed a rare one and I hope the OP can sell the "P" for the higher valuation price. There has already been interest from members on BF's....Why not list it here in the sub forum for the higher evaluations, it's the only way to tell for sure what it is worth.?
GLWTS, Ben

tendency

If you want absolute top dollar I'd put in on ebay - but then you'll have to ship.

Kabuki12

Yes ....and the fees! Great looking bike and my size but I have two bikes I am building right now plus I just got my daughter's bikes to store for a while.As far as what you can get , I don't think 1k is out of line but who knows? I have bought some awesome bikes just because the size was tall and the price reflected that.

xiaoman1 

Fees on both parties...don't forget the taxes to the buyer...all of this is making it harder for both buyer and seller. Shipping is a cost but the one that hurts me the most is packing a bike for shipping. Having to buy materials and getting a free shipping box from the LBS all take a lot of time and once that is done consider the time spent stripping down the bike for wrapping/packaging etc. As I have mentioned before you can get 'more" from selling on the bay or stripping and selling piece by piece, BUT, is it really worth the effort...time+money.
In any event I hope the OP gets the price he is after.
Ben
tendency

sd5782 

I’m not really after much and am more interested in a good home and follow up stories to view. As a former ups employee, the prospect of damage in transit makes me nervous. Standard sized packages do fine, but the problem is with large and odd sized stuff like bikes in boxes. The disappointment and follow up would really be a bummer all around for both parties. That said, probably 95+% of the time everything is fine.

sd5782 

Bike sold to one of the earlier responders here who was in the area. Price was toward the lower end of valuations, but that wasn’t really important to me. He can mention price if he posts. What was important was that he read my other posts on this bike and was aware of the story, and thought it cool and was going to keep the bike pretty much the same with perhaps a bit of touch up.

He was also going to be riding it around a nearby Lake Erie vacation spot where the widow lives, and may be able to stop in to visit. That would make the whole experience for all complete. I’m sending the widow 2/3 of the money from the sale, and she will give it to the OPs daughter. It’s not all about the money, as the whole process was fun except for the part about the bike being too small for me. Thanks for all the input.

TugaDude

Very nice ending to a cool story.

xiaoman1 

It all worked out in the end...Good for all involved!
Best, Ben

SoccerBallXan

Wow... this is an amazing bike. This checks off many boxes for 'grail' bike. I would not hesitate to spend upwards of $1,000 on this beauty. I'm glad it found a good home through the forums.

albrt 

This really is a great riding bike. I rode it up to the lake last week, plus put about another hundred miles on it just riding around. We did visit with the original purchaser's sister last weekend. She was so nice I took my wife to meet her as well.

One funny thing is that it's mulberry season so there are piles of mulberries on the trails (I'm from Ohio but been living in Arizona so reacquainting myself with seasons). On a wet day the mulberries get thrown up by the wheels and stick to the bike in clumps. The places where the clumps stick (back sides of tubes) are the same places where the paint has bubbled and peeled. I don't know if it's all due to mulberries - probably plenty of other detritus on the roads at other times of the year - but the mulberries are sure sticky and have to be wiped off every time.