# 1939 Schwinn Paramount



## comet (Aug 1, 2020)

After 9 hours of driving I'm home and it seems like Christmas morning and I was a good boy. This was the ladies husbands fathers' bike, jersey and photo album. The album is from 1931 and 32, so the bike isn't in any of them. The guys name was Frank  _ _ _ _. He did a lot of racing around the S.F. Bay Area. Also a member of the S.F. chapter of the New Century Wheelmen. If you know him or his family and can fill in the last name let me know and they can have the album back. Just gonna brush and wipe dirt off of it now, then soap and water. Let me know what you want to see pics of and  I'll do it. The wheels seem quite true. I'd love to be able to put new tires on it and clean and oil or whatever you do to preserve the wood. There is some bubbling in the paint. I'm thinking just light washing and then wax. Let me know what else to do. Like how to get the old rock hard tires off without ruining them. Any way to save the rubber grips. Time to go stare at it.


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## cyclingday (Aug 1, 2020)

Very nice!
Congrats!


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## GTs58 (Aug 1, 2020)

I wonder if Waterford would like the info on this. Seems the old Registry site is no longer and I haven't found one that has any records on these early pieces. 



			https://waterfordbikes.com/w/culture/paramount/paramount-dating/


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## Miq (Aug 1, 2020)

Top of the line lightweight racer.  Super cool bike!  Does it really weight only 20 lbs like the specs say?  Congrats!!


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## Jeff54 (Aug 2, 2020)

Schwineeet.


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## Freqman1 (Aug 2, 2020)

comet said:


> After 9 hours of driving I'm home and it seems like Christmas morning and I was a good boy. This was the ladies husbands fathers' bike, jersey and photo album. The album is from 1931 and 32, so the bike isn't in any of them. The guys name was Frank  _ _ _ _. He did a lot of racing around the S.F. Bay Area. Also a member of the S.F. chapter of the New Century Wheelmen. If you know him or his family and can fill in the last name let me know and they can have the album back. Just gonna brush and wipe dirt off of it now, then soap and water. Let me know what you want to see pics of and  I'll do it. The wheels seem quite true. I'd love to be able to put new tires on it and clean and oil or whatever you do to preserve the wood. There is some bubbling in the paint. I'm thinking just light washing and then wax. Let me know what else to do. Like how to get the old rock hard tires off without ruining them. Any way to save the rubber grips. Time to go stare at it.
> 
> View attachment 1239831
> 
> ...



That is one of my ‘grail’ bikes! Congrats V/r Shawn


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## rollfaster (Aug 2, 2020)

Super nice example, proof they’re still out there!


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## Sven (Aug 2, 2020)

Wow ...nice score


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## kccomet (Aug 2, 2020)

great score, even better with the jersey and pics. I love when you can tie a bike to some history and family


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## comet (Aug 2, 2020)

Miq said:


> Top of the line lightweight racer.  Super cool bike!  Does it really weight only 20 lbs like the specs say?  Congrats!!



About 22lbs 4oz. I think that would be the most. I don't think the spring would grow stronger over time. Thanks for getting me to weigh it before I take it apart.


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## Miq (Aug 2, 2020)

@comet thank you for weighing it!  We've been waiting for one of these to show up to see just how incredibly light it is.  Amazing!  It's the oldest / lightest combo bike we've gotten a real measure of so far.  How Light Is Your Lightweight?


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## schwinnderella (Aug 2, 2020)

_Are you reading the serial number as  A560 ?  Check out the serial on my 39 paramount  here.








						Schwinn Paramount 1939 | Lightweight Schwinn Bicycles
					

1939 chrome Schwinn Paramount, I think the wheels are from a Superior ?




					thecabe.com
				








_


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## Miq (Aug 2, 2020)

More of the prewar hand stamping fun!!  @schwinnderella 's has a double stamped 0/7 combo final digit and a floating 1 above the serial.


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## detroitbike (Aug 2, 2020)

Great bike. Killer paint. Torrington 5's
 I wouldn't remove the tires and just try to preserve the grips in place if at all possible.
   High dollar bike there ......


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## comet (Aug 2, 2020)

Interesting master link. After a couple of tries it's pretty easy and quick to do. You can do it with your fingernail. Pit crew.


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## comet (Aug 2, 2020)

schwinnderella said:


> _Are you reading the serial number as  A560 ?  Check out the serial on my 39 paramount  here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Here's the serial number again. With the 1. My guess is mine was A560 first because it was never changed. You own A567. I'm cleaning mine carefully with just warm mild soapy water. I feel honored to clean lugs brazed by Emil Wastyn. Holy Keyhole Batman!


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## GTs58 (Aug 2, 2020)

I came across one like that a couple days ago. This must have been the earlier design.





I'll delete this later so it doesn't mess up your thread.


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## jpromo (Aug 3, 2020)

This is a beauty. The handbuilt Schwinns are just mmm.


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## comet (Aug 3, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> I came across one like that a couple days ago. This must have been the earlier design.
> 
> View attachment 1240680
> 
> I'll delete this later so it doesn't mess up your thread.



I don't mind at all. Leave it.


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## comet (Aug 4, 2020)

Miq said:


> @comet thank you for weighing it!  We've been waiting for one of these to show up to see just how incredibly light it is.  Amazing!  It's the oldest / lightest combo bike we've gotten a real measure of so far.  How Light Is Your Lightweight?



Here it is  just the frame with the right side bottom bracket cup and the headset races. Just under 5lbs.


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## Gladiron (Aug 4, 2020)

Now that's my kind of Schwinn!


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## comet (Aug 4, 2020)

S  imple
E fficient
E legant


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## St33lWh33ls (Aug 4, 2020)

Beautiful Paramount. What is the seat post size, do you have a close up of the seat post lug?


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## comet (Aug 5, 2020)

St33lWh33ls said:


> Beautiful Paramount. What is the seat post size, do you have a close up of the seat post lug?



Seat post looks like 26mm. The lug may not be original because it takes 2 washers to be able to tighten it. Hope this helps.


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## St33lWh33ls (Aug 6, 2020)

comet said:


> Seat post looks like 26mm. The lug may not be original because it takes 2 washers to be able to tighten it. Hope this helps.




Thank you, that helps immensely, I have Paramount that doesn’t follow the typical serial number regime and the seat post size 26.2. My 1939 and 1951 are 27 and 27.2 respectively and have different seat tube lugs.


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## schwinnderella (Aug 6, 2020)

St33lWh33ls said:


> Thank you, that helps immensely, I have Paramount that doesn’t follow the typical serial number regime and the seat post size 26.2. My 1939 and 1951 are 27 and 27.2 respectively and have different seat tube lugs.
> 
> View attachment 1242637View attachment 1242638View attachment 1242639View attachment 1242640



Let's see some more pics of the chrome bike in the last pic.


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## St33lWh33ls (Aug 6, 2020)

schwinnderella said:


> Let's see some more pics of the chrome bike in the last pic.



I started another thread, chrome paramount, thanks again to comet for the info.


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