Paramount, Superior, New World.

[onecatahula]

Earliest known Tourists:

 

[lgrinnings]

Here’s a sweet, all original 1938 I believe (SN: B9054) Superior Tourist.

Ah, my mistake was trying to date this bike based upon standard Schwinn serial numbers without any knowledge of the unique sequence for Paramounts and Superiors. So would it be a 1940 based upon a serial number of B9054?

 

[cyclingday]

That’s probable, but your bike has the rear Webb cantilever type brake on it, so I’m leaning towards it being a 1939 model.
The Schwinn built scripted caliper brakes became the brake of choice in 1940.
But, it’s always possible that the Webb brakes were being used up into 1940 by customers choice or until the supply ran out.
All of the Paramounts and Superiors, were special order bikes, that could be specified by the individual customer or as a factory standard model as specified by Arnold, Schwinn & Co.
My guess is, that most shops just ordered what Schwinn was recommending at the time.
But, the custom order concept was probably pretty novel at the time, and would’ve been enticing for anyone stepping up to buy a hand built bike from the Paramount/Superior line.

 

[cyclingday]

It’s interesting to note the stage your serial number was at for the Superior model in comparison to where the Paramounts were at during that same time period.
Many thousands of Superiors were being made, while the Paramount model was still numbering in the hundreds.

 

[GTs58]

The total production numbers of the Superior cannot be accurately estimated by the hand stamped serial numbers.

 

[ccdc.1]

The total production numbers of the Superior cannot be accurately estimated by the hand stamped serial numbers.

I tend to agree with this. A couple of likely factors: because Paramounts were the top of the line, the people who ordered them were likely more inclined to keep and pamper them, and pass them on rather than simply forgetting about them or tossing them when done. The Superior was more likely to be a nice but utilitarian purchase. I believe Schwinn had some kind of rental program were they would sell/supply a fleet of bikes to a vendor for rental...these were more likely to be Superiors or New Worlds than Paramounts. So there seem to be less Superiors still around these days (not because less were built, but because less were kept). I have been keeping track of Paramount and Superior serials for a while now, and still have less than 100 first generation Superiors. They are heavier in the B100-B2000 range, but then there are jumps to a few in the B4000 range, then B8000, even a couple in the B10000 range and a big gap to B17000. Were there 17,000 Superiors built between 1938 and 1941? Possible, but I am skeptical based on my limited sample. FWIW.

 

[GTs58]

Earliest known Tourists:

View attachment 1808146

View attachment 1808145

Looks like 1939 was when the tourist models were available.

 

[onecatahula]

There are several examples of first gen, 38 Tourists out there, one of which I found for Marty a few years back.
@cyclingday ?

 

[cyclingday]

Yeah, for sure!
There’s clear evidence that the public offering of a Schwinn Lightweight line of bikes began in the Spring of 1938.

 

[Newbee]

My current project is a schwinn superior track model. Frame number is B 624 .
from what I’ve been told makes it a 1939.
I believe the frame color was originally painted white or red. Please let me know if the year sounds right. Would like to add to the registry but no idea how.
Thanks