They are actually known as 'baby paramounts' because they were made with leftover tubing and lugs for the paramounts after Schwinn shut down production in Chicago. They were on the verge of or going through bankruptcy and Don Mainland was tasked with finishing up using the remaining supply. The license to use the 'Paramount' name was in the process of being or had already been turned over to a company purchasing the 'Schwinn' name. Schwinn the company, or what was left of it still making bikes, was not allowed to use the 'Paramount' name and decided to sell the bikes under the name 'Superior'. These bikes are worth quite a lot to collectors, considering the limited manufacture time and number, as well as, the fact they were the last of the lightweight Schwinn being made with the 531 Reynolds tubing and the pro cut decorative Nervex lugs. Finding them with original paint and rideable is difficult at best. The serial numbers and head tube badge numbers do not seem to correspond to any date of manufacture time frame. Kurt Kaminer of 'The Headbadge' website for vintage bikes has a little info on these bikes and also has a registration page for Paramounts and the so called 'Baby Paramount' Superiors. He is trying to nail down how many were made or even exist at this time. It has been found that they seem pretty rare to found original and are starting to draw attention from collectors, especially ones with all original paint and components. Richard Schwinn owns Waterford Cycles, a custom cycle building company and has much of the info on Paramounts and can even give provenance reports on many of the old Schwinn lightweights, however, these Superiors were never kept track of to a great degree because of the climate of the company at the time.
