Chrome paramount

[juvela]

-----

by eye, the cycle appears to date from ~1973

note that the chainset is 144mm BCD rather than the 151mm BCD which was in use prior to the 1968-69 change

the rear hub quick release skewer is CPSC compliant which is too late for the machine
the front skewer cannot be seen clearly enough in the images provided to determine if it is date correct or also CPSC compliant

one check which could be made to see if the cycle's hubs are original to it would be to check the date on the inner face of the axle locknuts -

-----

 

[Old Iron Bob]

I looked at Waterford paramount serial number chart and came up with a date of May 1968 41st frame

 

[Old Iron Bob]

This is what I found
The First Serialized Date Code

This system was used from January 1966 through 1969. It consisted of three components –

• Month Code: This one letter code corresponds to the month with A=January, B=Febuary and so on. Because I is not used, September=J and December=M.
• Year Code: This one digit code is the last digit of the year – 6 is 1966.
• Sequence Number: This two digit number represents the nth frame and/or fork scheduled during the month.

For example, H763 is the sixty-third frame or fork scheduled during August of 1967.

Capacity Added for the Boom Years

• Month Code: This one letter code corresponds to the month with A=January, B=Febuary and so on. Because I is not used, September=J and December=M.
• Year Code: This two digit code is the last two digits of the year – 86 is 1986.
• Sequence Number: This two digit number represents the nth frame and/or fork scheduled during the month. During the peak of the bike boom, Schwinn would add another digit, sometimes producing as many as 500 frames a month.

For example, H7634 is the thirty-fourth frame or fork scheduled during August of 1976.

Self-Describing Serial Numbers

This system started in use during the mid- to 1994’s. It consisted of six components:

• Size Code: The size code represented the center to top seatmast measurement, rounded to the nearest 5mm. For example, a 55cm frame had a serial number starting with 550. Mountain bikes required rounding since they were built in one or two inch size increments. Occasionally, custom frames might not have the same size as indicated by the serial number.
• Product Code: This was not applied consistently. Up to some point in the early 90’s, it designated the fork length with forks short bikes getting an “A” progressing to large forks getting an “E”. Later, it was used to designate the kind of frame: A=Road, B=Off-Road, C=650C Road, E=Track.
• Company Code: In the 80’s the code indicated the type of bike, where K=road bike. Later, especially after the formation of Waterford, this letter indicated the company. K was for Paramount and L was for Waterford.
• Factory Code: A W followed to indicate a bike coming from the Waterford factory.
• Month Code: This one letter code corresponds to the month with A=January, B=Febuary and so on. Because I is not used, September=J and December=M.
• Year Code: This two digit code is the last two digits of the year – 96 is 1996.
• Sequence Number: This three digit number represents the nth frame and/or fork scheduled during the month.

Example: 540AKWE91042 was a 54cm road racing Paramount built at the Waterford factory. It was the 42nd frame built in May of 1991.

Paramount Tandem Serial Numbers

 

[Old Iron Bob]

The site is https://waterfordbikes.com/w/culture/paramount/paramount-dating/

 

[PfishB]

I was mistaken in my assessment - forgot the early S/N only had a letter and 2 digits. Not enough caffeine today....

 

[Jollyride]

Just PMed you sir.

I want this bicycle please!

 

[bikebozo]

I can go to the bike shop and see how much the shipping and packing is , you can send the money through wal mart money services

 

[Cooper S.]

Did it ever sell?

 

[stezell]

Did it ever sell?

@Jollyride got it.
Sean