When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Looking for information on 1938 Schwinn Paramount Team Bikes

-
The womens bike is a custom ordered Paramount, circa '40-'41, with Cyclo 3 speed gear. It has the braze-on Cyclo mounting bracket on the chainstay and three gear freewheel on Paramount hub. It is only the second Paramount I have seen set up originally like this. It also features the very rare Webb brake system . This was in the collection of an old Schwinn distributer in the Sacramento valley, I am told he tracked it down in the '50's/'60's from the woman who had it built, she was supposed to be a well known cyclist from that era but sadly her name was lost. I got it from the grandson of the distributer. Also original paint in Team colors.
 
I just acquired this 1940’s model Paramount Racer, and although, I don’t know much about it, it does appear to have a special order geometry and in the team colors.
1301638

It’s unusual, in that the frame has a standard seat tube height, but with a very short top tube length.
The standard wheelbase for these models, was 40-1/2” axle to axle.
This one measures out at 38”
Because of the steep angle of the downtube, the fork has more rake than most track bikes of this type.
If a standard track fork had been used, the front wheel wouldn’t be able to clear the frame.
Someone’s personal preference?
It definitely seems to have been a custom order, maybe for a female rider, of a guy with a compact upper body?
Who knows?
I’ll add any additional information that I find out about it, in the future.
It looks like the team bikes that were used in the 48 London Olympics, so maybe a 48 model?
1301679

1301686

1301687

1948 US Olympic Team
 
Last edited:
Nice bike! Anywhere from 48 to early 50’s would be a good guess based on serials of known bikes from that period. If it was a 47 it would most likely have a p*** serial, this is just my opinion mind you. My thinking is that they would not have changed serial naming convention mid year, but that’s just my opinion. I have 445.
 
I’m not sure how accurate this serial number list is.View attachment 1302270
But, it does suggest, that 308 could fall somewhere in 1948.
It’s accurate to the extent that there are bikes listed with known provenance, from the known bikes you can extrapolate the date of other bikes by their serial numbers position to the known bikes. Is it 100%, probably not, but it’s as close as you are going to get as the original records were lost in a fire.
 
great looking bike cyclingday. thats about the nicest 40s paramount ive seen. it does look like a short wheel base. I love the paint scheme of the team colors, their my favorite. here's mine in team colors, it has a red head tube, p serial number. I've had this bike 5 or 6 years, and I've never tried to clean it up. it seems like one that would look worse than better with cleaning.

20201118_155856.jpg


20201118_155917.jpg
 
Back
Top