Re: [CR]Bad Paramount brazing

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 20:39:34 -0800
From: "Jim Allen" <jimallen@nctimes.net>
To: mhagburg@btinet.net
Subject: Re: [CR]Bad Paramount brazing
References: <120320032118.10413.3bcc@comcast.net> <030801c3b9fb$65091610$efddfea9@mooshome> <3FCE7BF7.B027BBAE@btinet.net>
In-Reply-To: <3FCE7BF7.B027BBAE@btinet.net>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

74 Paramount P-13

Dropout came out of fork.

Later, Downtube broke free from BB.

Both repaired by Schwinn in the mid 70's and still in one piece and used as a fixie.

Jim Allen the CycleSmiths San Marcos, CA

Michael Hagburg wrote:
>I am a starry eyed Schwinn lover, so it\u2019s with some regret that I pass on this
>information.
>
>My first \u201cbig\u201d bike purchase was made in 1979, when I bought a Paramount P-13.
>I raced the bike for four years (even though Paramounts were \u201cout of style\u201d by
>that time) and have ridden it thousands of miles. However, I have not ridden
>it in the last two years because a crack appeared in the lower head lug after
>some rough stuff riding I did back in 2001.
>
>I agonized for quite some time about whether to fix or retire the frame. I
>finally decided to send it to Chris Kvale, who has been doing great frame work
>for more than 25 years. He told me that fixing the frame would be no problem.
>
>Chris called me this morning to report on the frame repair. He told me the lug
>cracked because the brazing material had not penetrated into the lug \u2013 it only
>was on the edges. He told me that the lower part of the lug was almost
>completely \u201cdry.\u201d
>
>I once thought that the \u201cold ladies\u201d brazed all Paramounts, but I know now that
>they were no longer brazing Paramounts in 1979. Schwinn apparently had been
>farming out varied and unknown amounts of its Paramount work from the "bike
>boom" on. I wasn\u2019t aware until now that the contractors Schwinn dug up were
>doing shoddy work on Schwinn\u2019s top of the line bike.
>
>I would be interested in hearing whether other Paramount owners have had
>similar experiences. As a mechanic and salesman for a Schwinn dealer from
>1980-1985, I was aware that that quality of product Schwinn received from its
>Japanese manufacturing partners was substantially higher than the U.S. made
>product, but I had always assumed that the Paramounts were something different
>and special.
>
>Still, I am looking forward to riding my Paramount/Kvale next spring. At the
>very least, Paramounts always look good and mine will have at least one
>well-built joint.

>

>Mike Hagburg

>Bismarck, ND