Aside from some new frame lug designs, the designs, methods and tooling were the same as had been used in the 1930s. After a crash-course in new frame-building techniques and derailleur technology, Schwinn introduced an updated Paramount with Reynolds 531 double-butted tubing, Nervex lugsets and bottom bracket shells, as well as Campagnolo derailleur dropouts. The Paramount continued as a limited production model, built in small numbers in a small apportioned area of the old Chicago assembly factory.
While the Paramount still sold in limited numbers to this market, the model’s customer base began to age, changing from primarily bike racers to older, wealthier riders looking for the ultimate bicycle. Schwinn sold an impressive 1.5 million bicycles in 1974, but would pay the price for failing to keep up with new developments in bicycle technology and buying trends. While every large bicycle manufacturer sponsored or participated in bicycle racing competition of some sort to keep up with the newest trends in technology, Schwinn had restricted its racing activities to events inside the United States, where Schwinn bicycles predominated. As a result, Schwinns became increasingly dated in both styling and technology. By 1957, the Paramount series, once a premier racing bicycle, had atrophied from a lack of attention and modernization.
This bicycle has been refurbished to the Blue Tag standard which includes a 30 day warranty.
Bike racing, a major professional sport in the 1930’s, had all but died by the 1950’s. So Paramount was shifted to the Parts division, under Kieth Kingbay. In its introductory catalog, Schwinn dedicated the Paramount brand to the production of world competitive bicycles. Most models of Schwinn bikes schwinn road bike have years of images and information via old catalogs, advertisements and Schwinn documentation. This page lists Schwinn bicycles models (sorted alphabetically) and links to their details. And also be sure to check out our recent coverage of the current sale going on for Rad Power’s RadTrike.
It features a thumb throttle, LCD display, hydraulic disc brakes, and a 1050 lumen headlight paired with 2-mode taillight. When Schwinn introduced the Paramount as their top class racing bike in the 1930s, they started a real success story. Over the years the Paramount would turn out to become the most successful US racing bike of the 20th century. I trust that in a very short while, we’ll be able to give a more substantive description of how this rides & performs, as my son will pound this Schwinn Varsity CF as has hard as possible – both on our club rides & also as he’s starting to ride Criterium races and some longer road races as well. The challenge for Richard Schwinn and Marc
Mulder will be to balance the work and keep Waterford and Gunnar fresh and
appealing.
In 1895, with the financial backing of fellow German American Adolph Frederick William Arnold (a meat packer), he founded Arnold, Schwinn & Company. Schwinn’s new company coincided with a sudden bicycle craze in America. Chicago became the center of the American bicycle industry, with thirty factories turning out thousands of bikes every day.
A growing number of US teens and young adults were purchasing imported European sport racing or sport touring bicycles, many fitted with multiple derailleur-shifted gears. Schwinn decided to meet the challenge by developing two lines of sport or road ‘racer’ bicycles. One was already in the catalog — the limited production Paramount series.