Other road bikes were introduced by Schwinn in the early and mid 1960s, such as the Superior, Sierra, and Super Continental, but these were only produced for a few years. The Varsity and Continental sold in large numbers through the 1960s and early 1970s, becoming Scwhinn’s leading models. The wheel rims were likewise robust, chromed, stamped steel with a unique profile designed to hold the tire bead securely, even if pressure were low or lost.
For medium and smaller sizes, Paramount introduced Columbus SLX tubing. Built for distance and speed, lightweight road bikes let you push your limits. I bought this road bike for my son for Christmas, and I’ve unpacked, adjusted & given it a ‘shakedown’ 10 mile ride. I have ridden road bikes for years, have an Italian schwinn electric bike ‘old school’ road bike – Benotto Mod 850, and this bike compares favorably. In the late 1960s, the Varsity and Continental pioneered the use of auxiliary brake levers, which allowed the rider to rest hands on the straight, horizontal center section of the ram’s horn handlebars, yet still have braking control.
The Paramount is a wonderful piece of cycling history which rides like a whirlwind and is good for many Eroica races to come and as many weekend rides as you can fit into your schedule. A place for pictures, articles, and discussion of bikes and parts pre 1990. This bicycle has been refurbished to the Blue Tag standard which includes a 30 day warranty.
The new company produced a series of well-regarded mountain bikes bearing the Schwinn name, called the Homegrown series.[62] In 2001, Schwinn/GT declared bankruptcy. In September 2001, the Schwinn Company, its assets, and the rights to the brand, together with that of the GT Bicycle, was purchased at a bankruptcy auction by Pacific Cycle, a company previously known for mass-market brands owned by Wind Point Partners.[63] In 2004, Pacific Cycle was in turn acquired by Dorel Industries. In 1980 the production of the Paramount was completely reconsidered, which resulted in a completely new factory in Waterford, Wisconsin. By 1985 Paramount was in full gear, with what became the “standard” model.
However, this pinnacle of Schwinn’s bicycle production underwent several changes. Sometimes it was up on the top with the best road bikes in the world, in other years it slowly fell behind in the development of racing machines and ended up outdated, only to be resurrected, schwinn road bike renewed and put back into its place as the number one. In late 1997, Questor Partners Fund, led by Jay Alix and Dan Lufkin, purchased Schwinn Bicycles. Questor/Schwinn later purchased GT Bicycles in 1998 for $8 a share in cash, roughly $80 million.
This page lists Schwinn bicycles models (sorted alphabetically) and links to their details. Over the years, Schwinn has empowered millions of people, earning a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of riders. We have spent over a century building the bicycle industry into what it is today, and we’re not done yet. This Schwinn Paramount from 1986 is exactly one of those standard bikes from the mid 1980s with Columbus SLX tubing and a complete Campagnolo Super Record groupset. The colour was called Icy White by Schwinn and corresponds perfectly with the shiny aluminium parts and the modern plain decal design.