This 80s-era Schwinn Paramount “Pista” (Italian for track) has recently been added to Vic’s collection at the shop.

Arnold, Schwinn & Co., founded in Chicago in 1895, created their first top-of-the-line Paramount in 1938, it was produced until 1994.

While Schwinn had a reputation for building mass-produced balloon-tire bicycles for kids the Paramount line had a reputation as a finely crafted, relatively light-weight racing bike.

This frame was made by Paramount Design Group at Waterford Precision Cycles in the USA (circa 1980-1994), it features Reynolds 531 tubes, Nervex lugs, full Campagnolo groupo including wide-flange hubs, and its original Cinelli Unicanitor saddle.

This model was known as the Starburst edition for the star placed between the Schwinn and the Paramount on the downtube decal, this decal became the signature styling for the Paramount.

In 1973 the Paramounts lost their Olympic rings on the downtube as the US Olympic Committee tightened up trademark usage and Schwinn adopted the Olympic color bands.

More on the history of Paramounts is available here:

www.waterfordbikes.com/w/culture/paramount/
http://waterfordbikes.com/now/home.php?newstype=pdg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwinn_Paramount

Classic Italian racing in Bianchi Celeste Green. The Nuovo Alloro was a mid-level club racer. Columbus tubes for the frame, Campagnolo Nuovo Record shifters and derailleurs, Ofmega cranks and hubs, Modolo America brakes, TTT stem and seatpost, Mavic rims, stainless steel spokes.

One of Vic’s favorite restoration projects was this Maserati MT-10, a straight gauge high tensile steel recreational machine.

While the Maserati name is most commonly associated with a glorious automobile brand introduced in 1926, the company permitted the use of their name on motorcycles, and later on bicycles in the 1970s, and though volumes of information pertaining to the Maserati automobile exists, little is known about the Maserati bicycle.

The Maserati MT-10 was an entry level bicycle and was fitted with entry level components, while the Maserati MT-1 was their top of the line model, it featured all the bells and whistles one would expect from an early seventies high-end Italian made racing bicycle.

Vic added a derailleur hanger to the horizontal dropouts, and the original drive was replaced with a Campagnolo groupo. The cottered-crank was replaced with a square taper crank. Chrome plating on the fork blades and Panaracer gum walls complete the vintage look.

The project was completed for the original owner who wanted it restored and upgraded to a ridable condition as a reminder of the bike’s earlier years.

At Vic’s Classic Bikes restorations begin at $175 for road bikes, plus parts. Vic is ready to discuss your bicycle project.

Sears Roebuck and Co. was responsible for some of the most outrageous and sought after bike designs from the 1930s to the 60s. The Bluebird, Robin, Blackhawk, Flightliner and Spaceliner were all Sears exclusives.

Sears used the Westfield Mfg. Co. and Murray of Ohio to manufacture their bikes. Sears bicycles sold before World War II were branded as Elgin and after World War II they were J.C. Higgins.

In the late 1950s, when tailfins and extra chrome were all the rage in automobile design, the Flightliner was launched and it became their best selling model. In 1963 Sears dropped the J. C. Higgins name and switched to their own brand name.

55 years after a young lady had received this space-age Flightliner for Christmas it was faithfully restored by Vic and made very ridable again.

At Vic’s Classic Bikes restorations begin at $175 for road bikes, plus parts. We would be glad to discuss your next restoration project.

Schwinn’s Sting-Ray was known as “the bike with the sports car look” and it changed cycling when it was introduced in 1963, the model was made until 1981, Schwinn’s Krates were made from 1968 to ’73, the Schwinn Fair Lady for young ladies were produced from 1964 to ’82, and the Schwinn Mantaray was only produced for two years, 1971 & ’72.

The bikes all featured a short frame, high rise handlebars and a long, bucket shaped saddle, all borrowed from the southern California bike personalization/customization craze. The design gave the rider a combination of features for quick maneuvers, fast starts and short radius turns.

Schwinn’s bikes became a wildly popular best-seller almost overnight, and sold like wildfire – with an introductory price of only $49.95.

Naturally, every other bike manufacturer copied the idea.

Vic has had the opportunity to restore several Sting-Ray style bikes, one was from a Schwinn competitor, a model branded as the ‘Wildcat I’.

This bike was the owner’s first bike, and he wanted it restored to the way he remembered it. The restoration project included sandblasting and powdercoating with almost all of the parts being replaced with reproductions.

The finished bike is stunning, right down to the logo reproduced on the chain guard.

Learn more about Schwinn’s Stingray history here:
www.schwinncruisers.com/bikes/stingray

Surly’s Long Haul Trucker has a devoted following, known for its dependability, riding comfort, and ability to haul a bunch of stuff. Its low bottom bracket and long chainstays provide stability. There’s ample tire clearance for wider tires and room for fenders. The CroMoly steel tubing is thicker-walled and larger-diameter than standard frames, which is easily repaired if you crack the frame on a trek through Lower Mongolia.

The LHT has all the braze-ons, from rack mounts to water bottle cage bosses to spare spoke holders. It’s available as a frameset and as a complete bike, with 26˝ wheels in 42–62cm sizes, and with 700c wheels in 56–64cm.

Vic just put together this Surly for a client who chose the 26″ wheelset. The decision is a wise one for a cross country rider. You can find a replacement 26″ tire in any Walmart in America. Ever try finding a replacement 700c tire in the booneys?

Let Vic order a dependable and affordable Surly for you.

www.surlybikes.com

Vic just had the opportunity to restore this Alex Singer bicycle for a local client.

Alex Singer, who along with Rene Herse, are two of the most revered bicycle frame builders of the modern age, generated a worldwide cult status following which escalated the resale value for collectors.

Their bikes are sought after by participants of endurance brevet cycling events, especially Paris-Brest-Paris.

Cycles Alex Singer was one of France’s leading frame building shops, located in Levallois Perret, France. Ernest Csuka started working for his uncle Alex in 1944, when he was 16 years old. Alex had only been making bikes for six years. Today, the bikes are made by Ernest Csuka’s son, Olivier, still at the original shop in France.

They are wonderfully elaborate machines still named for the French artisan builder Alex Singer. Numerous innovations include the elegant handmade stem with hidden binder, and the matching internal expander seatpost, handmade braze-ons recessed into the chainstays, and handmade racks.

Alex Singers are legendary bikes that any cyclist can marvel at, and Vic was very honored to have had that opportunity.

Cycles Alex Singer