The Tandem Today
In the summer of 2004, a cycling friend of mine was telling me how much fun he and his family had on their pair of tandem bicycles. The tandem proved to be a perfect way of keeping everyone together on those long rides. I shared this idea with my family and when I got positive feedback, decided to go find a relatively cheap road tandem ... just to see... you know how the excitement wears off... especially when exercise is involved!
My daughter Amanda was the most excited by the idea of having a tandem. So she and I went to several local bike shops... mostly just try to find something that would fit her (she was a rather petite 9 year old at the time). We finally decided on the Raleigh Pursuit as a good starter bike.
Rather than buying a new one, I thought I'd take a few weeks to see if one came up for sale on Ebay... sure enough ... eventually one did. The only problem was that it was located in Arizona and the seller was not willing to ship it. That's when I called my Dad
Dad to the Rescue
See, Dad lives in Tempe, AZ ... so I gave him a call to see if he would help with it's shipping if I was lucky enough to win it. He was happy to help, but offered the following "if you want a tandem, I've got one for you". I was wary.
He went on to explain that he had purchased a tandem from a widower a few years back at an estate sale. He had answered an ad in the local paper and was interested in some other items she had listed. When he saw the bike, he asked if it was for sale too. The widower, who explained that she and her deceased husband were avid cyclists, said that she had not really intended on selling the bike. However, after some negotiations, Dad left with several items AND the bike.
I'm not sure why he wanted it... I think he was interested in riding it himself... and if all else failed he figured he could take it into his antique shop and sell it there.
I think he and Vicki gave it a try... found the seats were too uncomfortable and relegated it to hanging on the ceiling of their crowded garage, where it stayed for years.
I Don't Want Some Grandpa's Bike...
So after hearing his story.... I pictured a pre-war, basket-adorned, fat-tired, rusted bicycle built for two. I tried to politely decline and return the focus of our conversation to the Raleigh Pursuit on Ebay. But he insisted it was a "top of the line" bike. Knowing that his expertise in judging bike quality was a bit thin... I continued to question him on the particulars...make ("Schwinn"), year ("early '90's"), frame type ("aluminum")...etc. I was still suspicious, but he said he'd get some more information about it.
A few days later, he called back... it was indeed, not just a Schwinn, but a Schwinn Paramount. Hmmmm... with the "Grandpa-Bike" image fading a little in my mind, I encouraged him to try to find a serial number on the bike while I set about trying to do my own homework on the Paramount tandems.
Schwinn Paramount Tandems
There is a wealth of information about the Schwinn Paramount Tandem if you go to the Schwinn Lightweight Data Book web site. I poured over the specs. and pictures there trying to match what information Dad had given me about the bike. Another good source for research was the Waterford Precision Cycles website.
Nothing seemed to match the information I was getting from Dad, who in the mean time had had no luck in locating a serial number anywhere on the bike. One thing was for certain, Paramount Tandem production ceased by the end of 1979... this bike was not "early '90's" as Dad had guessed... but, at best, was late '70's.
My heart sank a little... I checked Ebay again and the Raleigh Pursuit had sold. Well... with nothing to loose (but the cost of shipping a large bicycle half way across the country) we started making shipping arrangements.
Shipping
Not wanting to burden Dad any more than I already had, I made some phone calls to the Tempe area and soon had found a local bike shop (I forget it's name) that would pack the bike for me... however, the only shipping they would offer was quite expensive due to the size limitations of the major carriers.
Off to do more homework... this time on shipping. After checking again with the bike shop I was farly certain that the packed bike would be within 2 inches of the size limits for UPS. Shipping was going to be... around $100.00.
It arrived in good shape and I quickly reassembled it and got it ready to ride. It was in surprisingly good shape. It only needed a good chain lubing and a new tube in the rear and I was off on my first ride.
What is This Thing?
Now that I could finally see it, I immediately knew that it didn't look like any of the Paramount Tandems that I had researched. I don't know how many times I went out to the garage determined to locate it's serial number only to be frustrated... it just didn't have one.
Here is what I did know:It is a 5-speed with a single, downtube shifter.
It has a Campagnolo Record rear deralleur.
It has Normandy hubs
It has Advocet saddles
It has Schwinn (script) crankarms
It has Schwinn Tandem headbadge (though unlike the others I had seen).
It has frame geometry that doesn't seem to match the Paramount Tandems that I'd seen
I took a couple of pictures and turned to the online classic bike forums for help (Bike Forums) where several people offered their opinions as to its origin.
Finally an Answer
Eventually I got the following e-mail from Jeff Groman of Classic Cycles.
"I'm not sure who built it, but the cantilever brakes deralleur hanger etc., water bottle braze-ons were added after. This was a one speed, fixed gear bike. it would cost quite a bit to put it back to original and it would be unrideable. ...The bike was built in the paramount shop probably by one of their better builders. I think it ended up in a shop in Denver. Then must have gone to Arizona with an ex- racer many of whom migrated south."
Simes and Heid
If you don't know (I didn't), Jack Heid and Jack Simes II are both members of the U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame and were great riders in their day.
Jack Simes II trained Jack Heid. Simes had retired due to an injury many years before this race, but came out of retirement to run this pro tandem race. Sime's son, Jack Simes III, was also an accomplished racer and has also been inducted into the U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame.
I recently contacted Jack Simes III to see if he could provide any more information about the bike and this is what he said:
"I remember when Heid and my father were training for the race and also details about the day because I was there. I have a couple of other photos which I will look for and e-mail copies to you if you want. "
"That was the only time I saw my father race because he had retired from competition in 1936 years before I was born. He trained Jack Heid. They were both hot-headed. They had an argument before Heid went to Europe with the 1948 Olympic team not to return to the States for three years. Heid and my father didn't communicate for nearly the entire time. But, then Heid wrote from Europe and when he returned with Belgian wife and a child, my father picked them up at the boat in NY. That would have been earlier in 1951. "
End of Story
So that's how we've come to own the "famous" tandem. My daughter and I still ride it on occasion. It is a little uncomfortable and awkward to ride compared to today's bikes, but still fun to be together ... and even more fun knowing it's age and history.
1 comment:
theres a tandem schwinn track bike in a local shop here in Greensboro, NC. Its been hanging from the ceiling for years. I think its from the 70s, full campy components. Beautiful bike. If you're ever in the area, check it out.
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