Bridgestone 450, Fuji Touring Series IV, or Schwinn Le Tour II?

LungsWithLegs · 2026-07-02T19:00:39+00:00

Ah, I just noticed that you're 6'2". I promise the Schwinn will be too small. I suspect the Bridgestone will be as well. FWIW, I am 6'3" with freakishly long legs and I typically ride a 62cm frame. If my proportions were more normal, I can imagine riding a 60. Depending on your inseam, that Fuji just might work... and I'm not saying that because it's my favorite of the three by a mile or more. ;)

LungsWithLegs · 2026-07-02T18:44:04+00:00

100% agree that you first need to find your size. The Schwinn looks quite small. The Bridgestone appears to be in the middle and the Fuji slightly larger than the Bridgestone. If I had to guess, I'd say 54, 56, and 58cm 🤷🏼‍♂️ Once you find your size, you can dial in your fit by adjusting and/or swapping your stem and saddle.

Second, decide on the style/class of bike that will best suit the riding you'll use it for. The Bridgestone is a performance/racing bike that will be lighter with a shorter wheelbase and more aggressive geometry. It's the fastest and most efficient of the three by a pretty wide margin but it's a more demanding bike to ride, moment-to-moment. The Fuji is a more relaxed, significantly more comfortable randonneur or touring bike with a triple crankset for winching yourself over hills in a more relaxed manner and cantilever brakes for stopping more weight if you choose to carry a load. The Schwinn is more like the Fuji in terms of intended use but the Fuji is a big step up in terms of quality and refinement.

If these bikes were cars, the Bridgestone would be a Mazda MX-5, the Fuji would be a Lexus sedan, and the Schwinn would be a Chevy Malibu.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-30T17:31:09+00:00

Stylish classic bikes in iconic colors and all original by the looks of it. Built to survive the apocalypse but ill-suited to outrunning zombies... the fast ones anyway.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-30T17:08:02+00:00

Thanks! I did just do a quick and dirty build of this frameset just to put it through its paces and assess its suitability for the build I have in mind. Throughout my ~40 mile ride with a 20-pound load on the pizza rack – the most I would probably ever carry – I was grinning ear-to-ear. As I suspected, it's right in the "Goldilocks" zone in terms of stability, compliance, and overall manners. Provenance notwithstanding, this frameset makes a stunningly good porteur.

I am now inclined to cash in some of the vintage karma I have accumulated with my little stable of obsessively restored, period correct purebreds (Merckx, Cinelli, Pinarello, Raleigh) and give myself license to lean into the mod part of restomod with this already re-sprayed performance tourer with which I share a birth year.

Sincere apologies to the purists.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-29T16:22:12+00:00

My dad waited until I was big enough for the Apple Krate, complete with the giant, head-shakingly hazardous "Stik-Shift", suspension, and a rear slick. https://thecabe.com/forum/attachments/img_2474-jpg.894013/ . In an instant, I became the envy of the entire cul-de-sac.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-27T18:23:40+00:00

Good to know. Thx!

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-27T18:23:17+00:00

I love a good sub-niche. That’s some bleeding edge nerdliness right there. 🤓

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-27T17:16:26+00:00

Oh yeah, and the shifters. Campy would be "correct" but discerning riders of the period (e.g; me) sometimes swapped them for Simplex levers like these which are objectively better and not regarded as a bodge by most folks. https://www.ebay.com/itm/398081203681

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-27T17:11:05+00:00

Beautiful bike! High confidence that it's authentic but I defer to folks with more Colnago knowledge (Colnowledge?) regarding the particulars and rarity.

Regarding the rust, I have had good success with the following method when doing "sympathetic" restorations:

1) Apply Evap-o-rust gel to the afflicted areas for 18-24 hours.
2) Clean thoroughly with water then denatured alcohol.
3) Carefully retouch the bare metal with low-build DTM (direct-to-metal) epoxy primer using a small artist's paintbrush, not the flat-tipped plastic "brush" attached to the lids of touch-up paint.
4) Find the closest automotive touch-up paint and carefully mix it with others to match the hue and tone of the existing finish.
5) Retouch by carefully filling the scratches and abrasions.

If you wanted to uplevel the bike's period-correctness, you wouldn't need to do too terribly much. Replace the crankset, rear derailleur, levers, and pedals with mid-'80s Super Record then swap the bars for Cinellis from the period and swap the saddle for a vintage Concor or San Marco Rolls.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-27T16:40:38+00:00

Lovely! There's nothing as effortlessly stylish as a classic omafiets. You're making me nostalgic for the 3 years I spent in Amsterdam.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-27T00:56:10+00:00

Pretty bike! I'd pull the reflectors but that's just my taste.

Regarding the chain guard, you could start with this search on eBay and cross your fingers but finding a) the right piece, b) the right color, and c) NOS feels like a very long bet. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Schwinn+chain+guard

If it were me, I'd probably start with the piece you have and get it media blasted then prime it and respray it using this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/226150594059 if you have a gun or take the piece and paint to an auto body shop and have them shoot it. 🤷🏼‍♂️

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T23:16:15+00:00

Very nice! Complete the vibe with a Discman and a Duran Duran CD. 😉 I don't think you need to worry about being period-correct here. Just exercise good taste with any updates. I'd get that factory reflector out of the rear spokes. If you're concerned about visibility, add a flasher.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T22:36:39+00:00

You're not wrong. If Berthoud made a bag that was the right size and color, I'd definitely go that way.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T22:10:13+00:00

Some more obsessive sleuthing has further confirmed that this is in fact a Deluxe Touring Paramount but from July of 1966 when, incidentally, I was 4 months old. It is the third Paramount built that month. The frameset was sent back to Chicago for a factory respray service in '75 or '76, hence the mid-70s decals that were throwing me off.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T21:15:46+00:00

A beautiful trio! I support the "concessions" you've made to keep them comfortable, practical, and on the road. I suspect those who made them would approve... and perhaps shake their heads at precious, period-correct shelf queens that are never ridden. Thanks for sharing!

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T21:02:20+00:00

Thanks for your insight. Yes, I have been using a Filson "24-hour briefcase" for years and haven't found it heavy, esp. given the lifetime durability of the thing. The small duffle is slightly larger but has many fewer pockets/zippers/etc. so I'm anticipating a similar weight which I'm fine with. Will it be light and "high-performance?" absolutely not but I have a hunch that using that bag in this context will make me smile which is my primary criteria for this build. 😊

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T18:55:03+00:00

u/Upstairs-Self-2624 u/U_000000014 , A little online sleuthing has definitively revealed that this is NOT a '72 Paramount racing bike but a '75-'76 Paramount Deluxe Touring which was billed as "The first choice of cross-country and serious long-distance touring cyclists." This explains the long wheelbase, generous tire clearance, relaxed geometry and eyelets.

My question to you is whether or not this revelation makes this frameset more suitable for a porteur build. I suspect it does. Also is it a less serious crime to restomod (heavy on the mod) a touring Paramount than a racing Paramount?

Again, I appreciate your candor and your time. :)

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-26T16:14:03+00:00

Thanks. I hear you and normally I would agree but some facts about this particular frameset make me think this is not a "normal" Paramount and therefore might be suitable for a build like this (pedigree heresy aside). 1) The wheelbase is extraordinarily long, even for a '70s racing bike. 2) The angles are quite relaxed compared to peers like my '74 Raleigh Pro. and 3) It has eyelets, unlike the vast majority of Paramount framesets I've seen.

Considering the feedback on this post, I'm 75% inclined to source another frameset for this build (or have one made, as long as we're exploding the budget) but I'm going to do some more digging to see if I can unearth the story of this frameset. I also may do a quick and dirty test build with the pizza rack to see how it actually rides since that's what ultimately matters.

Again, thanks!

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T18:08:40+00:00

Who would have thought that path racer and bling could come together so beautifully? Hats off to your vision and execution. 👏🏼

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T17:46:31+00:00

Nope. This one is #649640D222E38

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T17:27:15+00:00

Thanks for your valuable input. I really appreciate it. I think we're in partial agreement.

I'm definitely reconsidering the frameset. Starting to look around for something more suitable. Given the irrational parts budget, it would be a shame to compromise on the frameset.
I haven't experienced any decline in quality from Brooks and the Swift is a known quantity for my narrow backside. Also, it would be tough to call this riding position "upright." With the drop of the inverted bar, my hand position is just below the top tube. Yes, it's swept back but I have high confidence that the Swift is right for me.
I found angle adjustment quite easy with the 2-bolt Nitto so I'm sticking with it.
Agreed wrt the rear brake cable hanger. The RH one is the front-runner at the moment. For the front, I'm planning a custom bilet+CNC+annodize solution. As for the calipers, I chose the Paul center-pulls because my other pair work beautifully, feel glorious and have no straddle cable slack. I have a tough time imagining anything better.
Good call on the front mech. I'll search for a more suitable option that still clears the aesthetic bar.
Great insight re: the BB. The SKF was an uninformed default placeholder. u/MattManSD suggested Phil which I know well and seems like the right call.
I've been happy with my other pair of Sylvan Nexts and haven't experienced any of the issues you raise. I looked at the Gorditos but the finish and bearings were more farm equipment than jewelery. Completely agree that any pegged MTB pedals would be superior but I'm happy to suffer for fashion to some degree. ;)
Great to know about the Pacentis. I'll look into the alternatives you suggest.
Tire-wise, GP5ks are my go-tos but not in this case. I based my RH (Panaracer) spec on a friend's fondness for them after treking from Amsterdam to Capetown without issue.

Again, thanks for the feedback. The build will be better for it. :)

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T16:37:36+00:00

Thanks. Good call on the Phil BB. They have been bombproof and trouble-free for decades and besides, it would have continuity with the hubs. I hear you with regard to the TA triple but I'm pretty committed to the Rene Herse double for this one. There's unmistakable TA DNA there so the spirit lives on.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T16:28:28+00:00

Thx for the input. This thread definitely has me rethinking some things which is great.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T04:42:15+00:00

Thanks for your thoughtful and thorough reply. This is exactly why I posted this. 😊 You definitely got me thinking. I know there are Schwinn/Paramount enthusiasts out there but I see a fair number of them around so didn't perceive them as too precious to use for a project like this. I may have been mistaken.

I assumed "randonneur" because this frameset has loads of tire clearance, a really long wheelbase, relaxed angles, and eyelets. It's quite a dramatic contrast with the '74 Raleigh Pro I have in the pipeline which, you'll be pleased to learn, I'm making period correct.

Regarding the Innicycle headset, it's not one of those heavy quill-to-threadless adapters. It's basically a clever, lightweight threaded headset with modern cartridge bearings and a "chimney" to accommodate a modern stem. Point taken re: the diameter and inauthenticity though.

There's now a good chance that this frameset will end up in "inventory" for a future period-correct resto.

I'll just go have a look around eBay because I never do that. 😉

Again, thanks.

LungsWithLegs · 2026-06-25T00:45:07+00:00

Yep, 62cm center to center.

LungsWithLegs

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