Long Beach Motorcycle Swap Meet (Bicycles Too)

Beautiful cruiser

Schwinn Paramount with full Campagnolo. This curved seat tube (short-coupled) model was available in 1975 - 1978. Built for criterium races or for riders who wanted the quicker handling that a shorter wheelbase provides, these are more rare than the standard models form this era. 

The vendor selling this Paramount asked $1,200, but was willing to accept offers. I have a rule that I don't collect bikes that don't fit me, plus this one isn't on my list of "must-haves" so I passed on it. 

Nice Frejus for $500. 

This swap meet is held monthly at Veteran's Stadium in Long Beach, California. This is primarily a motorcycle swap, but there are about two dozen bicycle vendors, as well. The majority of the bicycle spaces are filled with balloon tire or BMX bikes. I was hoping for vintage steel racing bicycles, but there were very few - not worth the $10 admission price for the swap, but no regrets... had to check it out and it was nice to stroll around hoping to find some deals. 

If you love motorcycles, this swap is for YOU. Here's the website for it. Enjoy! 

1985 Schwinn Super Sport

58 CM Center to Center Seat Tube and Top Tube

Full Shimano 600 Grey Edition

All parts removed, cleaned, lubed, replaced

Frame has only a few, very minor blemishes and nicks.

Ready to ride!

Picked this bike up from a local seller in Orange County, CA. He may not have realized what he had. Once I brushed some dirt off the top tube, I saw a beautifully-preserved 30 year old bicycle. 

Took a couple weeks taking it apart and reconditioning it - had a blast doing that, as always. 

For sale, so leave a comment if interested. 

The 1985 Super Sport was three from the top in the Schwinn line-up. Club racer with effective racing angles, light Columbus Tenax (older name for Chromor) tubing. Weighs in at 22 pounds 4 ounces on my Park scale; which is 2 full pounds less than Bianchis of the same era I have. 

Tubular wheels on this one. The original rear wheel (clincher) had a bad axle, so I swapped out the set for something more lively/light. 

Chime in if you've ever owned a Super Sport. 

Catalog can be found HERE.

1965 Paramount

The popularity of classic steel bicycles is still on the rise, and, as more people discover the wonders of these vintage machines, bicycle shops are cropping up with the means to restore them. Even shops that typically stock the latest in bicycle technology are beginning to see the benefits of having mechanics who can wrench on these machines and understand the nuances in components and frame details from this era.

There's two shops, in particular that I love and that do exceptional restorations of vintage bicycles. The Bicycle Stand in Long Beach, CA, and Adrenaline Bikes in Orange, CA. Both offer a full range of modern bicycles, but also have plenty of vintage frames, parts, and accessories, as well as mechanics trained in working on vintage racing bicycles. 

One more shop to check out, when you find yourself in the Washington DC area, is Fathom Custom Rides.

The 1965 Schwinn Paramount in the photos above was recently brought into The Bicycle Stand and they had to snap a few pics of this wonderful specimen. The shop added the racks and fenders, but, because it was in such exceptional, original condition, otherwise left it unchanged. To see many examples of restorations the shop has done, click on over to their Facebook page. I had my 1969 LeJeune restored there, and they did a superb job for a very reasonable price. 

Adrenaline Bikes is tucked away in a strip mall off Tustin Avenue in Orange. Blink and you'll miss it, but this isn't a shop you want to miss! Jesse and his team sell a lot of high-end modern machines, but, as an avid vintage bicycle collector himself, Jesse also made sure his shop was well-equipped to handle everything from vintage part sourcing to full vintage rebuilds and restorations. His team is terrific, well-versed in the new as well as the old cycles, and always a treat to talk to. This shop has worked on several of my bikes - new and old. Check out the Adrenaline Bikes Facebook page for more details and great pics.

What's your favorite bike shop that handles these vintage steel beauties? Chime in on the comment section, below.