1992 - Paletti Prestige

Unfortunately there are only very few clues since when Paletti frames were build.  In an article it was alleged that Luciano Paletti started in 1947 to solder frames. But that was more likely his year of birth. Since most of the bikes and frames on the market were  build between the 70th and 90th the story becomes more valid. In addition I would appreciate about any hint to the brands history.

It is undisputed that Paletti next to the most famous and superior quality was also the first one who used braze ons for the front derailleur on modern bicycles starting at the beginning of the 70th. These were manufactured in cooperation with Magistroni, what was as good as 10 years ahead of all competitiors and Campagnolo as well. On other hand this special feature was already introduced by those famous french constructeurs like Herse, Singer, Mongilardi, Routens or Camille Daudon earlier and with their early handbuild rod operated changers.

But in terms of quality there is simply no comparism between mass products from Milan or Cambiago and a stunning and rock solid, well soldered Paletti Prestige, which is more likely on a level with Masi, Chesini, Colnago or Gloria then with Frejus, Legnano and Giufredi or Gregorelli.

Unfortunately Luciano Paletti, who also was an active racer in his jounger years, passed away too early in June 2015.

But let´s move on to the story about this outrageously unusual find.

About a year ago in Switzerland, a bike shop was closed. In the basement and showroom many high quality frames were awaiting use. They were stored since new and never build up or ridden.
Fortunately, I was able to snatch this frame set its slumber.

Again this great and fearful question about how to come to a period correct build had to be answered. First I thought of a complete C-Record setup but this was overturned by a really cheap deal for a set of Croce d´Aune Delta brakes with levers. On other hand I was not luckilly enough to find Croce d´Aune derailleurs for a reasonable price. Second I didn´t want to follow this usual uniformity and was looking for a set up that yet equally or even more turns on than a Super Record.

Please be honest, have you ever seen a Regina America 1992 in wild? Of course this group set could be admired in the catalog back then, but I didn´t come over one of these group sets never before in wild. The group set consists of a Regina America freewheel, a Regina Superleggera chain. The rear and front derailleur as well as the shifters were made by Sachs deriving from their ARIS/ New Success line. The crankset, bottom bracket and hubs were purchased from Ofmega.

Here we go ... please let me introduce the 1992 NOS Paletti Prestige equipped with a NOS Regina America 1992 group set:

Bottom Braket: Ofmega Competition

Headset: Campagnolo C-Record

Crankset: Regina America 1992

Front Derailleur: Regina America 1992

Rear Derailleur: Regina America 1992

Shift levers: Regina America 1992

Brake Lever: Campagnolo Croce d´Aune

Brakes: Campagnolo Croce d´Aune

Wheelset: Campagnolo Chorus with Wolber Profil 20 aero clincher rims and Continental Grand Prix 4000

Saddle: Lepper Voyager with Reynolds 531 frame
Seatpost: Selle San Remo Aero
Stem: Cinelli XA
Handlebar: Cinelli Criterium

Frame tubing: Columbus TSX
Fork tubing: Columbus TSX

1946- Itala - introducing the Cambio Corsa

It happend on November 11th, 1927 when Tullio Campagnolo was riding over Croce D'Aune Pass in the Gran Premio della Vittoria race; the roads were covered with snow, the thermometer showed some degree below zero. With frozen fingers he was unable to resolve the wingnuts of his rear wheel and could not change gears.

Angry that he thereby losts his change at victory he should have decided to change the rear.

"Bisogno cambiá qualcossa de drio!"

These five words, spoken to himself, changed cycling tremendously. First he invented the quick release mechanism in 1930 and second he introduced his first gear change mechanism, which was patented in 1933.

This cambio a due levé allowed to shift gears while pedaling backwards. With its longer rod the quick release mechanism was opened, with the shorter one the chain was shifted from one cog to the other and the wheel moved back and forwards within the dropouts in order to come to the appropriate chain tension automatically.

No other mastered the Cambio a due levé better then Gino Bartali. Thanks to the Cambio a due levé he won the 1946 Giro d´Ítalia and 1947 Mailand - Sanremo. The Cambio a due levé was called Cambio Corsa afterwards in rememberance to his victory.

In 1947 Tullio introduced a modell called Cambio a una levé, which combined the quick release and chain mover into a single lever and was used by Gino Bartali while pedaling to the victory of the Tour de France in 1948. Although he finished the homonymous stage this year only at 7th place, the Cambio a una levé was called Parigi - Roubaix shortly afterwards.

I´m not quite sure if it´s only the hype that makes the charm of this kind of derailleurs. Although shifting between gears becomes faster it didn´t become easier at all. Shifting becomes more of a challenge at least in riding uphill.

Nevertheless I succumbed this charm and as I was offered such a bike recently I coudn´t resist. 

Well, here it is ... a 1946 Itala marked frame, which was soldered at Gregorelli.  

Bottom Braket: Magistroni

Headset: Magistroni

Crankset: Magistroni

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Cambio a due levé - Cambio Corsa

Brake Lever: Balilla

Brakes: Balilla

Wheelset: Campagnolo Cambio a due levé with Nisi tubular rims
Saddle: Italia
Seatpost:
Stem: ttt

Frame tubing: ?
Fork tubing: ?

1968 - Köthke Champion

The german city Cologne is better known by the cheerful bustle of carnival then for sports and classic lightweights. But if lurking behind the facades of this bustling town you might come accross of some very interesting german frame builders.

Rudolf Faust and Fritz Köthke were two of these men who were closly associated with cycling.

Fritz Köthke, who was more merchant then a frame builder, had a little workshop in Colognes Niederichstraße. His lightweights were highly sought after in other european countries.

The future Olympic champion Toni Merkens was teached by Köthke, Cologne cycling greats such as Victor Rausch, Godfrey Hurtgen, Paul Oszmella used frames from Köthke. Arie van Vliet and Jan Derksen of the Netherlands, were regular customers also.

Because Köthke was actually a merchant, he shopped all parts he needed for his lightweights, but only in the very best quality he could get, especially from England and the United States. His brother Heinrich ran the velodrome in Cologne Riehl for many years

Fritz Köthke retired at the beginning of the 60s and his workshop was run by one of his former empolyees.

Recently I came accross this blue 1968 Köthke Champion. It has to be restored. Thus this documents the condition as found only. After restauration it will be set up with periode correct parts.

Bottom Braket: Stronglight Competition

Headset: Shimano Dura Ace

Crankset: Stronglight 93

Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Valentino

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Gran Sport

Shift levers: Campagnolo Record bar end

Brake Lever: Weinmann

Brakes: MAFAC Racer

Wheelset: Campagnolo Athena with anodised Nisi tubular rims

Saddle: Brooks Professional
Seatpost: steel
Stem: Favorit - a lousy Scheeren copy
Handlebar: Cinelli
Pedals: steel

Frame tubing: Reynolds 531
Fork tubing: unknown

1973 - Schwinn Paramount P-13

For every continent and country there are known some stars. For the United States it´s most likely the Schwinn Bicycle Company.

Ignaz Schwinn, born in Hardheim, Germany in 1860 emigrated to the United States in 1891. In 1895 he founded, together with Adolph Frederick William Arnold, another german american, the Arnold, Schwinn & Company in Chicago. This new company coincided with a sudden bicycle craze in America and Chicago became the center of the American bicycle industry, with thirty factories turning out thousands of bikes every day.

The first american bike boom was short-lived, as automobiles and motorcycles quickly replaced bikes on american streets. Schwinn also produced motorcycles and bought several smaller bicycle firms, building a modern factory on Chicago's west side to mass-produce bicycles at lower cost. At the end of the 1920´s Schwinn´s motorcycle division, with Excelsior-Henderson was in third place behind Indian and Harley-Davidson.

Schwinn was soon sponsoring a bicycle racing team headed by Emil Wastyn, who designed the team bikes, and the company competed in 6-day races across the United States with riders such as Jerry Rodman and Russell Allen. In 1938, Frank W. Schwinn officially introduced the Paramount series. Developed from experiences gained in racing, Schwinn established Paramount as their answer to high-end, professional competitive bicycles. The Paramount used high-strength chrome-molybdenum steel alloy tubing and expensive brass lug-brazed construction. During the next twenty years, most of the Paramount bikes would be built in limited numbers at a small frame shop headed by Wastyn, in spite of Schwinn's continued efforts to bring all frame production into the factory.

On 17 May 1941, Alfred Letourneur was able to beat the motor-paced world speed record on a bicycle, reaching 175 km/h (109 mph) on a Schwinn bicycle[5] riding behind a car on the Los Angeles freeway.

John (Pop) Brennan, the greatest authority in the U. S. on Racing bicycles, says (in the 1940 catalog) about Schwinn-Built Light-weight Bicycles

'I have been the official mechanic at 6-Day Bike Races for over 25 years and have serviced every make of racing bicycle used.

'This past season, we had 18 to 20 Schwinn Paramount Racers on the track.What the boys call their No. 1 bikes have gone approximately 10,000 miles each or a total of over 90,000 miles in the 13 races, and I have yet to replace a worn or detective part. Not a single frame broke, and I honestly believe the strength of these frames saved the boys from serious injury many times, because we had an unusual number of bad spills during the season.

'I recommend Schwinn-Built bicycles not only to the racing men but to every cyclist who wants a lightweight, light running, substantial bicycle with correct lines and the best equipment.'

From their introduction in the 1930s, the Paramount models were the dominant racing lightweight in America for 50 years.

I respect the hype about Schwinn. But it´s less the story about the frames that have been soldered by women's hands only and should be pointing more to iit's ride quality. The wheelbase is less than one meter, which makes it very agile and maneuverable. However, it is directionally stable and stiff. Would be unknown that this is a street machine, you could almost get the impression of sitting on a track bike. Just awesome ... and adorable ... it´s a Paramount ;-)

Recently I came accross this steel gray metallic 1973 Schwinn Paramount frame. At least I decided to go for a complete Campagnolo Nuovo Record setup.

Bottom Braket: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Headset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Crankset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Shift levers: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Brake Lever: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Brakes: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Wheelset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record with Mavic tubular rims or Campagnolo Nuovo Record small flange hubs with Nisi tubular rims

Saddle: Brooks Professional
Seatpost: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Stem: 3ttt
Handlebar: ITM
Pedals: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Frame tubing: Reynolds 531
Fork tubing: Reynolds 531