Schwinn Paramount · Other steel tubing · 1989 to September 1994 (Waterford)

Schwinn Paramount OS

Name: Schwinn Paramount OS
Brand: Schwinn Paramount
Availability: InStock

The OS was the last Paramount built in Wisconsin, and its fat down tube is now common on steel bikes. Marc Muller started on the oversized tubeset in 1987 with Schwinn engineer Frank Brilando, and the Paramount Design Group, Schwinn's frame shop and design lab in Waterford, showed the concept in 1988. The down tube grew to 1 1/4 in, the seat tube flared at the bottom bracket and the chainstays reached 24 mm there, all in True Temper tubing with a special lugset. Heat-treated OS tubes followed in 1992, and Reynolds 753 OS in summer 1993. Schwinn was sold that year. Richard Schwinn and Muller bought the plant as Waterford Precision Cycles and built Paramounts under contract until Schwinn retired the line in September 1994.

OS in True Temper chromoly (1989 to 1991)OS in heat-treated tubing (from 1992)OS in Reynolds 753 (summer 1993 to 1994)

Spec at a glance

Maker: Schwinn Paramount
Tubing: Other steel tubing
Era: Early 1990s
Built in: USA
Made: 1989 to September 1994 (Waterford)
Frame: True Temper oversized chromoly, lugged; heat-treated from 1992, Reynolds 753 OS from summer 1993
Down tube: 1 1/4 in, meeting the BB shell 5 mm below the spindle
Seat tube: flared to 1 1/4 in at the bottom bracket
Chainstays: 24 mm at the bottom bracket
Lugs: special OS lugset
Also listed as: Paramount OS, Waterford Paramount, Paramount PDG OS
Typical eBay ask (Oct 19, 2026): $1,040–$1,120

Frame check

Tubing, threads, wheels and paint

Tubing: The OS used True Temper oversized chromoly made to Paramount's design, heat-treated from 1992, and a Reynolds 753 OS version arrived in summer 1993. A 753 frame should carry the Reynolds 753 decal. The 1 1/4 in down tube is the quick check in photos.
The frame: The down tube enters the bottom bracket 5 mm below the spindle and the seat tube flares there, so the bottom bracket area looks different from a classic Paramount. Ask for photos of the bottom bracket shell and every lug. Look for rust bubbling at the lug edges and the shell.
Sizing: The serial starts with the seat tube size, measured center to top and rounded to the nearest 5 mm. So a serial starting 540 is a 54 cm frame, though custom frames don't always match.
Threads and standards: We couldn't confirm the bottom bracket threading from a Paramount source, so check it. Ask what's stamped on the bottom bracket cups. 1.370 x 24 is English and takes the widest range of modern parts.
Wheels: In the later serial scheme the letter after the size code tells you the type, with A for road, C for a 650C road frame and E for track. We have no source for the rear spacing, so measure the dropouts before buying a wheel.
Parts it came with: We couldn't find a factory parts list for the OS, and in 1994 Waterford built them both for stock and to custom order. Treat the parts as whatever the first owner chose and judge them one by one.
Dating it: The serial on the bottom bracket describes the frame. 540AKWE91042 is a 54 cm road frame (A), a Paramount (K), from the Waterford factory (W), the 42nd frame of May 1991. If there's no serial like this, you're probably looking at an Asian-built Series Paramount.
Paint and decals: PDG updated the decal set for 1992. After Schwinn was sold in 1993, Waterford kept building Paramounts much as before, so a 1993 or 1994 OS can carry Waterford-era details.
Safety jobs: Replace old tires and brake pads before the first ride, and pull the stem and seatpost to look for corrosion.

Original parts to look for

Original Paramount OS fork

Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. Swapped or missing original parts should come off the price if originality matters to you. For replacements, see our vintage components guide.

What to check

Schwinn also sold Asian-built Series Paramounts from 1991, and they don't carry Waterford serials, so make sure that's not what's listed. On the frame itself, look for rust at the lugs and bottom bracket and a seized stem or seatpost.

01Serial number: Ask for a photo of the serial on the bottom bracket. It should read like 540AKWE91042, with K for Paramount and W for Waterford.
02Down tube: Compare the down tube to the top tube in the photos. On an OS it's visibly fatter.
03Tubing decal: Look for the tubing decal in the photos. A Reynolds 753 decal fits a frame built from summer 1993.
04Series check: Read the model decals on the top and down tubes. A Series 2 to Series 90 name means an imported Series bike.
05Lugs and shell: Ask for close photos of the lugs and bottom bracket. Paint should be unbroken with no rust bubbling at the edges.
06Bottom bracket: Ask what's stamped on the bottom bracket cups. You want the threading confirmed before you buy parts.
07Alignment: On arrival, sight down the frame from behind. The rear wheel should sit centered between the chainstays.

New to old steel? Spotting frame damage in listing photos covers lugs, dropouts and rust, and seller red flags covers wrong sizes, swapped parts and repaints sold as original.

Buying guide

Which one to buy

§ Oct 19, 2026

A real OS has a down tube visibly fatter than the top tube and a bottom bracket serial like 540AKWE91042, with K for Paramount and W for Waterford. Anything with a Series name on the tubes is an imported Series Paramount. Only a few genuine ones are listed, and the two from sellers with good feedback ask about $1,040 and $1,117 delivered.

Listed now: 8
For parts: 0
Typical ask: $1,040–$1,120
Full range: $350–$1,000

Cheapest
$1,041.26est. delivered
A 1989, the OS's first year. There's no factory parts list for the OS, so judge the Spinergy wheels and the rest one by one.
1989 Schwinn Paramount OS 55CM with Spinergy Wheels
View on eBay ↗: 1989 Schwinn Paramount OS 55CM with Spinergy Wheels$1,041.26 est. delivered
Best value
$1,116.94est. delivered
Waterford-built 1991, and the seller will sell the frameset alone if you have parts. The serial should show K, W and 91.
Schwinn Paramount OS Vintage Road Bike, Or frameset 1991 Waterford
View on eBay ↗: Schwinn Paramount OS Vintage Road Bike, Or frameset 1991 Waterford$1,116.94 est. delivered

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 19, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Snapshot

For sale on eBay

3 of 8 listed

Checked Oct 19, 2026. Some may have sold.

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 19, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Used
- Cheapest
1989 Schwinn Paramount OS 55CM with Spinergy Wheels
$1,041.26est. delivered
$950.00 + $91.26 shipping
Buy It Now$950.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
1989, 55 cm, on Spinergy wheels.
Seller: sailresale
100% positive
View on eBay ↗: 1989 Schwinn Paramount OS 55CM with Spinergy Wheels
Used
- Best value
Schwinn Paramount OS Vintage Road Bike, Or frameset 1991 Waterford
$1,116.94est. delivered
$1,000.00 + $116.94 shipping
Buy It Now$1,000.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
1991 Waterford. Bike or frameset.
Seller: augustosfaces
100% positive
View on eBay ↗: Schwinn Paramount OS Vintage Road Bike, Or frameset 1991 Waterford
Used
- Check the seller
Schwinn Paramount OS Road Bike
$350.00+ shipping
$350.00 · shipping not stated
Buy It Now$350.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Seller has no feedback. No year, size or shipping given.
Seller: tgerwin
No feedback yet
View on eBay ↗: Schwinn Paramount OS Road Bike

Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 19, 2026.

See every listing on eBay ↗eBay search

Compare with

Schwinn Paramount OS

OS in True Temper chromoly (1989 to 1991)OS in heat-treated tubing (from 1992)OS in Reynolds 753 (summer 1993 to 1994)

Spec at a glance

Maker

Schwinn Paramount

Tubing

Other steel tubing

Era

Early 1990s

Built in

USA

Made

1989 to September 1994 (Waterford)

Frame

True Temper oversized chromoly, lugged; heat-treated from 1992, Reynolds 753 OS from summer 1993

Down tube

1 1/4 in, meeting the BB shell 5 mm below the spindle

Seat tube

flared to 1 1/4 in at the bottom bracket

Chainstays

24 mm at the bottom bracket

Lugs

special OS lugset

Also listed as

Paramount OS, Waterford Paramount, Paramount PDG OS

Typical eBay ask (Oct 19, 2026)

$1,040–$1,120

Tubing, threads, wheels and paint

Tubing

The OS used True Temper oversized chromoly made to Paramount's design, heat-treated from 1992, and a Reynolds 753 OS version arrived in summer 1993. A 753 frame should carry the Reynolds 753 decal. The 1 1/4 in down tube is the quick check in photos.

The frame

The down tube enters the bottom bracket 5 mm below the spindle and the seat tube flares there, so the bottom bracket area looks different from a classic Paramount. Ask for photos of the bottom bracket shell and every lug. Look for rust bubbling at the lug edges and the shell.

Sizing

The serial starts with the seat tube size, measured center to top and rounded to the nearest 5 mm. So a serial starting 540 is a 54 cm frame, though custom frames don't always match.

Threads and standards

We couldn't confirm the bottom bracket threading from a Paramount source, so check it. Ask what's stamped on the bottom bracket cups. 1.370 x 24 is English and takes the widest range of modern parts.

Wheels

In the later serial scheme the letter after the size code tells you the type, with A for road, C for a 650C road frame and E for track. We have no source for the rear spacing, so measure the dropouts before buying a wheel.

Parts it came with

We couldn't find a factory parts list for the OS, and in 1994 Waterford built them both for stock and to custom order. Treat the parts as whatever the first owner chose and judge them one by one.

Dating it

The serial on the bottom bracket describes the frame. 540AKWE91042 is a 54 cm road frame (A), a Paramount (K), from the Waterford factory (W), the 42nd frame of May 1991. If there's no serial like this, you're probably looking at an Asian-built Series Paramount.

Paint and decals

PDG updated the decal set for 1992. After Schwinn was sold in 1993, Waterford kept building Paramounts much as before, so a 1993 or 1994 OS can carry Waterford-era details.

Safety jobs

Replace old tires and brake pads before the first ride, and pull the stem and seatpost to look for corrosion.

Original parts to look for

Original Paramount OS fork

What to check

01Serial number: Ask for a photo of the serial on the bottom bracket. It should read like 540AKWE91042, with K for Paramount and W for Waterford.

02Down tube: Compare the down tube to the top tube in the photos. On an OS it's visibly fatter.

03Tubing decal: Look for the tubing decal in the photos. A Reynolds 753 decal fits a frame built from summer 1993.

04Series check: Read the model decals on the top and down tubes. A Series 2 to Series 90 name means an imported Series bike.

05Lugs and shell: Ask for close photos of the lugs and bottom bracket. Paint should be unbroken with no rust bubbling at the edges.

06Bottom bracket: Ask what's stamped on the bottom bracket cups. You want the threading confirmed before you buy parts.

07Alignment: On arrival, sight down the frame from behind. The rear wheel should sit centered between the chainstays.

New to old steel? Spotting frame damage in listing photos covers lugs, dropouts and rust, and seller red flags covers wrong sizes, swapped parts and repaints sold as original.

Schwinn Paramount OS

Spec at a glance

Tubing, threads, wheels and paint

What to check

Which one to buy

For sale on eBay

1989 Schwinn Paramount OS 55CM with Spinergy Wheels