Andy Bone Paragon - What would you do?

PitstopPedro

Retro Newbie
Hello fellow bike fiddlers/fettlers, newbie alert, apologies if this sort of post is kinda dull for a first post, but having read something about Paragon Cycles on here and finding little else info wise, I thought I'd register here and see what the forum is all about.

I have seen similar posts to this before, just asking for some advice and telling the story -

This bike was found by myself in Dec 2023 - and was described as, and presents as - a 1950s Andy Bone Paragon - and to the best of the sellers knowledge (as he was getting on a bit/lot!) - it was bought by himself, being the 2nd owner, from the original one, another RAF employee, in 1973, when they were both stationed at RAF Wyton, UK, hence the RAF roundel and that's hand painted on.



When I went to fetch this, I wrote down some notes of what the seller was reciting to me, some of his memories and details etc, so I could recall this properly -

My first sight of it was also as he found it in 1973, apart from a newer seat and stem and a lot more miles on it. He continued to tell me some detail - being a bit shorter back in the day than owner one (certainly also much shorter now he's late 80's) he fitted the cut down and drilled seat post, with added nylon shim to take up the wear/wrong size etc. with a Brooks Vitesse 200 and down quite low, clearly not 50's parts, but he couldn't recall what was on it before and apart from maintenance in the base workshops, that's all he did to it.

More pictures hopefully here -

He bought this from a well known time trialer who also worked on base, going on to also joining the camp cycling club and then getting into competing in the time trials too, usually 4 a year he said. It was used for commuting, leisure and the trials on the airfield and shipped to far flung places when on secondment, it's been up Mount Olympus, as well as many other places where he was stationed. I think the front chainrings could have been selected manually, depending if he was popping into work on it, or competing in trials etc. I can't see any other reason for both front rings and no shifter...

So, I try and research other Paragons and I see this ones headstock decal is "missing", well, under all the time trial competitor sticker adhesive from years back, still visible is the outline of the same type of decal as the downtube one, I can see the little cyclist, his wheels and scalloped detail in and under the glue! It's actually under the purple top coat and primer. Superb.

So I am now the 3rd owner of a fairly rare and nicely made thing and I would really appreciate some help and advice as to what to do with it parts wise. I want to ride it locally for pleasure and exercise, I don't do European or modern stuff, I like the British bikes that were about when I had a crappy hand me down kids racer in the late 70s to mid 80's. I am enjoying building them up and owning them, these are the ones that older lads used, or blokes during my Apprenticeship had, that I admired back before I could ride a moped or drive a car and when the world was a better place, it is not for swift resale, this is not an advert, this would get used, sitting next to my other machines - I have recently overhauled a bike inherited from my late friend - a lovely 1978 Dawes Galaxy tourer in green and have also sorted out a £30 Coffee Bronze eBay 1974 Carlton Criterium, both riding nicely, I dare say there will be more!

Galaxy - https://postimg.cc/gallery/nJZ30Tf
maybe that needs it's own story thread

Criterium - https://postimg.cc/gallery/32jYYG2

The frame on this - yes is repainted and that's part of it's history, but under all the gunge and dirt - its beautiful, seems straight and undamaged, not badly rusty, just a few chips and scrapes (mostly from transporting it around the world the guy said) and a few small rusty spiders under the paint. It is really light. I thought it was badly painted black on the guys pictures, it's not...
So, it's clearly had an overhaul and period "upgrades" by the 1st owner prior to 1973, prior to the 2nd guy, is a lovely metallic red under the "new" dark purple enamel (which I now believe to be RAL4007 - Purple Violet) with crudely applied silver accents to the pretty lugs, the downtube Andy Bone Paragon decal has been kept as it was, that is - it was masked over during this repaint and sits below the newer paintwork, they even masked over and forgot about the tiny pointer at the very top of the decal, which I unmasked when cleaning the frame up, but the italic and swirly style "paragon" decals on each side of the shifter tube are still both intact and visible under the primer and the purple repaint.

Details -
As found, it was fitted with (the swapped parts believed to be prior to 1973) -

Frame:- Andy Bone Paragon #2109 believed to be circa 1953 or 54 (going by the other ones I have found for sale or recently sold) lovely lugwork and with bottom bracket/headstock grease nipples

Fork:- also stamped #2109

Headset:- Paragon engraved detail, looks old, will all clean up and go again, so pretty
Stem:- GB Forged Hiduminium Spearpoint, believed to be period
Handlebar:- Very skinny, with what looks like an fluted shim adaptor with "Cresta Boneville" engraved in it, also looking period and very lightweight
Bar Tape:- Black plasticky and half missing, no plugs present

Brake Levers:- Earlier than my other bikes style - plain and simple Weinmann
Brake Calipers:- Weinmann Type 730 side pull
Brake Pads:- mismatched F/R
Brake Cables:- Silver outers

Shifter/s:- Half of a dual Huret clamp on, no left lever fitted!
Front Derailleur:- none fitted, no clamp damage marks where one was either
Rear Derailleur:- Earlyish Huret Svelto, with plain disc wheels, not 50's I'm sure
Derailleur Cables:- it can have new ones
Cassette:- not counted yet, but very small, high range
Chain:- it think even this will live!
Cranks:- SR Melt Forged "silver" cotterless, surely these are much later
Chainrings:- Two, aint counted the teeth yet, but both have been used and are greasy
Bottom Bracket:- Bayliss Wiley pinhole cups, with a worn out square axle, seemingly well out of place..
Pedals:- Berthet Lyotard with Brooks clips and straps, with AGS hardware from the RAF base stores

Rims:- Alloy Weinmann 27 by 1 1/4, cleaning up well, both straight enough to go again
Hubs:- not been in there yet
Hub Skewers?:- Period "aladdins lamp" style wing nuts, big and heavy for a lightweight time trialler surely! one was broken, one replacement is in the post!
Nipples:- no clues as yet, not been at the wheels yet see
Spokes:- ditto
Tyres:- utterly tired 27 by 1 1/4 tan wall, make unknown, there's that little left of the sidewalls! they will be wall art
Tubes:- Schrader type which surprised me

Saddle:- Brooks Vitesse 300, much too modern, but comfy I guess
Seatpost:- Cut down and drilled Compe 27mm
Seatpost Binder:- AGS Stainless nut and bolt from the RAF base stores!

Bottle Cage:- none
Extras:- came with a nice Alloy Apex Ultralite Pump and he even gave me his tyre tools and puncture kit from back in the day, a lovely bloke.

Weight:-
Frame - 1860g
Forks - 806g

So, my first thought was to repaint it back to red, find whatever 5 speed stuff it should have fitted to it and restore it to so nice I'd never ride it often (not that it seems one can get all the replacement decals this has) This option, I have to add, is a bit out of my price range to achieve it perfectly right and museum spec is not me at all, I would want to use it more than my other bikes, not sit and look at it.

Or, keep the frame as is, it's polished up really nicely and is a wonderful almost Cadburys purple, touch in the chips, restore all the running gear, pop it back together with or without a front derailleur as found (although I think for me to ride it, the rear gearing would need changing, or the front shifter would need re-instating so I can use all the gears) and ride it much as it was.

Or, should I give it a second major overhaul and fit some later and higher quality later 70's parts and make it into what I might have built as a young teenager, say if I had found this in the late 70's/early 80's and ebay was around back then to satisfy my purchasing needs! So, that is, bare with me here - likely to be Shimano 600EX Arabesque shifting, as I am just restoring a well used set and I think they are lovely, polished but patinated, just like the frame is, ditto with the calipers and chainset (or keep the Weinmann and Sakae Ringo stuff on it) a new axle as mines pitted, do have some minty white or black Bluemels full length guards and a Brooks B5N and period stem to match the bar stem, silver or white bar tape and some period accessories.

So, what would you do? Any Paragon experts out there know what year it is? Do you see any other ways to go with this? What other parts/seat and bar tape would be a decent choice?
I'm not sure I want to do what might be the "right" thing, I just fancy doing my thing. I don't think it's ever going to be worth a fortune, it all could be reversed later on, it just could scratch an itch I've had since I was a lad...is that so wrong?

Many Thanks and sorry for the essay!

Peter
 
That looks a lovely project - just the sort of thing I'd take on, if it wasn't so tall!
I remember as a teenager in the early 70s pressing my nose against Andy Bones' shop window on Arkwright street in Nottingham looking mainly at the little (50cc) motor bikes he used to sell, but also his frames and bikes on display. I know of one locally that is still original and in regular use.
If you're building it to ride then do as you say and use good later (but not modern) components - you could consider a Stronglight 49D/TA rings chainset as that would have been period.
Keep us updated on progress.
 
From memory, my dad’s Paragon had a Williams cottered crankset, but his will have been earlier than 1950s as he had it before he got his RRA in 1948.

Very nice bikes. And I was also one for window gazing at Andy Bone’s shop window!
 
Cheers for the input so far.
I'm sure it would have had a cottered set too, as have seen a few other ones in pictures etc.

Did some measuring yesterday, the BB tube is 66.5 thick, not 68 and it does have a std 1.37 thread, the bottom bracket axle is quite a long 5F square taper one and at first glance looked ok, then i turned it round in my hand and the bearing surface on one side is munched, so it needs a bottom bracket overhaul, but the cup are originals, did have a bit of the old red paint on and very are in nice condition. Cant see 5F as a size where I've looked although other standard sizes seem to look like they may be a straight swap. going to clean up the cranks and sprockets, reassemble it all dry, measure the sprocket to frame clearance, as I didn't when it was in one piece and decide which way to go then. As the Shimano Arabesque downtube shifter does fit, I have the front derailleur and the rear one just needs a hanger, and it's all reversible in the future, I think the way to get it riding and continue it's rebuild number two, is to go change the axle and make the SR melt forged front set actually operate on both! 20231220_143246.jpg 20231219_203226.jpg

More pics when there is progress
 
My Grandfather (1930-2013) spoke highly of Andy Bone. He would take the short train ride from north Leicestershire to Nottingham to visit his shop, chat and buy parts back in the 1950's. He said in the window onetime was the most glorious coloured frame he had ever seen; a Paragon with deep wine red main frame and duck-egg celeste coloured headtube and seat post bands.
 
Well, it's had it's maiden voyage, after many hours of fun and a lot of ebay parcels.

These later (I believe) Weinmann wheels with their unbranded hubs have 23.5mm cups, one was utterly welded up, so as I couldn't find a 23.5 new one, I found 23mm ones and made a ring spacer, in itself a fair few hours of lathe based fun, but it's worked well.

One day i need to find what crankset it really ought to have back on it, with appropriate cottered axle and ditto rear derailleur etc, but I'm happy it's rideable and is 11.5kgs all up, so 1 less that I'm used to.
I have revealed the old headstock decal which was under the purple 70s paint and it matches the downtube one. few fettles to do and enjoy the spring
 
How it stands - (redid the sheet basically as I went)

Details -
As found it was fitted with - (plus replacement parts)

Frame:- Andy Bone Paragon #2109 believed to be circa 1952 or 53, going by the other ones I have found for sale or recently sold, lovely lugwork and with bottom bracket/headstock grease nipples, cleaned, polished up and touched in, remainder of the original headstock decal revealed under the sticky goo and paint, other Paragon decals still under paintwork too

Fork:- also stamped #2109, period 70s checkerboard decals

Headset:- Paragon engraved detail, looks old - cleaned up and go will again, so pretty - new 5/32" balls fitted top and bottom (smaller balls had been fitted and fallen through the keyslot and were wearing a groove into the steerer tube!)
Stem:- GB Forged Hiduminium Spearpoint, believed to be period - polished and new nut/bolt fitted
Handlebar:- Very skinny, with what looks like a fluted shim adaptor with "Cresta - Boneville" engraved in it, also looking period and very lightweight - polished up and new black acrylic bar ends fitted
Bar Tape:- Black plasticky and half missing - new period purple Tressostar fabric tape fitted

Brake Levers:- Plain and simple Weinmann textured - polished and refitted with grey repro hoods
Brake Calipers:- Weinmann Type 730 side pull
Brake Pads:- mismatched F/R, now fitted with a Weinmann red set
Brake Cables:- Silver outers, new set fitted

Shifter/s:- Half of a dual Huret clamp on, no left lever! - dual Shimano 600 EX "arabesque" fitted, polished
Front Derailleur:- none fitted, no clamp damage marks where one was either - Shimano 600 EX "arabesque" fitted, polished
Rear Derailleur:- Earlyish Huret Svelto, with red plain disc wheels - Shimano 600 EX "arabesque" fitted, polished, new wheels
Derailleur Cables:- tired out - new cables fitted and new downtube clamp on bracket for front
Cassette:- 21, 19, 17, 15, 14 - seems very small, high range - cleaned and oiled
Chain:- Velo - it think even this will live!
Cranks:- 1964 stamped SR Melt Forged "silver" cotterless - cleaned, polished and refitted
Chainrings:- Two, aint counted the teeth yet, but both have been used and are greasy - cleaned and refitted
Bottom Bracket:- Bayliss Wiley pinhole cups, with a worn out 5F square axle
Pedals:- Berthet Lyotard with Brooks clips and straps, with AGS hardware from the RAF base stores, restored and refitted

Rims:- Alloy Weinmann 27 by 1 1/4", cleaned up well, both straight enough to go again with light adjustment, added some shorty Alloy guards, bead blasted and laquered
Hubs:- Alloy, unbranded - one new front cup and shim spacer created, new bearings fitted
Hub Skewers?:- Period correct "aladdins lamp" style plated "wing" nuts, big and heavy for a lightweight time trialler surely! one was broken, one replacement found and fitted
Nipples:- some a bit rusty, so nothing special
Spokes:- galvanised
Tyres:- utterly tired 27 by 1 1/4 tan wall, make unknown, there's that little left of the sidewalls! they will be wallart - changed for new period tan walls
Tubes:- schraeder type which surprised me - changed for new

Saddle:- Brooks Vitesse 200, much too modern, but comfier I guess - changed for a well patinated Brookes B5N
Seatpost:- Cut down and drilled Compe 27mm, too short, changed for a Sakae Ringo Aero one, polished
Seatpost Binder:- AGS Stainless nut and bolt from the RAF base stores! Kept!

Bottle Cage:- none
Extras:- came with a nice Alloy Apex Ultralite Pump and he even gave me his tyre tools and puncture kit from back in the day, a lovely bloke.

Weight:-
Frame - 1860g
Forks - 806g
Total - 11.5kg




 
That looks really nice! I really like the light touch to the paintwork - it's easy to over-restore.
Personally I'd ditch those silly mudguards which as far as I recall were only on lookalike racers, never the real thing. I suppose they save the headset from muck but offer zero benefit otherwise.
 
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