1972 Consumer Guide:

Recommended Median Priced Range Top Bicycles

First Choice:  Schwinn Paramount P-15:  $350

The Paramount has to be the bicycle buy of the year, if you do not mind waiting at least six months to get one.
This is a limited production, hand-brazed machine made of the finest Campagnolo components and Reynolds 531
double-butted, manganese-molybdenum, seamless, drawn steel tubing.  This price of $350 is, we suspect from checking
the bicycle carefully, possible at the present time only because of the Federal Government price controls.

Certainly, the Paramount P-15 is the equal in practically every respect to the $500 bicycles now imported from Italy
and England.  Best of all, the P-15 has a triple allow Campagnolo chainwheel which goes dow to 36 teeth and a rear multiple
freewheel with a low gear of 31 teeth giving an ultra-low "Alpine" gear combination ideal for touring.

In fact, the P-15 is designed especially for touring.  The P-13 is almost identical with the P-15 except that it has
a double instead of a triple chainwheel, and close ratio gears; it is designed for road-racing rather than for touring.

You can order the P-15 or the P-13 with an entirely chrome-plated frame at no extra cost unlike foreign bicycles, which
cost at least $65 more if chrome-plated.  A fully chromed bicycle is about 15 ounces heavier than a painted bicycle, but
this protection against scratches and gouges is worth the added weight.

You can also order the P-15 with clincher instead of tubular tires.  Tubulars are more puncture-prone than clinchers
because they are thinner and lighter.  But, they are easier to pedal, more responsive, and can be changed in a minute or so
if they go flat.  Clinchers are heavier, harder to pedal, and harder to remove from the rim to repair a puncture.

However, since tubulars are sewn all the way around the inner perimeter, they are considerably more difficult to repair than
clinchers, the tube of which is easily patched once the tire is removed from the rim.  If you are in the market for a really fine 
bicycle at a medium price, CONSUMER GUIDE suggests you consider waiting the six months or longer it takes to get the P-15 and order 
one from your Schwinn dealer. 

Second:  Raleigh International DL-170: $325.
Third:  Fuji Model "The Finest":  $299.95

Recommended High-Priced Top Bicycles:

First Choice:  Raleigh Mark III Model DL-180:   $425.00
Second Choice:  Falcon San Remo 76: $389.00

Recommended Lower-Priced Top Bicycles:

First Choice:  Peugeot PX-10: $225.00
Second Choice:  Atala Competizione: $250.00
Third Choice: Bottecchia Giro D'Italia  $250.00