Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Looking on eBay for 10 speeds to convert and found this gem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1968-SCHWINN-VARSITY-10-SPEED-ROAD-BIKE_W0QQitemZ320113583487QQihZ011QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

put new wheels on that thing and it would be such a nice bike.

buy it then.

That thing is a tank, the seat alone is 10lbs. Either way,.. if you want to kill cars with it..get it.

that bike looks quite nice enough to use "as-is." I really wouldn't see any reason to fixify it unless the drivetrain was messed up.

plus, its gotta be like 30+ lbs, so you ain't gonna win any alleycats on it!!!

I hate those Schwinns with good reason. Give me a good quality Japanese bike (Miyata, Panasonic). Often they go for cheaper than Schwinns because people think the brand name is so great.

those frames are the heaviest ****ing things i've ever seen. probably 30# on their own! the only thing heavier are the schwinn/mongoose branded little 500 frames

the shipping on that will kick you in the nuts

Mmmmmmmm....

Stove pipe!

if you've ever cut one open, you'll know exactly why they never rust out and never dent. the tubing is thicker than you'd even imagine.

Absolutely nothing on that bike appeals to me. It's the closest thing to a klunker I'veeer seen on ebay.com.

Since you didn't actually buy it, and THEN publish the link to it, it means you YOURSELF don't want that POS, but are probably trying to get someone here interested. And who knows, you might even succed, but I thought this was against the BF policies.

^^^you've given this too much thought

^^^you've given this too much thought

You're right.

Ted said it best:
buy it then.

why would i spend $115 on that bike when i could spend $15 on the exact same one from a thrift store?

I thought those frame used solid bars not tubes. Just kiding.

you guys are crazy! that is one sweet high quality ride! the only thing I would change is I would put on a stem with a little more extension room. The one on it now seems really short....

Convert it to fixed gear and the collective knees of the world will pop in protest!

Seems to me that it would be way more fun with a coaster brake.

Seems to me that it would be way more fun with a coaster brake.

... and a gatling minigun.


I can see now; there'll be a flurry of mad bidding in the last seconds of the auction, by all the gatling minigun-toting, tank-targeting, coaster brake-using cyclists of the world.

These are the Volvo 240 DL's of the bike world.


When we are dead and gone there will be 2 things left. Cockroaches and Varsities.

These are the Volvo 240 DL's of the bike world.


When we are dead and gone there will be 2 things left. Cockroaches and Varsities.

Until we run out of piping for new construction.

Is there anything inherently wrong with having a heavy bike?
Has anyone posting here ridden one of these beasts? Some people seem to think rolling around a 35 pound bike requires straining and gnashing of teeth. It is not that hard.
I have a 72 Continental that weighs almost 44 pounds; I make my 14 mile round trip commute, hills and all, on this "tank" easily. It's fun.

I also have a lighter bike, and yeah, the difference is noticable but not extreme. Nothing bad about having a tank in your stable.

YEah exactly
That thing is perfect for "crusier/pun crawl" type rides

Make that PUB crawl
(the POS edit button doesn't work)

Make that PUB crawl
(the POS edit button doesn't work)
it doesnt
?

edit:yeah it does

I delivered newspapers in the mid-70s on a 3-speed Schwinn Typhoon that weighed about 8 ounces more than this bike. I think the Varsity will allow you to deliver your papers in less time than it took me on the Typhoon.

Seriously, just because it's old (or "vintage") doesn't mean it's better. (Unless you have papers to deliver, of course.)

Not paperboy, newspaper messenger

Is there anything inherently wrong with having a heavy bike?
Has anyone posting here ridden one of these beasts? Some people seem to think rolling around a 35 pound bike requires straining and gnashing of teeth. It is not that hard.
I have a 72 Continental that weighs almost 44 pounds; I make my 14 mile round trip commute, hills and all, on this "tank" easily. It's fun.

I also have a lighter bike, and yeah, the difference is noticable but not extreme. Nothing bad about having a tank in your stable.

i used to ride around on a mid 70's varsity. it was heavy as hell, and yes, a bit of a pain to ride out of stop lights. it was also a lot of exercise to get from my house to downtown.

light bikes are a hell of a lot nicer when you're going up some serious hills, and that's the truth.

but yeah, i agree that the bike is better left as is.