Classic & Vintage - Is this a real Varsity?

I saw this over in the ss/fg forum. Didn't know if Schwinn was making new Varsitys or what. Where's the electroforging? The dull sword blade forks?

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7159/pb111087ww1.jpg

There is a new WalMart version of the Varsity, but I don't believe what you pictured is a Varsity frame.

Check out these links: The first one says it is Carbon Fiber Yeah! Right! The add says "carbon wrapped aluminum!" The second one is the alloy version.
http://walmart.scene7.com/walmart/flash_zoom.jsp?company=WalMart&sku=5585799&config=WalMart/zoom_config&default=0003867559728&title=700c%20Schwinn%20Varsity%20Carbon%20Fiber%20Road%20Bike&categoryid=4171

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/detail.gsp?image=http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/03/86/75/26/0003867526788_500X500.jpg,http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/03/86/75/26/0003867526788_500X500.jpg,http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/03/86/75/26/0003867526788_AV_60X60.gif&product_id=4698938&iIndex=1&isVariant=false&corpCard=false&type=0

I've seen lots of talk about what was a "real" Paramount over the years, but this is the first time I've ever seen anyone raise that question about the Varsity!

I also believe that the bike pictured is some other manufacture and has old school Varsity decals applied.

tcs

No

Kinda like a fake Timex.

Is that an aluminum frame? Check the welds. jim

No, as indicated another manufactured frame (non Schwinn or Chicago type) with vintage form of decals.

Varsity frame has smooth weld joints, smaller tube, including seat post. Also, the BB is larger, and rear drop outs are horizontal.

Truly bizarre.

Oh, and the 'schwinn' decal on the downtube is on crooked, not that it matters.

Doesn't look it, and it doesn't look like a new Schwinn model taking the Varsity name for a second spin either. Just some decals slapped on it (I'd like to know what the base frame is though).

-Kurt

It's obviously not a real Varsity. But why would anyone try to make a fake Varsity? Kinda like counterfeiting nickels. You could do it with enough effort, but the cost would exceed the value.

Maybe it was in bad shape (or just missing decals) when he bought it and the previous owner told him it was a Varsity for whatever reason. I don't know, shot in the dark.

It's obviously not a real Varsity. But why would anyone try to make a fake Varsity? Kinda like counterfeiting nickels. You could do it with enough effort, but the cost would exceed the value.

Surely the reasoning is obvious: it is a theft deterrent measure. Plus a little hipster irony thrown in for good measure.

Surely the reasoning is obvious: it is a theft deterrent measure. Plus a little hipster irony thrown in for good measure.

Particularly with that paint scheme. I could envision that frameset as a modern Varsity in itself, right down to those downtube cable stops that negate the mounting of downtube shifters...

-Kurt

looks like a higher quolity frame than the Varsity.

No not a Varsity. The official Schwinn color is brighter (could just be the picture), My Varsity has the same decal typeface and is a 73. Didn't all Varsities have a one piece crank (So that BB shell isn't right)? The seatstays are wrong and the welding is not as smooth.

Welds, not electorforged, bottom bracket, no kickstand, dropouts, seatstay/seat tube cluster, waterbottle brazeons, seatpost extending above top tube, seat collar, tubing diameter, seatpost diameter,etc.

But the decals look good.

http://greenguilt.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/newbike.jpg

For those who haven't bothered to read the previous posts, it is painfully obvious that this fellow stuck a pair of these on some kind of modern frame:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Schwinn-Varsity-Decals-White-or-Black_W0QQitemZ290269521657QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item290269521657&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

What the basis for this thing is...that is something that would be interesting to know.

-Kurt

Surely the reasoning is obvious: it is a theft deterrent measure. Plus a little hipster irony thrown in for good measure.

I like that. Frame appears to be a TIG welded cromoly of indeterminate origin; short chainstays but eyelets and the headtube angle looks a bit slack for any respectable hipster bike.

Thats the STUPIDEST handlebar I've ever seen
And the chain doesn't have proper tension as it appears the frame has vertical drops
*shakes head*