Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - My old Schwinn.

I would like some info on this old varsity i picked up.

i bought it for 35$ 1 previous owner garage kept. i was told it was a 1970.

only 300 miles on old speedometer,unsure how many on bike

it needs very little work. mostly just a cleaning and maby rechrome the headlight ( Its was originaly chrome paint )

fenders came off a old concord i had, i put them on this bike cause they were also early 70s, generator works. headlight, generator , and speedometer all came on bike when bought. it came with a after market gel seat, i replaced it with the 70s era seat from my concord.

this is the origanal quality i bought it in, i have not used any products on this bike yet.

-pic gallery
http://img201.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=picture002fmu.jpg


i would like to know what year it really is, the number is ej567346. ( awnsered thx )

how much is this bike worth?

should i get a 1970 schwinn seat for it, or does it not mater? current seat is a viscount.

do the registration stickers on it hurt the price? if so how would i remove them without damageing the paint.



thanks.

1973. Anywhere from 75 to 150, depending on where you try to sell it.

i would like to know what year it really is, the number is ej567346.

Welcome to C&V. Your Varsity looks to be in great condition. You paid a great price for it. 1970 is close but not the exact year. Your serial number tells us:

E=May J=1973

Best of luck with your project.

It's a month older than my marriage. It was also one of the worst-quality model years for many automobile manufacturers (don't ask about the 1973 Chevelle I owned through most of the 1980s), but probably not bad for Schwinn.

Varsity is the very bottom of the Schwinn line. I would just get a seat that you are comfortable with and ride it.

I have a similar vintage Schwinn Varsity. I love the way it rides and handles, but most people are turned off by the weight. I'd say the $75 to $150 range is right, depending on where you live and condition.

Schwinn had a very similar seat to your Viscount -- in fact I have one on my Varsity. I think it's very comfortable.

The registration stickers are tough to remove without damaging the paint -- I'd say leave them alone unless you really hate them. If you must, try soaking them in WD 40 and then use a wooden or plastic scraper to very gently scrape them off. The 35 year old paint is fragile, so be careful!

Looks like the one I got for my birthday in 1973. What a revelation -- gears! Rode it rain and shine, winter and summer. Stolen in 1976.

If it's really that old and hasn't been serviced, it will probably need fresh grease in the wheel bearings, headset, and bottom bracket, and the wheels trued and tensioned. This is a nice DIY project. Basic tools you'll need: cone wrenches and spoke wrenches in addition to basic mechanic's tools. Also the splined tool to unscrew the freewheel so you can get at the right-rear bearings - may be better to let the bike shop do this detail. Clean & lube the cables and the brake pivots. And the pedals -- grease the pedal bearings. The left pedal and the bottom bracket nut and cone are reverse threaded -- turn to the right to unscrew. The classic Schwinn is about the easiest bike to work on. If you really want to ride it & be happy about how well it performs & not ruin it or risk breaking down, you should give it an overhaul as outlined. Lots of info here & in the 'nearby' links. If the bike has been kept dry & not ridden all these years, likely all the parts are ok. Good luck!

May want to get aluminum wheels. Vastly improves acceleration and wet braking, and the hooked rims will allow higher tire pressures. Also should true & tension these - rarely done well at the factory I think. Look at one of the recent 'Continental' threads for links to inexpensive aluminum wheels that would work. May also need quick-release skewers then, if you buy QR wheels w/o skewers. They are also sold with nutted axles I think.

New brake shoes - the hardened ones won't stop well.

God no don't get an original Schwinn seat, unless you're a masochist. Here's a pair of pieces that will let you mount a modern saddle with two rails.
Wald 940 Seatpost (ignore picture, it's wrong):
http://www.bikepartsusa.com/bikeparts/item/01-127666/search/Wald--%23940%2C-1316x10&category=search
Seat clamp
http://www.bikepartsusa.com/bikeparts/item/01-81481/seat-seat_binders/Pyramid-Single-Rail-Saddle-Clamp&category=seat-seat_binders


-Rich

If the bike feels a little cramped, try inverting the seat clamp, it should be forward of the seat post allowing the seat to be position back a little further.

The 73 Varsity would have had a racing style saddle and used a single rail seat post clamp. Yours has a two rail clamp for the mattress style seats. The single rail clamp for the 73 model should be for a round style seat rail, but it could have a single flat rail style as well. I have a couple ot hese 70 and 71 seats with the flat rail and the back half of the seat is supported with inline support springs like your present seat and are fairly comfortable, the later version with vinyl/foam applied over a nylon form shell are the most uncomfortable IMHO.

as far as i know it has had regular serviceing til about 2-3 years ago, after that it was garage stored but not ridden.

Hey, nice varsity.

I may be wrong but I think the Collegiate was the lowest end Schwinn, but still very similar to the Varsity. I agree to flip the seat clamp around.

Have you considered upright style north road bars? IMO I would make that change and keep the seat you have. With the fenders on your bike resembles my 73 collegiate.

I guess I don't consider the Collegiate as part of the road bike line, even though it is. It is only five speeds total, it has a color matched painted chain guard, 26 inch wheels, and it usually came with upright bars. It is basically a cruiser. Its a Schwinn Racer with five speeds (talk about a misnomer, the Schwinn Racer...). I have a Schwinn Racer and Suburban by the way.

So I consider the Varsity the bottom of the road/racing bike line, the Continental next and so on. Certainly when compared to their LBS bike competition at the time, the Varsity is at the bottom.

Some people reflect back favorably at the bike they rode back then, whether it was the Varsity or whatever. Myself I had a Continental. IMHO, the lower end bikes from the 1980s are so much better: alloy rims, cromoly frames, three piece cranks, 12 to 15 pounds lighter, etc.

But as an occasional ride from the past, a nicely preserved Varsity or Continental is a good looking bike. The Racer is a good looking bike as well.


I don't have any problem with the vintage Schwinns, I own several of them including: 71 Racer, 73 Super Sport, 74 Suburban, 81 Traveler, 81 Voyageur 11.8, 84 World Sport, 86 Prelude, 88 Tempo, and 93 Criss Cross. As riders, the Tempo and the Voyageur are the best ones I have. I have added alloy rims and a six speed freewheel to the Traveler, and it has turned out pretty decent.

I have heard 100 times over folks knockin the Schwinns,the Varsity in particular. In my opinion 10 years from now when it will be to expensive to take those classic cars around because of high gas prices, the favorite show bike to fix up will be the Varsity. The story of the way they were built alone is great shop talk, like the electroforged process way the frame was built. Did you know your Varsity may have an ounce of silver solder at the seat post weld! I am happy anytime someone saves one of these pieces of US manufacturing history ,thankyou! With a Varsity you may not go as fast but if you ride one during the week the workout you get is like shedding 15 lbs. when you jump on your modern bike on the weekend.

So I consider the Varsity the bottom of the road/racing bike line, the Continental next and so on. Certainly when compared to their LBS bike competition at the time, the Varsity is at the bottom.
I do not believe the Varsity was ever marketed as a Racing Bike, even though it was styled after them.

It is strange that many knock the Schwinn rolled steel as being heavy frames. The more desirable Super Sport, Sport Tourer are OK, Chrom-Moly frames and better components.

I have one of each model, actual my Sport Tourer is a 76 Superior, (same frame as it a 1973 built frame).

My 24" Varsity still has the Schwinn Steel rims and weighs in at 40#s.

The 26" Schwinn Continental, with alloy rims, and with a bottle cage, and seat bag, weighs in at 34#s.

The 26"Super Sport, 100% stock, minus RD (SunTour GT), weighs in at 33#s.

The 26" Superior, as found 100% stock except tires (were replaced with some type of nylon cord type), weighs in at 31#s.

The Conti and Super Sport weigh the same minus the bag from the conti, told the one piece crank exchanged for a 3-piece with adapter will same a couple of pounds, but then why, I have never such a crank fail me, not like a bike that was provided for a ride, lost the left crank arm, just as cresting a hill on a casual ride.

If you clean the return springs on the brakes of the Varsity, lube and adjust properly, the side pulls work as smooth as the center-pulls. If you replace the brake pads, removing the hard dried 30 year old red rubber, with fresh pads, you have good stopping power even with the heavier steel rims. Not many ride when wet, but knowing stopping power is reduced, it is easy to make adjustments.

The frames are solid for all models, the joints are clean and smooth, making the appearance of these bikes distinctive and IMHO more attractive than many lugged styled frames.

Low end or not, these are sought out for restore, rebuild to FG, and just plain riding pleasure for what ever reason.

No matter the model year, these frames have much more life remaining, and will likely continue to be be enjoyed for another generation, maybe two?:thumb: