Alt Bike Culture - Changing Wheels on a Schwinn Varsity

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macky
04-13-09, 02:57 PM
There is a free Schwinn road bike (I believe it is a 80's Varsity though may be a Le Tour) that I want to use around the city (Chicago). I'm pretty new to modifying bikes but I want to put bigger fatter tires on the thing. I believe that I am going to have to replace the wheels to do so and I assume there will be a lot more to it than that by the time I'd be finished. I've read what I could find online etc. but I am clearly unprepared. When I was a kid I had an old Schwinn mountain bike that I fixed up when I got hit by a car (back wheel and tire replacement, brakes gears etc.) but that's about it for experience.

Please educate me.

macky
04-13-09, 03:09 PM
I also put this in the mechanic section, couldn't tell which was correct.
kirby999
04-13-09, 08:12 PM
I've done that with an old Schwinn Continental and recently with a Raleigh Mixte . see http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=529742 . You can fit 26x1.5 street tires with MTB rims , but you'll have to change the brakes . I used some side pull MTB brake levers both up front and in the back. Are you planning on gong single speed ? If so you'll need a BMX freewheel to go on the MTB rear wheel . Look at yardsales and find a MTB for a donor . You can usually pick up the whole bike for less than $20 . kirby

macky
04-13-09, 09:19 PM
Thanks.