Classic & Vintage - Known Varsity Basher Completes First Rebuild

Well, I finished my first Varsity rebuild. While I certainly notice the weight whenever I lift it to hang on its hook, I think it turned out pretty nice.

I picked up this Varsity at a local thrift shop. I let it sit several days until senior day, hoping someone else would snag it. But that didn't work, it was still there, so I picked it up. Although it needed the normal stuff: tires, tubes, cables, bearings, and brake pads; the rest of it was all there and in pretty good shape. The chrome had the typical rust, but not too bad. And I thought the paint and decals were in really good shape, with no frame rust.

I put all of the crome parts: the handlebars, stem, crank, fork, shift lever bracket, and headset bottom cup in my trusty oxalic acid bath. It worked its normal magic.

I haven't done anything with bartape, as I don't have any of the vinyl stuff, and am not sure my normal bartape would look right on this bike.

The only thing not original is the rear wheel. I took a spare that came off a Schwinn Traveler, as the rear on the Varsity needed quite a bit of clean up.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3640630713_4c141d9a97_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3640630971_979016ab61.jpghttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2421/3640631047_8bc0ce9c64.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3640630839_b471ef03dc.jpg

very clean 40#er :)

Looks just like it should!

Very nice. Hold out for some of the original tape if you can. Just saw a guy on a social ride here in LA on this very model...

By far my greatest objection to the Varsity is those absurdly heavy steel rims, which provide worst-case rotating mass and lousy braking performance. A Varsity or (preferably) Continental with aluminum rims and KoolStop brake pads is a surprisingly enjoyable ride.

I had the Continental. The full size. it had a 12" steer tube on it. Heavy as a truck. Yellow.

I might have some bar tape for your Varsity - I've a bagful of OEM tape rolls from a shop that went bust - maybe I have that green, I'll have to check. PM me if interested.

The Varsity had see through green tape, right?

My Continental had yellow see through, I think. Maybe it was white. 'Been a long time since that rig gave up the ghost.

Nice looking Varsity, note how improved the appearance is without the chrome dork disc. Imagine how much better they would have looked without the front chain guard.....

Yes, I agree, I usually dump the chrome chain guard, side stand and dork disk.

Nice looking Varsity, note how improved the appearance is without the chrome dork disc. Imagine how much better they would have looked without the front chain guard.....

Have to disagree here RK the Varsity and its other brothers in the Schwinn line up are like a 59 Caddy big heavy and loaded with chrome. They just don't look right without all those shiny chrome steel acoutrements. That said when I did my Conti I went with the alloy rims. I got it just at 30 lbs still rides like a dream

Lookie what I just found for you......

http://itemlistings.ebay.com/sdcsrp_imsxf?fl=260417302843&sconstraints=PriceMin.Value%3D85&xm&IMSfp=TL090526153002r17889

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/bbcbikes/Benotto_Green.jpg

Yeah love the cruizemobile chrome. Chrome is falling by the wayside.

I would definitely keep the dork disk and the chainguard. It's a Varsity, it would look wrong without them.

Be careful not to park it near the edge of a concrete slab. Varsitys have been known to cause cracks due to their sheer weight.

I took the chain guard of the chain ring on my Varsity and then.... I put it back on. It just wasn't right without it.

Lookie what I just found for you......

http://itemlistings.ebay.com/sdcsrp_imsxf?fl=260417302843&sconstraints=PriceMin.Value%3D85&xm&IMSfp=TL090526153002r17889


Depending on the specific shade of green. that seller's price varied from $5.99-$9.00

Not bad if it is what you want/need to get a bike looking right.

Purdy.


I had the Continental. The full size. Heavy as a truck.

Still have mine . . . '76.


I would definitely keep the dork disk and the chainguard. It's a Varsity, it would look wrong without them.

Agreed.

Depending on the specific shade of green. that seller's price varied from $5.99-$9.00

Not bad if it is what you want/need to get a bike looking right.But the Benotto tape isn't "right". It needs to be Schwinn (Hunt-Wilde) in Campus Green. I think I still have some if "bigbossman" doesn't.

Bob

you could always go white on the housings and tape.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l252/clancy98/bikes/big%20green/20040107BigGreen002.jpg

I'm in the middle of putting white housings on my Varsity. A white seat and white grips (just put tourist bars on it) might set it off nicely. Thanks for the idea.

I was able to clean up and keep the original housings, trimmed the ends a bit, and installed new cables.

oh man i gotta get my varsity looking like that!

But the Benotto tape isn't "right". It needs to be Schwinn (Hunt-Wilde) in Campus Green. I think I still have some if "bigbossman" doesn't.

Bob

Bob,

I've got some Hunt-Wilde in dark green - looks to be a match to the bike in the OP's pic. Already PM'ed, and will be on the way in a day or two.

you could always go white on the housings and tape.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l252/clancy98/bikes/big%20green/20040107BigGreen002.jpg

That Regal is worth twice as much as the rest of the bike. :D

I too bashed the noble old Varsity. Then I fixed up and road one for a couple of commutes. I had to eat my words, it rode nice for what it is ( that depends on what is, is). I was going to ride it for a week, but about the time I got it all set up and liking it, a guy came and traded an 88 Raliegh Elkhorn for it. Moral of the story becarefull what you bash, you may end up riding it some day

That Regal is worth twice as much as the rest of the bike. :D

I know, but it was another lucky CL find @ $20!

I too bashed the noble old Varsity. Then I fixed up and road one for a couple of commutes. I had to eat my words, it rode nice for what it is ( that depends on what is, is). I was going to ride it for a week, but about the time I got it all set up and liking it, a guy came and traded an 88 Raliegh Elkhorn for it. Moral of the story becarefull what you bash, you may end up riding it some day

I commuted on one for a few months, with a 6-speed freewheel, aluminum rims, toeclips, and (shimmed) downtube shifters. Its sheer weight was noticeable on the 12% climb to my office, but it otherwise served me well.

Now that I've got the upright bars on my Varsity, I can say it rides almost as nice as my Raleigh DL-1.... and it has more speeds. For some reason the brakes don't repeatably center, so half the time I get that rub-rub-rub-rub and half the time I don't. I've decided that just adds to the charm of the bike.

Look at the slope of the headtube and the fork rake thats pretty relaxed geometry ain't it? Funny I just notice that.

Now that I've got the upright bars on my Varsity, I can say it rides almost as nice as my Raleigh DL-1.... and it has more speeds. For some reason the brakes don't repeatably center, so half the time I get that rub-rub-rub-rub and half the time I don't. I've decided that just adds to the charm of the bike.

You should try to center the brakes -- there is a tool for that or there is a way to do it with a screw driver and a hammer. I had a kids bike I was setting up for a friend that was going the same thing and a quick 'tap' in the right place and things are centered and working just as they should.