Bicycle Mechanics - Question about steering tube on Schwinn Varsity

I have an old Schwinn Varsity. As near as I can measure, the steering tube (the part that holds the handlebar - I've also seen it referred to as a gooseneck) has a diameter of 20.5 mm. The steering tube is made of aluminum. I want to replace it with one made of steel. Please don't ask me why.:rolleyes:
Are steel steering tubes/goosenecks of this size difficult to come by? I want a steel one that I can use to replace the one that's on the bike.
Thanks in advance.

likely : .833'' is a size used in old cruiser and many bmx bikes
Wald heavy steel stems are in that size
I think there were cast steel stems in that era.. 60's

more like 13/16'' (21.15 mm), rather than 7/8''(22.2'')

Thing like that has to be measured with vernier calipers, because the tenths of mms counts. You can get a steel one from here:http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/opc.html#stem

I got one from an old Huffy I bought as a parts bike for $10, along with handlebars and brake levers, through CL.

Is the current one bent or cracked?

I think all Varsities had the weird .833" size steerer. They can be found in dusty corners of LBS's and Ebay and garages. They will be as heavy and clunky as the one on there now.

jim

Is the current one bent or cracked?

I think all Varsities had the weird .833" size steerer. They can be found in dusty corners of LBS's and Ebay and garages. They will be as heavy and clunky as the one on there now.

jim

You and Fiets are correct. Also, all Varsities came with forged steel handlebar stems (aka gooseneck) and steel handlebars. If the OP's got an aluminum one, it's probably been replaced sometime in the last 30 years. I built enough Varsities back then to know... my back's still sore.

The .833" diameter is interchangeable with BMX stuff.

Excused me all to hell, guys. It is steel. My mistake. Thanks for the replys.

They're available on Ebay. This one appears to be a match for the stem on my '58 Schwinn American.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BEACH-CRUISER-SCHWINN-BICYCLE-STEM-GOOSE-NECK-21-1MM-/290445255713?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item439fe2e421

Excused me all to hell, guys. It is steel. My mistake. Thanks for the replys.

If you remove it from the bike and handlebars, it also makes a dandy hammer. :-)

If you remove it from the bike and handlebars, it also makes a dandy hammer. :-)

I dabble in welding. This bike is gonna be chopped and put back together and given a totally new life.
The reason I was asking about the gooseneck is that I need to weld something to it. As shiney as it is, I mistook it for aluminum. After reading the posts I tested the stem with a magnet, and sure enough, it stuck.
This bike is too small for me. If it fit I would keep it and ride it. No one wants it so...
Now it is time to cut................................

I dabble in welding. This bike is gonna be chopped and put back together and given a totally new life.
The reason I was asking about the gooseneck is that I need to weld something to it. As shiney as it is, I mistook it for aluminum. After reading the posts I tested the stem with a magnet, and sure enough, it stuck.
This bike is too small for me. If it fit I would keep it and ride it. No one wants it so...
Now it is time to cut................................

Nnnnnooooo!!!! Granted the Varsity outweighs the average Hummer, but find something worthless to chop to pieces, like a Raleigh or a Peugeot. ;-)

Have torch, will cut.