frenchbikefan

So I got a call from a guy saying he had a couple bikes he was trying to get rid of. Went down there, one was a varsity (bummer) but one was this quite nice nuovo sport (great color pattern univega had I like this one and my pink one quite a bit) well other than the upgrade to shimano 600 cranks it is full exage and "tange chromoly tubing",

really like the stem too.
anyway I got them home and I started to look over the varsity. "odd" I thought to myself as I saw the shimano lark rd, doen't look like any varsity rd I have seen before

keep looking up the frame, stop at the cranks. huh doesn't look like the cranks I am used to seeing on a varsity, and the gt 500 fd is a little odd as well.

anyway not to bore you but then I got to the stem, dang I really like this stem.


so is it an early varsity or did someone strip an early bike and slap the components on a varsity frame?

Scooper

What's the serial number of the Varsity? It should be located on the head tube just above the lower bearing cup.

frenchbikefan

serial is stamped on the rear drop out bc79617. oh looked it up 1967

SteveSGP

Looks like the Varsity has some older stuff on it like the crank in particularwhich appears to be pre-1967 to me but I could be wrong, The '64 Varsity I did had that crank but the '68 in my rafters does not.

I don't think the Lark belongs at all since a Varsity that age would have had Huret DRs but probably badged as Schwinn parts.

Edit-here's the '64 I did and I believe it had all original components on it.

frenchbikefan

does your pre 64 have weinnmann badged brakeset or schwinn badged?

Scooper

Yes; BC=February 1967.

Here are the 1967 Varsity Sport specifications:



...and here is the 1967 Varsity Sport catalog page:



The 20 344 rear derailleur is spec'd for the '67 Varsity Sport, but the Shimano Lark RD is later (p/n 24 644 in the 1973 Parts& Accessories Catalog), so I believe at least some later parts are on this 1967 Varsity.

frenchbikefan

Thanks for the link! interesting frankenbike then I suppose

SteveSGP

I sold it, I think they were badged Weinmann though.

Edit-found the "before" pics and they were Weinmanns.

SteveSGP

I think the two guys on the right and center could have used a lesson in frame sizing.

kingsting

67' Varsity would have had the Huret Sprint derailleur. 68 had the same unit only with the Schwinn approved stamping instead of the Sprint sticker. The front derailleur appears to have been changed too.

Violet is a tough color for these. Nice score!

Rabid Koala

Varisites looked so much better before they put that gigantic pie plate on them.

frenchbikefan

my brother has been looking for an around town beater (he lives in hollywood aka bike theft usa), I think I found his Christmas present

Otis

They won't need dance lessons though.

John E

The stem shifters (new for 1967) and crank look correct to me.

frenchbikefan

I am fairly confident the frame is a '67. I am also fairly confident that nothing else on it is

FlatTop

Interesting that the violet color doesn't show up on the specs/factory part number sheet for the Varsity Sport, but is in the catalog (both provided by Scooper).

What would a dealer do if a customer wrecked his violet Varsity Sport and the shop needed a new fork to repair it? Order a Sky Blue or Coppertone fork and a spraycan of violet touch up paint?

bigbossman 

If you crashed hard enough to bend/wreck a Varsity fork, you probably killed yourself.

Problem solved.

frenchbikefan

well some idiot cross threaded the bb on the nuovo sport, but more importantly I am very impressed by how heavy the varsity is. I think it could probably survive a tank round.Since it is so heavy what do you guys think about techniques to make it go faster, performance parts stickers or sweet flame decals? I want to add at least 5 mph.

photogravity

Eat lots of beans for extra propulsion! It's worked well enough for me.