I know I can easily bolt on an ape-hanger bar, a spring seat and fenders to that vintage Varsity. Stock? No. Comfortable? Yes! I would rather have that (but only in perfect like-new condition) with my mods than the thing I have now made in China that dares puts the words "Schwinn Quality" on the front of the frame. That Varsity can be restored to perfect factory-new specs for so much money than I can't afford to give up right now. There are dedicated bicycle painters and restorers. They charge big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I would also have to have the frame tapped and threaded for water cage screws. That steel frame can be done for that without making it weak. The China-made Discovery brand-new was the next-best thing I could find that I could afford.

My next bike, however, might be a new Cannondale Urban & Fitness model (such as the new Quick 6, which retails for $630) in stock bright green, looks more like chartreuse, with spring seat, black ape-hangers, custom fenders if any can be found for proper fit and a rear carrier in gloss black.

Why Cannondale Quick series? High build quality for the money. No cheesy components. I know. I bought one brand new at the Army PX in 1993 when I was in as an enlisted soldier and it was $650 even way back then. M500 model with purple paint job. I even put a fat seat on that one with black cruiser bars. The thing that sucked about it was that it had no kickstand and the dealer said a kickstand could not be installed on the aluminum frame without damaging it. The other thing that sucked was that it was stolen in 1994 right out my barracks but the army reimbursed me the full retail price because the bike was properly secured with a cable lock. The sweet things were that both the front and rear derailleurs had indexed shifting with levers and they were always so precise without ever missing a gear or making any noise. Cannondale always used top-of the line gears and brakes.

Like the Chicago-built Schwinns and the Mongooses of the 1970's, these Cannondales are definitely no department store bikes. Some exclusive Cannondale models can exceed the price you may have paid for your compact car when brand new.