Bob,

I've always valued Varsities and Continentals for what they are: perfectly respectable and practically indestructable entry level "lightweight" bikes that introduced a couple of generations of young adults to the pleasures and health benefits of cycling. As a youngster, I watched them being built at the Chicago factory, sparks flying everywhere.

In the late seventies, some of my co-workers who commuted by bike to work started making disparaging cracks about "Schwinn tanks" and "boat anchors", but the lug framed imports they were riding were just as heavy and were ripe for the scrap heap after two or three years, while the electro-forged Schwinns just kept going.

They've gotten a bad rep that they don't deserve.