Originally Posted by supcom

Look at it this way. If you get a cheap bike out of the trash for nothing and put $50 into it, you have a $50 bike. If you get a nicer bike for $30 at a thrift store and put $50 (a low figure from my experience) into it, you have an $80 bike.

A Varsity may not be the best bike in it's class, but a $50 bike is a cheaper ride than a $80 bike.

Besides, most of the parts you buy for the cheap bike can be swapped over to a nicer bike in the furure should one come along.