Since I've discovered this lemon-juice-and-aluminum-foil cleaning method, I can clean the chrome inside without the smell driving the wife nuts.

Schwinn Continental

I haven't started with the Varsity yet. I don't know what I'll do with it. I guess it's a solution in search of a problem. I've been working on other bikes. This hobby of mine has taken over my life, especially now that I don't have a day job. People are pleading with me to fix up their bikes for money, so who am I to say no?

I just looked at the Varsity, and it looks nearly perfect mechanically. It's a 23" frame, which is about right for me. I was thinking of making it a hauling bikes, but I have far too many bikes as it is. I should probably refurbish and sell it.

Any suggestions? It's green and seems to have all original equipment on it.

I had to keep one early Lime Varsity.

Picked it up for 70 bucks. The back tire has some dry rot but is still rideable, tho not for too long! Also needs new tape. But yeah, thats about it. Anybody have an extra bar end plug laying around? Could somebody point me in the right direction for vintage schwinn parts?

Thanks!
Ken

I picked up this '62 model on e-bay recently. Cleaned up pretty nice! That Schwinn chrome is amazing stuff. It's a little small for me, so most likely will be finding a new home soon.

Bar end plugs come with bar tape.

Nice bikes boys!

noglider - that green varsity got green fenders? I haven't seen green fenders in a long time.

rumrunn6, no fenders, alas.

I mutilated the Varsity today. As if the tourist handlebars weren't enough, I finally got sick of the long cable throws and lost motion of the "Schwinn Approved" GT100 rear derailleur. I just got done with removing it and replacing it with a Suntour AR RD I had laying around. It shifts 100x better.

The lost motion was driving me nuts. Do the other Varsity owners notice this with their GT100 derailleurs? Or does it maybe just need a good cleaning and adjustment?

I replaced the GT-100 on my Collegiate too. I don't quite understand what you mean by lost motion, do you mean that it does not start to shift as soon as you move the stem shifter? Anyway, I think the GT-100 is actually a decent derailleur, just a tank. I rebuilt the one on my Suburban and it makes reasonably quick, quality shifts. It's the long stem shifter that i'm not a big fan of. I don't quite know how to put this, but the shifts feel very long, it feels like a lot of movement between gears. On my suburban, it has a rachet shifter that feels instant, I am assuming it has to do with the lengths of the shifters themselves.

Here are some pics of my conversion, I don't think the folks at the schwinn forum were to happy:

I'm running the same suntour vs on my continental its shifts way better than the original Schwinn item

the bike looks very nice! where did you pick up that basket on the back? i just restored a 71 suburban and it has that rear rack, but id like to add the rear basket too. if you have any leads id appreciate the info.

You're talking rear derailer? Mine is definetely a weird old unit. But you know what? It is whisper quiet and very accurate even after swapping in a 6 speed freewheel. The front derailer is very accurate too, but the cable adjustment is such that the lever has to be down part way so it doesn't rub the chain.

I replaced the brake cables and housings before I started using it but did touch the derailer cuz they were in such good shape. But since commuting in the rain the past month the road grime, etc. had them feeling like I'm lifting a gorilla. I'll be replacing those cables very soon but I
ll leav ethe hardware. Smooth is smooth, even if I have to use the long throw hardware - hey it's a classic!

The reason you have to pull the lever far to shift is that the "drum" i.e. the round part that the cable wraps around the shifter is of a small diameter. I believe this was either made or designed by Huret, and that company had a practice of making shifters with small drums for whatever reason. Perhaps they felt that it gave you finer control, but that's just a guess.

First of all, I love the look of your Collegiate.

Something like that. If I want to go to the big cog, I have to pull all the way back as far as the shifter goes. But it won't shift to the next-to-largest cog until I move the lever perhaps 45 degrees, then it's just a small movement for each additional cog. It's like I have to move it farther than I should need to get get it "over the hump" and then it works normally. The technical term for this is hysteresis, but I'm probably one of the few nerdy engineering types on the forum that know this term.

With the Suntour on there it shifts with much less movement.

The description of the shifters have small throws seems to make sense; maybe I should put the Suntour stem shifter on there and see how it feels.

Picked up a free Varsity on Thursday. It was left out for the bulk/metal trash pick they do on Fridays. I will have pictures soon.

Ossum! A free Varsity. Take it from me, those are the best kind!

Oops, I haven't checked in here for a while. The baskets are just Wald folding baskets, you can find them online for about 17-20 dollars. My lbs carry them though so I just picked them up there. Thanks for the compliments guys, I love that old tank!

That is a great explanation of the shifting noglider, thanks.

Doohickie, this is the suntour rachet shifter I am talking about. Make sure if you get one that it is schwinn approved .

Is there an oath I need to take???
72 Varsity from orinal owner with manual.....needs cleaned.
Can't wait to take it for a ride.