Known Varsity Basher Completes First Rebuild
06-19-09, 08:12 AM
#1
Thrifty Bill
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Known Varsity Basher Completes First Rebuild
Well, I finished my first Varsity rebuild. While I certainly notice the weight whenever I lift it to hang on its hook, I think it turned out pretty nice.
I picked up this Varsity at a local thrift shop. I let it sit several days until senior day, hoping someone else would snag it. But that didn't work, it was still there, so I picked it up. Although it needed the normal stuff: tires, tubes, cables, bearings, and brake pads; the rest of it was all there and in pretty good shape. The chrome had the typical rust, but not too bad. And I thought the paint and decals were in really good shape, with no frame rust.
I put all of the crome parts: the handlebars, stem, crank, fork, shift lever bracket, and headset bottom cup in my trusty oxalic acid bath. It worked its normal magic.
I haven't done anything with bartape, as I don't have any of the vinyl stuff, and am not sure my normal bartape would look right on this bike.
The only thing not original is the rear wheel. I took a spare that came off a Schwinn Traveler, as the rear on the Varsity needed quite a bit of clean up.
I picked up this Varsity at a local thrift shop. I let it sit several days until senior day, hoping someone else would snag it. But that didn't work, it was still there, so I picked it up. Although it needed the normal stuff: tires, tubes, cables, bearings, and brake pads; the rest of it was all there and in pretty good shape. The chrome had the typical rust, but not too bad. And I thought the paint and decals were in really good shape, with no frame rust.
I put all of the crome parts: the handlebars, stem, crank, fork, shift lever bracket, and headset bottom cup in my trusty oxalic acid bath. It worked its normal magic.
I haven't done anything with bartape, as I don't have any of the vinyl stuff, and am not sure my normal bartape would look right on this bike.
The only thing not original is the rear wheel. I took a spare that came off a Schwinn Traveler, as the rear on the Varsity needed quite a bit of clean up.
Last edited by wrk101; 06-19-09 at 08:47 AM. Reason: typo
06-19-09, 08:15 AM
#3
FalconLvr
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Looks just like it should!
06-19-09, 08:21 AM
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Pedal pusher...
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Very nice. Hold out for some of the original tape if you can. Just saw a guy on a social ride here in LA on this very model...
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06-19-09, 08:49 AM
#5
feros ferio
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By far my greatest objection to the Varsity is those absurdly heavy steel rims, which provide worst-case rotating mass and lousy braking performance. A Varsity or (preferably) Continental with aluminum rims and KoolStop brake pads is a surprisingly enjoyable ride.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
06-19-09, 09:09 AM
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Dolce far niente
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I might have some bar tape for your Varsity - I've a bagful of OEM tape rolls from a shop that went bust - maybe I have that green, I'll have to check. PM me if interested.
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06-19-09, 09:13 AM
#8
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The Varsity had see through green tape, right?
My Continental had yellow see through, I think. Maybe it was white. 'Been a long time since that rig gave up the ghost.
My Continental had yellow see through, I think. Maybe it was white. 'Been a long time since that rig gave up the ghost.
Last edited by thompsonpost; 06-19-09 at 09:18 AM.
06-19-09, 09:23 AM
#9
Chrome Freak
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Nice looking Varsity, note how improved the appearance is without the chrome dork disc. Imagine how much better they would have looked without the front chain guard.....
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1971 Paramount P-13 Chrome
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1971 Paramount P-13 Chrome
1973 Paramount P-15 Opaque Blue
1974 Raleigh Professional Blue Mink
1991 Waterford Paramount
Holland Titanium Dura Ace Group
Holland Titanium Ultegra Triple Group
06-19-09, 09:26 AM
#10
Thrifty Bill
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Yes, I agree, I usually dump the chrome chain guard, side stand and dork disk.
06-19-09, 09:29 AM
#11
stringbreaker
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Have to disagree here RK the Varsity and its other brothers in the Schwinn line up are like a 59 Caddy big heavy and loaded with chrome. They just don't look right without all those shiny chrome steel acoutrements. That said when I did my Conti I went with the alloy rims. I got it just at 30 lbs still rides like a dream
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(Life is too short to play crappy guitars) 2006 Raleigh Cadent 3.0, 1977 Schwinn Volare, 2010 Windsor tourist. ( I didn't fall , I attacked the floor)
(Life is too short to play crappy guitars) 2006 Raleigh Cadent 3.0, 1977 Schwinn Volare, 2010 Windsor tourist. ( I didn't fall , I attacked the floor)
06-19-09, 09:37 AM
#12
Out fishing with Annie on his lap, a cigar in one hand and a ginger ale in the other, watching the sunset.
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06-19-09, 09:39 AM
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Pedal pusher...
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Yeah love the cruizemobile chrome. Chrome is falling by the wayside.
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06-19-09, 09:57 AM
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Randomhead
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I would definitely keep the dork disk and the chainguard. It's a Varsity, it would look wrong without them.
Be careful not to park it near the edge of a concrete slab. Varsitys have been known to cause cracks due to their sheer weight.
Be careful not to park it near the edge of a concrete slab. Varsitys have been known to cause cracks due to their sheer weight.
06-19-09, 10:44 AM
#15
You gonna eat that?
I took the chain guard of the chain ring on my Varsity and then.... I put it back on. It just wasn't right without it.
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I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
06-19-09, 10:56 AM
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The Improbable Bulk
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Not bad if it is what you want/need to get a bike looking right.
06-19-09, 12:25 PM
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Purdy.
Still have mine . . . '76.
Agreed.
Still have mine . . . '76.
Agreed.
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06-19-09, 12:41 PM
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Bob
06-19-09, 07:38 PM
#20
You gonna eat that?
I'm in the middle of putting white housings on my Varsity. A white seat and white grips (just put tourist bars on it) might set it off nicely. Thanks for the idea.
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I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
06-19-09, 07:43 PM
#21
Thrifty Bill
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I was able to clean up and keep the original housings, trimmed the ends a bit, and installed new cables.
06-20-09, 12:49 AM
#23
Dolce far niente
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I've got some Hunt-Wilde in dark green - looks to be a match to the bike in the OP's pic. Already PM'ed, and will be on the way in a day or two.
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"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
06-20-09, 05:26 AM
#25
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I too bashed the noble old Varsity. Then I fixed up and road one for a couple of commutes. I had to eat my words, it rode nice for what it is ( that depends on what is, is). I was going to ride it for a week, but about the time I got it all set up and liking it, a guy came and traded an 88 Raliegh Elkhorn for it. Moral of the story becarefull what you bash, you may end up riding it some day