Zaphod's bike was a lot of fun to ride. I took it on rough surfaces, and it was great.

Fixed it for ya'

Well, its rideable. I decided to spend as little as possible, so I swapped the nice wheelset it had with a different set with similar patina to the frame, then had the LBS put on a single speed freewheel, some new brake cables, inexpensive riser bars and some cheap flatbar brake levers. The rusty wheels and rusty frame look like they were made for each other. It has a 17t cog on the back, and the front is the original small ring it came with, didn't count the teeth.

The bike handles fine, and is geared properly for my out of shape butt to get over most of the area hills. It is definitely lacking in top end speed, but that wasn't my goal. It's safe to ride and will probably do so for the next thirty years. And, I still have the parts to make it a geared bike if I so desire. I still like the idea of putting some 26" wheels with balloon tires, but that just didn't pan out, and I wanted to get riding it sooner than later.

I did this

^this

I'd probably buy a Huffy beach cruiser and swap everything over but the frame and fork. $100 would get you a nice bike.

I got a varsity with no wheels for $4. I just got done converting it into a single-speed and it's going on CL tomorrow. It was a fun project.

Well, there's always soonerbills' 27.25 pound Varsity.

As a teenager in the 70's, I used to think Schwinn Varsities were the stupidest bikes in the world. They were heavier and slower than my department store AMF 10 speed, but they had some sort of built in respectability because they were bought at a real LBS. I felt the same way about the Raleigh Record and the Schwinn Continental. IMO (back then), if you weren't buying at least a Raleigh Grand Prix (and preferably something higher from Worksop like a Super Course), you were not spending your money well at the LBS. But then again, when I finally saved up enough of my paper boy money to put a Raleigh Competition on layaway and actually purchase it outright 8 or 9 months later I thought the Worksop decal was a typo, they must have meant "Workshop", but just mispelled it, right?

Interestingly, I find the Schwinn Varsity quite attractive now.

RaleighComp, you must be similar to me in age (49). I felt the same way about all Schwinns. It was reinforced by the fact that they were a rare brand in the NYC area, where I grew up.

Now that I've worked on thousands of bikes, I appreciate the quality with which Schwinns were made. They were designed for durability, not speed. And they're really pretty pleasant to work on.

I have used my Varsity on my trainer for years- an innovative building process, I`m glad I can use it.

Yep, you got me pegged Tom, I turned 50 two months ago. I'm also from Northern NJ (Rockaway). Our "main" LBS back then was Cycle Center of Denville. They sold, I think, just about nothing except Raleighs and Schwinns. Some kids went West to Ledgewood to buy French bikes from Andre Fraysee (Paris Sport bikes). There were two smaller shops close by in Rockaway and Dover, but they didn't have much of a selection. My first multi-speed new bike was a 1966 Gold Columbia 20" High Rise Sturmey Archer gears shifted with one of these neutering devices:.

I had a high riser with that shifter, too. I thought it was pretty cool. I figured out how to adjust the gears myself at about 10 years old. But it took much longer to figure out how to use them. I would start in third gear and shift down as I went faster.

Do you know the story of Cycle Sport bikes? We had one here, and it reminded me of Paris Sport, for some reason.

I did this one before the one pictured above

I think, to date, the day I got my Columbia 3 speed was the most surprised I had ever been in my life. It was the morning of my first Communion and, being the oldest kid in my family, I had no idea that that was even an occasion for which you would get a gift. I rode up and down the street about a dozen times (and our street had a couple hills) and was confused about the gears myself. It seemed like I could go faster in "1" because it was easier. I think for quite a while I wasn't sure what "3" was for as "1" and "2" seemed to fulfill all my needs. I was disappointed that morning when it was time to go to Church for the big event. I just wanted to ride and ride and ride.

Let me know about Cycle Sport, I'm not familiar. I recently read the story of Paris Sport and the Fraysee brothers.

Funny you mention Paris Sport (Fraysee). The bike I swapped wheels with for my Varsity is a Paris Sport. For a gaspipe Starnord bike, it rides really nice and doesn't weight too much... but it's sized for my fiancee and not for me.

Well thanks Scooper! I was going to comment on that observation as well. My Varsity is never going to be a Derosa or Miyata but it is NOT tremendously heavy and slow. With the right combination of parts you can do some amazing things with those old dogs.

Looks great!

This is how it turned out. Notice the chipping in the paint. This bike lived a HARD life on the mean streets of Philadelphia. Now it at least gets stored under a roof.

Someday I'll get around to a repaint and maybe some nicer wheels, but for now it's a great rider. It has somehow become my favorite bike. The simplicity of singlespeed really appeals to me in a way I didn't figure it would.

More pics:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/3687587...n/photostream/

Nice work! Now get a rack or a basket on there and you'll be running errands on it next

I would really like to find some Schwinn original fenders. A rack would also be cool, although when I errand-ride I usually just bring a large backpack.

Those are cool lookin fenders, but its all about looks with them because they do weigh a LOT. Not that a Varsity doesn't weigh a lot to begin with but those are some heavy fenders. It certainly would look cool though.

Wald makes fenders that are a close match to those Schwinn Fenders. Wald also makes the baskets that (in my opinion) look best on a bike like this.

like on Doohickey's bike



or someone else has one I've seen with the Wald folding rear baskets

Folding rear baskets... I need to look through my father's junk pile. I remember he had some folding baskets on a Huffy he used to take down to the beach when I was a kid. If the bike didn't get left at the shore, he may still have 'em.

Getting Schwinn fenders, possibly even ones with patina similar to the bike would appeal to me for many reasons, but I'll definitely look into the Wald ones. Nothing wrong with saving a pound or so. Although, I must say, the weight of the bike doesn't bother me at all. The weight of my person, on the other hand...

I have a hard time griping about a 30 pound bike when bike and rider together weigh only a bit less than 300 lbs...

Good work! It has two contradictory qualities. On one hand, it's handsome. It's put together well, and it's functional. On the other hand, it's ugly because it's rusted and chipped. It's not a big target for theft, which is a plus in the city. And if it does get stolen, you know you can start over and it won't set you back much.

maybe B.P. can use a few to stop the leak in the Gulf.If they cant use it I do need an extra anchor on my boat.Seriously,I still have my original one I bought in 1969.It was the start to this madness.I would never sell it for any price.

Completely Understood If your search doesn't pan out, send me a PM...i may have an original set somewhere amongst my pile of Schwinn Approved stuff.