alxklo

Hi all, this is my first post. A friend patched together an old Schwinn for me with front plate number 1923 engraved, Chicago manufacture (guessing this is 1973 or 1983?). I rode it through two Chicago winters, and now the bottom bracket, rear wheel, derailleur, and chain all could use replacement/upgrade. Bought a cheapy single speed for use over the last six months but sorely miss the Schwinn.

Poking around on craigslist I find a lot of bikes I would guess might work for replacement parts, but I don't know if going this route is worth the hassle or will end up costing me more in the long run.

Any and all advice greatly appreciated.

Best,
Alex

DwarvenChef

I'm in a simular boat, I have 2 60's era Varsity, and one unknown Schwinn bikes to rebuild. Finding parts has been slim out here in my area (so far)... I've been avoiding the local schwinn dealer but may end up going there to get what parts I can and go from there...

Little Darwin

Old Schwinns can be fun.

Another bike as a donor bike might be good... and it might even end up being a better bike. The thing about a donor bike is that you don't typically have to worry about whether the frame size is right for you.

The bottom bracket on Varsities and Continentals are pretty straight forward and easy to replace the bearings. If the cups or races need replacing, then it is another story.

alxklo

Yes, this is more or less my concern--that the extent of the damage is such that I'll end up sinking a few hundred into the project before I have a reliable ride. At the same time, winter is about two months away and I fear the wrath of Chicago's craggy streets on the sorry SE Draft I have as a backup. Already have to but a new rear wheel on that guy after six months.

re: DwarvenChef's comment about finding parts, certainly the opposite case here, at least in terms of donor bikes--there must be twenty or so 70s era Varsity and Continental on Craigslist at the moment, all priced between $70-$200. About the same price as the replacement wheelset the Draft needs

pastorbobnlnh 

I probably have a rear Varsity/Continental wheel you can have for shipping costs. It will need full servicing, i.e. chrome rim shinned, new grease, etc. What else do you need? RD, FD, shifters? I might even have some spare BB parts. I can probably throw those in the box as well.

First step is to take some pictures of your problems and post them here. Then disassemble the BB, and check it's condition. It probably just needs cleaning and new grease. Do the same with the headset, and hub(s). Clean and polish the frame, fork and chrome. Take more pictures and post. With pictures we can be very helpful.

With a badge number ending in a "3" you have an 1983. In '73 Schwinn was not stamping the badges of the Varsity or Continental.

Welcome to C&V, and remember, post lots of pictures!

ron521

I've got several 70's era 10 speeds which I've upgraded to suit my tastes...it's very easy to spend more than the bike is worth, BUT if you are doing it for yourself, and if you find satisfaction in taking something with a certain amount of functionality, and improving that dramatically, then it can be rewarding.

The single, largest improvement you can make will be to replace the steel rims with aluminum. Since the rims are rotating, weight saved here is more noticeable than anywhere else. You can feel the difference in acceleration and your brakes will also work better.

There is a conversion available which will allow you to replace the heavy, one-piece steel crank with a 3 piece alloy unit, saving more weight and giving you an opportunity to optimize your gearing.
An alloy handlebar and stem can save a few more ounces.

I've taken the opportunity to make my bikes into hybrids, and really enjoy the combination of low rolling resistance and comfortable riding position. I've done centuries using these bikes, and had no problems at all.

alxklo

wow--you guys are awesome! i'll take photos after work and post back.
cheers,
Alex

wrk101

+1 Finding Varsity/Continental parts is a breeze. Forget about the Schwinn dealer, that will not work. You need a donor bike. Or ebay (more expensive route).

+1 Good chance to go with the bottom bracket conversion so you can use a much lighter weight three piece crankset. I have seen the conversion kit for around $15 (does not include bb and crank).

How far to go? That is up to you. Myself, I do not go past what the bike will be worth when I am done, even on keeper bikes. There are too many good deals out there on bikes anyway, so over investing in a heavy, bottom end bike just does not make financial sense.

I have two Continentals and one Varsity in my project queue right now. I will be managing the spending very carefully.

over1

Yikes! I realized old Schwinns are solid, bombproof bikes, but if it's an electroforged frame, it's going to be a heavy bike no matter how much money you throw at it, not to mention compatibility issues.
How about: clean it up, overhaul it with minimal repalcement parts, selll it, and look for a nicer/better, mid-to-late-'80's, lugged-frame bike (Schwinn/Trek/Fuji/etc.) that already has a three-piece crank and 700c wheels? They're out there, and not expensive.

Primitive Don

I love old bikes, but as others have said, I wouldn't try to make it into something it's not. If you are interested, look at it as a chance to learn about bike maintenance. Overhauling a 1 piece Ashtabula crank is not hard; Sheldon Brown has the scoop here. Although people complain about the weight of a Varsity, they have a nice ride and the wheel hubs are usually nice. They make sense as an urban commuter.

If you are needing a specific part and don't have a donor, take a look through the bins at Working Bikes cooperative.

CruiserBob

I've redone a several old Schwinns. My current fleet is a pair of Collegiates and a Varsity. The Ashtabulas are great, easy overhaul and seem to last forever. All three of my current bikes have the original crank / chainring so they last 40+ years - but I have installed a conversion kit. I've installed upright steel (Wald or recycled) bars on most, and removed the outside flying saucer guard and chainring to make them 5 speed townies. The difficult decision is whether to install a 1 pc crank and new wheels - because of the costs. Rear spacing is 120mm. Some are already spread a bit due to age (one of mine was already 126mm). You can get 126mm 27" alloy rear wheels from Harris Cyclery. One benefit of going to a 3pc crank is to get some lower gears on the bike. I try to use the stock twin stick shifters. I take them apart and lightly grease the surfaces and then put a dab of loctite on the bolt to adjust the tension.

reverborama

We've all gone too far with Varsitenials. Mine sports a 600 crank and a Dura-Ace RD. If you search the forum you will find lots of posts and lots of pictures on how we've spent way too much money on them!!!

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Fun bikes. Its never gonna be lightweight, but it's great for bombing around town...short of a massive front end collision its pretty much unbreakable.

Personally I don't have a problem going too far with it...the parts can all be removed and put on something else when (if) the time comes.
I had my Varsity out this weekend for a run to the deli and a little cruise.


I've got all sorts of stupid stuff on here ...Sun Rhyno Lite rims, 26 x 2.25 tires, front and rear drum brakes, 14 speed indexed w/ Deore derailleurs

It weighs like 40 pounds, but I'll take it anywhere.

michael k

Zaphod,
Your Varsity looks a tad too small. I think we need to trade.

alxklo

I think this is the main reason I love this bike so much. Actually did have a front-end collision with a car that cut me off at a stop-light and both the bike and I were ok (just some scrapes and bruises for myself; lucky as the driver took off).

So the bike is currently taken apart due to storage constraints, but take the paint job from Zaphod's picture and the wheels and crankset (albeit rustier) from Michael K's, with horn handlebars, and you more or less have the bike.

The rear wheel on the crummy SE flat out died today, which means I'm on the bus. Antsy to be riding again already!

Thanks for all of the input; I'm stoked to get myself on a sturdy bike before it gets cold.