$400 Varsity? Is this an e-joke?
05-10-09 | 01:08 PM
#1
Thread Starter
extra bitter
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,588
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Bikes: Miyata 210, Fuji Royale II, Bridgestone Kabuki, Miyata Ninety
$400 Varsity? Is this an e-joke?
This listing on eBay is for a Varsity conversion with a mix of meh and bleh components (Bulletproof cranks, anyone?) currently at $400 but still somehow not yet up to the reserve price. I can't believe this is for real, but I just had to share.
05-10-09 | 01:43 PM
#2
Comanche Racing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,820
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From: Deep in the heart of Texas
Bikes: Presto NJS build, Specialized Allez Pro w/ full Dura Ace and Ksyrium SLs, 1990something Specialized Sirrus
hahahah. That bike looks HORRIBLE. It's like a limousine...look how far apart those wheels are. Geez...another overpriced conversion.
05-10-09 | 04:04 PM
#8
Thread Starter
extra bitter
Joined: Apr 2006
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Bikes: Miyata 210, Fuji Royale II, Bridgestone Kabuki, Miyata Ninety
That's what blows my mind. The saddle and wheels (my hate for deep v's aside) are just a crazy juxtaposition with the godawful frame and cranks. Shoulda left the Ashtabula cranks on there, it really would have completed the picture even better.
05-10-09 | 07:32 PM
#11
N+1
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,310
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From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: A few
I bet it is over 30 lbs. Varisty and Continentals are tanks. Stock they can be well over 40 lbs. I did a SS conversion with an aluminum rimmed wheelset and it dropped 8 lbs, but was still over 30lbs. He did ditch the heavy one piece cranks so that helps with weight. But, in the end you would have to ask yourself why did you waste the time fixing up a Varsity.
05-10-09 | 11:19 PM
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
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It does look clean. Though the distance between the rear wheel and the "Seat Tube" is pretty far.
Personally I would convert something like that if I had the parts laying around just for "giggles" and then flip on Craig's for whatever it would get. But throwing it on eBay and trying to get what he wants? Really?
Personally I would convert something like that if I had the parts laying around just for "giggles" and then flip on Craig's for whatever it would get. But throwing it on eBay and trying to get what he wants? Really?
05-10-09 | 11:58 PM
#15
shaken, not stirred.
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: The Shaky Isles.
Bikes: I've lost count.
Depending on what you're after, absolutely. For a fixed commuter, I much prefer the geometry, wide clearance, and rack/fender mounts on many old road frames. But there are plenty of frames that come in around half the weight of the Varsity. And this one is definitely tarck as ****, which makes even less sense.
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05-11-09 | 12:08 AM
#16
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: YEG
Bikes: See my sig...
Not everyone thinks a track bike is the ideal bike for the road and there was a time that 25 pounds was considered a fairly acceptable weight for a bicycle and a 70's lightweight was in the 20-21 pound range.
Slack frame angles and a longer wheelbase come together to make for a much better ride and this bike would look so much better with some old school box section wheels, some moustache bars, and a Brooks saddle as it will never be a lightweight.
Those Varsity frames are obscenely heavy... but very cool to look at with their electro-forged welds.
Slack frame angles and a longer wheelbase come together to make for a much better ride and this bike would look so much better with some old school box section wheels, some moustache bars, and a Brooks saddle as it will never be a lightweight.
Those Varsity frames are obscenely heavy... but very cool to look at with their electro-forged welds.
05-11-09 | 05:31 PM
#18
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: Davis/Lafayette, CA
Bikes: too many
srsly though, 485 bucks is a hell of a lot of money to spend on a varsity. seller needs to get his head way out of the clouds
edit: oh boy it has: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=180356131672
is it bad though that i think 86 bucks is still a bit much for this bike? i would pay 150 (so i guess 235 shipped) max if just for the set of deep v's and white zaffiro pros?
Last edited by LupinIII; 05-11-09 at 05:35 PM.
05-11-09 | 06:18 PM
#20
Ride for Life
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 2
From: Houston
this is just an example of some guy who thought he would make big flipping fixies on ebay, and doesn't realize that the whole is less than the sum of the parts. he's probably buying all these parts individually and trying to sell the whole bike for more than he spent and it just isn't going to happen.
05-11-09 | 06:22 PM
#21
You gonna eat that?
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
Likes: 543
From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS
If you look at the high bidder, Bidder: 3***n( 0 ) New eBay Member (less than 30 days) Feedback: 0%Positive- it's obviously a made-up shill. There were 4 total bids, 2 by this bidder. I bet the other bidder was a made-up shill as well.
Stock weight of a mid-70s Varsity was 40 lb. Even with lighter wheels, no derailleur, etc., I bet it's still way over 30.
20 lb. was the high end stuff in the mid-70s. 25 was still less than average for a geared bike.
I bet it is over 30 lbs. Varisty and Continentals are tanks. Stock they can be well over 40 lbs. I did a SS conversion with an aluminum rimmed wheelset and it dropped 8 lbs, but was still over 30lbs. He did ditch the heavy one piece cranks so that helps with weight. But, in the end you would have to ask yourself why did you waste the time fixing up a Varsity.
Not everyone thinks a track bike is the ideal bike for the road and there was a time that 25 pounds was considered a fairly acceptable weight for a bicycle and a 70's lightweight was in the 20-21 pound range.
Slack frame angles and a longer wheelbase come together to make for a much better ride and this bike would look so much better with some old school box section wheels, some moustache bars, and a Brooks saddle as it will never be a lightweight.
Those Varsity frames are obscenely heavy... but very cool to look at with their electro-forged welds.
Slack frame angles and a longer wheelbase come together to make for a much better ride and this bike would look so much better with some old school box section wheels, some moustache bars, and a Brooks saddle as it will never be a lightweight.
Those Varsity frames are obscenely heavy... but very cool to look at with their electro-forged welds.
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05-11-09 | 07:02 PM
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
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this is just an example of some guy who thought he would make big flipping fixies on ebay, and doesn't realize that the whole is less than the sum of the parts. he's probably buying all these parts individually and trying to sell the whole bike for more than he spent and it just isn't going to happen.
