Odd Schwinn Varsity?

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bikeriderx

bikeriderx

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Ok, while I'm waiting for the fine folks over at SchwinnBikeForum.com to approve my application to join.... :roll: ....I'll post what I have, here and actually get a response...
I'm no Schwinn expert. But I aquired a 1970 Varsity (ser# JF*****) Sierra Brown, 19" frame, 10 spd, Derailuer type, 27 x 1 1/4 tires...

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But here is the first interesting thing...The serial number is an, what would you call it, a mis-stamp....The letter "F" is missing the lower part of the letter...Is it an "F" or an "E"?? It's most likely an "F", of course, but interesting...So the other thing that had interested me was that the bike was out fitted with cruiser parts and accesories. Pullback handle bars, matching handgrips and brake lever covers, generator powered head light and taillight (both working). full length chrome fenders, Schwinn Approved speedo, heavy tubular steel book rack, and a classic two-tone Schwinn vinyal saddle...

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So now my question is: what is it? :? As far as I can tell, the Varsity was always a road bike...and this bike has a road bike gooseneck...steel pedals, minimal chain guard...So why put all the cruiser parts on? I understand that Schwinn made a TON of these Varsity framesets, and I wonder if this was just an attempt to sell one frameset into a different market? So that started me thinking that maybe this might be a Schwinn sales-rep sample... :wink: Why? One thing is that the bike doesn't have a sticker identifing the bike shop the sold it...Next is that the headlight and taillight + generator appear to have been professionally installed...the way the wire was run along the frame, knots tied at each end of the wire...Nice...

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But of course a creative LBS might have done just the same thing...But why no shop sticker...? Any way, the question still remains: what is it? or more precisly, what will it become? :mrgreen: As a cruiser it's not too comfortable with that turned down handlebar stem...I'm 5'10"...Should it be divided into it's two halves? The frameset freed to become a true vintage roadbike...and the cruiser parts to live again on a proper cantilver or straight bar frame......Wow! I really, really, really like bicycles! :mrgreen:
 
Markm said:
'69 Varsity Tourist??
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Yea! That's what I tought...BUt I'm not sure that came with the pull-back bars, and cruiser saddle and matching grips/brake levers...So it's prolly been customized even more...?
 
nice find. i would bet the buyer had it set up that way when he bought it. i think the varsity came in a sport or a tourist model, i know the collegiates did. i've seen plenty of them without shop stickers, and with the gen sets run that way.
where is the serial # located? if it's on the headtube, it's an F=1970 if it's on the left drop, it's E=1969.
ride it, probably real smooth with that setup
 
The Tourist model had the touring bars and the Sport model had the drop bars.

The Tourist would have come with the fenders too and everything else is just dealer add ons.
 
Metal Miltia said:
where is the serial # located? if it's on the headtube, it's an F=1970 if it's on the left drop, it's E=1969.
ride it, probably real smooth with that setup
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On the headtube.

Rat Rod said:
The Tourist model had the touring bars and the Sport model had the drop bars.

The Tourist would have come with the fenders too and everything else is just dealer add ons.
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Thanks Steve!

Now it dreamtime.... :mrgreen:
 
Pretty typical '60's-early '70's light duty touring setup, regular off the rack dealer parts, though usually w/somewhat better 7-11 internal spring-pan seat, and diagonal rise bar clamp. Speaking of the horizontal bar clamp, that one is about an inch and a half beyond it's minimum insertion marking. Pretty similar to how I set up my "World", until I decided it was still too painful, and put the Mae's bend and pencil seat back so they wouldn't get lost or tossed. As far as the light installation goes, what? It's installed correctly, except the dozen extra wraps up front looks pretty amateur to me.
 
deorman said:
Pretty typical '60's-early '70's light duty touring setup, regular off the rack dealer parts... As far as the light installation goes, what? It's installed correctly, except the dozen extra wraps up front looks pretty amateur to me.
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Awwwww....And here I thought I had som'thing special! :( I put the handle bar stem back to the min insertion line after taking the pics...
 
Definitely a cool looking bike. I really like that brown color. :D All the cruiser accessories look very nice.
 
If it were mine....I'd ditch the rear rack and then detail it out so that it really shined.

Not sure what it is about these touring bikes, but they can be addictive when it comes to detailing.

Looks to be a smaller frame size from looking at the neck tube.

All cleaned up the bike would probably bring $200 plus on Ebay...that is, if you wanted to sell it.

Get you a brass brush from Home Depot, some 0000 steel wool, Mother's Wax and some WD40 and you can make it look like these...

(WARNING: PHOTOS BELOW WILL CAUSE THE BIKE ENTHUSIAST TO START HUNTING FOR SCHWINN TOURING BIKES.) :lol:

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bikerx, that is a clean varsity! good chrome on it, too. never knew schwinn made a tourist varsity, but around here, you learn something new everyday.

and steve, those collegiates are super clean! love that orange one. :mrgreen:
 
I wasn't putting it down, it's just that when I was young every other adult bike was like that, or a Raleigh version, mostly because they worked so well. On a good downhill run, you can pass quite a few Lance-alikes on those old Varsitys, they will really fly!
 
Woah! :shock: Dude! Those bikes are hot! Yea, It's a 19" frame as best as I can tell...A little cramped for me, I'm 5' 10" My Suburban fits me better (24" frame)...Thanks for the advice! :mrgreen: I think the rack is goin' on the Suburban...And I've got some work to do!! :lol: btw...what do you use the WD40 for? And where did you get those cool valve caps!? Ps. I still haven't received "approval" to join the Schwinn forum! :lol:
 
deorman said:
I wasn't putting it down, it's just that when I was young every other adult bike was like that, or a Raleigh version, mostly because they worked so well. On a good downhill run, you can pass quite a few Lance-alikes on those old Varsitys, they will really fly!
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That's cool! I was just a little bit jacked up...I thought that I had come across a unique bike, a real "one-of-a-kind"...No offense pal!! :wink:
 
When you polish the chrome with the steel wool and the brass brush it's a lot easier when you spray some WD40 on first...kinda like wet sanding.

Those caps were purchase off of the lady who works at Memory Lane....she's a regular on the official Schwinn forum...beware, they ain't cheap either. :shock:
 
Rat Rod said:
When you polish the chrome with the steel wool and the brass brush it's a lot easier when you spray some WD40 on first...kinda like wet sanding.

Those caps were purchase off of the lady who works at Memory Lane....she's a regular on the official Schwinn forum...beware, they ain't cheap either. :shock:
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Thanks Bro!
 

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