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This one cost me my women’s roadmaster with the sweet springer front end.

This bike was right in my wheel house and the guy I traded with was looking for a complete bike with a good head badge and springer front.

super fair trade and we’re both stoked about the even-up deal.

as I’m a rider, I’m super pumped to restore this and ride it!

bike is super clean, and someone put correct, new tires on it!

license tag says Del Ray Oaks.

that’s a long haul to central New York!!!
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Ok; calling all Schwinn guru’s!

when I traded for the bike, I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting. (Unlike the Schwinn corvette I just got. Lol)

what’s got me miffed on this bike is the 10-speeds.

before I got the bike, I knew it was a ‘61. Knowing it was a ‘61, I did not pay super close attention to the front chain ring, the rear cassette or the decals on the bike!

in ‘61, per the catalog, Schwinn only made an 8 speed varsity. When I did the deal, that’s what I assumed I was getting.

upon further review, I found it was a 10 speed. No biggie. Just surprised.

As the bike has a 10/19/61 build date, would this bike have been marketed and sold in ‘62?

I‘m intrigued the bike, according to the serial number does not match the catalog For the year it was manufactured.

if anyone has any details, I’d love to hear them.
 
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It could be a 1962 model, manufactured in 1961.

Someone may have replaced the 4 speed freewheel with a 5 speed at some point in its life, just as the OE saddle was replaced. One other thing common with OE specs, the small print on the bottom of many spec sheets throughout the years (including Schwinn's) have a parts disclaimer that allows them to use comparable parts that differ from the OE spec.

The 1984 Schwinn Sierra I picked up recently has Dia Compe levers on it, but not the ones listed in the spec and the original owner didn't change anything on the bike except the saddle. The levers on it are better than the OE spec levers.
 
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Karate Chicken Industries said:
It could be a 1962 model, manufactured in 1961.

Someone may have replaced the 4 speed freewheel with a 5 speed at some point in its life, just as the OE saddle was replaced. One other thing common with OE specs, the small print on the bottom of many spec sheets throughout the years (including Schwinn's) have a parts disclaimer that allows them to use comparable parts that differ from the OE spec.

The 1984 Schwinn Sierra I picked up recently has Dia Compe levers on it, but not the ones listed in the spec and the original owner didn't change anything on the bike except the saddle. The levers on it are better than the OE spec levers.
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Awesome!!

thanks so much for the input!
 
I have this same bike in really good shape, even the same color but the largest frame size they made (I think it's a 22-23"). These are actually pretty rare bikes. Schwinn switched from 8 to 10 speeds part way through 1961, so it being a 10 speed is correct. I'm not sure if your rear derailleur is correct. I think they used either a simplex or a huret. If I remember correctly mine has the Huret. Any chance you could get a nice picture of the head badge? Yours looks like mine, I think they were originally green but have sort of faded to a bluish color. This is only the second 1961 green varsity that I have seen. Really cool bike and congrats on the score!

Here's mine: https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1961-early-10-speed-varsity.112124/
 
Quick question here, as long as we’re sort of discussing Schwinn product offerings:

I was talking to my neighbor the other day who SWORE he had a Murray stingray as a kid.

I told him no way, as Schwinn was highly territorial and proprietary. The stingray name rights without question would have belonged and been under full control to Schwinn.

(after further review, he had a Murray wildcat. (’73-‘74-ish))

Anyway, he was quick to comment a few days later that GM’s corvette had a stingray and Schwinn had a corvette.

does anyone know if there was a relationship, good or antagonistic between the two companies?

it seems highly ironic each would have the others’ model name in their product lineup.

-seems there could be a lot of parallels between the two companies at the time each’s models were made.

anyone know anything about this?
 
Jude Ephesus said:
This one cost me my women’s roadmaster with the sweet springer front end.

This bike was right in my wheel house and the guy I traded with was looking for a complete bike with a good head badge and springer front.

super fair trade and we’re both stoked about the even-up deal.

as I’m a rider, I’m super pumped to restore this and ride it!

bike is super clean, and someone put correct, new tires on it!

license tag says Del Ray Oaks.

that’s a long haul to central New York!!!
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That front derailleur shifter is awesome! That gives me an idea for my build off bike.
 
Jude Ephesus said:
Quick question here, as long as we’re sort of discussing Schwinn product offerings:

I was talking to my neighbor the other day who SWORE he had a Murray stingray as a kid.

I told him no way, as Schwinn was highly territorial and proprietary. The stingray name rights without question would have belonged and been under full control to Schwinn.

(after further review, he had a Murray wildcat. (’73-‘74-ish))

Anyway, he was quick to comment a few days later that GM’s corvette had a stingray and Schwinn had a corvette.

does anyone know if there was a relationship, good or antagonistic between the two companies?

it seems highly ironic each would have the others’ model name in their product lineup.

-seems there could be a lot of parallels between the two companies at the time each’s models were made.

anyone know anything about this?
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Your 61 frame says it's a 10 speed, so they did go to 10 speeds during 61 as Kram mentioned. They already offered 10 speeds on the Continental a year earlier. The decal on the downtube is a definite yes.
I never heard of any discourse between bike names and car companies. El Camino, Camaro and Galaxie were used by Huffy, Mustang by Rollfast, Wildcat by Murray, and there are probably a few others.
 
kram said:
I have this same bike in really good shape, even the same color but the largest frame size they made (I think it's a 22-23"). These are actually pretty rare bikes. Schwinn switched from 8 to 10 speeds part way through 1961, so it being a 10 speed is correct. I'm not sure if your rear derailleur is correct. I think they used either a simplex or a huret. If I remember correctly mine has the Huret. Any chance you could get a nice picture of the head badge? Yours looks like mine, I think they were originally green but have sort of faded to a bluish color. This is only the second 1961 green varsity that I have seen. Really cool bike and congrats on the score!

Here's mine: https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1961-early-10-speed-varsity.112124/
Click to expand...
I’ll get some more pics tomorrow!

my head badge looks like yours, but is a bit more faded.

I like the white bar tape, was that factor?

I’ll get a closer look at the rear derailleur.

stay tuned.
 
Pray I find a house!

My storage garage is looking like a circus!!!

So, my friend gave me an amazing deal on this load. $40. - $5 per bike. (I do have another $40 in gas and tolls)

As there’s plenty of rust here, these bikes are pretty much complete and really only need tires, tubes, elbow grease and lube!
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Here’s what’s in the mix
2 women’s black Columbia 3 spd tourists
His n hers yellow columbia 3 spd sport III
Women’s Ross 3 speed for parts
Girls 20” bike for persons seat and apes
24” Schwinn Typhoon (needs parts)
26” Western Flyer

So, super great deal, need to find a space and get to work!!!
 
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