TRADITIONAL All American Varsity

[rickpaulos]

My personal deadline is July 4, get the bike(s) ready for the local All American Bike Ride. Held on July 4 at 1 pm. Starting place in front of the Statue of Liberty on the 1st Avenue Bridge in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. USA

The Twins

The Twins multiplying

One offspring getting too fat.

27.5 x 2.40 won't fit no matter how cool they look.

 

[Captain Awesome]

personal deadline is July 4, get the bike(s) ready for the local All American Bike Ride. Held on July 4 at 1 pm. Starting place in front of the Statue of Liberty on the 1st Avenue Bridge in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. USA

The Twins
https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/262/262818-Img-7759.jpg
The Twins multiplying
https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/263/263756-Img-8051.jpg
One offspring getting too fat.
View attachment 263832

Oooooooohhhhhhh…..

Which one is your actual entry? The green one?

 

[Pondo]

I second the green one. Very cool!

 

[Wildcat]

Blue one is a larger frame.

 

[kingfish254]

BUILD ON BROTHER!!!!

 

[twojs.bike]

I have rebuilt several Varsitys into new bikes. The varsity is high quality and under rated. Solid frames, amazing drive trains, hubs easily polish to a mirror shine.

 

[Chad T]

Might be able to spread the rear stays. Would need to deflate the tire to install. Different fork for the front. Those are nice tires.

 

[BDC]

Starting place in front of the Statue of Liberty

I have to say it's far less impressive than I was lead to believe.

 

[rickpaulos]

Is this view any better?

 

[rickpaulos]

I have rebuilt several Varsitys into new bikes. The varsity is high quality and under rated. Solid frames, amazing drive trains, hubs easily polish to a mirror shine.

Well, not always. I found this one in my back yard.

 

[BDC]

Is this view any better?

View attachment 264382

Oh much.

 

[marshall hudson]

Well, not always. I found this one in my back yard.

View attachment 264383

It will buff out. A few more bud lights and a little elbow grease.

 

[rickpaulos]

A couple of rubbers showed up today in the mail.

If they don't fit we must acquit and order some a size smaller.

 

[Wildcat]

That's gonna be close. On those frames, I've had the 26 x 2.125 size fit, and another pair also 2.125 was too wide.

 

[rickpaulos]

They keep multiplying....
I checked the sheds for a 22" blue or red.
Here are 8 Varsitys for consideration.

There was a 22" blue but it has a tubular fork. March 1983 model. Just a reminder the Chicago factory was phased out in 1983. Took about 10 months to wrap up production there. The tubular fork suggests they quit making the bladed forks and ran out so they subbed the tubular forks. The tubular forks are limited to about 1.5" wide tires. pass.

A Lugged frame Varsity, built by Giant, April 1986 27" wheel 17" frame.. Pass, This built is for an American Varsity. What you say, non-Chicago Varsities? yes, I have a polished aluminum Varsity, a bright orange aluminum Varsity 1500 and had a Varsity Carbon Fiber, surely all from China. I had a Murray of Kentucky built Varsity. What a dog.

Silver, right size, wrong color. 1977.

1977 27" wheels, 24" frame (bent seat stays and maybe more) too tall for me to ride comfortably.

1973 ladies 21" frame 27" wheels. Hers & His.

1973 26" frame 27" wheels

1974 20" frame 27" wheels.

24 inch wheels. This is what we locally call a flood bike. The 2008 Epic Flood got 5400 houses and 1200 business buildings. About 75% of those were torn down. Lots of bikes went directly to the landfills. Some were donated to the local bike coop. Just too rare to scrap. A future resto perhaps.

 

[twojs.bike]

8 varsities?? I thought I had a problem.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I’m still confused which bike is your entry?

 

[rickpaulos]

Still trying to decide. It will be a Varsity in red or blue. I'd prefer one in my size.

and then there are the Varsity variants. Continental, Sprint, Caliente. Have a bunch of those too.

 

[ingola]

I suddenly don't feel like I have two many bikes anymore but one bike please

 

[Jude Ephesus]

8 varsities?? I thought I had a problem.

I’m cool with it!