Schwinn Varsity fixed gear.

[Joosh]

With a crazy stroke of luck, I was able to find a '70s Schwinn varsity for $20 at a yard sale. I kind of wish I took a before picture, but here it is as of now:

I have a Shimano dura-ace, yes, Dura-ace, front wheel, chopped up road bars, a recovered flannel seat, and an old school dia compe mx brake lever.

This build is completely for fun, and to make the purists mad. :mrgreen:

I need a fixed gear rear wheel, and some new bb bearings to get this thing riding.

 

[Joosh]

Pork chop order I might do:

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I love them Vans shoe brake pads!

Luke.

 

[Joosh]

Got it riding last night! I just threw on the original 27" geared wheel just to get a feel for it. Its fun!

 

[Joosh]

Getting a fixed gear wheelset today. So exited! here is what it looks like now:

 

[LukeTheJoker]

That is cool!

Luke.

 

[Joosh]

Thanks! I'm eventually going to strip down the frame to bare metal and do a clear coat. Rat rod style!

 

[Araya51]

Here is one that I picked up for $5 bucks at a yard sale and I built it with all origenal parts and came out pretty clean.. I posted it in " Post your Schwinns".. I thinks it the 12th page.. check it out...I ended up selling it.

 

[Joosh]

Whoops! Completely forgot to update this thread! I now have all the parts I want, and it is riding perfect. Now, I'm going to strip the paint and try and remove all of the cable bosses.

Here it is now:

No handed trackstand!

Putting these cranks on soon. $10 score!

 

[Joosh]

Ok. haven't updated this in awhile. Been working on it a lot, and I'm pretty happy with the result. The cranks and new pedals are on, and I grinded off all of the cable bosses and brackets. Just recently, I sprayed the whole thing in matte black. Here it is:

 

[Joosh]

I got some new to me black Schwinn grips that I have since installed, I just don't have any photos. More updates soon!

 

[Machine Age Victim]

Looks great, simple! Black grips will look perfect

 

[Joosh]

Thanks!

 

[gcrank1]

Got me interested now in doing my old one. Its in pieces (to better fit in the too small garage) and I have a 26" sgl. speed alum. wheelset off a Huffy Cranbrook that I think will fit with minor tweaking. My problem is this has the 'freewheeling crankset'. I would rather swap it to somebody who wants/needs one than weld it solid (or whatever mod it takes). After working on cottered crank Brit bikes the Varsity is a breeze and I think an underrated package. The frame has certainly shown it was built to last, apparently a virtue in European frames but not in American? Take a varsity and do it up Pashley and few will know the difference at stand-off distance or a pass-by.

 

[Zumo]

Looking good! I plan to build another, they are very sturdy bikes.

 

[Joosh]

Got me interested now in doing my old one. Its in pieces (to better fit in the too small garage) and I have a 26" sgl. speed alum. wheelset off a Huffy Cranbrook that I think will fit with minor tweaking. My problem is this has the 'freewheeling crankset'. I would rather swap it to somebody who wants/needs one than weld it solid (or whatever mod it takes). After working on cottered crank Brit bikes the Varsity is a breeze and I think an underrated package. The frame has certainly shown it was built to last, apparently a virtue in European frames but not in American? Take a varsity and do it up Pashley and few will know the difference at stand-off distance or a pass-by.

I get ya there. Its bulletproof for sure. I also really love the look of the smoothed out joints of the frame. Thats all you really need in a city bike, right?

 

[Joosh]

Pretty much done and ready for a nice winter thrashing.

 

[big kountry]

I have one of those frames collecting dust I have been wanting to build a fixed gear you just inspired me cool bike man

 

[Joosh]

Thank you. Good luck on your build!

 

[rickpaulos]

check out the Schwinn-gle speed group at flickr.
quite a few there:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1158750@N22/