Schwinn Varsity Party Bike

[Jude Ephesus]

Hey Jude, (still not tired of that) I just sent you a message in Conversations about a saddle option.

I really like the overall look of this! As mentioned above, a light coat of buffed car wax will really bring out the color and decals. Use a real soft buffing pad, an old sheepskin bike seat cover works great, or heavy weight polar fleece fabric.

I would replace the brake pads with the red colored pads. They are softer and will provide more grip and stopping power, and I think will compliment your color scheme.

These are the Sunlite Retro Red brake pads, designed for your type of brake caliper. Don't get the V-brake versions, they are designed for a different caliper!

View attachment 195269

Like I said, great stopping power and add a real cool vintage vibe! Saw them on Amazon.

RaT oN~!

I just scored 2 pair of these delivered off of eBay for $11!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

So…. Enough of my talking!

I haven’t been doing much building!!!!

As usual, super busy weekend. I do enjoy yard and garden and I’ve (and wifey) been putting in a lot of hours getting them ready for summer!

Just need a few more garden veggies for the back and some mulch out front and we’re gold until fall!

I did get the pedals off the Varsity. They were crusty with grease, dirt and rust.

Came off pretty easy. They were a bit bent and had some damage. I did my best to straighten them up.

Dunked them in vinegar bath!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Here’s my goal: I picked these up off of 500 bike Bruce a few weeks back.

They were in a little better shape than the pedals off the Varsity… but not much.

These were definitely newer/ better chroming?

Did the vinegar soak with these and they really popped. I’m afraid the Schwinn won’t pop like these did.

I put them on the Yalla Ross: which I’m growing quite fond of.

I think a lot of people look down on these things due to weight (like the varsity) but the more time I spend on the Ross, the more impressed I am!!!

I put another 7 on it tonight with wifey around the lake. Sure the Ross is heavy, but it rides really nice and the saddle is actually very comfortable.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Pedals out of the bath, super scrubbed….

I had some old chrome/aluminum polish in the garage.

Here they are slathered in polish.

There was still a lot of exposed metal/rust after the bath where there is no chrome plating left.

I was afraid if I left unplated metal exposed, the rust will return. So I drenched them in polish

Lol. Buffed, shined photos to follow

anyone know: is it tough to get that dust cover off? -and if so Will bearings fall out? Pedals say made in Germany on them, which threw me for a loop….. I think the corvette had a front rack on it that was German, but I was unaware of any other foreign parts on Schwinn’s.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

So….. tonight’s guest project is Beauty’s bike! (My wife: I call her beauty. She hates it)

We got this bike from Grammaw: a friend of hers was going to toss it. It’s a Raleigh SC40

The brakes were wonky and needed a tune and the seat post was stripped and the seat basically spun in circles like a barstool.

I fixed or replaced everything that was broken or out of whack

Beauty’s been riding the thing for about a year.

Tires have been shot since we got it.

I looked and for anything vaguely close in size in brown or cream. Nada.

1.5’s we’re on it: got 1.75’s and they look identical to me.

The bike once fixed has actually been a dream. It’s super comfortable, unbelievably light and everything on the bike feels crisp, smooth and quiet. (Except Beauty!)

New bikes are so much easier to work on and ride than our heaps!!!! I swapped out both tires in less than an hour, and that includes the time getting the thing out, chasing my tire tools down and letting my compressor fill…. Fun bike

Also scrubbed the Volvo: I look to get on the varsity some this weekend

 

[MattiThundrrr]

New bikes are so much easier to work on and ride than our heaps!

I hear what you are saying, Jude. I've been avoiding work on the old Build Off bike because I have a Nishiki on the hooks that is a couple of decades newer. I like the crusties, but sometimes it's nice when it comes apart without the struggle

 

[Ulu]

…..I think a lot of people look down on these things due to weight (like the varsity) but the more time I spend on the Ross, the more impressed I am!!!

If you are a racer, then weight is everything. But if you’re out for exercise like me, extra weight is actually beneficial.

It’s harder to pedal but you spend less time exercising. This is important to me because I want my wife to ride with me and she just can’t go half as far as I can. Consequently I’m on a bike that weighs over twice hers.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

I hear what you are saying, Jude. I've been avoiding work on the old Build Off bike because I have a Nishiki on the hooks that is a couple of decades newer. I like the crusties, but sometimes it's nice when it comes apart without the struggle

It is amazing to me how light the thing is…. And it’s just a recreational bike…. Compared to the steel we lug around, this thing feels like it weighs like 15 pounds….

 

[Jude Ephesus]

If you are a racer, then weight is everything. But if you’re out for exercise like me, extra weight is actually beneficial.

It’s harder to pedal but you spend less time exercising. This is important to me because I want my wife to ride with me and she just can’t go half as far as I can. Consequently I’m on a bike that weighs over twice hers.

Thanks Ulu.

I’m not a racer…. I did 1 pro sanctioned event as an amateur, had a ball, and that was enough for me! (Bike across Florida)

Ironically, I did the race on a vintage, steel Peugeot. (Hot rodded a bit w/ modern wheels, tires, brakes, saddle, aero bars & computer)

Other racers thought I was insane; bike did just fine!

I’m like you; just in it for the exercise and fun with bikes, wifey and friends.

It doesn’t matter if I go 30 miles in an hour or 10, all I care about is the hour!!!!

I’ve been threatening to get a carbon fiber bike and just take it out a few time a year to grip and rip….just haven’t got the size/deal yet.

Stay safe!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Well, I guess this is as good as they’re going to get!!!

Shout out to @Indyjps for the carb cleaner tip.

I tried to pop those dust covers off and they were either rusted on or not meant to come off.

-I got to the point of hammer taps, then hits and was about to cause more harm than good!

I blasted the carb cleaner into the pedals, worked them, drained then repeated a few times.

Hit them with 3 in 1 oil and both pedals spin like new.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Baby steps:

Bars raised
Chain off

Wheels and maybe crank tomorrow.

Whoever had this bike cared for it greatly.

-when I raised the bars, I easily undid the stem bolt, lifted the bars and retightened the bolt!!!! Uh….. that was easy!!!!!!

The stem, like the seat post was covered in grease; this grease had definitely hardened a bit, but I hit it with carb cleaner and it wiped right off and the chrome glowed.

 

[Ulu]

There’s a fellow in town here with a Schwinn tiger in that same metallic green color, and it is gorgeous.

It is probably well worth the $500 he’s asking too.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

1.5’s we’re on it: got 1.75’s and they look identical to me.
View attachment 196402

What are those 1.75s and where did you get them? I'm in need of a few sets of them. Thanks!

 

[Captain Awesome]

What are those 1.75s and where did you get them? I'm in need of a few sets of them. Thanks!

They look like the Kenda's that I got from Husky

https://www.huskybicycles.com/kenda...ar-bead-black-font-colorblueset-of-2font.html

 

[Jude Ephesus]

What are those 1.75s and where did you get them? I'm in need of a few sets of them. Thanks!

Thanks! Got ‘em off eBay! Not necessarily cheap, but about the going rate. They’re Kenda’s

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284408817474
-I definitely was looking for a gum wall Tire. -I also like the center contact strip or whatever you call it. My wife said the tires felt way smoother on our paved rec’ trail Than the tires that were on it.

I was a bit confused, these tires are supposed to be slightly larger than the 1.5’s. I cant really tell. May have a slightly larger aspect ratio. (Taller)

 

[Jude Ephesus]

They look like the Kenda's that I got from Husky

https://www.huskybicycles.com/kenda...ar-bead-black-font-colorblueset-of-2font.html

Great price! How did the freight work out? 6 in 1, 1/ dozen the other?

 

[Captain Awesome]

Great price! How did the freight work out? 6 in 1, 1/ dozen the other?

When I do an order from Husky I usually save up and order a bunch of spare parts to go along with it to make the shipping work out. For instance last time I ordered four tires, six of the lucky 7 sprockets and several bottom bracket kits

The prices from them are really great it's just the shipping that kills it. I've thought several times about doing a large group buy or seeing if somebody wanted to split an order to make it work out better

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Didn’t get much done on the Varsity.

I did get Ritch Sears’s S7’s cleaned up for him a little

He’s restoring a Schwinn Tiger. (We think!). -and a Columbia

The hoops came out OK: spokes are just too far gone.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

…..and sometimes, ya just get lucky on a ride.

I don’t get many of these:

-no stop watch, no cadence, no wind, no waves, no crowds….. just some bikes and a lake!

EPIC, epic ride

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Thanks for the tire 411, fellas!