Schwinn Varsity... why did I buy this?

yoothgeye · Apr 1, 2011

I stopped by an antique barn coming back from the hospital to look around for inspirational pieces for my RRBBO entry. Didn't see anything too special, I told them I was into bikes and they said they had one cheap. I went into a back room and they had this dirty old Varsity hanging up there, it's a men's frame, they said $20, I saw a bell and generator light and said, why not.

Man, this is a heavy bike. Don't have a clue what I'll do with it or it's parts.

outskirtscustoms · Apr 1, 2011

Well you have some options

1. Paint it flat black, throw a brooks seat on it, and some upside down cruiser bars. Board track it.

2. Paint it some off the wall loud and obnoxious color, drop the derailleurs and brakes, add a gear cog, toss the cluster, and wear spandex. Fixie it.

3. Restore it

4. Rat it.

yoothgeye · Apr 1, 2011

My friend was just talking to me this morning about not having a bike for the build off, so I thought about giving him the frame, but first welding in a second top bar like on a tank frame (I have convinced myself that since the second bar is nothing more than an accessory that it still abides by the rules, I think the stock frame rule is to keep out stretches and insane radical builds).

Maybe I payed $20 for a generator that may or may not work. Maybe the $20 was for a rusty bell (that I also did not check). Who

I thought about cleaning the frame and throwing on a cheap set of fixed wheels for a profit, it's just, I'm not in this for the profit, though money would be nice. haha

Wildcat · Apr 1, 2011

The chrome was outstanding on those Schwinns, as was the paint job. If the original bike is all there, you could restore it to original. It would be great if it was coppertone. After getting it showroom, about 50 hours work, you could probably get 90 bucks for it. Not worth the trouble unless you wanted a deluxe Varsity for yourself. I weighed a bare 23" varsity frame, 27 lbs!