Page 10 - Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

26-08.-2006, 11:16 AM

#136

e0richt

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006

Posts: 363

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindsaint

I'm going to school to major in Journalism and Minor in Art History... I'd like to be a Travel Journalist which, I know, unless I become big or land a tv show (unlikley), I won't make alot of money doing. It just seems like a fun thing to do...

Back to the bike, I got a Schwinn Varsity for my birthday (I asked for it, after seeing this thread) about three weeks ago and I've gone on two 10 mile rides, both on fair roads. I love it. The only things I have concern with are these:
The seat sucks... gives me a wedgy and hurts my sit bones for a few days when I ride it.
Tires aren't the best, here in Tucson, I've found that the roads are so hot, the rubber expands on the tires and I slowly lose air.... not good
Had to oil the shifters and it made a huge difference in how they work...

Those are all minor things though... everything else works great for now. I know there's no way that I would be able to afford a more name brand bike, at least not untill after college, so I am content with this one. I'll change the seat and post sometime in the next couple months, it should make it a lot more comfortable.

I'm also getting a MTB soon, also a crappy mart bike. Target has one I've been eyeing for $250, has dual shocks, trigger shifters (Shimano, as I recall), and a comfy seat. I grew up on MTB's so as far as I'm concerned, this one will work well for me... at least for a recreational bike in Portland or Reno, wherever I decide to go to college....

Its a shame that you didn't see my other posts detailing my experience with the "Dawes Lightning Sport" for a comparable price and comparing with what tcar said. I think that the Sport was darn good deal and I love the bike... I have had it for a month and have put 140 miles on it and have had no problems...

30-08.-2006, 03:16 AM

#137

e0richt

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006

Posts: 363

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcar5

Ain't that the truth.....With this frame all I can think of how much I will spend on getting parts for it. Some deals can add stress and expenditures. Now if I had been my neighbor, he would have found a complete bike with papers, bike bag, extra chain, freshly tuned and polished and $100 bucks in the underseat bag....! and the lost transcripts to where D.B. Cooper hid his money.

seems there is someone nearby that wants to sell there Raleigh 12 speed for
about 75$... assuming its in good condition, are they fairly good bikes?

oh something to note: since I have gotten used to riding my Dawes road bike,
I decided to get the "motobecane" bike ready because we're expecting some rain and I just don't have the heart yet to ride it in the rain... so I did a quick
test drive of the motobecane.

now remember, it has a "mixte" frame, some would call it a lady's bike, so the frame is kind of small for me but darn if it wasn't comfortable to ride compared to this Raleigh mountain bike that I WAS going to use as a beater bike...

30-08.-2006, 03:26 AM

#138

tcar5

Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2006

Posts: 68

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by e0richt

seems there is someone nearby that wants to sell there Raleigh 12 speed for
about 75$... assuming its in good condition, are they fairly good bikes?

I have heard that they are and $75 seems in line with a name brand used bike that may be from the 80's or very early 90's. Based on its condition, go for it. But if its beat up, or the parts are in bad shape, I wouldn't pay over $35. Your just going to have to tear it apart and start building it with new stuff.....you already know all this anyway....
Upload some pics of the bike if you don't mind and the name and I will help you track down its history and any details on age or rebuilding details.....
This could be like a project that doesn't cost me anything...

30-08.-2006, 06:33 AM	#139
Blademun Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Port Richey, Florida Posts: 137	Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!) Can I do that too? I'd really like to know the history behind my Trek 300. __________________ Gameing, Anime and Bicycling...what more do you need from life?

08-09.-2006, 12:08 PM

#140

razethekids

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2006

Posts: 1

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnO

I'm really showing my age here, but... somehow a Varsity that weighs less than 40 pounds just doesn't seem right. They were tanks.

OEM equipment on the original Varsity was Huret. Curiously enough, the old Varsity also had shifters mounted up on the stem.

i just got a used varsity at the goodwill. all it needed was new tubes and tires. and despite its weight and head stem shifters, its the funnest bike ive ever rode. i dont know too much about the new school schwinn, but the original is sick.

08-09.-2006, 10:02 PM

#141

tcar5

Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2006

Posts: 68

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by razethekids

Wow, its already showing up at good will hugh.....What price did you pay. This bike is only about a year old. I went to the dump to try and find some frames for winter projects and man have the times changed. You used to be able to cruise the dump in search of hidden treasures but this time I was greeted by two rather large dudes that waved me down and wanted to know what I was doing. I told them and they said that they don't allow that. Apparently the city dumps have become big business. From the yard waste being sold as mulch and all the seperated metals being sold for scrap, its become someone's for knox and only drop off's are allowed. It was a shame too since there was a good shape 1060's model cruzer bike laying there with red paint and in really good shape with white wall tires.

08-09.-2006, 10:28 PM

#142

e0richt

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006

Posts: 363

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcar5

well, just to let you know, I didnt purchase the Raleigh... it looked a bit beat up
and add in the fact that even though he advertised it was in "rideable" condition, he either didn't pump up the tires or couldn't... (really couldn't get much info out of him...) so I couldn't tell if I needed to change the cassette and chain in order to ride the thing...

so I figured I had this old mountain bike (a Raleigh talon cx) and I knew more about its condition and decided to convert it to a "road bike". I went to the local bike junk yard (theres a guy that sells them for around 10-20 dollars depending on your haggling skills) I bought two bikes for 20.00.

I stripped the components off the bikes and started putting them on to the mountain bike. some of that stuff really doesnt rust much and where there was some rust I picked the better components and buffed them up a bit... so now I have something akin to a mid-80's 12 speed (really 21 speed as I have the 7 x 3 setup still...) I had to replace the cassette / chain which was very easy (though I haven't tested it yet...) plan to give it a test run later today...

08-09.-2006, 10:43 PM

#143

tcar5

Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2006

Posts: 68

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by e0richt

well, just to let you know, I didnt purchase the Raleigh... it looked a bit beat up
plan to give it a test run later today...

There is a guy around me that does the same. He has 15 bikes parked in his front yard. None of them are worth anything unless you needed a specific part. They are all Dept. store bikes and rusted and banged up. I keep wanting to stop but nothing really jumps out at me from afar. I did spy a Schwinn Caliente 20" girls bike. Its sitting between two garages so I looked it up and its a mid 90's girls 20" road bike. Rare by my account as is any youth road bike would be. Its in fantastic shape so I am going to ask if they will part with it, hopefully for nothing. If so I will repaint and can get decals off ebay. After its done, I have no idea what to do with it.....Maybe someone in the local club has a daughter who is wanting to try road biking.......I will post pics if I get the bike and doc the progress....

08-09.-2006, 10:50 PM

#144

e0richt

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006

Posts: 363

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcar5

if this seems to go well, I noticed a "mikado" ladies bike there (mixte frame)...
I was actually considering getting it and trying to convert it to a recumbent.... there seems to be alot of people that have built homemade recumbents from normal road bikes, mixte frames (which looked the easiest)
and even wood... it might be an interesting "challenge"...

oh and interestingly enough, both of the bikes were ladies bikes (for some reason they are the best preserved) and one of them that I got was a "caliente"... the other was a dept store bike... it had 26'' road tires that
looked in great shape, no wear to speak of and no dry rot... I had no use for them so, sadly, I had to put them in the trash for pickup. my wife puts up
with alot but she wont put up with having a "junk yard" for bike parts...

Last edited by e0richt : 08-09.-2006 at 11:01 PM.

08-09.-2006, 10:55 PM

#145

e0richt

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006

Posts: 363

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by razethekids

Is this the "walmart version" or the "classic version" ?
sounds like the old classic version...

Last edited by e0richt : 08-09.-2006 at 11:49 PM. Reason: more info

20-09.-2006, 01:38 PM

#146

psykel78

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2006

Posts: 9

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by e0richt

Is this the "walmart version" or the "classic version" ?
sounds like the old classic version...

Hello i am totally new to cycling. I am debating whether to order a schwinn varsity from walmart which the frame is like 55 cm. The GMC denali which the frame is cm inches from walmart. Or the gmc denali xl which is 57.5 cm available from amazon. My height is 6 feet 0 inches and I weigh 200 pounds even. What is the best fit for my height?

20-09.-2006, 09:11 PM

#147

Scotty_Dog

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2004

Posts: 771

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by psykel78

Follow the link for a guide to bike fitting:

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/

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20-09.-2006, 10:04 PM

#148

psykel78

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2006

Posts: 9

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotty_Dog

Follow the link for a guide to bike fitting:

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/

I want a personal opinion. thanks

20-09.-2006, 10:18 PM

#149

tcar5

Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2006

Posts: 68

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by psykel78

I want a personal opinion. thanks

I would avoid the Denali simply based on build of the bike. Its going to be a hassle maintaining that bike and using it for real road use. The Varsity is a better bet, better components and better ride. at 6 feet you should be able to fit "ok" on the varsity. not knowing your leg length and arm length its hard to make a solid judgement. But my best guess is that your going to have to set the seat back all the way and possibly get a longer astem. Best advice is to visit a walmart and test the bike for fit, or go to your local bike shop and test one that is the same size.
Good luck.....

20-09.-2006, 11:00 PM

#150

e0richt

Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006

Posts: 363

Re: Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by psykel78

I want a personal opinion. thanks

well if thats the sizes for the frames, based on fit I would go with the Denali XL.
Im 5' 9'' and I went with a 56 cm frame on a different bike, so at 6' you would want the larger frame I would think.

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