Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

tcar5

Nice bike, its hard to see but is that bike running Shimano 105 or is it SIS derailer? I would love to try that bike out. How much does it weigh?

e0richt

Here are the features of the bike...
not sure what the weight is, but I will check on it and get back to you...

as a sideline note, I had to take the bike into my LBS before the ride because I couldn't get the derailer adjusted properly and my LBS had no problems adjusting it and I didn't get that "hmmm a dept store bike" kind of feel from
them about servicing it... on getting info on the recreational group ride, the owner recommended that I take the Dawes rather than my trek 7100 hybrid...
by the way, the LBS was the one that sold me the trek 7100...


FEATURES
Full Chrome-moly Dura-Forte Frame and fork; with Alex Aluminum rims, Shimano 2200 14-speed der's with stem indexed shifters, Maxxis 130 PSI 700c tires, quick release wheels front and rear, aluminum alloy hubs, SHIMANO aluminum crank, Aluminum alloy pedals including toe clips with straps, aluminum stem, aluminum handlebar, aluminum seatpost, ProMax aluminum side-pull brakes and levers, plus a very nice Velo Road bike seat.

tcar5

No fair, for $10 bucks more you at least get the Shamino charted components. Granted they are last on the list but the SIS is not even mentioned in their product line. Plus a decent seat to boot......nice deal. You will have to keep us updated on how it all pans out.
Man, 130 PSI tires......better buy a really good bike pump...

e0richt

yeah, I have to admit, this is the first time dealing with the presta valves and the higher PSI tires. But at the same time, its kind of cool... I didn't feel that I really stuck out on the group ride and the bike felt "spritely" compared to my
hybrid. It shifted crisply. I was wondering about the dual chain ring but there are a couple of bridge overpasses that are kind of hilly, (fairly flat in NJ) and
I had no problems with them so I don't miss the granny gear... (however, you can get a higher end model that has it...)

the next thing I have my eye on is getting an aerobar... (there always seems to be something to tweak in order to get better performance) but I feel that Im still ahead of the game...

e0richt

well, I have put 53 more miles on the bike, so far no problems with any shifting,
brakes are good and it is fun to ride... I have had to put money into it some that I have already accounted for some not...

bike with shipping.......... 249.00
stem extender............... 15.00 -- helps me use the drops of the
handlebar :-)
derailer adjustment........ ~20.00 -- from LBS...
cyclecomputer.............. 10.00 -- from wal-mart
--------
294.00

I had this "ergonomic" seat (Easyseat II) that I used for my hybrid (which was very comfortable...) and tried it on the Dawes but found that the seat that
came with the bike was more comfortable...

I have been running the tires at 100 psi rather than the 130 psi max basically because I don't have a pump that goes that high yet... (I have a carry pump that goes to 120 but the last time I tried that on a presta valve, I somehow bent the pin and had to replace the tube, so Im kind of gunshy with that now...)

tcar5

$20 for derailer adjustment is a good deal. You'll have to let me know if it holds. I think I have a good deal coming on some slightly used Shamino 105 derailers. Of course now I hear the call of a new build. Winter is coming and what better time then the cold non-riding days to build a new bike. Any suggestions on a decent cheap frame for a new road bike? I do not want an old junked out steel frame.

e0richt

the derailer adjustment was needed because I somehow "boogered" up the cable when trying to adjust it myself when I got the bike... so that was before I put the 53 additional miles... total miles 67... I will keep you up to date on how the derailer handles...

oh and by the way, I haven't weighed the bike myself but I have heard the bike weighs 22 lbs... but thats probably without the pedals... it is definitely less weight than my trek 7100 hybrid...

suggestions for a cheap frame? nope, you might try ebay (but you already know about that...) there might be a "craigs list" posting in your area.

you might try a search for "cycle clubs" that might have some classifieds dealing with a bike frame. (the benefit is that you might find something worthwhile locally that you can go take a look at... same for complete bikes as well... same for craigs list as well...)

so are you still going to put the Ultegra componens on the "schwinn varsity"?

tcar5

Yes, but a slight snag I didn't think of. I now have to replace the rear hub. The spacing is the same as the SIS, but the STI is for a 9 speed. I cannot get the right combo of adjustments and I think I am waisting my time trying to use the old SIS 7 speed cassette and hub. I am looking for a new hub and 9 speed cassette now. AND......I apparently need to get new cables also. I am now learning that the walmart cables that I bought are not usable for the Ultegra system. I figure, heck I have gone this far and if the last few parts are going to be cheap enough...might as well go all the way.
I sure hope the frame holds up. I have pretty much rebuild the whole darn thing and its not really a budget bike anymore. I am reaching the mid range price now. However I sure have learned a lot about wrenching and doing it myself.

xjohnx

I just traded my Trek 4100 (entry level MTB) for one of the new Schwinn Varsitys in really good condition. I'm a n00b to road bikes though, any chance you could tell me what added benefit each of those upgrades adds to the bike (Namely, the Fork, Seat post, Ahead)? Or is there a FAQ somewhere that will explain this? I tried searching but couldn't find anything.

e0richt

well, basically the idea comes down to weight.
carbon fiber weighs much less than most (if not all) metals that are used on a
bike.
and of course there are metal alloys that are lighter than the stock metal used on a low end bike.

the lighter the weight the easier it is for the rider to use the bike.
However, unless you are going on alot of hills, you might want to consider that
it might be more beneficial to make yourself more "aero" rather than worry about the weight of the bike... (maybe some clip-on aero bars for instance...)

bigsid

This is a fantastic thread. It's really been helpful.

I just purchased the Schwinn Varsity from Walmart today. I tried to haggle for a price like tcar5, but couldn't close the deal. Is it possible to raise the handlebars? It's killing my back.

I found the Dawes Lightning Sport interesting, I could return the Schwinn, but I was concerned about mail order if I didn't like the feel.

I also bought the Schwinn Ranger mountain bike from Target, and after a couple of swaps, have been very satified. Target outsources assembly to Huffy and the guy is there every Wednesday and tweaks mine for free(gears,brakes,etc).

Thanks in advance,

Sid

e0richt

well, I have to admit that I thought the same thing because I went to walmart and found that if I ordered the schwinn, I could return it to the store without a problem. The only thing I would lose is the 20.00 for shipping... and thats why I didn't order from "Dicks Sporting Goods" because they wouldn't follow suit on the "GMC yukon" bike.

However, because of tcar5's experiences and descriptions, I decided to check out "chicabike" on ebay and there were tons of positive feedback on the bike so thats why I decided on going with that. Add in the fact that the Dawes frame is chro-molly rather than aluminum, I knew it was lighter than my old xmart bike from 20 years ago and just as durable. alot of older high-end bikes
had chro-molly frames so thats why I went with and Im very happy with it...

just went on a 10 mile run sunday morning and I really am becoming more
comfortable on the bike. The reason for the "more comfortable" is because I
was riding a hybrid with a much more upright position and there is a "break in"
period with any bicycle for me. I had to add the stem extension so that I can
get in the drops, which are now comfortable for me to ride in

Bob Ross

I'll show my age too: I got a brand new original Schwinn Varsity Sport when I was 12 years old, & that was my only bike for the next 10 years. By the time I reached 15 or 16 years old I had gotten pretty immune to the constant ribbing I'd get from friends with their lightweight (sic) "English racers" ...none of which could have been under 28 lbs, but all of which were a good 8-10 lbs *less* than my Schwinn. That Varsity Sport could've survived a nuclear war.

tcar5

Not very much. The ahead is already angled up. It would be easier to lower them by turning the ahead to upside down. You could lower your seat but then not knowing how tall you are you may run into a problem with the pedals.
Hmmmm, thinking.....Obviously replacing the current fork with a new fork with an uncut full length steering tube and then using spacers you can make it as high as you want it and then just saw off the excess steering tube. That would be your best bet and safer. I don't want to provide advice that will have your fork coming off on your next 25 mph downhill run. If you hit ebay you will find what you want and if your not out for carbon fiber then you can land an uncut fork for $15 with shipping.
Good luck