Value of 1970 Schwinn Varsity?
5leit...@spcvxb.spc.edu
I recently acquired a Schwinn Varsity 10-spd bike, and I was
wondering what value this bike might have. It was manufactured in 1970,
and is excellent condition, with all of its "Schwinn Approved" parts.
The frame is bright orange, with white lettering.
Any help or info. would be appreciated, since I collect old
Schwinn bicycles, and price info. is not as easy to find for this bike
as it was for the older Schwinn "balloon tire" bikes I own. It seems
to be a nice addition to my collection, though.
Thanks in advance.
Craig
5leit...@spcvxa.spc.edu
Saint Peter's College
Roger A. Krupski
and has "cruiser" handlebars instead of the "roadie" style drop bars.
It's all factory original and in showroom condition. It even has the
original tires (which I wouldn't dare ride on!). I keep it in the
attic... just because it's a neat bike. I *ride* my Cannondale... ;-)
Roger
--
Roger A. Krupski .-- .- ..--- ... -.- --- -------- __o
State University of New York at Buffalo ------- _`\<,_
Internet: kru...@acsu.buffalo.edu ------- (o)/ (*)
Sheldon Brown
>Schwinn bicycles, and price info. is not as easy to find for this bike
>as it was for the older Schwinn "balloon tire" bikes I own. It seems
>to be a nice addition to my collection, though.
>
that will remain to show that Humanity ever existed will be the
Pyramids, the Great Wall Of China, and millions and millions of Schwinn
Varsities. This was the most nearly indestructible full-size,
derailer-geared bike ever made, and they made an awful lot of 'em.
25-year-old ten speeds in general have very little current value, unless
they are very unusual or high-end models. The Varsity was neither, so
you will have to wait a while for it to become valuable.
Be careful not to strain your back trying to lift it ;-)>
Sheldon "The Varsity Was The VW Beetle Of Bicycles" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Small change can often be found under seat cushions. |
| --Robert A. Heinlein |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Jeff Cook
>After they drop the big one, and the cockroaches inherit the Earth, all
>that will remain to show that Humanity ever existed will be the
>Pyramids, the Great Wall Of China, and millions and millions of Schwinn
>Varsities. This was the most nearly indestructible full-size,
>derailer-geared bike ever made, and they made an awful lot of 'em.
You keep talking in the past tense here. Have they quit making them?
I guess it wouldn't surprise me. There's probably not much profit in
selling a cheap bike that lasts forever. I bought mine about 15 years
ago, and it's still almost like new--even the finish is in fairly decent
shape. If I ever smash mine up, I want another Varsity just like it.
>Be careful not to strain your back trying to lift it ;-)>
Hey, I used to own a Continental--that bike was built like a brick
sh-thouse. My Varsity is a featherweight compared to that thing...
--
Jeff Cook Jeff...@Symbios.Com
Heather Yewall
>
>I also have a Schwinn Varsity.
Hi There Y'all,
I love this thread. I am not a Schwinn dealer, mfr., stockholder,
or any other interest other than being a long-time customer.
I'm one of those all the trendy-techies in my club look down
their noses at. But, Schwinn has always stood by their product,
replacing free of charge frames and components that were almost
as old as I am. To give you some idea of how old that is, I began
riding a Schwinn as a kid when all you COULD buy were balloon
tired one-speed tractors. My first lightweight was a Schwinn with
a built in two-speed shifter in the crank housing. To shift gears
you stepped on the brakes (back pedaled). My first ten-speed
was a Varsity, and after that experience, I really stuck my neck
out and paid the exhorbitant sum of $450 for a Paramount touring
model--back when some little old lady at the Schwinn plant
actually did the frame welding. People thought I was nuts when
I told them I paid the outrageous sum (for then) of $450. That was
way back there in 1972. I still have that old Paramount--babied and
pampered and kept for long tours only. I own two other Schwinn
models that I ride regularly on day trips.
___________________________________________________
Heather Yewall <Deep in the heart of cloverland.>
Mea...@mediasoft.net
>
> >This was the most nearly indestructible full-size,
> >derailer-geared bike ever made, and they made an awful lot of 'em.
>
Varsity and road it off road. Spec derailleur, spec rims, spec spokes.
I broke TWO handlebars but the rest of the bike came through
like a champ. BTW, don't ask me what I was doing to break
handlebars. My mother's still trying to find out and I don't want
to give my kids any ideas. We don't want our kids to find
out that we were ever young and stupid ;-)
BTW, sold that Varsity while I was in college and bought
a '73 LeTour. My wife says I can get a new bike when
I wear this one out so I'll be taking it out on yet another
century this weekend.
--Ed M.
Mark Hickey
> After they drop the big one, and the cockroaches inherit the Earth, all
> that will remain to show that Humanity ever existed will be the
> Pyramids, the Great Wall Of China, and millions and millions of Schwinn
> Varsities. This was the most nearly indestructible full-size,
> derailer-geared bike ever made, and they made an awful lot of 'em.
>
> 25-year-old ten speeds in general have very little current value, unless
> they are very unusual or high-end models. The Varsity was neither, so
> you will have to wait a while for it to become valuable.
Ahhh, but you forget the fact that it was built with the most aerodynamic
fork of all time. Just this fact alone should have all the O'bree and
Saint Tony wannabees flocking to neighborhood yard sales and bike shop
bone piles to find the ultimate speed weaponry.
Well, at least the ones that live in very *flat* areas...... The solid
steel blades on that puppy have to weigh 5 pounds!
Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
Sheldon Brown
>In article <43is5b$p...@camelot.ccs.neu.edu> Sheldon Brown <Capt...@aol.com> writes:
>
>>that will remain to show that Humanity ever existed will be the
>>Pyramids, the Great Wall Of China, and millions and millions of Schwinn
>>Varsities. This was the most nearly indestructible full-size,
>>derailer-geared bike ever made, and they made an awful lot of 'em.
>
>
The head tube and internal lugs was made by welding two forgings together,
the left and right halves. The forks were also forged, not tubular. They
used Schwinn S-7 tubular rims, also made in the Chicago factory. I had the
priveledge of touring this factory while it was still in operation, it was
quite amazing.
>I guess it wouldn't surprise me. There's probably not much profit in
>selling a cheap bike that lasts forever. I bought mine about 15 years
>ago, and it's still almost like new--even the finish is in fairly decent
>shape. If I ever smash mine up, I want another Varsity just like it.
>
>>Be careful not to strain your back trying to lift it ;-)>
>
>Hey, I used to own a Continental--that bike was built like a brick
>sh-thouse. My Varsity is a featherweight compared to that thing...
>--
If mem'ry serves, the Continental was a Varsity with quick-release hubs,
centerpull brakes, and a tubular fork. Same frame.
Sheldon "Mildly Nostalgic, But Glad I Don't Have To Ride One" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts
+----------------------------------------------+
| Always store beer in a dark place |
| --Robert A. Heinlein |
+----------------------------------------------+
Henry Barta
: If mem'ry serves, the Continental was a Varsity with quick-release hubs,
: centerpull brakes, and a tubular fork. Same frame.
Mine (pre '70) had alloy wheels and alloy bars, if memory serves
me.
: Sheldon "Mildly Nostalgic, But Glad I Don't Have To Ride One" Brown
: Newtonville, Massachusetts
Well, it was a lot of fun then!
--
Hank Barta White Oak Software Inc.
hba...@interaccess.com Predictable Systems by Design.
Beautiful Sunny Winfield, Illinois
Andy Weilert
track-stars who wear big heavy shoes for training, then switch to
lightweight cleats for the race. Haul a Varsity or a Continental
along for 40 or 50 miles, then switch to a 12 pound racing bike and
twist the hub right off the spokes.
Seriously, the Varsity/Continental style Schwinns may be the perfect
commuter bike: No worries about bending a frame or rim after hitting a
pothole, No bother with locking the thing up with a 10 pound chain.
I ride a Continental to work nearly every day of the year and put in enough
weekend rides to rack up 2000 to 2400 miles/year (Someone once told me that
would probably equal 10000 miles on a modern bike). Find someone who
doesn't like the high position, knobby tires or handlebars of a MTB and
let them have it for $50.
Andy Weilert
a...@fc.hp.com
dcoke...@gmail.com
Andrew Chaplin
26f624...@googlegroups.com:
> Red. Very little rust. Been kept in dry building for over 20 years
>
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/schwinn-varsity
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)