Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

[backtobiking]

now just so you know, I am ~300 lbs, 5' 9''. I didnt feel that the bike was going to collapse on me so for the guy that didn't like the schwinn varsity because of his weight should probably give the denali, or envoy an try...

I'm 6'1" 315lbs currently. The varsity felt for me like what I suppose being cut open and bleeding bad in shark infested waters might feel like. I returned it to the store today. Almost had to through blows, but I got it done. I didn't feel it was worth anymore time on. My World Sport years ago was far better than this new varsity. I'm going to just save for a Paramount. The best Schwinn had to offer ever IMO. I like my schwinns, when the schwinn name ment something...

 

[astroluc]

ahhh memories...

...I had 3 old Varsities (2 hand-me-downs from my older brothers); one blue, one green... broke both the frames; stole and rebuilt my fathers black one when I got a bit bigger (that one was soon stolen in a more 'urban' part of town)... on those bikes while I rode the seed was planted. I rode cyclocross before it was a word, took those old steelies where they were NEVER meant to go (which could be why I broke the frames ), and loved every f/ing minute... I l8r bought a MTB but it was not the same. I have since gone back to 'road' bikes; and nowadays I DO keep it exclusively on the ROAD. After all, modern 'road' tires don't much agree with dirt trails... hmnn... did I say Cyclocross?? (only if I were 15 years younger~)


Schwinn was THE bike in the late 70s - early 80s... no doubt, at least to a 12yr old!

 

[alfeng]

I'm 6'1" 315lbs currently. The varsity felt for me like what I suppose being cut open and bleeding bad in shark infested waters might feel like. I returned it to the store today. Almost had to through blows, but I got it done. I didn't feel it was worth anymore time on. My World Sport years ago was far better than this new varsity. I'm going to just save for a Paramount. The best Schwinn had to offer ever IMO. I like my schwinns, when the schwinn name ment something...

I don't know if you are too heavy for the Schwinn Varsity, but you are definitely too tall ...

You need a bike with a frame with about a 58cm top tube (c-c) ... I'm going to guess that your old World Sport was a significantly larger frame than the sold-through-Walmart Schwinn Varsity.

 

[e0richt]

I'm 6'1" 315lbs currently. The varsity felt for me like what I suppose being cut open and bleeding bad in shark infested waters might feel like. I returned it to the store today. Almost had to through blows, but I got it done. I didn't feel it was worth anymore time on. My World Sport years ago was far better than this new varsity. I'm going to just save for a Paramount. The best Schwinn had to offer ever IMO. I like my schwinns, when the schwinn name ment something...

well, I have found something that might be what you are looking for... on ebay
there is a vender named "chicabike" that sells new "dawes lightning" bicycles. they are a little over 300.00 with shipping and they are steel frames and have STI shifters/brakes.

I am planning on getting one of these bikes I think, especially based on the
info about the "varsity" that I have read here...

 

[e0richt]

well, I have found something that might be what you are looking for... on ebay
there is a vender named "chicabike" that sells new "dawes lightning" bicycles. they are a little over 300.00 with shipping and they are steel frames and have STI shifters/brakes.

I am planning on getting one of these bikes I think, especially based on the
info about the "varsity" that I have read here...

oops, looked a bit more closely to the description... it seems to have Shimano
indexed stem shifters... which is cool by me... more like my old 12 speed.

 

[e0richt]

Here (attached picture) is a hybrid which was converted to a "road" bike that I did last year for someone I know ... with the fork with cantilever bosses, the front end is at least a half inch higher ...

BTW. Are you thinking of "bar end" shifters? They don't have buttons ... just a lever. They remain popular because they are used on time trial & triathlon bikes.

alf, just so's you know, I think you did a pretty sweet job on the bike. now for some stupid questions...

"with the fork with cantilever bosses" - does that mean you had to change the brakes and the levers together? or in other words can you use road brake
levers with the MTB brakes that are already on the bike? (I wasn't planning on
changing the wheels...)

the mtb bike that I have seems to have a very low handle bar... can I get a longer stem for it? are road bike stems / mtb bike stems interchangeable?

 

[e0richt]

well, I decided to pull the trigger and order the "dawes lightning" road bike.
its a 14 speed road bike (chicabike also has some that do have 21 speeds,
and Im still sure that some also have the STI shifting, I think) but I am
pretty excited about getting it and will write up a review for it...

 

[e0richt]

well, I have found something that might be what you are looking for... on ebay
there is a vender named "chicabike" that sells new "dawes lightning" bicycles. they are a little over 300.00 with shipping and they are steel frames and have STI shifters/brakes.

I am planning on getting one of these bikes I think, especially based on the
info about the "varsity" that I have read here...

oops about the price, I stated little over 300.00... actually for the road bike that
I ordered it was 248.00 --- but with the STI shifters, it was around 348.00...
thats NOT a lot different from the "varsity", in terms of price...

 

[backtobiking]

I don't know if you are too heavy for the Schwinn Varsity, but you are definitely too tall ...

You need a bike with a frame with about a 58cm top tube (c-c) ... I'm going to guess that your old World Sport was a significantly larger frame than the sold-through-Walmart Schwinn Varsity.

Yeah it was. It seemed like a good idea, but It wasn't.

 

[alfeng]

alf, just so's you know, I think you did a pretty sweet job on the bike. now for some stupid questions...

"with the fork with cantilever bosses" - does that mean you had to change the brakes and the levers together? or in other words can you use road brake
levers with the MTB brakes that are already on the bike? (I wasn't planning on
changing the wheels...)

the mtb bike that I have seems to have a very low handle bar... can I get a longer stem for it? are road bike stems / mtb bike stems interchangeable?

The bike was originally set up with the road fork, as pictured.

A 700c "hybrid" fork & cantilever brakes (as already on the rear) was later swapped to allow larger tires (700x32) on both the front & rear ...

You can use the ROAD levers with cantilever brakes ...

You can use the ROAD levers with v-brakes if you use a TRAVEL AGENT for the front ... IMO, a rear v-brake doesn't need a travel agent because there really isn't too much ADDITIONAL modulation needed with the rear brake (at least the way I use the rear brake!?!) beyond what you get with the cable stretch ...

The threadless stems are ALMOST interchangeable between MTB & ROAD ... definitely so, with the OS 31.8 "standard" ... the "standard" MTB stems are designed for a smaller diameter MIDDLE (25.6?) of the bar (undoubtedly, a legacy from when old 26" balloon tire bikes & their components were used) vs. a slightly larger 26.0 "standard" for most ROAD bars. There is less precision in the fitting than some would suggest because the two halves of the clamp only encompass about 90% (?) of the bar ... consequently, you will find that SOME MTB can be used as-is with some ROAD bars, and vice-versa. Ritchey MTB stems seem to be indifferent to which type of bar is clamped inside them; but, your experience may differ.

BTW. Thanks ... it's those Campagnolo shifters which make the bike look so good!

 

[oldbobcat]

I worked at Wal-Mart where one of my duties was (surprise!) assembling and selling bikes. That was after the lawn and garden season wound down.

Anyway, Schwinn makes (has their Chinese fabricator make) a line of bikes for discount stores that is (seriously) a little stronger and better thought out than your average discount store bike. For tooling around the neighborhood, these bikes aren't half bad if you can get a decent fit. Most of them ended up as kids' rides and came back damaged and fully refunded. Wal-Mart plays for numbers, not integrity.

The Varsity configuration is not the most practical for tooling around the neighborhood. In fact, back in the 70s when my friends and I were buying Peugots, Raleighs, and Merciers, we had a difficult time figuring out what a 40-lb tourning bike was good for.

In most cases a used real bike will still give you more service than a new discount store bike. Also, many dealers will not service discount store bikes beyond, say, fixing a flat.

 

[e0richt]

I worked at Wal-Mart where one of my duties was (surprise!) assembling and selling bikes. That was after the lawn and garden season wound down.

Anyway, Schwinn makes (has their Chinese fabricator make) a line of bikes for discount stores that is (seriously) a little stronger and better thought out than your average discount store bike. For tooling around the neighborhood, these bikes aren't half bad if you can get a decent fit. Most of them ended up as kids' rides and came back damaged and fully refunded. Wal-Mart plays for numbers, not integrity.

The Varsity configuration is not the most practical for tooling around the neighborhood. In fact, back in the 70s when my friends and I were buying Peugots, Raleighs, and Merciers, we had a difficult time figuring out what a 40-lb tourning bike was good for.

In most cases a used real bike will still give you more service than a new discount store bike. Also, many dealers will not service discount store bikes beyond, say, fixing a flat.

I have to say that I have a couple of LBS's here in NJ and they don't seem to have a problem with servicing department store bikes... I would think that
servicing those bikes would be very profitable as they would have intrinsic problems. Though, I have found that if you have a department store bike you
tend to go to the bottom of the list in terms of waiting for a repair...

 

[backtobiking]

I have to say that I have a couple of LBS's here in NJ and they don't seem to have a problem with servicing department store bikes... I would think that
servicing those bikes would be very profitable as they would have intrinsic problems. Though, I have found that if you have a department store bike you
tend to go to the bottom of the list in terms of waiting for a repair...

I find most LBS frown on Schwinn in general these days even if it isn't a dept store bike. The one and only near by "Schwinn shop" pushes Giant. Atleast I found a quality service guy that likes the older schwinns since he used to be a factory schwinn guy back in the day.

 

[tcar5]

In most cases a used real bike will still give you more service than a new discount store bike. Also, many dealers will not service discount store bikes beyond, say, fixing a flat.

Agreed, and there really is a reason for this other than some LBS's think its below them, trying to repair custom designs (some of them are funky) and also repair cheap parts is a pain and often times not even successful. I am always repairing bikes that the neighborhood kids are bringing over and you end up having to fix more then you intended. I can't send a kid off on a bike that doesn't have working brakes or with the chain falling off everytime they hit a bump.
One of the problems that I am having with the Schwinn Varsity now (after 500 miles) is the rear derailer. Its just not holding its adjustment. Its switching gears over bumps and while training up hill there is nothing more annoying then to have it jump up 6 gears and force you to stop. I think I am going to have to replace it with a better rear derailer. But hey, for your average ride, its still a good solid bike. I have no other complaints and the brakes are simply awesome.....

 

[Rocket_Man]

Well...for what its worth...
I was FINALLY able to check the Varsity out. It...didn't really meet my expectations...and they were not very high, coming from Wal-Mart. To me, the bike just...Didn't feel right. And that was basically the first time on a road bike.
I had been looking at a Trek 1000 SL at my LBS...but having a hard time talking the wife into spending $650 on a bike. Needless to say...I went to check out the Trek a little closer. And with just standing over the top...WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! ...WOW...it was Night and Day. The Trek just...Felt GOOD. I also did try sitting on a Scott, they basically felt the same. Today, I'm planning on checking on a Giant and Speciallized...just to see.
Now...with all that being said. I did, just to make sure, go back to WM and sat on the Varsity again. I don't know what it was...???...but it didn't feel right/good. ??? After thinking about it, I figured it must be the different accesories on the bike? (Handlebar, seat, wheels?) So, I basically built up the Varsity to the same componetry as the Trek. I came up to $645 going on eBay, doing "Buy it now". To me...it just doesn't make sense to go with the Varsity. One 'plus' is that I could be on the road...tomorrow. But I know that over the next few months, I will end up spending more than waiting to buy the Trek. Not only would the parts end up costing the same, but I didn't figure in Shipping Charges or Shop costs (if I cant do something)...needless to say, also, if I would buy the wrong parts.
And just for the record...I was fit into a 54-56 Trek frame. I believe the Schwinn is about the same Stand Over height. ???

I don't mean to sound like I am putting the Varsity down. But...for me...a beginner 'Road Rider' I think that other options would be wise to look into.

 

[tcar5]

Well...for what its worth...
I was FINALLY able to check the Varsity out. It...didn't really meet my expectations...and they were not very high, coming from Wal-Mart. To me, the bike just...Didn't feel right. And that was basically the first time on a road bike.......

Hard to say what the "feeling" difference was. I know since I have replaced the ahead, forks, seat and seatpost its a very different feeling bike and is actually quite comfortable for me.
I posted a few updated comments on the long term performance of the bike and here is another update:
I rode for about three house last night and the front and rear derailers are just not staying true to their settings. They keep shirfting mid pedal and last night the front actually shifted the chain right off the crankwheel. I got that put back on and in the last 15 minutes of the ride the chain broke. The brake hoods are starting to tear and the brakes need adjusting but that is normal for the amount of time I'm riding it.
Anyway, it looks like I am going to need to invest in a new chain, and might as well look at upgrading the shifting components and new brake handles as well since I can't find just brake hoods in black.
To sum it up, this is what will be left of the original bike:
Frame, crankset front and rear cog, handelbars, brakes, frame and wheels and tires. I have spent $300 total for the bike and expect to dump another $200 for upgrade parts. This puts me into the $500 bracket and yup, I am starting to get into the low entry level area. If I bend a rim or have any problems with the crankset, it will put me over the top.
I still recommend this bike even with its flaws for the beginner. Its a minor investment to see if you will like riding road bikes. If your seasoned and looking for a new bike, your probably not reading this forum anyway.
I have ordered a Vincolo all carbon with all Ultegra parts ($1500) but I will keep riding the Varsity for now.

 

[e0richt]

Well...for what its worth...
I was FINALLY able to check the Varsity out. It...didn't really meet my expectations...and they were not very high, coming from Wal-Mart. To me, the bike just...Didn't feel right. And that was basically the first time on a road bike.
I had been looking at a Trek 1000 SL at my LBS...but having a hard time talking the wife into spending $650 on a bike. Needless to say...I went to check out the Trek a little closer. And with just standing over the top...WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! ...WOW...it was Night and Day. The Trek just...Felt GOOD. I also did try sitting on a Scott, they basically felt the same. Today, I'm planning on checking on a Giant and Speciallized...just to see.
Now...with all that being said. I did, just to make sure, go back to WM and sat on the Varsity again. I don't know what it was...???...but it didn't feel right/good. ??? After thinking about it, I figured it must be the different accesories on the bike? (Handlebar, seat, wheels?) So, I basically built up the Varsity to the same componetry as the Trek. I came up to $645 going on eBay, doing "Buy it now". To me...it just doesn't make sense to go with the Varsity. One 'plus' is that I could be on the road...tomorrow. But I know that over the next few months, I will end up spending more than waiting to buy the Trek. Not only would the parts end up costing the same, but I didn't figure in Shipping Charges or Shop costs (if I cant do something)...needless to say, also, if I would buy the wrong parts.
And just for the record...I was fit into a 54-56 Trek frame. I believe the Schwinn is about the same Stand Over height. ???

I don't mean to sound like I am putting the Varsity down. But...for me...a beginner 'Road Rider' I think that other options would be wise to look into.

ok, I didn't go with the varsity, I went on ebay and bought a "dawse lightning sport" this is a 14 speed road bike with a chro-molly frame, has a Shimano 7 speed indexed stem shifters. You can't really find "stem shifters" on bikes much anymore so this is kind of old technology, but since the last "road bike" I had was about 20 years ago from "k-mart" and had friction stem shifters, I
knew what I was getting and had no problem with them...

It comes in "dealer ready" condition so it required some assembly, but nothing that required anything special...

I was able to get a "parking lot" test ride out of it and I enjoyed the way it
"glided" over the pavement. I am looking to start to put in some miles on it to
really test it out, but so far it is everything I was looking for. the bike feels
solid, not as light as the higher end road bikes but for $209.00 I got what I feel is a good bike.

because I only got a very short test ride out of it I didnt really get to test the shifting. I tested it in my shop and I didn't have to adjust the derailleur but the proof will be on the road sometime tomorrow...

oh and I said this before, there are other component setups that you get for this bike like the sti shifting as well... (of course, its more...

oh and one other thing... you don't get a kickstand with it... kind of surprising but I got toe clips with it so I would have had to buy something one way or the other I guess...

 

[backtobiking]

Well I'm on the hunt for a used Schwinn lightweight from the later 80's like a premis or something like that myself to get me by for now. I had the chance to ride a Gunnar. Well I believe I'm in love. I've never felt this great on a bike. You just know when something suits you and this one is for me. That awesome frame feels like no other I've been on. I'm a big guy and nothing ever really felt great to me ever, until now that is. I must save moola because I must have one these dream machines made for me and they are not cheap. Maybe I can have one built by Christmas. Oh what a sweet thing that would be by the tree!

 

[e0richt]

Hard to say what the "feeling" difference was. I know since I have replaced the ahead, forks, seat and seatpost its a very different feeling bike and is actually quite comfortable for me.
I posted a few updated comments on the long term performance of the bike and here is another update:
I rode for about three house last night and the front and rear derailers are just not staying true to their settings. They keep shirfting mid pedal and last night the front actually shifted the chain right off the crankwheel. I got that put back on and in the last 15 minutes of the ride the chain broke. The brake hoods are starting to tear and the brakes need adjusting but that is normal for the amount of time I'm riding it.
Anyway, it looks like I am going to need to invest in a new chain, and might as well look at upgrading the shifting components and new brake handles as well since I can't find just brake hoods in black.
To sum it up, this is what will be left of the original bike:
Frame, crankset front and rear cog, handelbars, brakes, frame and wheels and tires. I have spent $300 total for the bike and expect to dump another $200 for upgrade parts. This puts me into the $500 bracket and yup, I am starting to get into the low entry level area. If I bend a rim or have any problems with the crankset, it will put me over the top.
I still recommend this bike even with its flaws for the beginner. Its a minor investment to see if you will like riding road bikes. If your seasoned and looking for a new bike, your probably not reading this forum anyway.
I have ordered a Vincolo all carbon with all Ultegra parts ($1500) but I will keep riding the Varsity for now.

I was thinking about your drivetrain problems... is the derailleur skipping because it can't hold onto the cable properly? if so have you thought of just
replacing the cable? cable is fairly inexpensive to replace and I noticed on the
bike I just purchased the cable seemed thicker than I remember on my old x-mart bike...

 

[tcar5]

I was thinking about your drivetrain problems... is the derailleur skipping because it can't hold onto the cable properly? if so have you thought of just
replacing the cable? cable is fairly inexpensive to replace and I noticed on the
bike I just purchased the cable seemed thicker than I remember on my old x-mart bike...

I did replace the cable when I rebuilt it. The cable that was on it from the store frayed really easy and needed to be replaced. thanks for the suggestion though. I just blew my first tire on it. The inner tube ripped away from the valve. (common). I need to say it again.....THESE BRAKES ARE FANTASTIC. Someone cut in front of me and I damn near launched myself off the bike hitting the brakes and the tires that came on the bike are quite grippy.
Aside from the drive train problems, This bike is a good runner. Hopefully the new Ultegra drive train will arrive in the mail soon. Next up on the replacement list is new shifters and brake handle combo. The current thumb shifters are geting in the way of my aero bar.