Schwinn Varsity back from the dead (at Walmart!)

[Blademun]

I guess I have better luck then you Tcar. In the last month I picked up a Fuji Monterey for free, and a Trek 300 for 50$.

They are both fixer-uppers...Teh Trek was easy, it needed tires. But I ended up buying whole new wheels for it(100$). So far its been awesome, I might even buy a new group for the venerable lugged and brazed thing...

As for the Monterey, its been stripped too its frame and fork. If I buy a group for the Trek, the Monterey will get all of the Treks stuff.

Forget wal-mart. A Steel Road bike made before I was born is still more bad-ass then the tin-can products Wal-mart pushes today..

 

[bluemarlinchef2]

SWEEEEEET!


I changed my mind about getting the Trek Madone!

"Virtually Bombproof Alloy Roadie Pedals to round out the package" Oh Yeah!

Life is sooo good at Wal-Mart!

Thanks Sam!

 

[e0richt]

I guess I have better luck then you Tcar. In the last month I picked up a Fuji Monterey for free, and a Trek 300 for 50$.

They are both fixer-uppers...Teh Trek was easy, it needed tires. But I ended up buying whole new wheels for it(100$). So far its been awesome, I might even buy a new group for the venerable lugged and brazed thing...

As for the Monterey, its been stripped too its frame and fork. If I buy a group for the Trek, the Monterey will get all of the Treks stuff.

Forget wal-mart. A Steel Road bike made before I was born is still more bad-ass then the tin-can products Wal-mart pushes today..

yeah, but I think you have to admit it yourself that those deals don't come along very often... hmmm?

 

[Blademun]

I don't know really..Its not something I actively look for. I just happened to come across two good deals in a row(one actually leaded to the other). It helps being friends with the lbs owner too. I guess you could say thatgood deals of ANY kind are rare.

 

[tcar5]

I don't know really..Its not something I actively look for. I just happened to come across two good deals in a row(one actually leaded to the other). It helps being friends with the lbs owner too. I guess you could say thatgood deals of ANY kind are rare.

I must say that my neighbor seems to fall into the "good deal" pit often. Recently he got his roof shingled for free (insurance), a friend of his dad gave him a used car in perfect shape. The guy said he just wanted it out of the garage and inside that deal came some antique tools and some hub caps that he ebay'd for $150. Then he lands a pool table from a pool hall that was closing for free because he knew the owner. However, in my little world, here are the deals I came across recently: Shimano 105 derailer, possibly 9 spd STI shifters (still working it), Thule 4 bike rack (new) $100, Cannondale R400 frame 18" MTB in a dumpster...can you believe it....I think I am going to dumpster dive on a regular basis now. I'm sure the guys that dive for cans already have certain bins staked out. The only thing is that they haven't figured out that some bike frames are all aluminum...! I wonder if you threw one of those in the recycle bins, would they take it....?

 

[e0richt]

I must say that my neighbor seems to fall into the "good deal" pit often. Recently he got his roof shingled for free (insurance), a friend of his dad gave him a used car in perfect shape. The guy said he just wanted it out of the garage and inside that deal came some antique tools and some hub caps that he ebay'd for $150. Then he lands a pool table from a pool hall that was closing for free because he knew the owner. However, in my little world, here are the deals I came across recently: Shimano 105 derailer, possibly 9 spd STI shifters (still working it), Thule 4 bike rack (new) $100, Cannondale R400 frame 18" MTB in a dumpster...can you believe it....I think I am going to dumpster dive on a regular basis now. I'm sure the guys that dive for cans already have certain bins staked out. The only thing is that they haven't figured out that some bike frames are all aluminum...! I wonder if you threw one of those in the recycle bins, would they take it....?

yeah, but if I had to wait for a deal like that to come along before I could get out on the road, then I would still be waiting... deals come along usually AFTER you have taken care of the need...

 

[tcar5]

yeah, but if I had to wait for a deal like that to come along before I could get out on the road, then I would still be waiting... deals come along usually AFTER you have taken care of the need...

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.

 

[Blademun]

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.

Your telling me, my friend gets deal after deal after deal..here's his latest series..:

Hes a big aquarium guy..and one day he gets contacted by a fish store and they basicly said to him.."Here, we have this 80 gallon saltwater fishtank, already stocked with coral, equipment and lights...but since we're moving and don't want to carry it you can have it for free..."

Then, later on..his dad calls him up and says "Hey, I've got this 42 inch HD tv that doesn't work..I just bought it..can you come pick it up, I'll give it to you for free." Three days later he has it running..his cost? 5$ in transistors and a few beers to bribe a electrician friend of his..

Then, his computer shop goes into over 5 grand in debt, he can't get out from under, so a old buisness partner comes along and buys it off him. A week later he gets a job that pays hjim 60K a year to sit on his butt..so he went out and bought himself a new Motorcycle(Can't remember what model, its suppose to be a Hayabusa equivalent..)

Oh well..and I also hear you on the 'deals' giving you headaches. I'm spending my last dimes trying to build me a decent road bike outta the Trek at a time when I'm really strapped for cash. Can't help myself sometiems I guess. LoL

 

[e0richt]

Nice looking bike. I just got a Schwinn mountain bike From Wal-Mart and it's awesome, the parts on it are pretty good. MAN I LOVE MY NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

so do you still love your bike? what kind of riding have you done with it? road? or
mtb or footpaths?

 

[tcar5]

Swammy says that this guy is going to have his fish tank break and flood his living room thus destroying his new TV. Furthermore the guy that just bought his business is actually involved in drug trafficking and will have all his assets taken by the feds. His $60K job will be under investigation by the IRS and after all that he will wish he was you.....!
Another not so fare deal:
Another friend is in retail clothing sales. He's a manager. He started out from high school and after 20 years with the same company he has managed to work himself into a $150,000 a year spot (just moved to Arizona) and he gets % bonuses of gross sales, so every April he gets a check for as much as $100,000 more. No college, wife never has worked and all from a job he got as a sales floor dude in a clothing store. I know he worked hard over the years and dealt with a lot of **** but still. I have an Assoc in Nursing, Assoc in Computer programming and BA in MIS and still have not found my holly grale. I'm happy for this guy but still ****** that he's doing better then me and has just fallen into the paths that have netted him a million dollar home, all toys paid off, Lexus, Yukon all paid for, 63" plasma and yearly trips to exotic locations. He totally sucks.....

 

[e0richt]

Swammy says that this guy is going to have his fish tank break and flood his living room thus destroying his new TV. Furthermore the guy that just bought his business is actually involved in drug trafficking and will have all his assets taken by the feds. His $60K job will be under investigation by the IRS and after all that he will wish he was you.....!
Another not so fare deal:
Another friend is in retail clothing sales. He's a manager. He started out from high school and after 20 years with the same company he has managed to work himself into a $150,000 a year spot (just moved to Arizona) and he gets % bonuses of gross sales, so every April he gets a check for as much as $100,000 more. No college, wife never has worked and all from a job he got as a sales floor dude in a clothing store. I know he worked hard over the years and dealt with a lot of **** but still. I have an Assoc in Nursing, Assoc in Computer programming and BA in MIS and still have not found my holly grale. I'm happy for this guy but still ****** that he's doing better then me and has just fallen into the paths that have netted him a million dollar home, all toys paid off, Lexus, Yukon all paid for, 63" plasma and yearly trips to exotic locations. He totally sucks.....

yeah, well, my boss's son, who couldn't actually sit still long enough for that there book learnin', joined the navy. Ended up going to Spain and played volleyball .. never step onto a ship at all during is "stay"... (and this was happening during "desert shield" and "desert storm"...
finally got out and was hired by a "security company" for a govt contract.
becomes a manager there and because the company was bought by another company his stock options, and salary went through the roof. now remember,
he isn't any brighter than the rest of us and has a "high school" degree...

He is doing much better than myself, where I went to college, got a 4 year degree in computer science, and write real time software for the FAA...
its kind of left me confused as to what I want to do with the rest of my career...

 

[tcar5]

left me confused as to what I want to do with the rest of my career...

Well your bosses son sucks too then....
I got burned out with Surgical nursing and went back for computer programming. Then discovered that database admin was where the money was and I really enjoyed it. So here I am, but where's the money.....?

 

[Blademun]

I think I am going to go into Computer Engineering. It will take alot of college time, but I -know- the guys who design integrated circuits get payed good money. Either that, or Nanoscience. Nanoscience is definately the place to be if you want to dig for gold. Just like Computers were in the 70's, or Cars back in the 1890's..

 

[tcar5]

I think I am going to go into Computer Engineering. It will take alot of college time, but I -know- the guys who design integrated circuits get payed good money. Either that, or Nanoscience. Nanoscience is definately the place to be if you want to dig for gold. Just like Computers were in the 70's, or Cars back in the 1890's..

Well, yes, very very small amounts of gold indeed. Yap, I seem to be about 10 to 20 years behind the curve in landing the hot new job. I am always getting the memo late....so to speak. Well this is my last change for career unless I win the lottery in which case I will become a professional shopper.....

 

[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....

 

[e0richt]

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...

 

[e0richt]

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...

 

[tcar5]

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...

 

[Blademun]

Can I do that too? I'd really like to know the history behind my Trek 300.

 

[razethekids]

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.