1962 Radiant Green Varsity

[Schwinn499]

Great find...large frame also!
I bought a frame set at a bike swap years ago and built it up from parts. It's not completely stock though as I used the 27" wheels with alloy rims from an eighties vintage World Sport.
I believe that the Ideale #41 is the correct saddle for these bikes. The same year Continental came with the Ideale #43.
View attachment 414017

I pulled an Ideale 42 off a 61 Conti a few years ago, its now on the Conti in the backround of the photos. Lookd to be original to the bike. This is why im always so confused when it comes to these early Ideale saddles, seems to be inconsistent in cases.

 

[Eric Amlie]

This is why im always so confused when it comes to these early Ideale saddles, seems to be inconsistent in cases.

It may well have been inconsistent depending on what was available at any given time.
We've certainly seen that with other components.

 

[rhenning]

Schwinn often bought what was available to them for the best price. They were trying to make a profit not make future collectables. The Schwinn Lightweight Data Book says both 41 and 42 model saddles were used in that era with no date cut offs. Roger

 

[Schwinn499]

Schwinn often bought what was available to them for the best price. They were trying to make a profit not make future collectables. The Schwinn Lightweight Data Book says both 41 and 42 model saddles were used in that era with no date cut offs. Roger

Yes, we can all thank Eric A. for those descriptions in the SLDB. A lot of the saddle designations have a ?, id be nice to do some homework and find out which saddles were intended rather than applied and vise versa. I may just have to do so myself.

 

[GTs58]

So what exactly are the differences between the Ideale 41 42 and 43? They all appear to look the same to me, but I couldn't count all the rivets at the rear of the saddles. The nose on all look the same to me also. And thanks again to Eric, here is the list from 1960 thru 64.

1960 Varsity 41? ....... Conti 43
1961 Varsity 41?....... Conti 43
1962 Varsity 42........ Conti 43 .....................This is verified in the 1962 parts catalog.
1963 Varsity Lycett?........ Conti Lycett L15ST
1964 Varsity Sprint......... Conti Lycett .......I believe the Sprint saddle was just a re-stamped 42 with an added skin on the bottom of the leather.

 

[Eric Amlie]

Thanks for the compliments on the work that I did on those SLDB model descriptions. Most of it was compiled from the catalogs, but some of it was what I thought I "knew" at the time. It was a long time ago, and I now know that some of that info is wrong. You probably have run into some of that bad info yourselves.
The whole thing really needs to be rewritten with better/correct info. Metacortex, with his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Schwinn, is the obvious choice for the person to do it if he would be willing to take it on.
In at least one conversation I've had with Bob Hufford, who first created the SLDB, he expressed his wish that at some point it would be passed on & taken over by Metacortex. I am all for that!

 

[GTs58]

Thanks for the compliments on the work that I did on those SLDB model descriptions. Most of it was compiled from the catalogs, but some of it was what I thought I "knew" at the time. It was a long time ago, and I now know that some of that info is wrong. You probably have run into some of that bad info yourselves.
The whole thing really needs to be rewritten with better/correct info. Metacortex, with his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Schwinn, is the obvious choice for the person to do it if he would be willing to take it on.
In at least one conversation I've had with Bob Hufford, who first created the SLDB, he expressed his wish that at some point it would be passed on & taken over by Metacortex. I am all for that!

I agree 100%! Metacortex has a love for these bikes and for the research finding new and correct information. He and a few others, me included, wanted to buy the SBF before Ric let it go to %$^%&#^% and one reason among many was the SLDB was hosted on that site.

 

[Schwinn499]

So what exactly are the differences between the Ideale 41 42 and 43? They all appear to look the same to me, but I couldn't count all the rivets at the rear of the saddles. The nose on all look the same to me also. And thanks again to Eric, here is the list from 1960 thru 64.

1960 Varsity 41? ....... Conti 43
1961 Varsity 41?....... Conti 43
1962 Varsity 42........ Conti 43 .....................This is verified in the 1962 parts catalog.
1963 Varsity Lycett?........ Conti Lycett L15ST
1964 Varsity Sprint......... Conti Lycett .......I believe the Sprint saddle was just a re-stamped 42 with an added skin on the bottom of the leather.

I agree about the Sprint saddle, except my 42 has the extra skin so maybe just a rebranding.

 

[Schwinn499]

Thanks for the compliments on the work that I did on those SLDB model descriptions. Most of it was compiled from the catalogs, but some of it was what I thought I "knew" at the time. It was a long time ago, and I now know that some of that info is wrong. You probably have run into some of that bad info yourselves.
The whole thing really needs to be rewritten with better/correct info. Metacortex, with his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Schwinn, is the obvious choice for the person to do it if he would be willing to take it on.
In at least one conversation I've had with Bob Hufford, who first created the SLDB, he expressed his wish that at some point it would be passed on & taken over by Metacortex. I am all for that!

Thank you man! The SLDB got me hooked on these details were discussing. I agree with Bob's sentiment that Metacortex is the heir to the throne.

I agree 100%! Metacortex has a love for these bikes and for the research finding new and correct information. He and a few others, me included, wanted to buy the SBF before Ric let it go to %$^%&#^% and one reason among many was the SLDB was hosted on that site.

Agreed! Its too bad that forum was burned to asses, i mean ashes. It has a lot of good information from Metacortex and others that was held hostage in the big banning. What a shame.

 

[GTs58]

I agree about the Sprint saddle, except my 42 has the extra skin so maybe just a rebranding.

Interesting. Could it be that the extra skin was a period change in that saddle? My NOS 42 does not have that and can't say if it was a post 1966 issue or not.