# Picked this up/Varsity questions



## island schwinn (Feb 24, 2015)

No decals and it looks like it never had them.september 61 serial number.original owner bike with correct rear components.any opinions or additional info?
I bought it last week near me and delivered it to Jeff(pedalsnostalgia)in Washington.


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## vincev (Feb 24, 2015)

I never saw that type shifter on a varsity but did see one on a Continental.


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## GTs58 (Feb 24, 2015)

I've never seen a 61 Varsity, either 8 or 10 speed without the decals. I'd bet they were flaking off and the owner decided to clean up the bike by getting rid of them. From my 62 R. Blue example I can say those decals were not very weather/sun resistant. It doesn't take much to completely remove them once they are weathered. Rubbing or polishing compound will make them disappear in a flash. It took me all of 30 minutes to remove the downtube decals and fork darts on my Lime 63 Varisty that came from SF.   Looks like the freewheel is the correct 15-17-19-22-25 Atom, same as the Corvette 5 speeds.


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## island schwinn (Feb 24, 2015)

The 61 10 speeds I've seen had the front simplex derailleur,but they all had the huret allvit rear.i've only seen the simplex rear on the earlier 8 speeds.should mention though,lightweights aren't my thing.


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## GTs58 (Feb 24, 2015)

In all the Schwinn ads and notices it wasn't until the 62 models where they made the change and equipped them with the Huret drivetrain components, including the shifters. The rear derailleurs were more than likely changed out since the simplex was, well, lets say a POC.
 I wonder if a black light would show any signs of where the old decals were. It sure shows up all the invisible spots my dog left on the floor.


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## Schwinn499 (Feb 25, 2015)

Awesome bike!! My 60 Continental sports the same derailleurs. Its a pain to adjust the rear derailleur. Mine still shifts pretty klunky but im not sure if thats just as good as it gets or what. I do have a NOS overhaul kit for it tho, maybe ill muster up the courage to break it all down and rebuild it one day. 

Another nice bike given a new home by Brian! Thanks for always taking care of us bicycle addicts!


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## Metacortex (Feb 25, 2015)

I concur with Gary about the derailleurs, freewheel and decals. I have no clue about the saddle. The only thing I can add is that the matching color handlebar tape must have been added in '64 or later. This bike should clean up extremely well!


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## PCHiggin (Feb 25, 2015)

Nice '60 Conti


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## Eric Amlie (Feb 25, 2015)

Notes from the June 1961 Schwinn Reporter:
Varsity becomes a 10 speed but still has Simplex derailleurs.
Continental gets Huret Allvit front & rear derailleurs both cable operated with downtube shifters and the newer paint & decal scheme.

The Wittkop saddle is interesting. The research that I've done leads to the Ideale Model 41 as being the correct saddle on the Varsity up through the 1963 model, but years ago when asking an original owner of one of these early models which saddle it came with, he said that he thought it had been a Wittkop. I wonder if Schwinn substituted the Wittkop when they ran low on the Ideale.


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## Greg M. (Feb 25, 2015)

That's a nice early Varsity there!
It also still has the very rare aluminum spoke protector ( this style didn't really protect the spokes, but got chewed up into the spokes if the rear derailure was not adjusted correctly, thus making them more rare! ) 
Can't wait to see pictures of this all cleaned up.
Love the period correct cable wraps!

Greg M.


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## PCHiggin (Feb 25, 2015)

Schwinn499 said:


> Awesome bike!! My 60 Continental sports the same derailleurs. Its a pain to adjust the rear derailleur. Mine still shifts pretty klunky but im not sure if thats just as good as it gets or what. I do have a NOS overhaul kit for it tho, maybe ill muster up the courage to break it all down and rebuild it one day.
> 
> Another nice bike given a new home by Brian! Thanks for always taking care of us bicycle addicts!




Nice Conti,A new chain might fix your klunky shifting,that one looks trashed.


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## island schwinn (Feb 25, 2015)

Greg M. said:


> That's a nice early Varsity there!
> It also still has the very rare aluminum spoke protector
> 
> Greg M.



Should mention,that spoke protector is the nicest i,ve ever seen aside from a couple nos protectors a certain member has.has never been touched by the chain.


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## schwinnman67 (Feb 25, 2015)

Congrats Jeff!!  
When did they go from the front sprocket set with the 3 ear center to the solid with a bolt on chainring? 

Cody,
great looking Continental!!


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## island schwinn (Feb 25, 2015)

Does anyone have a good picture of the correct bottom tube decal?


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## GTs58 (Feb 25, 2015)

schwinnman67 said:


> Congrats Jeff!!
> *When did they go from the front sprocket set with the 3 ear center to the solid with a bolt on chainring?*
> 
> Cody,
> great looking Continental!!




Mid 61 for the Conti and 1962 for the Varsity. It was fully Huret equipped in 62. 


Nice to see you here again Lee.


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## Eric Amlie (Feb 25, 2015)

Here is a pic of the downtube decal.


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## schwinnderella (Feb 25, 2015)

My 1961 varsity had a wittkop saddle on it when I got it, its condition matched the rest of the bike and I believe it to be original.


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## Schwinn499 (Feb 25, 2015)

PCHiggin said:


> Nice Conti,A new chain might fix your klunky shifting,that one looks trashed.



Yeah, that picture was when I first finished it, the chain is new but it was too long. Got the slack out of it and it helped alot.


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