# Most desirable/valuable lightweights?



## Cranky Chain Cycles (Nov 3, 2019)

Is there a website or list that would show a hierarchy of Schwinn lightweights? Would it be fair to assume that the bikes listed in the Schwinn Catalog at the top are higher end? My area has a crapload of them available but I don't know which ones are more valuable than others. So far I've had great luck flipping mid-70s Varsitys. Frankly the ones with more chrome and the best paint get the best response.


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## vincev (Nov 3, 2019)

twinflight said:


> Is there a website or list that would show a hierarchy of Schwinn lightweights? Would it be fair to assume that the bikes listed in the Schwinn Catalog at the top are higher end? My area has a crapload of them available but I don't know which ones are more valuable than others. So far I've had great luck flipping mid-70s Varsitys. Frankly the ones with more chrome and the best paint get the best response.



Paramounts are king of the hill for Schwinns.Waterford Schwinns get around $15,000. Precision Cycles is a small bicycle manufacturer based in _Waterford_, Wisconsin. ... The company is operated by Richard _Schwinn_,


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## Cranky Chain Cycles (Nov 3, 2019)

Yup, I’m familiar with the Paramount lineup. I figure that most are in collectors’ vaults. Is your average rider going to care about the nuances of a Varsity vs a Super Sport other than it looks cool?


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## Goldenrod (Nov 3, 2019)

In my opinion, riding at speed, a La Tour with straight bars makes the best (reasonably priced) tour bike.  It is steel strong with good fittings.  For me the curved handlebars are the only modification needed.


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## rennfaron (Nov 3, 2019)

Generally speaking top down in the catalog is a good way to make sense of how schwinn valued their bikes. Varsities were generally always the budget dropbar lightweight. There are subtle things about some of the years like uncommon colors and uncommon parts. That would be a cool list to map out. As the lightweight road bike market blew up in the 60s and 70s so came a ton of different models. They had a price point for everything. Nice paint / decals and tons of chrome is what schwinn was going for back then and still works today, as you stated.

Keep up the good work! Getting more schwinns back out there for the riders today is always a good thing.


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