# Coppertone Varsity Tourist Barnfind *Warning - Crappy Pictures!*



## sworley (Mar 8, 2021)

Pulled this out of a barn, it belonged to my wife's uncle. I have not looked at the SN yet. I will start to hose it off tomorrow but thought I'd share. 
I also pulled out this Zephyr BMX bike that belonged to her cousin and I will focus on that more intently.


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## juvela (Mar 8, 2021)

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Good Morning and thanks for posting these two!    

Is the white material on the Varsity chicken...um...calling cards?

Great that it appears to be all original with no damage.

Looks like the last person to ride the BMX really liked to "push."

Shall look forward to following along as you begin to work with them.  


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## sworley (Mar 8, 2021)

I bet likely more like pigeon poop but who? Gross. Likely the Varsity will get reasonably cleaned up and donated to a good, local home. 

I don't believe that BMX bike has been ridden in decades. The boys who used to are in their 40s now.


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## kostnerave (Mar 8, 2021)

The Varsity tourist is probably a '67 model. It was the crossover point for Sprint chainrings with a guard and the first year for stem shifters and color matched grips. You should wipe it down and post some more pictures.


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## sworley (Mar 8, 2021)

kostnerave said:


> The Varsity tourist is probably a '67 model. It was the crossover point for Sprint chainrings with a guard and the first year for stem shifters and color matched grips. You should wipe it down and post some more pictures.



CC sn so spot-on analysis! I knew it was kinda on the earlier side with that Sprint chainring and those decals. Neat!


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## juvela (Mar 8, 2021)

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should you elect to hose off the Varsity for starters to clear some of the guano you could do so in such a way as to catch the runoff and apply it to the garden - great fertilizer!


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## 3-speeder (Mar 8, 2021)

"Crappy Pictures!"  hahaha.  Good one.  Thanks for the laugh.  Fun find


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## Sven (Mar 8, 2021)

Well Sh1t happens..
A little soap and water,  elbow grease. It will be a gem. Keep us posted on your progress.


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## sworley (Mar 11, 2021)

Quarter-assed cleanup tonight.


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## juvela (Mar 12, 2021)

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thanks for the update!

now with the guano gone we can get a good view of the oxide ferrous.   

question for the Arnie experts -

i think of the first derailleur geared Varsity model as the eight speed of 1960

what year did the Varsity Tourist model launch, how long produced?

thanks very much for any information   


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Mar 12, 2021)

juvela said:


> what year did the Varsity Tourist model launch, how long produced?




Looks like they first used the name in '63 for the girls bike then in '64 it was offered in mens until '69 did not see it in '70 catalog. The earlier model Varsity  was styled like it but not called it they used the tourist handlebars but I think it was only 3 speed in '53-'56 then they went to drop down style bar until introduction in '64.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Mar 12, 2021)

Sorry Sworley, nice bikes love that BMX


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## Arnold Ziffel (Mar 12, 2021)

The 10 speed SUBURBAN essentially replaced the VARSITY TOURIST.    

1969 year model was the LAST for  the VARSITY TOURIST.

Year model 1970 saw the introduction of the SCHWINN SUBURBANS  (10speed , and  5 speed  and also a 3 sp. for '70 & '71 only)

The significant differences between the 1970 SUBURBAN  10 speed   and   the  1969 VARSITY TOURIST  are  that the SUBURBANS  got the tubular front fork  from  the  Continental,  while retaining the sidepull Weinmann L.S. 2.4  brakes.
(---the Continental had Centerpull  brakes...the Suburban had the same brakes as the Varsity but the Suburban had the tubular front fork.  The Varsity models  had  the  Ashtabula blade fork. )
The SUBURBAN  also came with painted fenders which matched the bike frame color.   The colors that were offered on the SUBURBAN were much more conservative  than  what Schwinn did offer on the Varsity,  Collegiate and other  variants with the 597mm bsd  twenty-six inch S5 & S6 wheels.

So basically for the  1970  through 1976 10speed  SUBURBAN  versus  the 1969  VARSITY TOURIST-------same except for the upgraded Tubular front fork  on  the  1970 onward SUBURBAN.      
Not much changed as the Huret Allvit rear derailleur  remained  standard equipment specification on the 10 Speed Suburban model  with the same  14-28  freewheel as the Varsity & Continental.      Yes,  you have minor revisions to the front derailleur and to the Allvit as the Seventies rolled onward.       The 5 speed Suburbans & the 1970 onward COLLEGIATES got the superior Shimano built rear derailleur  which was needed to  shift the model J   14-32 freewheel.      There were instances when the SCHWINN assembly line  for Varsity/Sub-10sp / Conti. was  temporarily out of Allvits,  and  so when this occurred,   the superior Shimano  models:  GT-100  (1970 to early 1974)   &   GT-120  (1974 - 1977....)   from the seventies era COLLEGIATE & 5sp SUBURB.  models  were substituted on the 10 speeds instead of the Huret Allvit.
Of course,  the Allvit as seen on Schwinn models  is   marked as sprint or whatever but it remains a Huret Allvit.   It is a decent enough rear derailleur for being European,  but  the Japanese took rear derailleur quality to a whole new level that was never before imagined by the Europeans by largely the copy and improve-&-further refine the best previously existing design(s) of others.


The SEVENTIES era  Varsity  and Continental  ARE   GREAT  FOR  CONVERTING  INTO  Upright-TOURIST riders!
There is almost NO DEMAND for anyone who wishes to ride them in "racing-style" with the drop bars  as  a road bike today BECAUSE OF THEIR ENORMOUS WEIGHT.       You'd have to be an extremely strong rider  just  to  maintain  the paceline with a group of  below average or old aged weak persons  who  are riding modern road-bikes.    
      They still make excellent  slow-cruising    very  comfortable  Upright riders.     The relaxed frame geometry of these heavy Electroforged "lightweights"   is   just  perfect  for  super comfortable  upright riding.      
Don't ya  remember  back in 1971, 1972, 1973....just how easy it was to  ride for at least 1/2 a mile or more WITH NO HANDS on a Varsity/Suburban/Collegiate/Conti...
Well,  that  is  the  long wheelbase and the relaxed frame geometry.........how the angles of the head tube & seat tube are and allow for a nearly parallel relationship between the seat tube and the head tube.........     The bike is extremely stable and well mannered because it is so predictable as  steering input changes  are more gradual and gentle in response,  unlike something with shorter wheelbase and steeper angles which will be more responsive,  faster to change direction  which makes such a bike more responsive for racing but also yields a somewhat more twitchy ride which can be more than a handfull for those who are not experienced, seasoned riders.       The  boat anchor Electroforged "lightweight" frames on  ancient Schwinns are super easy to ride, even for someone that has never ridden before.      They are comfortable and SLOW  such  that unless you're going down a really steep hill, or  riding in the wet or rain,  the chromed steel wheels and the side-pull calipers with ordinary fresh brake pads should be adequate.      Kool-Stop replacement pads are adviseable if better pads are needed, but remember that steel chromed wheels just don't brake in wet conditions.
         TO CONVERT AN OLD VARSITY or CONTINENTAL TO UPRIGHT TOURIST RIDER:   Just find the handlebars and  Weinmann tourist levers from  an old parts bike like a Collegiate, Breeze, Speedster, Suburban,  etc.    Heck,  the tourist levers can come from any old 3 speed,  as  it doesn't matter what the brand of the donor bike...............you simply need the 22.2mm mount (7/8")  tourist levers of whatever Weinmann, Dia-compe, or whatever....................DITTO for the handlebars....use whatever you like,  as you only need  the 25.4mm (1") clamp style fitting bar...........any used cruiser/tourist bar from anything from the 1930's to today.......there are new bars available today but the new chromed steel bars of today have poor chrome compared to the 1950's-1970's.   The aluminum bars of today are excellent too,  but  are you really gonna worry about reducing weight on such a Sherman tank like monster...        You've got hundreds of choices from the past 85 years or so.   Get whatever makes you smile the most.................ditto for the handlebar grips!!
I will say that I personally like the 7881  Schwinn handlebars more than any other bar.   They are easily found on a large number of Schwinn models , typically in the year 1967 through 1977  on  such bikes like the Breeze, Collegiate, Suburban, Speedster and others.     The  Black  fat  "COMFORT"   Schwinn  handlebar grips  that were standard on the COLLEGIATE and SUBURBAN during the Seventies is the most comfortable tourist handlebar grip in my opinion for adult males and most women.
People with very small hands may prefer something else.    You can tell  the "COMFORT" Schwinn grip by the opening that is visible when you sight up-under the forward end of it.
---------------You will be required to REPLACE YOUR  BRAKE CABLES when you make the CHANGE FROM  HAVING YOUR VARSITY WITH  DROP BARS (removing them For  Tourist style bars)-----------THE REASON is Because the CABLE ENDS are different where they attach to the LEVERS on DROPS  versus the bigger hockey puck shaped cable ends that ATTACH to the TOURIST LEVERS.       This is easy to do,  and  it is not expensive.    Walmart,  and  ACE HARDWAREdotcom, and walmartDotCom  have   the  BELL Pitcrew 600  Cable  set  for approx $10.     This has both shift cables and both brake cables in the package..........also the ferrules that are needed at the Tourist Levers are included in the package.   YOU MUST CUT THE CABLES...........thus you must obtain, borrow, or otherwise buy online somewhere a $17 brake cable cutter pliers tool........IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR CLEAN CUTS............you could use a dremel to cut but  I found the proper cable cutter pliers to be better, and yes I bought mine online for about $14 total including shipping several years ago.......looks just like the more expensive branded versions............I have done over twenty-five bikes, changing all cables,  and  the tool still cuts sharp clean cuts..............will it last as long as the super dooper expensive tool,  probably not, but after about 30 bikes,  it has more than paid for itself......I expected it to not last this long.
The Bell Pitcrew 600 Cable Set  has  the  road-bike cable end  ON  ONE END  and has the bigger "hockey puck" tourist lever cable end ON THE OTHER END of each of the two brake cables.......................YOU SIMPLY CUT OFF the End that you do not need.      

Have fun with those old Varsity,  Continentals,  and  even the Japanese PANASONIC  made LeTours of 1974 - 1978.   The LeTour is a  much much better bicycle than the Varsity for road use but the LeTour can also be an exceptional upright tourist rider  too if you want to make it so.


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## GTs58 (Mar 12, 2021)

First year Varsity Tourist examples. 1963 hers and his.


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## Goldenrod (Mar 13, 2021)

Arnold Ziffel said:


> The 10 speed SUBURBAN essentially replaced the VARSITY TOURIST.
> 
> 1969 year model was the LAST for  the VARSITY TOURIST.
> 
> ...


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## Goldenrod (Mar 13, 2021)

Arnold Ziffel said:


> The 10 speed SUBURBAN essentially replaced the VARSITY TOURIST.
> 
> 1969 year model was the LAST for  the VARSITY TOURIST.
> 
> ...



Wow! My brain is cluttered with worthless pictures of seductive ladies.  They aren't even on bikes.


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## kostnerave (Mar 20, 2021)

Here are some pictures of my 1969 Varsity Tourist, the last year the Varsity was offered. Note the stock black mattress saddle, which was used from this point on the Suburban. This bike is new old stock and I'm very lucky to have it in my small collection.


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## juvela (Mar 20, 2021)

kostnerave said:


> Here are some pictures of my 1969 Varsity Tourist, the last year the Varsity was offered. Note the stock black mattress saddle, which was used from this point on the Suburban. This bike is new old stock and I'm very lucky to have it in my small collection.
> 
> View attachment 1376578
> 
> View attachment 1376579



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thanks very much for sharing your example!    

are the brake lever covers a Hunt Wilde item?

do you recall how many colours were offered in them?

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## kostnerave (Mar 21, 2021)

Hi juvela,
Yes, the lever covers are a Hunt Wilde item, made and header carded for Schwinn. Hunt Wilde also distributed these on their own cards and in printed plastic bags. These were available in most of the stock Schwinn colors as well as many others. Having a limited amount of space to store my bikes, I find that the lever covers serve a purpose by protecting the paint on the top tubes of adjacent bikes in the line up!


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## Pedaltherapy (Mar 21, 2021)

That should clean up to a very nice looking bike.


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