1960 Schwinn Varsity 8spd

[rennfaron]

I've wondered about this as well. Derailleurs had been around since the '30's, but they were pretty limited and not easy to use. The Continental and Varsity were probably the first to offer them at a price that had broader appeal, and by the second year they switched to the new Huret Allvit, which was evidently an important advance. There's a book on derailleurs called "The Dancing Chain", and I guess I'm going to have to break down and get a copy. There's also a website called Disraeli Gears, which has some good information.

Disraeli Gears - a derailleur collection

“You know how the title came about - Disraeli Gears - yeah? We had this Austin Westminster, and Mick Turner was one of the roadies who’d been with me a long time, and he was driving along and Eric (Clapton) was talking about getting a racing bicycle. Mick, driving, went ‘Oh yeah - Disraeli...

www.disraeligears.co.uk

Everyone has an opinion but I saw this article a while back naming the varsity one of the 25 most influential bikes of all time (varsity is about half way down - no idea why it says "retired in 1960" - they got that date wrong). https://www.bicycling.com/news/a20006634/25-of-the-most-influential-bicycles-of-all-time/

Also an interesting read on derailleurs - http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Schwinn_derailleurs.html
@Oilit - looks like one of the pages on the site you linked.

 

[Goldenrod]

Oilit you must buy that book even if you have to sell your wife's makeup. Find a quiet place that you chose before the theft and enjoy. It will be worth it.

 

[Goldenrod]

A few more close ups.

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Please Google this great old story by a man who was the first online bike historian during his last days with us before his death. He made his own tandems. I may have one.

The Schwinn Varsity (1960-1986) - Sheldon Brown

 

[Gavin]

Please Google this great old story by a man who was the first online bike historian during his last days with us before his death. He made his own tandems. I may have one.

The Schwinn Varsity (1960-1986) - Sheldon Brown

Wow, that was a good read.

 

[Gavin]

I came across this as well..

 

[juvela]

Oilit you must buy that book even if you have to sell your wife's makeup. Find a quiet place that you chose before the theft and enjoy. It will be worth it.

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OMG! :eek:

you are really going out on a limb here.

have you seen Oilit's wife without makeup?!?!


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[metoo]

Thanx for the info guys!

 

[Gavin]

Picked these up about 8 years ago. Got the ad first and then had to have the comic!

 

[Oilit]

I came across this as well..

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I saw this when I followed the link that @rennfaron posted, what struck me is the reference to a 1955 Continental with derailleurs. Pridmore and Hurd's book also mentions this model, but I've never seen one, or even a picture. Has anybody got a picture of one of these? Pridmore and Hurd said that most of them sat in a warehouse and were eventually rebuilt and sold, and @MarkKBike had a Traveler with a serial number from 1955 but painted in the 1957 style, which makes me wonder, but that's the closest I've come.

 

[bikerbluz]

I have both a 60 and 61 Conti with the suicide derailleur, with the 61 being the more rare of the two, I assume. Would love to have one of the 8 speed Varsitys.