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.
