Bought this bike at a yard sale for $20 because I liked the color. I had no idea how bikes worked at all.
Turns out it's a 1972 Schwinn Varsity. People love picking on them, but I LOVE this bike. The people at bikewrench and vintagebicycles helped me so much! I took it apart down to the last ball bearing and built it up again. I used original parts when possible but added new ones as needed. The friction shifters are so cool. I can't believe I built this!!! I've never done something like this before.
This bike has been my daily commuter and makes me SO HAPPY. And as a young woman, I'm not scared about it needing a repair early in the morning/late at night and getting stuck since I know how all the parts go together!
Thank you also to the bike mechanic at the bike kitchen who checked it over for me and approved it as ride-ready. He also helped me true the rear wheel with a spoke wrench. Thanks Dr. Bob 🙂
by Cosmo-bun
2 Comments
that feeling of knowing how every bolt and bearing works on your own bike is so cool – awesome stuff!
Cool bike. Good locking too. Gotta do what you gotta do but that’s thinking outside the box.