Originally Posted by
merlinextraligh
Had the same bike in the same color. Weighed 41 pounds. Having owned a number of pro tour level and custom bikes, including Willier, Giant, Calfee, Bianchi, Paramount, Merlin, (some of which well into 5 figures) I’d argue my $91 brown Varsity ( I couldn’t afford the $ 109 Continental) was my best bike ever.
The Varsity introduced me to A world of road bikes and showed there was something more than paperboy bikes and stingrays.
So its incredibly easy to take potshots at a 41 pound electro weld bike. It was still a road bike and launched a lifelong obsession for many of us of a certain age.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! No doubt they had a following , but they are boat anchors to me. I had gone from putting my basketball on the rack and pedaling to the BB court to shoot hoops to cycling , actually going places and that thing was way too heavy. When I got my first light weight bike I was in heaven. Even the super heavy LeTour was 31 lbs and lighter than the Varsity. I think the only thing Schwinn offered in those days that came close to my 21lb rocket was a Paramount. Joe