After thousands of miles of outright abuse, my Schwinn finally started to react to the neglect and general lack of maintenance caused by my current infatuation with an older woma... *cough" bicycle.
Jealous despite the fact I use it everyday, it started squeaking complaints and exposed it's homicidal desire for revenge by refusing to stop when I suggested it might behoove us to avoid such things as gleefully hurtling out into traffic without so much as a pause.
*sigh* Dirty,
dirty girl o.o
So... I spent the weekend consoling it and attending to it's various woes. In the end it was all minor - all examples of neglect and nothing that couldn't be easily repaired, or even prevented had I thought to take the time to do something about it in the first place. Dirty air filter, dry chains, worn brake pads, a layer of filth covering corrosion caused by constant exposure to the salt used so heavily on the roads around here - and perhaps my not-so-subconscious desire to "test to destruction" my first Chinese engine kit. As it seems far more interested in destroying
me than any signs of quitting, I figured it would be best to do something about it
One of the many things on my endless "to do" list was to pull the SBP exhaust system off the Schwinn. While I've not had any problems with it, the hi-temp tubing only starting to signs of age - the relentless assault of winter usage was beginning to take it's toll and the head pipe in particular developing an excessive amount of rust. Nothing that a lil time spent cleaning and a shot of hi-temp paint wouldn't fix, I didn't bother to attend to it sooner as I plan on using just the chamber and silencer on the Rollfast with the pipe from another stock exhaust serving to eliminate the various chunks of copper tubing and whatnot, providing a "cleaner" look for the Rollfast.
As I didn't particularly wish to spend the full amount for
just the expansion chamber (I've made my own silencer) I thought I'd be satisfied with simply downgrading the Schwinn back to stock... wow... I'd forgotten just how significant a gain that dang thing actually provided despite my fondness for that particular system. As the Schwinn now seems doggy like I'm pulling a heavily laden trailer I suppose come spring it'll get an all new one... it's just plain unacceptable to consider the local mopeds might actually keep up with me... gawd forbid they actually should be able to pass me after all my bravado
Nevertheless - I'm overjoyed at the overall reliability my "test platform" Schwinn has provided, justifying the expense and labor involved in building the Rollfast. Odd as it may sound and in direct contradiction to those that would slander these el cheapo kits - my motorized
bicycle has proven significantly more trustworthy than expected, far surpassing even the various cars that my coworkers and housemates are using for their winter driving - every one of which has been down for expensive repair at one point or another (granted they're beaters - but still).
Eminently satisfied with the cost/labor/reliability of my first build - it's four thousand some-odd miles of faithful service providing vindication for the far more intensive Rollfast project, I'm actually relieved at the Schwinn's minor complaints
Now... if my buddy would just finish weldin' my freakin' tank I could get some
real work done lol