This is the 2nd installment of a 212 part series (if Murphy’s Law has anything to do with it) on upgrading an old Schwinn Collegiate to a practical and pleasing daily bicycle for transportation.

First things first. Before we get into the hands-on deconstruction, we need to take a bird’s eye view of the project and the overall objectives that we want to achieve.  We need to ask ourselves the important questions like, “Self, do we really need another bicycle?” (Ourself laughs at the obvious futility of this question.)  In other words, before any actual work begins, we need to make sure that our wants & needs meet our cans & haves.

Objective 1: A Good Rideable Bike
As you may have read in our Introduction to Murphy’s Law Project, this Schwinn Collegiate barely escaped the sharp teeth of the local crusher. We dashed in at the last second (not unlike the handsome hero on white horseback) and saved this neglected beauty. In reality, maybe we need to check our prescription:

• The frame of the bike is in pretty good shape.  Although there is some surface rust (and the paint is pretty faded), the foundation of the bike appears to be pretty solid.  We’ll find out more when we start taking things apart, but initially things are positive.
• There is a goodly amount of surface rust on the components and accessories … and by “goodly” we mean not good.  The fender (notice that word is not plural) is beyond repair, but the stem, cranks, and kickstand might be worth saving.  None of the parts will really shine again without re-chroming or serious polishing, but we can work that into the overall aesthetics of the bike.
• The wheel (again, not plural) and the drivetrain are pretty tired and not worth trying to resurrect.  However, the headset and bottom bracket seem to be in surprisingly good shape.  Basically, the fundamentals are in place.

Objective 2: Not to Break the Bank

We could simply throw money at this project and make a gold-plated, diamond encrusted piece of wall art (oh wait, that has already been done).  But instead, we want a realistic project that most cyclists can afford and appreciate.  In terms of setting a projected budget (which we will cover in more depth in the next segment of this series) we made a quick survey of comparable used and new bikes.  This gives a realistic scope of $200 to about $450 for a good dependable bike for transportation.

Objective 3: Have Fun with Murphy

It goes without saying that if this project is not enjoyable, then we are better served just buying a complete, ready-to-ride bike.  But as many a wise man has quipped, it is not the destination but the journey itself.  To keep the positive in perspective, here are a few reminders:

• Keep a realistic timeline. Like you, we are really just too busy to add another thing to the ever lengthening To-Do list.  However, if we can parse the tasks into realistic chunks, we can make this happen without upsetting the apple cart.  Simply put, there is no deadline.
• “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” As with any “specialty” project, there will be some unexpected speed bumps along the way that we simply cannot avoid.  But as long as we are not caught off-guard by these minor setbacks, then we will not be bested by Murphy’s Law.
• There is no spoon.

Alright … in the next installment we’ll address the dreaded Budget (with a capital “B”.)

More Photos of the Murphy’s Law Project →