Bike Build: What I started with

There was a cheap, rusty, pee yellow Schwinn ATB at my parent's house. I think it was my sister's bike, but it had been sitting outside, in the back yard, for around two years. I told them I wanted a bike to mess around with and work on, and they were more than happy to get rid of it. So, here's what I started with (after breaking the thing down).



That's the frame hanging on my work stand, and that's the fork, stem, and headset laying on my garage floor. That pole in the picture on the right is the handlebars and I think the kickstand is laying next to it. So, inventory needed as of now:

Primer, Base Coat (White), and Blue Metallic Paint
New Handlebars (got some funky ones coming in. You'll see.)
New Kickstand (Why the hell not, I'm giving it to my mom and she might want one.)


The wheels. They were very salvageable. So were the tires, but I've ordered some cheapies with less tread so the mom can ride it up and down the road along the beach. All I've done with the wheels so far is take out the hubs and clean them. I've managed to lose one ball bearing for the front wheel, though. I'll be heading to the local bike store (Pro Bike in Brandon, MS) to see if Gary will give me one bearing. I may haul my Masi up there to remind him that three weeks ago I spent a few dollars in his store. I even volunteered and worked the corner of a race he puts on (there's some good velo porn from that I'll show later). He owes me at least one bearing.


Saddle, seat post, derailleurs, v-brakes, etc. I'm replacing the chain (junked the old one since it was nearly rusted stiff), cables (see the problem with the chain), The shifters and derailleurs were in pretty good (meaning no rust and they worked) shape.

Well, there's the "bike" I found. I'm hoping it looks nothing like that when I'm done. It's my first experience doing any significant work on a bike (as in more than cleaning and greasing), so this may get ugly.

And yes. In the last picture that is a Christmas Wreath laying in my garage in May.