This even works pretty well on cheap bikes. I once thoroughly overhauled a gaspipe 5 speed a friend had bought at a Firestone tire store (badged Firestone, probably made by AMF). It is amazing how well even cheap bikes can work if properly assembled and maintained. Of course a thorough overhaul by a professional bike mechanic (as opposed to a freebie from a friend) will cost a significant percentage of the purchase price of such a bike, and most owners aren't willing to pay it.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
> David Feldman <feldmans1@earthlink.net> wrote on:
> Friday, January 17, 2003 7:57 AM P.S.T. <snip>
>
> > Combine a more skilled and attentive assembly with modern improvements
in
> > small things--cables, pads, where to grease/distrust of factory bearing
> > installation and frame alignment--and those bikes would work much better
> > than in their day of manufacture with fewer mechanical and wear
problems.
> > Yes? No?
>
> David,
>
> Yes! Not only do I concur, but I also recommend that for those of you out
> there that have not tried this approach(I know that many of you have) find
a
> mid range bike with mid range components and thoroughly go through it as
> David suggests. You will be quite surprised at the results.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jim Narlesky
> San Jose, CA