Ron Hardin Wrote:



Every 10k miles or so, replace BB chainwheel chain and freewheel
together, when the chain finally starts popping off the chainwheel
startups. Huffy sells replacements over the phone.




Uh, when you replace that many parts at once isn't that approaching the
price of a comparable new bike? Sounds like unless you've got a cheap
source of parts, at 10k miles it's time to put Huffy to pasture and get
a new Huffy/roadmaster/schwinn unless the faithfull steed has become
part of the family. Might even be cheaper to buy a second as a parts
bike.

Nobody else has chimed in on this issue, but often with a commuter you
have to deal with rain, salt, snow so it's nice to have a bike on hand
that you don't dread getting weathered on. Also, there may be
locations you travel in wherein you want a bike the theives don't
target.

Slicks/knobbies is too route specific an issue for practical comment
per your limitted course disclosure. If commuting cross country or
primarily in snow (particularly this time of year) you certainly want
the knobbies. If exclusively bike trails in S. Cal, I'd think not.


--
meb