Somebody once gave me a Japanese Schwinn five speed that was rusting in her backyard. So rusted, the spoke nipples had seized up in little rustnubbins. I rode it for months as is, until the real wheel got whacked out of true. Ten years later, with some new rims, a Brooks sprung saddle and a little TLC, it remains one of my favorite bikes. Ride it whenever I get the chance (and it isn't raining.)