What should I do with this?
 

Hello -- I'm a newbie to the forum, though I've enjoyed browsing through all the posts. My question is that I found, in the garbage of a neighbor, an old bike. (I asked and she let make me take it -- no dumpster diving here). The frame is labeled Univega Maxima Sport, chromoly, and made in Taiwan. It's red. The bike has wheels with semi-knobbly tires that looked about 35 mm wide, maybe 40 mm, that were totally flat. It's got a high handlebar and looks like it was a hybrid bike. The front derailleur and the back gears look through they are rusted. The brakes look shot.

I was thinking this could be a good project bike. I already have a hybrid that I use for fun riding and occasional commuting. I was toying with making it a fixie or singlespeed (I have no experience with those at all, but it seems like they could be fun), just fixing it up with new components, or maybe even making it into an Xtracycle. I've also been trying to get my wife into cycling, so making it as comfortable as possible for a non-cyclist is also an option. Finally, I could also just try to sell it.

I just thought I would throw this out to the crowd -- any suggestions as to what I should do? Many thanks in advance.

get some new tubes, pump it up and have fun!

Ride it !!!

How much would you be willing to spend on your project bike....

I bought a red Maximo Sport frame on eBay last year and did this with it:

http://www.pbase.com/billd9/image/54897663.jpg

more photos, info in my signature, 3029.

are those Bike Planet fenders?

Yes.

Are you Ronald McDonald? If so, how well do the big shoes work with clips and straps?

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Great-looking bike, but love the comment!
Did you buy the yellow fenders? Or did you paint them?

Yep, free bikes are a blast!

Trust me because I've done a lot of that kind of thing. The most cost effective thing that you can do is to put it back where you got it. If you decide to keep it, don't let it sleep overnight with your other bikes because, if you do, the damm things seem to multiply.

I would second that if your only doing it to save money.
I bought an old raing bike from the tip fot £5 a few weeks ago to make in to a fixed gear. It is going well and should be brillient when finished but so far I have spent about £90 on it mainly because I am building a new rear wheel for it but I expect to have to spend a little more on a few other bits and bobs. However I do like getting old bikes and doing them up just for fun but it dose not make a profit. I recently got a mtb off of freecycle for my girlfriend, spent a day cleaning it greasing and rebuilding it but it turned out to be a tad too big for her. Still I can sell it but I would only get about £30 - 40 for it, not exactly a good days wadges but I still enjoyed my self taking it to bits.

You get them for free with a Happy Meal. ;)