Hello Everyone,

I am both new to building bicycles and to the website so please forgive me if I make any blatant "noob" mistakes, or if this is a little long winded. I recently picked up a mid 80's Schwinn Sprint. It had layed out in a junkyard for like the last ten years but I thought the frame was alright from just looking at it. I particularly like the way the frame looks with the caps over every joint.

I want a bike that I can pound out some serious miles on and feel good afterward. I ride a hybrid now and after like 35 miles I'm starting to hurt. I had heard good things about the frame for the Sprint, particularly that it can handle heavy riders. I only weight 170lbs but I am thinking about some long range touring and want a bike that takes weight.

My first question concerns my bottom bracket. Right now I have the old style forged spindle with a bearing on each end. What significant differences are there between the old style and the new. I realize that the new ones are going to spin better but why? The spindle I have now is in good condition I think that if I polish the crap out of the bearing surfaces and replace the retainer-ed 10 ball set up with a retainer-less 11 ball setup it will be a vast improvement even from when it was new. Any thoughts?

My next question concerns my crank set. I originally thought I was just going to dump this one but after taking a closer look I discovered mine is in really good condition. My big sprocket is 52 tooth and 8 7/16 inches wide. If I want to build a good bike that rides easy but can go fast when I want it to should I immediately rule out the idea of using the one I have (I know I can always try it and change out if it doesn't suit).

I have a lot more questions but they can wait. This thing won't be done tomorrow, next week, maybe even next month so I'm in no hurry