I think borobike clearly recognizes the pros and cons of his bike. I think he's enjoying riding it, has enjoyed working on it (and seems capable of doing so), and I hope it lasts him as long as he wants/needs it to. There are bikes sold at Walmart, Target, etc that are truly unrideable, and there are bikes sold there that can be decent rides for some people. Target was selling a SS road bike that actually looked pretty decent a while back -- not killer, but decent. I see a Huffy at work, decked out with a nice bags on front and back, at least three times a week -- I haven't run into the guy who rides it yet, but I'd be interested to know how far he rides, and what his experience has been.

Ride on, borobike.