I know exactly what OP is thinking. He's thinking "Here is a hunk of metal that is destined to be landfill but if I just knew what I was doing I could make something cool out of it for almost know money and I'd be totally saving the earth." I wish it worked that way. I hate seeing trashed up box-store bikes that are completely wasteful. Unfortunately, the only real way to contribute in this respect is by not buying a box store bike. It will be better if it ends up as scrap. Sad.