Haven't posted in ages, and normally winter in Wisconsin is not time to find bikes, but for some reason the local junkyard has been my friend since November or so. Back in November I found the Trek Snap-On Anniversary bike. It was minus shifters, derailleurs, brakes, and rubber, but I have plenty of spare parts. All put together, it is a handsome, American-built bike. Then in January some scrapper dumped off about 15 bikes. In between I found 2 Schwinn Worlds. Those I can sell as-is to a fellow who builds fixed gears. Also in the great pile of bikes was a tiny Specialized Hardrock (mixte frame, 24 inch). Someone had tried their hand with black spray paint on it, but that washed off with Xylene and some scrubbing. Needs some adjustments and a petite buyer. The last find is a BCAmerica mtb. From what I can gather they were in business for only a few years in PA (in the 90's?). Seems to have decent components. I'm fascinated and I couldn't resist giving it those gum-wall tires. Needs cables and the usual adjustments. Hubs say, "Sealed Mechanism." I've never seen that before. Does that mean I can't repack the bearings? All in all, with the 60 degree weather, this makes for great fun in February!
I'm having trouble with my images, so I'll post those tomorrow. But I would love to hear from anyone who knows anything about BCAmerica and "Sealed Mechanism" hubs. Thanks so much!